So much for winter project Loadmaster

[jmorris]

The case feed, Hornady bullet feed and the latest primer system came in and I made some adapters for my collators so they would work.

I also added a counter, light and mirror, so I could know how many primers I went through and so I could see the powder throw as I couldn't also run a PC die.

In any case here is a video of 100 rounds loaded on a Lee Loadmaster in under 4 minutes.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S9pjmuHAkBU

http://i664.photobucket.com/albums/vv5/qvideo/LM/IMG_20151216_142529_480_zpstzjfm8bs.jpg

http://i664.photobucket.com/albums/vv5/qvideo/LM/IMG_20151216_142500_317_zpsxbs7anct.jpg

http://i664.photobucket.com/albums/vv5/qvideo/LM/IMG_20151216_142428_797_zps87y4xzqw.jpg

[chumly2071]

Very nice job, but from seeing your other work, this seems like par for the course. What's next in your mad science lab?

[kbstenberg]

I like your mod for the mirror for looking at the powder. If you don't mind I would like to use it?
What combination did you use on the bullet feed system?

[rancher1913]

feel free to stop by and help get my locknload going like that, oh yah, you will need to bring almost everything in your video to accomplish it. neet to watch and one day I may get there.

[troyboy]

So, what is you honest assessment of the press. I am a fan of the P-1000,but after reading the current crop of loadmaster threads it seems like money would be better spent on a different press.

[jmorris]

Actually I was surprised, it was as easy to get it working as it was. Instructions for lack of better words, suck.

Lots of videos out there as well but not a lot of them tell you what you need to know either.

Lots of critical parts are plastic and might need to be "tuned" and it is more critical for the right lube in the right places than Hornady or Dillon's.

The indexer is really "floating" in the carrier and can get out of whack if you make anything except a full stroke (up or down), not that you should be doing that loading on any press but you might setting one up. If it is not where it should be and you force it, you will damage something. Again like other presses, force can ruin any of them but the LM seems like it would be more likely someone could damage a part, than others I have used.

This one was sent to me for free because the owner gave up on getting it to run and now that I know what it needed to work, I don't think it would be a big deal to duplicate but I don't think I will be selling any of my Dillon's soon.

Guess it has been said before, if you like to tinker the LM would be fine but I still don't think I would suggest one for someone that just wants to bolt a press to the bench, set the dies and start loading.

The bullet feeder is a new Hornady dropper, I just took apart to look at and put back together, the collator is one I built from 6" PVC. I use them on my other presses and bullet sizing machines.

[chumly2071]

Any links to your collator build? I waited too long on the Entirely Crimson kits,and it seems he has been derailed by corporate attorneys (unconfirmed, but no longer for sale) and no estimates as to when or if he will restart.

[S. Galbraith]

The case feed, Hornady bullet feed and the latest primer system came in and I made some adapters for my collators so they would work.

I also added a counter, light and mirror, so I could know how many primers I went through and so I could see the powder throw as I couldn't also run a PC die.

In any case here is a video of 100 rounds loaded on a Lee Loadmaster in under 4 minutes.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S9pjmuHAkBU

http://i664.photobucket.com/albums/vv5/qvideo/LM/IMG_20151216_142529_480_zpstzjfm8bs.jpg

http://i664.photobucket.com/albums/vv5/qvideo/LM/IMG_20151216_142500_317_zpsxbs7anct.jpg

http://i664.photobucket.com/albums/vv5/qvideo/LM/IMG_20151216_142428_797_zps87y4xzqw.jpg

You know, that setup is like inhaling a fine dinner without savoring it. Hehe, just kidding. Awesome automation.

[jmorris]

Any links to your collator build? I waited too long on the Entirely Crimson kits,and it seems he has been derailed by corporate attorneys (unconfirmed, but no longer for sale) and no estimates as to when or if he will restart.


Yeah the EC collators were shut down by Rick (MBF). There is some info on my builds here.

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?259684-Auto-conversation-for-the-Star/page2

[DaveInFloweryBranchGA]

Okay, so you got it to run with pistol cartridges, which it was designed for and adapted the case feeder and did it in a great way. I'll be copying the sensor set up you used, as that's about the right weight of brass to feed well into Lee portion of the case feeder, regardless of quantity available above. Sometimes less is more.

Next challenges:

1. Get the case feeder to feed .223, .308, 30.06 and 8MM sized cartridges correctly, which will take mods to that feeder. I've been able to come up with two mods that work with the original Lee setup and are mostly plastic, therefore fairly cheap, not sure of the longevity long term, but then, the Lee feeder setup has a lot of plastic in it.

2. Determine what can be done to minimize the press coming out of adjustment, if, in fact, it tends to do so.

[VHoward]

One thing I experienced when I had a loadmaster besides the primer system not working properly is the toolhead would come loose. The screw/bolt that holds it tight would come unfastened.

[DaveInFloweryBranchGA]

One thing I experienced when I had a loadmaster besides the primer system not working properly is the toolhead would come loose. The screw/bolt that holds it tight would come unfastened.

Magic Mike of Mike's Reloading Bench has come up with mods to the primer system and turret to address those issues permanetly. He also has a billet turret (His turret stabilizer addresses the screw bolt issue and is inexpensive.) to eliminate those issues as well as to reduce COAL to be insignificant:

www.mikesreloadingbench.com

I have a turret I modified, I have Mike's modified primer system and I have one of the billet turrets as well as one of his shake brakes.

One flaw with the Loadmaster is the design allows for a lot of press to hang off the bench and makes it sensitive to vibration, a bad combination. I've found that the Loadmaster, mounted on a solid bench with an Inline Fabrications strong mount and a shake brake is the as stable a reloading press as I've seen. These mods/additions eliminate any unwanted vibration that can affect either priming, powder dispensing and I suspect, but can't prove - loss of adjustment.

