What accessories are essential on a Ballisti-Cast MK VI Lubrisizer?

[AbitNutz]

I'm really considering a MK VI lube-sizer. The full monte price with heater, PID, air, rotary stuff runs the price to $700.00. So what could you live without to reduce the cost? I'm not a commercial enterprise.

[dragon813gt]

IMO, bite the bullet and get all the options. Otherwise it just slows the machine down.

[AbitNutz]

I have a Star without heat and not sure why I need it.

[ssnow]

If your lube is such that you don't need heat with your Star, then you don't "need" heat with the Ballisti-Cast either. Same way with the air...... But they sure are nice options to have if it's in the budget. I wouldn't want to be without heat.

As far as the rotary wheel, it's a standard item that you need. (Notice that it is not mechanized, you have to manually turn it), so it's just part of the machine, not really an added option, no up-grade to be made.

[dragon813gt]

I have a Star without heat and not sure why I need it.

If you use a hard lube like Carnuba Red then you need heat. If you're using soft lubes then you don't need heat. If you have a Star then why bother w/ a Ballisticast? There has been to many issues w/ the company over the past few years. I know they're trying to sort them all out. But it seems like to much of a risk to me.

[DHC]

If you use a hard lube like Carnuba Red then you need heat. If you're using soft lubes then you don't need heat. If you have a Star then why bother w/ a Ballisticast? There has been to many issues w/ the company over the past few years. I know they're trying to sort them all out. But it seems like to much of a risk to me.

Some folks are risk averse while others have a higher tolerance for what some consider risky. I have a couple of Stars, yet the BC machines look REALLY nice to me. Their design is more contemporary than the Magma/Star products - which holds the *potential* of being improved over the earlier designs. Given the most recent news with BC (seemingly all positive), I am giving their products serious consideration.

FWIW

[6bg6ga]

I have a Star without heat and not sure why I need it.

Change to a harder lube and you will quickly learn why you need heat.

[ssnow]

If you use a hard lube like Carnuba Red then you need heat. If you're using soft lubes then you don't need heat. If you have a Star then why bother w/ a Ballisticast? There has been to many issues w/ the company over the past few years. I know they're trying to sort them all out. But it seems like to much of a risk to me.

There is really no risk. There were those who had paid for a mold in a group buy, and were then concerned (and rightly so) during the big shake up, wondering what would happen. It worked out in the end.

But in this case there are no such issues, as they are not billing for the machines until they are done.........pay at that point and the machine is shipped to you. No hassles or worries.

[AbitNutz]

Bill says he has them in stock. Since I have a Star, all my dies will interchange. I'm looking to have a machine dedicated to the calibers that I shoot the most of. I've done that with my reloading machines...a dedicated Dillon 550B for 45acp and 357 mag. Then stuff I shoot less of is left to my Redding T-7, Co-Ax, etc. I'd like to get a similar setup for lubing bullets. I just hate changing calibers, no matter it be for reloading brass or lube/sizing bullets.

[dragon813gt]

The risk isn't getting the machine at the moment. The risk is in the company going away. It seems it wasn't that far off a few months back. I'm in the position to buy a sizer right now. I really like the Ballisticast. I just don't know if I can buy one because I don't have the means to make parts if the break if the company goes belly up. Same thing w/ their casting machines.

[6bg6ga]

The risk isn't getting the machine at the moment. The risk is in the company going away. It seems it wasn't that far off a few months back. I'm in the position to buy a sizer right now. I really like the Ballisticast. I just don't know if I can buy one because I don't have the means to make parts if the break if the company goes belly up. Same thing w/ their casting machines.

I suggest that you pick up the phone and call Bill and talk to him.

If I had been worried about the future of Ballisti-cast I wouldn't have purchased my equipment.

[finishman2000]

The risk isn't getting the machine at the moment. The risk is in the company going away. It seems it wasn't that far off a few months back. I'm in the position to buy a sizer right now. I really like the Ballisticast. I just don't know if I can buy one because I don't have the means to make parts if the break if the company goes belly up. Same thing w/ their casting machines.

