Making that Bullet Collator

[GWS]

I have used the regular small pistol base down brass plate to feed 357 mag case into the APP with some success. It will bind up on occasion when a case hasn't completely dropped, but slowing the speed down substantially reduces that.

I was wondering about making a plate for revolver cases that is more like the 45-70 & rifle plates, where the cases would feed on their side vs standing up. Anyone tried that or have thoughts about it?

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Betcha the large pistol base down brass plate would work a lot better.

Interesting idea about sideways. However for a case that short, you'd multiply in spades the incidence of the "standing soldier" problem we've seen with even tall rifle cases........so......you'd have to mount something to knock them over inside the collator like I did with rifle cases. See video below:

[ranger391xt]

I have generated a plate to try side ways and just started printing it. I'll try to report back in a few days how well it works.

Any suggestions about how the slide adjuster on the slide plate should be set?

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[argus357]

Thank you GWS, Tyler and Ranger, I look forward to hearing how the sideways plate goes.

[kayala]

There is a picture in the images folder, and there is also a video in the manual. There are about 10 ways to skin this cat, so it is hard to give a straight answer. Do you plan to mount the sensor under the collator or on top of the APP press? Do you want to use the APP clear tubes at all? Do you want to use the offset connectors, or just have a straight shot up?

Thanks Tyler, I guess number of options is what got me confused. What I was planning to do is to use provided bracket, have sensor mounted on the press and not use Lee's tubes, also didn't plan to use offset connector. I did find one image related to APP and it was using offset connector.

[TylerR]

Thanks Tyler, I guess number of options is what got me confused. What I was planning to do is to use provided bracket, have sensor mounted on the press and not use Lee's tubes, also didn't plan to use offset connector. I did find one image related to APP and it was using offset connector.

Simplest would be to go Drop_Tube -> APP_Drop_Tube_APP_Insert -> APP_Bullet_Insert. You just need to select the correct ones for the caliber you are trying to do. With the APP_Drop_Tube_APP_Insert there is only a small/medium/large. You don't want one too big, so it may be necessary to pick the smaller size and open it up with a file a little bit.

Hope that helps.

These were just posted btw.
https://github.com/BF556/Feeder/blob...ert_Medium.stl

[GWS]

THANK YOU!!

I have a degree in Mech Eng and a Masters degree, so figure I must be a wee bit above stupid. Now, in all honesty, those degrees are decades old so might not mean much now. I am leaning towards just buying a system that works from Double Alpha. Luckily I was able to make a few dollars along the way and do not need to deal with the frustration of the learning curve this is presenting.

Maybe next time my son is here I will see if he can figure it out. He was reading the DOS manual when he was 10 years old so knows his way around computers. But my gut is telling me $600 for the commercial unit is what I should do.

dverna: No rarity around here for Doh moments. It finally hit me why I couldn't get the Java file to work! It said it was looking for a "Main Project" folder.......so I made one (wondering why it wasn't included) and put it's address on the line asking for it.....so I gave the Java program something to do and it created a zip file all right....an empty one!

Finally, I figured out that the "main project folder" wasn't needed, TylerR's folder with the bf project was what is needed. So you don't download the jar file in another place.....it needs to be run from TylerR's main folder holding the zillion .stl files....whatever you rename it, enter that folder's address in the line asking, if you've moved the jar file.

Do NOT like egg on my face. I DO like that Java program.....neater than hell!

Now about that learning curve......I could buy the commercial thing too, but it's a leech, just keeps asking for more money......besides.....that learning curve is self defense against Alzheimer's.....I refuse to quit learning.....too dangerous, and boredom as I near retirement is dangerous too! Haven't had this much fun creating since I designed and built a home for a very wealthy friend of mine. Doesn't make money, but who cares?

[mktacop]

I want to thank EVERYONE who has contributed to this design and thread. I now have a functional bullet feeder for my press.




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[TylerR]

I want to thank EVERYONE who has contributed to this design and thread. I now have a functional bullet feeder for my press.

Looks really good man!

[GWS]

Hard to describe the positive feelings of a successful MYO or two under your belt. Congrats! That case feeder is interesting....not exactly from this thread, but it looks like it must work. Now all you need is mirrors on the ceiling!

[mktacop]

Hard to describe the positive feelings of a successful MYO or two under your belt. Congrats! That case feeder is interesting....not exactly from this thread, but it looks like it must work. Now all you need is mirrors on the ceiling!

The case feeder was done before I found this thread. It was based off a design I’d done for my annealer and works well.

A mirror has actually been ordered earlier this morning.


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[silahtar]

Just upgraded my printer to an Ender 5 Plus, it appears I'll be able to print the MONGO... I thought I ask which motor is the best option in terms of performance as well as sourcing it, given I live in Canada... I have two standard-size units that reloaded little more than 9k of rounds so far, still works great...!!!

[TylerR]

Just upgraded my printer to an Ender 5 Plus, it appears I'll be able to print the MONGO... I thought I ask which motor is the best option in terms of performance as well as sourcing it, given I live in Canada... I have two standard-size units that reloaded little more than 9k of rounds so far, still works great...!!!

Go with one of the top two listed in the manual.

https://www.amazon.com/Greartisan-Se...p?ie=UTF8&th=1
https://www.grainger.com/product/DAY...meplate-52JE51

[dverna]

I want to thank EVERYONE who has contributed to this design and thread. I now have a functional bullet feeder for my press.




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Man that looks TALL. But heck if it works it works!!! You guys are amazing!!

Got my seating/crimping die from Double Alpha so should be able to try out the bullet feeder die this week with lubed cast bullets. Wish it was raining so I could justify spending time reloading pistol ammunition I do not need...LOL. But with winter close by I have some other things to do when the sun is shining.

I will report back. A feeder die that works on lubed bullets will be an important feature to many shooters who prefer to shoot lubed cast bullets.

[r4ndy]

Just printed the 9 and 223 feed dies. Both worked on my Rockchucker with just a light touch up with a drill bit and bottom three holes with bearings. Still plan to smooth them out with acetone as suggested, but excited to put the 223 die to work this winter on my first bulk production of 223 on the 750XL. Tested with 9MM 124 moly coated and Hornady 223 55gr BTHP. I have case and bullet collators installed and have run about 2500 9’s through the Dillon with no issues with a MRB bullet die. Will post some pics when I get the wires dressed properly and change out to the 3d printed die. Thanks again to all who made this possible!

[ranger391xt]

Thank you GWS, Tyler and Ranger, I look forward to hearing how the sideways plate goes.

Mixed results with the sideways plate. First one I didn't have the slots long enough and the cases wouldn't fall out freely. I printed another one with the slots about 3 or 4 mm wider and the cases would drop but A) the motor has to be run very slow to give the cases time to drop out of the way and B) still had the occasional jam that would occur from the "Standing Soldier" issue. I do have the large sweeper installed and this does a good job knocking them over but every now and then the sweeper gets knocked out of position and then stand issue with upright cases happens and it tried to drop more that one....

Not a total failure but only marginally successful. I am sure it could be made to work with some tweaks. Rather than invest more time with this I am going to try is a pistol plate (11.5 caliber I b think), but made a little thicker.

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[TylerR]

Rather than invest more time with this I am going to try is a pistol plate (11.5 caliber I b think), but made a little thicker.

I think this is wise and the way to go. You have now entered the realm of R&D. Please share whatever your findings are as it will help others.

[TylerR]

Just printed the 9 and 223 feed dies. Both worked on my Rockchucker with just a light touch up with a drill bit and bottom three holes with bearings. Still plan to smooth them out with acetone as suggested, but excited to put the 223 die to work this winter on my first bulk production of 223 on the 750XL. Tested with 9MM 124 moly coated and Hornady 223 55gr BTHP. I have case and bullet collators installed and have run about 2500 9’s through the Dillon with no issues with a MRB bullet die. Will post some pics when I get the wires dressed properly and change out to the 3d printed die. Thanks again to all who made this possible!

Great feedback and awesome to hear!

[argus357]

Mixed results with the sideways plate....
Not a total failure but only marginally successful. I am sure it could be made to work with some tweaks. Rather than invest more time with this I am going to try is a pistol plate (11.5 caliber I b think), but made a little thicker.

Thanks for the update, look forward to your results!

[GWS]

Background:

I have an old bullet collator on my first progressive, (Hornady Pistol Bullet Feeder, modified to flip bullets, but Hornady bullet feed dies I found are not as reliable as TylerR's 3Dprinted versions.....so after the first print and experience with .45, I also printed .40 and his newest .38/357 and found them to work just as well. So I'm snug and smug there.

So I decided to load some .357 Magnum (haven't for a while). But I like to deprime and wet tumble first these days.....after all I have and love my little Lee APP that's capable of making short work of that sort of thing.

Coincidentally, I've printed Tyler's ever so cool quick caliber change for the APP, and needed to print a .357 adapter for it. But the one He has on the list of adapters doesn't work as well as I wanted. Tyler doesn't load .357 so I doubt he tested that one, since the top hole in the adapter is small only allowing the case to drop in, but not made for tubing or other things above it, so obviously it's a prototype, not quite finished.

And....I like my adapters to be cut out tight around the case and the adapter as long as it can be to prevent push outs of the next case in line.

So I modified this prototype .357 adapter in DesignSpark, to make it longer and with a bottom cutout required by that longer body making it suspended only a couple of mm above the medium high shuttle slide.

Here's two pictures:





Printed it out this morning and found the upper hole diameter problem, and one more minor problem....I just assumed Tyler had the adapter diameter the same as all the other adapters....not so lucky....that's what you get when you pick a caliber he doesn't load! It wasn't a problem I couldn't fix with 30 minutes of sanding with 320, 500, 1500 grit sandpaper....but we will get it fixed before others print one.

UpDate! Turns out the barrel diameter WAS the same as all others.....16.4mm O.S. diameter! So.....it was the print. I had changed filament to a bright red and didn't change the 220C temp.....and at .12mm high it obviously squishes wider......We have so many variables that can bite you in this 3DP technology.....it was not Tyler's fault....he can't predict changing filament and what that does. The 220C temp was only necessary for the Green I was using when I made my most successful anti stringing settings yet. So I need to reduce the temp....to what is guesswork.

I chose the easy way on top of the adapter....just drilled the hole to 1/2" diameter, 1/2" deep, and stuck 1/2" tubing in....easy peasy.

So how well does it deprime .357? You can be the judge of that......

[argus357]

Thanks GWS, keep the .357 goodness coming. Looks like I found this project at just the right time as .357 is one of my most frequent reloads. Will your mods be available in the project folders?
Btw, video shows as unavailable for me.