Working on a new powder trickler

[country gent]

Am making a new powder trickler, thought some of you might like to hear about it. All from materials you can buy at the local stores.

Bill of materials:
2 matching copper reducers ( mine are 1X 1 1/2")
6" copper tubing of the same dia and the small ends of reducers ( Mine is 1")
3" brass tubing 3/8" od .312 Id ( mine will be 1 5/8" long)
4" .312 Od X .250 Id brass tubing
Solder and flux

Parts list:
2 reducers
1 piece of copper tubing 3/4" long
1 piece 3/8" brass tubing same length as the dia as the large end of reducers
2 pieces 3/8 brass tubing 3/4" long
1 piece .312 brass tubing a long as you want the end and thru the body + 1 1/4"
1 ea 1/4" id compression spring as long as the .312 dia tube

Steps:
shorten small ends of reducers to 3/8" long and remove stops
deburr reducers
set together on 3/4" copper tube to alighn and solder
cut a disk to match the dia of tubing and solder into seal tube on one end. This side is now the bottom
Drill 3/8 hole thru at joint or solder line
Fit 3/8 brass tubing in center file thru 3/16 wide slot 5/8 " long solder into body with slot centered and straight up
remove burrs from inside and smooth surface
.312 od brass tube fie matching slot into it. you want 3/4" of it out on drive end
The spring becomes the "auger" cut tight coils off ends and pull into the .312 brass tube to back side of slot This should be a snug fit in the tube
Plug back end of tube with stem
glue one 3/4" long 3/8 tube to back end of tube so slots alighn
glue second on other side leaving .003-.005 clearance to allow free turning Must be assembled when sleeve is glued on
Fill base with lead to with in 1/8" of edge
Polish it up

[Eutectic45]

Can you put up a picture?

[country gent]

Not till I get it done If I can get some help from my daughter

[Hossfly]

Would like to build one also, like doing these type projects. My imagination is good, and my reading skills still good, but i just can’t picture this in my mind. Please get your daughter to help with posting picture would be helpful for me at least. I prolly have all the components laying around for this project.

[country gent]

Im currently waiting on the brass tubing to arrive, Had to order it at Christmas time LOL

[country gent]

Ive got the hourglass body done and base filled with lead Weighs about 4 1/2 - 4 lbs. Left the lead 1/8: below the copper fittings base so it sits on a ring. Bushing tube is done slot cut. trickler tube is done matching slot cut 2 1 1/4" wheels and finger stem for it needs soldered together yet. Waiting on a spring. Still need to drill the 3/8" hole thru the body for bushing tube. Polished everything with a 3m scratch pad and got a nice subdued brush type finish. The finger stem is 1/4" dia and allows a faster rotation of the trickle tube. the 1 1/4" wheels allow trickle tube to be rocked back and forth for single granules. Its going really well and looking good. Once finished I may flame color it with a torch.

[country gent]

Filled the base with lead today. melted it in to around 1/8" of base. it still sits on a copper ting roughly 1 3/4" in dia and now weighs about 3 pounds its very stable takes a pretty good push to move it any. Painted the exposed lead in the base with a thick coat of enamel paint to seal it also. Large ends are 1 3/4" dia and it stands 3 1/2" tall. trickle tube centerline is 1 3/4" above bench. Height can be adjusted by how you modify the copper reducer fittings My center section of the hour glass ( straight section) is 5/8" . leaving longer or shorter would change height. cutting the base shorter will also fine tune height. For a cushioned base a o ring could be glued into the base at the joint between copper and lead fill. Or an aluminum ring made to form a groove for the o ring to press into.

[country gent]

I got the bushing tube aligned and soldered in place. a little polishing on the Id and the trickle tube turn very smooth and easy in it. The 1 1/4: wheels hubs set end play and are almost perfect with ,002 end play.

[country gent]

Wound a "spring" today in the lathe from .062 wire on a .157 mandrel and installed it. set the last wheel and stem in place. .001 end play turns like its on roller bearings. Glued the auger in place and waiting till tomorrow for epoxy to fully cure. This wasn't a bad little project, and if pressed once materials are on hand could be done in a few hours time. If just the Stem was used. THe large dia wheels take some more time to make.

