Electricians? How hard would this be to build ?

[Wolfdog91]

So I don't know much about wiring and the like but would like to build a little case prep center like this , how hard would it be to build ?


https://youtu.be/9E3KzamBnms

[Hannibal]

Not difficult, problem is in today's society you are required to protect everyone from their own ignorance, stupidity and and malicious intent for self harm so rotating, sharpened unguarded motor driven objects are a lawsuit waiting to happen.

[Winger Ed.]

Midway has a Frankford Arsenal one that sells for $104.
At that price, building one isn't really worth your time if you don't already have a gear box for it.

One of those stations looks like it'd be handy for doing about a hundred cases or less.
Much more than that, putting the tool in a drill press or lathe running pretty slow (for it) is a lot faster.

I do that when I process a bunch of brass at one time.
With a coffee can of brass and a empty one next to it, take out the cases one or two at a time and just touch them on the tool.
When one step is done, change the tool over and do all of them for the next step.
It goes surprisingly fast.

[ryanmattes]

Midway has a Frankford Arsenal one that sells for $104.
At that price, building one isn't really worth your time if you don't already have a gear box for it.

One of those stations looks like it'd be handy for doing about a hundred cases or less.
Much more than that, putting the tool in a drill press or lathe running pretty slow (for it) is a lot faster.

I do that when I process a bunch of brass at one time.
With a coffee can of brass and a empty one next to it, take out the cases one or two at a time and just touch them on the tool.
When one step is done, change the tool over and do all of them for the next step.
It goes surprisingly fast.Same. I chuck it in the drill, put a brush in the primer pocket, flip it, put a used cleaning brush in the case mouth, and touch it with the chamfer and debur tool. Toss it in the empty bucket.

But I use plastic "ammo cans" from wal mart, so I constantly have half a bucket of dirty and a half a bucket of clean. So when I have time, I go move them from one bucket to another.


https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20220313/e0feef43a764693972bbee25ac8ee483.jpg

Black, opaque cans are dirty, white, transparent cans are in some stage of cleaning.

[sukivel]

I recently went through this thought process, and realized that the Frankford Arsenal was just cheaper. It's quiet as well. I also use a World's finest Trimmer for 223 and 300BO that I wanted stationed right next to the FA trimmer I bought. I cut the "grip" off an old electric drill and made a wooden box to fit it in. Bolted it down next to my trimmer and it worked great, but the drill was overwhelming loud. I found a small quiet motor and replaced it. Mounted the motor and trimmer next to each other on a one foot square plywood and hard wired them into a double gang switch. It's awesome now.

[Wolfdog91]

Midway has a Frankford Arsenal one that sells for $104.
At that price, building one isn't really worth your time if you don't already have a gear box for it.

One of those stations looks like it'd be handy for doing about a hundred cases or less.
Much more than that, putting the tool in a drill press or lathe running pretty slow (for it) is a lot faster.

I do that when I process a bunch of brass at one time.
With a coffee can of brass and a empty one next to it, take out the cases one or two at a time and just touch them on the tool.
When one step is done, change the tool over and do all of them for the next step.
It goes surprisingly fast.

Well seem like something fun to do I,wanna kinda learn how to mess with small motors and the like. What kinda gear box would somone need ? Figured I could just go get two old cordless drills for like $10 at the pawn shop and just gut them and mount the chucks and motors somehow

[Wolfdog91]

I recently went through this thought process, and realized that the Frankford Arsenal was just cheaper. It's quiet as well. I also use a World's finest Trimmer for 223 and 300BO that I wanted stationed right next to the FA trimmer I bought. I cut the "grip" off an old electric drill and made a wooden box to fit it in. Bolted it down next to my trimmer and it worked great, but the drill was overwhelming loud. I found a small quiet motor and replaced it. Mounted the motor and trimmer next to each other on a one foot square plywood and hard wired them into a double gang switch. It's awesome now.

How hard was the wiring ?

[Winger Ed.]

I,wanna kinda learn how to mess with small motors and the like.

A useful and entry level small motor project if you don't already have one is build yourself a tumbler.

[sukivel]

How hard was the wiring ?

Not hard. Power in to two "light" switches, and motor/trimmer wired into other side of switch. I will add pics tomorrow of my setup for a better visual.

[sukivel]

A useful and entry level small motor project if you don't already have one is build yourself a tumbler.

Yes it is, as I did this as well several years ago. Mine is extremely overbuilt, as I used mostly stuff I had around the shop. The cheapo low rpm motors on Amazon are more readily available for a tumbler or a case prep center. If I did build a case prep center I would use separate motors for each use instead of a gear box. But, again, when you buy an enclosure, motors, shaft couplers, prep ends, etc., you are nearing the $100 price of the Frankford, and it works really well. On the tumbler, I have $20-30 in mine and I think it holds more than the Frankford. I also planned on building a bigger container out of 6" pvc (mine is currently 4" pvc), which the tumbler itself is more than capable of holding.

[Handloader109]

One on thingiverse that uses a $15 amazon motor, 12v, and skateboard bearings. From 2021 and said about $30 in it. Probably closer to $50 with power supply, materials. And the cleaning fittings.

Sent from my SM-G892A using Tapatalk

[lightman]

The wiring will be "KISS" simple. Getting the motor and gears mounted will be much harder.

[1hole]

The wiring would consist of connecting a power cord, a fuse, a small motor and an on-off switch. All of that could be put together in less than ten minutes.

Finding a proper gearbox and mounting it correctly in the box would be the hard part.

[Wolfdog91]

So why would I need a gear box ? Why no just two motors wired in tandem ?

[Sasquatch-1]

If all you want to do is chamfer and deburr, get yourself a Lee universal 3 jaw chuck. Chuck it up in a drill and go to town.

[gwpercle]

If all you want to do is chamfer and deburr, get yourself a Lee universal 3 jaw chuck. Chuck it up in a drill and go to town.

I don't have a drill press or a lathe but I do have a small vise on bench . Chuck the Lee Universal 3 Jaw chuck into variable speed hand drill and clamp drill in vise ... use as third hand to hold drill while chamfering , de-burring , trimming and etc.
Can adjust speed with variable speed control ... works pretty good for this kind of stuff.
The Lee Universal 3 Jaw Chuck is another handy tool from Lee.
Gary

[Plate plinker]

It’s only worth it if you have lots of FREE time.

[1hole]

So why would I need a gear box ? Why no just two motors wired in tandem ?

Electric motors small enough to fit inside a small box spin too fast for our needs and usually have low torque, they need to be geared down.

IMHO, you would be better off with an inexpensive electric drill/driver from Walmart; lots of power, speed control trigger and a strong chuck to directly hold any spinning tool you're likely to need. (Lyman used to sell a good selection of case trimmer tools, maybe they still do?)

[country gent]

If you went to one spindle with the threaded hole a small gear head motor from a toy car or even from the internet would work going with a dc motor would allow a speed adjustment also. Not only could you chamfer but tools could be made for uniforming pockets, deburring flash holes but you would do batches.

These motors can be found in the cars bikes kids ride in or as said on the internet. Another source of bigger motors is treadmills. A window motor from a car might work also.

[MT Gianni]

While it is a great way to learn to build something you're probably pushing the cost of the FA unit unless you get a lot of free stuff. I was given the Franklin Arsenal one and like the ability to do three things while holding the same case. It is a ton faster than picking up 100 cases three times to just pick up 100 cases.

[sharps4590]

After 43 years as an electrician/electrical contractor, spend the $104.00 and be done with it. But I neither need nor want that kind of project.

Having said that, I can see how it would be an interesting little project for someone who wanted to learn and, learning some new is ALWAYS a good thing. I didn't see it mentioned but if you're going to use battery drill motors, you're going to need a transformer in front of them. Other than that the wiring should be a slam dunk.

[huntinmo]

Electric drill sounds like the way to go!

[abunaitoo]

I got the one from RCBS when it first came out.
Still going strong.

[Bmi48219]

Electric drill sounds like the way to go!

Or a hand held electric kitchen mixer. Variable speed & two (rather close together) outputs. Got one I’ve been saving for a project.