Primer Tube Filler

[chrisx1]

Well, I decided that $295 for the Dillon was not in the budget.

I was kicking some aluminum scraps around the shop and this is what I came up with.

Comments very welcome - I haven't got it running perfect yet, and I keep having an issue with the primers bottlenecking in the transition between tray and the tube.

Here's a couple of videos:

http://i264.photobucket.com/albums/ii174/chrisx1/th_PrimerTubeFiller1.jpg (http://s264.photobucket.com/albums/ii174/chrisx1/?action=view&current=PrimerTubeFiller1.flv)

http://i264.photobucket.com/albums/ii174/chrisx1/th_PrimerTubeFiller2.jpg (http://s264.photobucket.com/albums/ii174/chrisx1/?action=view&current=PrimerTubeFiller2.flv)

[jhrosier]

Pretty darn good for a first attempt !
I will be interested in seeing the finished plans when you get the bugs worked out.

Jack

[Firebricker]

Look's like your on to something there ! You may be the next vendor sponser. Nice work.
FB.

[chrisx1]

I picked up a rheostat over the weekend at Radio Shack - I'm thinking that a slower speed on the motor may help calm things down and improve reliability. I'll post the results soon.

[garandsrus]

Chris,

Great idea! If you look at the old Midway primer filler, the tray is almost square. There is no taper to feed the primers. You might have better luck by lessening the angle by quite a bit.

Here's a video of a unit similar to yours. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xLbD-qWlnto

John

[rtracy2001]

What are you using for a vibrator motor?

You may want to find an old XBOX controller as they usually have 2 vibrator motors (1 lg 1 Sm) and they are low voltage (<5 volts, some less than that). I don't know if they need an exciter or drive to run or if they can be hooked to direct battery power. They use an eccentric weight to make the vibration.

To prevent bottle necking you could add a motor with a notched wheel at the bottom of the angle. Each notch will accept 1 primer and slide it into the feed groove as the motor rotates (slowly). Kind of like those auto coin sorters.

RT

[Windy City Kid]

I made one like this one on Youtube.com.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=joLPd2MQJME

I did mine a little different then the guy on Youtube.com, I drilled the Lee Auto Prime all the way through and fitted a 4" piece of a primer pick up tube in to it. At the bottom end of the fitted primer pick up tube I glued on a 1" rubber hose, the rubber hose is only on half way. Then I just plug in my Dillon primer pick up tubes into the rubber hose. As for the vibrating motor, I just turn on my case tumbler and bump the tray up against my case tumbler.

I made one for small and large primers. It fills the primer pick up tubes in under 30 seconds per tube.

It works real well.

[Lloyd Smale]

someone needs to produce a comercail unit that works better then the dillon (and that should take much) at a cost we could all afford.

[Pitmaster]

I heard these are great and in high demand. Reviews are mostly positive too. Its too bad they have been discontinued. If they work someone should start selling them. Maybe a campaign to bring them back should be started.

Vibra-Prime (http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/?productNumber=656090)

http://media.midwayusa.com/ProductImages/Medium/656090.jpg

[3006guns]

I found out about the Vibra Prime only weeks after it was discontinued. Does anyone know exactly why? (lawyers involved I'll bet)

chrisx1, that's really a nice looking unit and has potential. As mentioned, once you get the bugs worked out please post a really detailed article for us. Many of us are good with tools.....................................:)

[mtgrs737]

I bought a Vibra Prime years ago and they work well. The video on making one out of a Lee auto prime primer tray works just a well as my Vibra Prime and would be less expensive as long as you have a vibration source. Looks easy to make too. I called the manufacturer to see if they still made the Vibra Prime and the gal I talked to said they no longer made them but could not tell me why. Might as well get a couple of auto prime trays and a lid and some Dillon primer tubes and make one!

[PepperBuddha]

Very cool. Luckily for me a bought two carloads of reloading stuff years ago. A Dillon primer filler was included in the stuff.

[pjh421]

Set your case polisher next to it.

Paul