[jmorris]

I made the one on this video out of a 2” diameter hunk of UHMW and stainless tubing. Nothing to look at but it works.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nA0_KDjbBGQ

[country gent]

Ive got the trickler done except for a little finish polishing. Looks good, very smooth to operate with the longer bearing surfaces. weighs enough with a big enough base to be very stable. The larger knobs on it make dropping 1 granule of powder easy and repeatable. The small stem makes getting to that point quick and easy if needed. Have about $20.00 in it and time. Things I would change on a second one are not a lot. While the solder worked made strong joints and nice seams, I believe I would use epoxy on the next one. would make solid joints, hold up as good , no heat discolorations or distortions, and be easier to work with. It might take a little more prep work sanding fits and cure times but once glued heat transfer wouldn't unsolder previous joints.

[NyFirefighter357]

Country gents Pics:

https://i.imgur.com/F6uBdmv.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/BhU9pJQ.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/8Ave2Pb.jpg

[country gent]

A big Thank-You to Mitch and NyFirefighter357 for the help posting the pictures.

[NyFirefighter357]

No, thank you. I've been following this project. I prob. have everything I need here to build one.

[Hossfly]

Thanks for the pics, NyFirefighter357 and country gent, been anticipating what it looks like. I’m going to build one in the future also, may not have all parts but doesn’t look too hard to build. Very good looking project, you did a good job. Like I said I have a bought one, but it don’t have class, or character like yours. And the bought one falls over to easy. With lead in base that shouldn’t happen.

[country gent]

Hossfly, Several changes from the purchased ones here that really improve the usability. Its not a bad project to due a winter day even with just hand tools. On another ine I would only change 1 thing. after fitting the disc and filling base with lead all other joints would be with JB weld epoxy.

The additions or changes from the purchased models are:

1) the large wheels for rocking back and forth. this makes dropping single granule easy, I retained the small stem for faster trickle running up to close

2) The wheel has an index mark to the slot so you know where it is.

3) Instead of a hole this has a set of slots for better powder drop into the tube.

4) I used 2 tubes one soldered into the body it sticks out on each side 5/16" this gives more bearing area and a square surface to set end play. the trickler tube slide thru and rotates in this tube. very smooth operation and more bearing surface.

5) didn't want to tap the trickle tube that deep, requires a modified or special tap. So I used a little larger tube and wound a soft wire "spring" that was a snug fit in the tube. The benefits here is its coarser than the threads deeper also. It moves powder consistently and a rocking motion gives a 1single granule of powder. This is more like an auger than a thread.

[country gent]

The large wheels were the ends cut off the copper reducers repurposed. a short piece of copper tubing was cut split and flattened into a sheet disk cut from this and soldered into them. then the hole drilled for the hub ( same tubing as Bearing tube). and glued to trickle tube when assembled, these set the end play

[Mitch]

It is a purdy thing.I can tell you it runs as smooth as it looks!Great job Country Gent.I am thinking we have a casting session coming up when the weather warms up a bit.

[country gent]

Hossfly, more credit is di on the pics. Mitch came out and took them for me and sent them to NyFirefighter357 who then posted them for me. Again a big Thank-you to both.

NYFirefighter357, This is one of those little projects that is fun to do and can be done with basic hand tools a hacksaw ( 32 tpi blade is best here) a couple files, vise, and assortment of sandpaper. The finished product is better than what you can by and depending on prices on copper fittings cheaper than the purchased ones. I think I gave around $5.00 each for the 2 fittings $5.00 for the short length of 1" copper tubing, and a couple bucks a piece at the hobby store for the 2 pieces of brass tubing.

[HollowPoint]

I like the concept.

I've been using a little manual trickler and a digital trickler for a while now and one of the peevs I found with both are that when I'm down to the last few kernels of powder to make an exacting charge drop, both types of powder tricklers will inevitably have a small log jam of powder kernels at the very tip of the trickling-tube that will release and drop more powder kernels than are needed so I'm nearly always given a very slight over charge of powder.

I recently came across a youtube video of a guy who mentioned this same problem he was having with his digital powder trickler dropping a heavier than needed charge weights due to the same reasons I've described. His solution to this problem was to place a very short section of platic-drinking-straw on the end of the trickler tube. I'm assuming that the slick plastic inner surface of the straw allows for smooth passage of individual powder kernels so as to mitigate that log-jamming effect caused by the interior threading or rifling in the drop tube.

I have yet to try this but I plan to the next time I reload. I found out about this idea a bit to late. I had already reloaded all the cartridges I'd planned to before hearing about this fix. I mention it because if I had to deal with this problem, chances are that many others have to; including you guys who are working on these trickler projects.

HollowPoint

[country gent]

Toot here is the thread

[toot]

country gent, i received your tutorial on the dribbler. thanking you for mentioning it,and where to find it.