Once the vibrational issues have been addressed, then you're looking at the priming system working right. To do that, the press needs the carrier to be in the right location, the press to have only the vibration it needs and the plastics of the priming system to work right. Lee has upgraded the priming system quite a bit and the latest rendition is more reliable, but Mike's mods significantly improve on priming system effectiveness. Modified, the priming depth can be accurately adjusted and the carrier section of the priming system extends and retracts. It offers up a primer and then retracts as the press is operated, thereby protecting the primer from being crushed or knocked off if something hangs up.

With the vibration and priming system addressed, you arrive at the turret coming loose. The chain can affect this, as it bangs on and can hang on the turret locking bolt, causing the bolt to loosen. If not using Mike's mods, one can replace the chain with a section of spring loaded rod. How to do the chain elimination modification with a rod is available on youtube and Loadmastervideos. While doing the mod, one can add a small bracket to move the new rod so it does not interfere with the turret bolt and is no longer in the way for viewing/checking powder levels in a case.

Finally, one can eliminate the need for the turret bolt completely by installing one of his turret stabilizers and then COAL can be reduced to insignificance using the turret mod or one of Mike's billet turrets.

At that point, all you're looking at is proper torque of the carrier bolt and using lock washers on the case feeder mount to keep it where you put it and you're ready to reload pistol.

Reloading rifle is another animal, but that's true of all progressives and relates to handling the bigger case as well as addressing COAL consistency.

[sparky45]

Great stuff Mr Morris, I wouldn't have expected anything less for your efforts.

[DaveInFloweryBranchGA]

Where did you get the round counter? I can't see the brand name and I like how that one works compared to many I've looked at.

[jmorris]

The counter was in a lot I bought at auction. This is it.http://qdhitech.en.alibaba.com/product/262517689-200469198/J114_Mechanical_Counter.html

[Fire_Medic]

Dave,

You say the recommendation is the inline Fab mount AND the shake brake?

I have the ultramount but did not order the shake brake from Mike, as I figured the Inline fab setup would be solid enough........

Thanks
FM

[jmorris]

I mounted the one in the video above to a section of 2x4x3/16 box tube to the bench with two 1/2-13 bolts and it flexed the tubing enough that I tacked the back side of it to the bench.

The press design does seem to impart more torque to the mounting surface than others I have used, I can see why some use the front drop leg to help out some bench tops.

[DaveInFloweryBranchGA]

Dave,

You say the recommendation is the inline Fab mount AND the shake brake?

I have the ultramount but did not order the shake brake from Mike, as I figured the Inline fab setup would be solid enough........

Thanks
FM

Gabe,

I ordered the shake brake for my convenience. It's a piece of flat steel with three holes drilled in it and it comes with bolts/instructions to mount it to the press. You could fabricate it out of steel or aluminum fairly easily, buy the nuts at your local ace and get the cargo bar from your local Harbor Freight. Mike's is just nice looking, already made and for me, the time to locate the materials, cut the part out and round up the hard ware was more valuable than what he charges for his kit. Depends on how tight your money is.

[DaveInFloweryBranchGA]

I mounted the one in the video above to a section of 2x4x3/16 box tube to the bench with two 1/2-13 bolts and it flexed the tubing enough that I tacked the back side of it to the bench.

The press design does seem to impart more torque to the mounting surface than others I have used, I can see why some use the front drop leg to help out some bench tops.

It does and while I have a solid bench and the Inline mount is really solid, the press still had some flex. I think it's because Lee didn't put enough rearward mounting to fully support the torque. Combine that with 100% of operations on the down stroke of the lever arm and you're really pulling down on the front of the press, where there is no support. The front drop leg eliminates even the amount of shake I was seeing in your video JM.

The guys over at Loadmatervideos swear by the front drop leg support. That's where I got the information from.

[DaveInFloweryBranchGA]

The counter was in a lot I bought at auction. This is it.http://qdhitech.en.alibaba.com/product/262517689-200469198/J114_Mechanical_Counter.html

Thank you for the information. That is one of the better counters I've seen from a mount and set up point of view. With your information I located one just like it, different sticker. Ordered two for less than 7 bucks.

[Fire_Medic]

Gabe,

I ordered the shake brake for my convenience. It's a piece of flat steel with three holes drilled in it and it comes with bolts/instructions to mount it to the press. You could fabricate it out of steel or aluminum fairly easily, buy the nuts at your local ace and get the cargo bar from your local Harbor Freight. Mike's is just nice looking, already made and for me, the time to locate the materials, cut the part out and round up the hard ware was more valuable than what he charges for his kit. Depends on how tight your money is.


I can spring for it and Mike got my LM parts today we talked on the phone for a bit. I was just basically meaning to ask is this a worthy investment on top of the ultra mount, if so I will add it to my order.

[smilie=s:

[DaveInFloweryBranchGA]

I can spring for it and Mike got my LM parts today we talked on the phone for a bit. I was just basically meaning to ask is this a worthy investment on top of the ultra mount, if so I will add it to my order.

[smilie=s: I thought it was worth enough I spent money on it. :D

[Fire_Medic]

I thought it was worth enough I spent money on it. :D

Perfect thanks. I will have Mike toss one in when he sends me my parts. I asked him but he was not sure if it mounted up to the Ultra Mount which is why I hadn't ordered it before.

[sparky45]

You'll be surprised at how "solid" the feel becomes with the addition of the shake brake. Well worth the investment.

[Fire_Medic]

Thanks guys for the feedback, will have Mike add the shake brake.