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Thread: Making that Bullet Collator

  1. #4541
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    Quote Originally Posted by ranger391xt View Post
    I printed it standing up. had to turn on supports in the slicer. I got a better print on my AnyCubic i3 Mega S using PrusaSlicer vs Cura.

    Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk
    Thanks!

  2. #4542
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    Quote Originally Posted by TylerR View Post
    So I had an amazon gift card as a "bonus" from work. Decided to go for another printer. E5+. Here it is next to its smaller cousin.

    Attachment 280966
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    22 hours into printing the large base on my E5+.

  3. #4543
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    Quote Originally Posted by bigeric View Post
    Click image for larger version. 

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    22 hours into printing the large base on my E5+.
    Nice! You are about to enter the elite Mongo collator club. We are a select few.

  4. #4544
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    This thread was a great excuse to get a 3d printer. Doing both bullet and case collators for me and my brother saves big money over buying them, and essentially makes the printer free! (At least that's my rationalization, haha.)

    All of you have done great work on this project!!!

  5. #4545
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    Quote Originally Posted by bigeric View Post
    This thread was a great excuse to get a 3d printer. Doing both bullet and case collators for me and my brother saves big money over buying them, and essentially makes the printer free! (At least that's my rationalization, haha.)

    All of you have done great work on this project!!!
    Music to my ears. That's what I call a success story.

  6. #4546
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    Quote Originally Posted by TylerR View Post
    Nice! You are about to enter the elite Mongo collator club. We are a select few.
    You are indeed. You have to have more room and more patience than me. My little brother just moved into a new house I designed for him......it has a dedicated reloading room.....yes I'm a little ...envious, but he's makimg more money than me. (I don't envy his job....ER MD) Anyway we just set up his Dillon 650 in there.....with its Gigant Dillon case feeder. I have to say he is envious of me too.....having a 3d printer and having made 4 collators for less money than he spent on his one. I know he would like to have a bullet feeder. He's approaching the age where juggling the steps of reloading and remembering to do them every time, is not as easy as it used to be. But is balking at the price of a "Mr." commercial version. I have offered my printer and time.....think he's about to cave.....

    BTW, I didn't misspell Gigant.....that's German for Giant. Here's Hitler's Gigant transport of WW2 fame.



    That's what I would have called the biggest collator base.....but it ain't mine.

    BTW.....that success story will be if that long print finishes without a power outage.
    Last edited by GWS; 05-25-2021 at 10:00 PM.

  7. #4547
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    Quote Originally Posted by GWS View Post
    You are indeed. You have to have more room and more patience than me. My little brother just moved into a new house I designed for him......it has a dedicated reloading room.....yes I'm a little ...envious, but he's makes more money than me. (I don't envy his job....ER MD) Anyway we just set up his Dillon 650 in there.....with its Gigant Dillon case feeder. I have to say he is envious of me too.....having a 3d printer and having made 4 collators for less money than he spent on his one. I know he would like to have a bullet feeder. He's approaching the age where juggling the steps of reloading and remembering to do them every time, is not as easy as it used to be. But is balking at the price of a "Mr." commercial version. I have offered my printer and time.....think he's about to cave.....

    BTW, I didn't misspell Gigant.....that's German for Giant. Here's Hitler's Gigant transport of WW2 fame.

    That's what I would have called the biggest collator base.....but it ain't mine.
    I should have taken votes on the name

    Not really sure where Mongo came from. It just popped in to my head. But then I get to use funny gif's like this all the time......




  8. #4548
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    Long time lurker, first I would like to thank everyone for the hard work on making this collator a reality.

    I have an Entirely Crimson feeder that I have been using for several years that worked great for my needs on my Dillon's. I just got serious about casting, after hand feeding bullets into my Lee APP, I quickly figured out that I needed something better and faster. I really needed a nose down bullet feeder. So I went looking for AM bullet collator and fell into this thread, and decided to print off the bullet feeder designed by Tyler and Gang. All I can say is "Bravo!" I have read all 228 pages of this thread and tried to glean as much wisdom and knowledge as possible. The thought and effort that has gone into this is remarkable, I can't thank everyone enough, y'all's dedication in the R/D, the plate generator software and the manual is commendable. Everyone's hard work has resulted in a professional product that a benefit to the shooters community. I have sized 1000's of 9mm/38 bullets so far with the collator and it has been an honor to use something so well designed for the cost of the print time and a spool of filament. Y'all's product is far more sophisticated that my current bullet feeder and has taught me a great deal on how to really dial in and calibrate my Ender 3 and how to wire up proximity sensors, relays and the rest of the electrical system.

    Thank you again,

    Walnut from Texas

  9. #4549
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    Quote Originally Posted by Walnut View Post
    Long time lurker, first I would like to thank everyone for the hard work on making this collator a reality.

    I have an Entirely Crimson feeder that I have been using for several years that worked great for my needs on my Dillon's. I just got serious about casting, after hand feeding bullets into my Lee APP, I quickly figured out that I needed something better and faster. I really needed a nose down bullet feeder. So I went looking for AM bullet collator and fell into this thread, and decided to print off the bullet feeder designed by Tyler and Gang. All I can say is "Bravo!" I have read all 228 pages of this thread and tried to glean as much wisdom and knowledge as possible. The thought and effort that has gone into this is remarkable, I can't thank everyone enough, y'all's dedication in the R/D, the plate generator software and the manual is commendable. Everyone's hard work has resulted in a professional product that a benefit to the shooters community. I have sized 1000's of 9mm/38 bullets so far with the collator and it has been an honor to use something so well designed for the cost of the print time and a spool of filament. Y'all's product is far more sophisticated that my current bullet feeder and has taught me a great deal on how to really dial in and calibrate my Ender 3 and how to wire up proximity sensors, relays and the rest of the electrical system.

    Thank you again,

    Walnut from Texas
    Another success story! Thank you for that positive feedback. It really makes all the work worth it. What you just described was my goal in sharing this with the community. And as we all know this was a collaborative effort. A lot of smart minds made this project happen.

    Cheers Walnut from Texas.

  10. #4550
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    Quote Originally Posted by GWS View Post
    BTW.....that success story will be if that long print finishes without a power outage.
    This is why my printer is on a battery backup with a generator that eventually kicks in. I have already been bitten by the power outage long print bug. Never again.

  11. #4551
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    So glad to see this project got picked up since the last time I was here. You guys are amazing.

    I really hate to just mooch off of you guys, so I'm going to try and contribute *something*... I'm in the middle of making a Cliff Notes version of this thread, starting from where TylerR picked up the project at around page 44 or so. I'm up to page 105, so still have 123 pages left.

    The Cliff Notes version will try and pick out what I think a lot of guys are going to want to know about from this thread. It's not going to be all inclusive for everyone, as everyone will have a different idea on what should and should not be included. I'm going to post it in a new thread so that guys can add their own posts with what they think are important points from this megathread, too. That way if I didn't cover it in my Cliff Notes, guys can add their own. Hopefully, it'll hit the important highlights of this thread without a guy having to read all 228 pages.

    I know it's not much of a contribution, but at this point it's all I can do. It's going to take me another couple of days to get through the remaining 125 pages, though.

    Hey GWS! Waaaaay back around page 60 (or there abouts.. that's just a guess), you showed a video of an amazing boolit nose down plate (etc) that you designed. I'm sorry if this question got covered later in the thread; as I said I'm only up to 105 as of now. But is there any chance that you released the stl's for that nose down system?

    Wow, there's an amazing group of incredibly talented and intelligent guys on this forum. Wish to heck I was one of them.
    "Things sure are a lot more like the way they are now than they used to be." --Yogi Berra

  12. #4552
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    Quote Originally Posted by Phlier View Post
    So glad to see this project got picked up since the last time I was here. You guys are amazing.

    I really hate to just mooch off of you guys, so I'm going to try and contribute *something*... I'm in the middle of making a Cliff Notes version of this thread, starting from where TylerR picked up the project at around page 44 or so. I'm up to page 105, so still have 123 pages left.

    The Cliff Notes version will try and pick out what I think a lot of guys are going to want to know about from this thread. It's not going to be all inclusive for everyone, as everyone will have a different idea on what should and should not be included. I'm going to post it in a new thread so that guys can add their own posts with what they think are important points from this megathread, too. That way if I didn't cover it in my Cliff Notes, guys can add their own. Hopefully, it'll hit the important highlights of this thread without a guy having to read all 228 pages.

    I know it's not much of a contribution, but at this point it's all I can do. It's going to take me another couple of days to get through the remaining 125 pages, though.

    Hey GWS! Waaaaay back around page 60 (or there abouts.. that's just a guess), you showed a video of an amazing boolit nose down plate (etc) that you designed. I'm sorry if this question got covered later in the thread; as I said I'm only up to 105 as of now. But is there any chance that you released the stl's for that nose down system?

    Wow, there's an amazing group of incredibly talented and intelligent guys on this forum. Wish to heck I was one of them.
    This is awesome to hear! A vert worthy project for sure. Good luck with it. Can' wait to see the result!

  13. #4553
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    Quote Originally Posted by Phlier View Post
    Hey GWS! Waaaaay back around page 60 (or there abouts.. that's just a guess), you showed a video of an amazing boolit nose down plate (etc) that you designed. I'm sorry if this question got covered later in the thread; as I said I'm only up to 105 as of now. But is there any chance that you released the stl's for that nose down system?
    That nose down plate (and baffle) was an attempt to feed them nose down without the ramp, some worry has a patent issue. So I just wanted to see if it could be done........and it worked pretty darned good. However I did not do anything with other calibers beyond the .45 I started with. There was not a lot of interest, and besides I don't as yet need nose down, since I only load jacketed bullets.

    However that may change if the current market conditions of limited or no supply continues. I did not post the .stl's because nobody asked. Nor did I up-size the plates to the bigger collators that TylerR designed. But here's the latest .stl's for Ammo Mike's original base.

    There are two .stls. One is the plate and one is the baffle that makes a bullet flipping ramp unnecessary. The baffle has to be screwed into your base walls just barely above bullet diameter.....for .45 caliber that's 13mm above the plate surface (not counting the 4 verticals). The verticals are 10mm, so place your plate (hex center design) then add temporary 3mm thick shims to space the baffle height, so you then drill the base walls to bolt to secure the baffle.



    I removed the slots on top of the plate and replaced them with 4 tall short verticals around the outside edge to reduce bullet trips.

    If there had been more interest, we might have figured out a more elegant way to set the baffle to different heights for other caliber plates.

    BTW the bullet drop in front is just the flat no-holer, that Ammo Mike furnished as an option.
    Last edited by GWS; 06-07-2021 at 12:16 AM.

  14. #4554
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    Quote Originally Posted by TylerR View Post
    This is awesome to hear! A vert worthy project for sure. Good luck with it. Can' wait to see the result!
    It sure won't be anything like what you guys have contributed to the project, but unfortunately it's about all I'm qualified to contribute.

    Quote Originally Posted by GWS View Post
    That nose down plate (and baffle) was an attempt to feed them nose down without the ramp, some worry has a patent issue. So I just wanted to see if it could be done........and it worked pretty darned good. However I did not do anything with other calibers beyond the .45 I started with. There was not a lot of interest, and besides I don't as yet need nose down, since I only load jacketed bullets.

    However that may change if the current market conditions of limited or no supply continues. I did not post the .stl's because nobody asked. Nor did I up-size the plates to the bigger collators that TylerR designed. But here's the latest .stl's for Ammo Mike's original base.

    There are two .stls. One is the plate and one is the baffle that makes a bullet flipping ramp unnecessary. The baffle has to be screwed into your base walls just barely above bullet diameter.....for .45 caliber that's 13mm above the plate surface (not counting the 4 verticals). The verticals are 10mm, so place your plate (hex center design) then add temporary 3mm thick shims to space the baffle height, so you then drill the base walls to bolt to secure the baffle.



    I removed the slots on top of the plate and replaced them with 4 tall short verticals around the outside edge to reduce bullet trips.

    If there had been more interest, we might have figured out a more elegant way to set the baffle to different heights for other caliber plates.

