A different automated Master Caster.

[Dwayneinfo]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GURT9rwONs8

[Tazza]

You need to give more details now, i like the tappers, very simple. I looked at using electric solenoids like that, but the ones i got from china were smaller than that and had little power.

Any pictures of the drive and control system?

Nice job.

[Dwayneinfo]

Controls are a mix of relay and PLC. I have posted a couple more videos on my YouTube channel where you can see more detail. The controls are a mess and you will never see in there. Conversion was actually really simple to do. I have a lot more testing to do but I am hopeful.

[Tazza]

Nice, i will have a look at your channel. There is always another way of doing the job, i love what people have come up with to automate theirs, there is always something they have done to personalize it.

[Dwayneinfo]

I did not want the pounding of the pneumatic cylinders. So far this setup is very smooth and easy on the machine.

[jcren]

For what it is worth, those solinoids are common on copiers.

[Tazza]

On copiers you say, we have one at work, wonder if they will miss any of them :)

It is very smooth, like the machine Jmorris made, his is motor driven and very smooth.

As mine doesn't have tappers, it needs the impact of the air cylinder to shake the projectiles out. The cylinder i have does have a buffer at the end of stroke that you can adjust to prevent impact at the ends.

[Dwayneinfo]

The tappers are an eBay purchase. Just search push/pull solenoids 12v. All different sizes and very cheap.

[Dwayneinfo]

Here is another video. Cycling without lead and more complete view.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tLwi12xfBRM

[Tazza]

Do you still get any projectiles or sprues sticking?

The way i was thinking of tpping mine was with a small air cylinder. I was planning on striking the mold halves on the under side of the pivot, making them rattle inwards. When the mold is open, they tend to close up at the top and open at the bottom. I hoped this would give enough vibration to the sprue cutter to make them drop too.

The only issue i can see is wear on the mold where the mount is and will hit the carrier with the rattling (if that makes sense) But with a regulator, i can tame the force of the strikes right down.

It is a job for one day, as i have cast quite a few without a tapper, it would just be a nice addition.

The slowest job is sizing them :(

[Dwayneinfo]

Molds move when tapped. I also have tappers set to hit very near the end of their stroke. It's not trying to push through the block, just move it. If I have bullets sticking I just increase the tap time. I was planning on making this whole setup pneumatic but I came across the 12v drive motor. It's gearbox has a .75" shaft which matches the master caster. Just had a keyway cut into shaft and put longer shaft into caster. Worked out pretty well and I am happy with it so far. I am updating to digital controls on the heat right now.

[Tazza]

Can't knock it when you have the parts laying around to do the job. I was lucky enough to have most of the parts available to me for free. The only parts that really cost me anything were the Arduino and the mosfets to power the air solenoids and a display.

This way you don't have to buy expensive stuff and find out it's too short or the wrong size, you just swap to something different that hopefully works. Nothing worse than spending a heap of money on something and later finding out it is not suitable. That is why the wyman/hatch setup is so good. Wyman spent the time developing the mechanics to get them right, Hatch just did the final touches.

[Ausglock]

I have 2 motorised Gulf bag buggies (not golf carts)
They have 12V motor/drive just like you have.
Might have to wreck them and use the motors... I hate Golf!! :bigsmyl2: