Making that Bullet Collator

[rogerandre]

Dear Team !

I have been playing with the APP_Base_Slide but face a challenge with too much friction when the slide is assembled.
Just running the APP_Base_Slide solo is smooth. When assembling the keel shaped part (red arrow) seems to be pushing the green marked plastic too hard against the mount. Anyone else experiencing the same challenge ?

Med vänliga hälsningar/Best Regards
///Roger

[M500]

Roger, where did you find the APP parts in black? I am used to seeing them in red. Thanks

[MSUICEMAN]

These are the aftermarket APP slides you print yourself. In whatever color filament you have.

Sent from my Pixel 5 using Tapatalk

[M500]

These are the aftermarket APP slides you print yourself

I am referring to the portion with the jaws and hook. Where do I find stl's for those? I am familiar with TylerR's base. Thanks

[GWS]

Dear Team !

I have been playing with the APP_Base_Slide but face a challenge with too much friction when the slide is assembled.
Just running the APP_Base_Slide solo is smooth. When assembling the keel shaped part (red arrow) seems to be pushing the green marked plastic too hard against the mount. Anyone else experiencing the same challenge ?

Med vänliga hälsningar/Best Regards
///Roger

I've not had that issue. Only things that come to mind is printer calibration, print head size, or layer height.

I print small parts at .12 mm layer height to make sure small parts fit each other.....so far that works for me, only print heads I use are .4mm. Hopefully master TylerR has more to add that might help.

[MSUICEMAN]

I am referring to the portion with the jaws and hook. Where do I find stl's for those? I am familiar with TylerR's base. Thanks

I've seen some black slides and jaws in the wild on youtube. Assuming it's a mixed bag from Lee.

Sent from my Pixel 5 using Tapatalk

[TylerR]

Dear Team !

I have been playing with the APP_Base_Slide but face a challenge with too much friction when the slide is assembled.
Just running the APP_Base_Slide solo is smooth. When assembling the keel shaped part (red arrow) seems to be pushing the green marked plastic too hard against the mount. Anyone else experiencing the same challenge ?

Med vänliga hälsningar/Best Regards
///Roger

I can shed some light. I added that tab because the rails on the APP are not a consistent width. The tab allows you to dial in the amount of resistance. If it is too tight simply take a small flat file and remove a little material until you get the ideal resistance on the rail. Hope that helps.

[rogerandre]

Spot on TylerR. Just my thought as well but wanted to ask before I went wild with a file.
Huge thanks and keep up the fantastic work !

[eatapeach]

Howdy all. I'm new to this project, as in first post, but have lurked, read, and printed parts of it (feed dies) in the past to use until I had time, health, and resources to get started on the whole project. Tonight I was reading through the manual and looking over parts for planning to get started on the main bodies over the next couple days. I have a question regarding the motors that I couldn't find answers to while searching. I'm sure I must have just missed it though.

1- of the 2 motors linked in the manual, other than the price difference, is there one that is regarded as being the better option function wise?
2- are the other 2 motor/body options shown in the parts generator discontinued, or were the 2 currently linked motors just found to be better options?

TIA for any help. I'm excited to finally get started on this and join in on the fun!

[GWS]

Motors..... ETZGMP38 vs. JGY370 vs. FC550 vs. M634JS......

Probably as good a time as any to expound on this subject and ask users what they've tried, what works, what doesn't and maybe add the info to the downloads, for eatapeach's and everyone else's benefit who comes along in the future.

My experience: I've only used two, both work fine for what they were used on....

1. My first of 4 collators was AmmoMikes teeny tiny one back in the beginning....and I used the also teeny tiny motor JGY370. Works fine, and in that early non-clutch collator model, it wasn't so powerful that it broke things when something hung up.....it just stopped and hummed, and I quick as possible, turned off the power to keep it from burning out.

2-4. I printed 2 of TylerR's normal sized collators and one 300 size for larger rifle cases, and for each used the most expensive from Grainger motor ETZGMP38. It is powerful enough to break plates when things hang up, and that's why the clutched plates were developed. If you use them you no longer have to worry about too powerful.....just not powerful enough. I love the big motors, personally....and never had a reason to try the other two models.

The other two models are what people have been able to find in their own geographic areas....across the pond in Europe, for example.....or maybe what they found locally. Have no experience with those. Hopefully some of those users and TylerR will chime in.....

One thing I learned using Proximity Switches to auto turn the motors on and off, was from TylerR......and it does make a big difference.
That would be the electronic relay, used in the electrical boxes, to make the motors and the Prox switches work better together.