I understand your fear of them going away but really there isn't anything on the sizer that if it did break can't be replaced. Other than the casting, everything is off the shelf or easily made.
Great machine and much tougher than a star (I've owner many over the years) and built for a lifetime or two of heavy use.

[Fluxed]

Any company can go away at any time. I do agree that some look more stable than others but we've all been fooled before. And the situation has been sketchy with this particular company. Little guys like this can blow away tomorrow, but if we don't trust them to some extent none of them will ever survive or maybe never even start a new business.

So I suppose you're taking some chance buying their products. On the other hand, the parts to these machines could be readily made by any number of folks on this forum or handy guys with machine tools in their garage. There's no rocket science involved. I can make any of the mechanical parts. Not that I'd want to, but its one of those things that is obviously fixable. Not a throw-away.

That's the reasoning I used when I bought mine that shipped to me last week. I've sized about 1K bullets now and figured out a few things about it. Its a big speed improvement over the typical Lyman, RCBS, and Saeco machines. I'd say about 4 times as fast. Its also got good leverage designed in so easier to work with. And its stoutly built. The heater is great. The feeder is good. A lot of money, but a lot of machine.

IMO, Bill must be turning the corner on the business problems. He is shipping product now and that is a big step forward.

[fishboy747]

I did purchase my sizer without the PID but that was because I had 3 on hand I put them on bradley smokers I just purchased the heater as he bores the casting for the diameter of the heater and a 1/4 20 temp probe this is a awsome sizer and I own a star sizer buy the feed wheel and tubes for the calibers you size save shipping and wait time.Bill is great to work with and all this talk about what was done earlier by his son was just that done by his son he is doing what he said he would get the company back on track and produce good products. If you are on the fence get off and buy one you will not regret it.

[DHC]

Another couple of things to consider - if I understand it correctly, doesn't BC own the rights to some of the original H&G mould designs? If correct, and if their other products are well-designed and functional - then even if the current ownership screws things up, someone will recognize the value and pick things up eventually. It could cause further delays, but well-designed products that enjoy a reasonable market are unlikely to go out of production permanently.

Once again - FWIW

[AbitNutz]

I've really not had any of my reloading equipment break, with the exception of my RCBS Pro-Melt pot. It didn't break as much as I broke it. RCBS did fix it for free after I owned it for 20 years.

I think the greatest requirement of support for one of these units is being able to obtain sizing dies. Since it takes Star dies and there are more than a couple of makers of those, I'm not too concerned.

I think I can get away without the heat, which knocks off about $170.00. I can always add it later if I need be but I've had the Star for years and not missed it with the lubes I use. The air is nice and that only adds $40.

[kayak1]

I too was worried about Ballisti-cast they had a track record of not shipping. It looks like they turned it around, I am still going to pay with a CC but I think that it will arrive. I really like how solid it looks I am going to see if I can get my own feeder working with it instead of the spinner. I would like to automate it in the same way that my star is. It looks like a nice challenge.

[fishboy747]

I wanted to save on costs as you seem to want to do when purchasing this sizer as it is the most expensive piece for casting that I own now and I wanted to get everything from Balisti cast in one purchase That is why I got 2 feed wheel set-ups I do cast for the .38 as well as the .44 and .45 and this required 2 different feed wheels and tube set-ups. I just purchased the heating probe only as he bores the base for the heating element he sells with the PID set. if price is of concern opt out of the PID and 1/4 20 temp probe you can purchase these at a later date. The heating element he uses is a 100 watt element and you can power this directly off the PID that I selected without any SSR (soild state relay)as it equates to about .82 of an amp I believe. My PID is from Auberins a 1512 1/32 size and on/off switch and a project box from radio shack and a 3.50 9 foot cord from lowes total cost about 48.00 you can get the PID's cheaper but I don't believe you will get tech support. If you use the PID that I used you will have to change the output for J1 on in the settings as it comes set up for use with a SSR. This to me is the most compact PID and is my personal choice but I am sure others will have a different set up. Just as a note Lathsmith on this forum makes the punches as well as the dies. The big question is did I save money I believe so and I also know how this heater works so when something goes wrong I can fix it myself.