I revamped the electronics in all my e. boxes to includes one....and not sorry I did....trouble free.

[Gillie Dog]

Probably as good a time as any to expound on this subject and ask users what they've tried, what works, what doesn't and maybe add the info to the downloads, for eatapeach's and everyone else's benefit who comes along in the future.

My experience, though limited to the last year, with pistol bullets 110 grain to 240 grain in a standard collator is that the M634JS 10 rpm motors work just fine. I have clutches in all collator plates and never have had a problem, do not remember needing for a clutch to slip, though.

I use the same motor, 634JS, in a 300mm collator for pistol brass and it is also working just fine.

To date have not needed a higher rpm motor.

Purchasing from Amazon was inexpensive (cheap) and easy. Still available today.

GD

[eatapeach]

Motors..... ETZGMP38 vs. JGY370 vs. FC550 vs. M634JS......

Probably as good a time as any to expound on this subject and ask users what they've tried, what works, what doesn't and maybe add the info to the downloads, for eatapeach's and everyone else's benefit who comes along in the future.

My experience: I've only used two, both work fine for what they were used on....

1. My first of 4 collators was AmmoMikes teeny tiny one back in the beginning....and I used the also teeny tiny motor JGY370. Works fine, and in that early non-clutch collator model, it wasn't so powerful that it broke things when something hung up.....it just stopped and hummed, and I quick as possible, turned off the power to keep it from burning out.

2-4. I printed 2 of TylerR's normal sized collators and one 300 size for larger rifle cases, and for each used the most expensive from Grainger motor ETZGMP38. It is powerful enough to break plates when things hang up, and that's why the clutched plates were developed. If you use them you no longer have to worry about too powerful.....just not powerful enough. I love the big motors, personally....and never had a reason to try the other two models.

The other two models are what people have been able to find in their own geographic areas....across the pond in Europe, for example.....or maybe what they found locally. Have no experience with those. Hopefully some of those users and TylerR will chime in.....

One thing I learned using Proximity Switches to auto turn the motors on and off, was from TylerR......and it does make a big difference.
That would be the electronic relay, used in the electrical boxes, to make the motors and the Prox switches work better together.

I revamped the electronics in all my e. boxes to includes one....and not sorry I did....trouble free.

Thank you for the thorough response, GWS.
Yeah, relays are always a good add when switching is used with electronics. I have a deep background in building amps, switches, and processors in high end custom home automation systems, and updating classic car wiring for modern times and parts. So I'm well versed in the importance of relays.

As far as power (or torque) is concerned with each motor, if I'm planning to build the normal size collators for mostly .380, 9 and 10mm, plus .223/5.56. Is there a need for the little added power of the bigger motor for the case collator, or would the cheaper Amazon one work for cases? I can definitely see the bigger one being needed for the bullet collator.

[eatapeach]

My experience, though limited to the last year, with pistol bullets 110 grain to 240 grain in a standard collator is that the M634JS 10 rpm motors work just fine. I have clutches in all collator plates and never have had a problem, do not remember needing for a clutch to slip, though.

I use the same motor, 634JS, in a 300mm collator for pistol brass and it is also working just fine.

To date have not needed a higher rpm motor.

Purchasing from Amazon was inexpensive (cheap) and easy. Still available today.

GD

Thank you, GD. That's good to know. I'll mostly use them for .380, 9 and 10mm, plus .223/5.56 since I load and shot those the most. My other calibers are precision loads, which I don't need to load large quantities of. I was thinking about using the M634JS for the case collator, and the more powerful one from Grainger for the bullet collator because I could see it potentially needing the extra torque.

[GWS]

Thank you for the thorough response, GWS.
Yeah, relays are always a good add when switching is used with electronics. I have a deep background in building amps, switches, and processors in high end custom home automation systems, and updating classic car wiring for modern times and parts. So I'm well versed in the importance of relays.

As far as power (or torque) is concerned with each motor, if I'm planning to build the normal size collators for mostly .380, 9 and 10mm, plus .223/5.56. Is there a need for the little added power of the bigger motor for the case collator, or would the cheaper Amazon one work for cases? I can definitely see the bigger one being needed for the bullet collator.

Really TylerR and others are more suited to answer, because they have tried the other motors. I'd think if the motor is powerful enough to turn a heavily loaded plate full of bullets.....and has a clutch that turns instead, when a bullet gets jambed preventing normal turning, then it should work fine. I'd be tempted to try the one Gillie Dog uses if I decide to print a 5th collator. It is cheap enough to make it vvvery tempting.

Bigger collators turning rifle case plates fully loaded are lighter....again....tempted. With say .45 ACP bullets, the other option is to not collate a full load at a time. Pour a cupful, fill up the tubes, load 30, add another cupful.....you don't have to fill the thing with 50 lbs of bullets......nor would I even with the big motor. You're not out a whole lot printing a base for the cheaper motor.....and even if you don't prefer it for heavy bullets, there's always pistol case plates you can print or lighter bullets....so you're not out anything.....IOW's, worst case, print two bases......I have 4 and use and love every one even the tiny first one.

The video below shows how the clutch and the "anti-soldier" part works with tall rifle: You see the clutch removes any worries about the motor...

[TylerR]

Thank you for the thorough response, GWS.
Yeah, relays are always a good add when switching is used with electronics. I have a deep background in building amps, switches, and processors in high end custom home automation systems, and updating classic car wiring for modern times and parts. So I'm well versed in the importance of relays.

As far as power (or torque) is concerned with each motor, if I'm planning to build the normal size collators for mostly .380, 9 and 10mm, plus .223/5.56. Is there a need for the little added power of the bigger motor for the case collator, or would the cheaper Amazon one work for cases? I can definitely see the bigger one being needed for the bullet collator.

634JS motor is the answer you seek. Plenty of torque. I have used it to turn 1000 9mm bullets in the 300mm feeder. No issues.

[GWS]

634JS motor is the answer you seek. Plenty of torque. I have used it to turn 1000 9mm bullets in the 300mm feeder. No issues.

There you go. That's good enough for me. We shoulda made a base that could use the bigger three interchangeablly....

I know....that's a lot of holes.....

[eatapeach]

Really TylerR and others are more suited to answer, because they have tried the other motors. I'd think if the motor is powerful enough to turn a heavily loaded plate full of bullets.....and has a clutch that turns instead, when a bullet gets jambed preventing normal turning, then it should work fine. I'd be tempted to try the one Gillie Dog uses if I decide to print a 5th collator. It is cheap enough to make it vvvery tempting.

Bigger collators turning rifle case plates fully loaded are lighter....again....tempted. With say .45 ACP bullets, the other option is to not collate a full load at a time. Pour a cupful, fill up the tubes, load 30, add another cupful.....you don't have to fill the thing with 50 lbs of bullets......nor would I even with the big motor. You're not out a whole lot printing a base for the cheaper motor.....and even if you don't prefer it for heavy bullets, there's always pistol case plates you can print or lighter bullets....so you're not out anything.....IOW's, worst case, print two bases......I have 4 and use and love every one even the tiny first one.

The video below shows how the clutch and the "anti-soldier" part works with tall rifle: You see the clutch removes any worries about the motor...

Dang, now that's pretty slick!

[eatapeach]

634JS motor is the answer you seek. Plenty of torque. I have used it to turn 1000 9mm bullets in the 300mm feeder. No issues.

Yeah, that's definitely enough for me. I won't say never, but at the moment I don't envision ever running that many at once. Thank you for response, Tyler, and all the work/time you all have put into this.

[eatapeach]

Wow, talk about depressing. Everything was going great, printing beautifully, until....
Print was 30hrs in and it was go so well it was boring. I had to go to a Dr appt and didn't bother putting the enclosure on because it has been going so well. When I returned home I was hit with a very cold breeze when I opened the door. House was 59°! It was 74° when I left. Apparently the thermostat glitched while I was away and kept the A/C running non-stop! I rushed in to check the print and my heart sank. It caused 2 big delamination areas, a whole bunch of smaller ones, and some shifted layers in last 1.5". Ugh! Not sure if it's salvageable or not yet. Too depressed to look at it right now.

[GWS]

We've all wasted prints, time, & PLA. Spaghetti isn't so fun either...... But, I'm afraid it's all part of the learning process. Lesson learned....stable room temps are important, bed temp and nozzle temp is extremely important.....but we all live in different locations....some of use print in cold basements....hot garages, etc etc. And the bed material is extremely important.

In my printing room I use 65C bed, and 215C nozzle.....after less than stellar trials and errors. Tyler prints in a kool basement and his temps are different from mine. Be patient....you'll get there. 74 to 59 room delta is a learning experience for sure. So you got another thermostat, I assume? and you fixed that problem? Room temp in my printing room fluctuates between 65 to 72 in 24 hours and it does okay. I think my problems ceased completely only when I replaced the Creality Glass bed with a Polypropylene bed TylerR suggested.