    BTW the bullet drop in front is just the flat no-holer, that Ammo Mike furnished as an option.
    I've watched that video about twenty times now. I think it is a very well done piece of engineering! Unfortunately, I don't shoot .45 ACP... yet, but for those who do... wow, what a great time saver for boolit sizing! When I saw your first video about it, I was a-mazed. Still am, really. I've really gotten a kick out of how you're such a humble, aww-shucks kind of guy here on the forums, but you're capable of kicking up the brain cells and engineering a very cool system. 70+ years old? Pfffft. You're engineering like the most talented of the young bucks! I'm not just blowing sunshine here, GWS, you really done good on that system.

    I have an old Ammo Mike version collator, and I've never had much luck with adjusting the nose-down boolit feeder plate to be reliable. That's why I was wondering about your system, but I'd need it for 9mm. I think I'll print it up and have my 19 year old son see if he can have a go of using your design to make one for 9mm. That is, if that's OK with you? It would be very cool to have a template similar to the one that produces custom collator plates according to the user's inputs, only for nose-first boolit dropping based on your system. I saw a YouTube video a while back where a guy showed a nose-first collator that is very similar to your system. The difference being that he takes the stuff you put *above* the collator plate, and puts it *under* the collator plate. The plate underneath the main collator plate grabs the nose of upside down boolits and guides them to a hole. Any boolits that aren't nose down are kept from dropping down the hole by a little plate that sits over the hole... similar to yours, but it only sits right at the hole itself; it doesn't go all the way around the collator. I think his system is still reliant on using the ramp, though, to turn them nose down. I might be wrong on that, it's been a while since I watched the video. If you're interested, I'll see if I can find that video again and post a link to it.

    You engineering types are so damn smart, I'm just in awe. I just wish I could contribute something actually useful to the project... I hate just mooching off of the generosity and intelligence of others.
    "Things sure are a lot more like the way they are now than they used to be." --Yogi Berra

  15. #4555
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    Quote Originally Posted by Phlier View Post
    You engineering types are so damn smart, I'm just in awe. I just wish I could contribute something actually useful to the project... I hate just mooching off of the generosity and intelligence of others.
    You need to set your sights a little higher, I'm just a building designer who dabbles in this 3D printing stuff because the commercial bullet feeders are priced 3 times what they are worth to me. Smart?....more like cheap and desperate. .........and fading to retirement on my own terms. I wouldn't worry about mooching......change that attitude to learning....we are all doing that! That's why AmmoMike and TylerR started this craziness....that and it's fun to see if we can....

    You want to contribute? Just print stuff here and input your experiences.....just like the rest of us.....and I'll mooch off your appreciated abbreviated cliffnotes! I just designed a 9mm version today.....It will evolve so keep watching the thread. Files will be downloadable....
    Last edited by GWS; 06-18-2021 at 07:00 PM.

  16. #4556
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    Thanks for that, GWS!

    I'll see if I can borrow the printer long enough from my son to print it out! He keeps the darn thing printing non-stop 24/7. I think his current print is due to finish printing in two more days. I'm hoping he'll let me print your files after his finishes up.
    "Things sure are a lot more like the way they are now than they used to be." --Yogi Berra

  17. #4557
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    The plate should print in 5 1/2 hours.....the baffle 6 1/2 hours. Hope the plate works for you.....you do have a hex spindle?

    This is what the upgraded baffle looks like.....tall in the back to allow more bullets....



    Someday, I'll make a clutched version........I use my AmmoMike little base for the Lee APP. I use Tyler's bigger (not biggest ) base for rifle cases and bullets on the Pro Chucker 7.

    Dang-it, I may have to start buying into the casting hobby, now......Obama/Bin Biden has me nervous. Will component supply and decent prices come back at all? We all may be doing Boolits soon.....if even that survives...... (the boolits in the picture were purchased years ago not made by me....wish they were)
    Last edited by GWS; 06-07-2021 at 11:31 PM.

  18. #4558
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    I’m confused about how to open the parts generator. I click the jar file and it asks what to open it with. I tried opening it with openscad but nothing opens up. I have installed JRE. Any help would be appreciated.

  19. #4559
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    Quote Originally Posted by GWS View Post
    The plate should print in 5 1/2 hours.....the baffle 6 1/2 hours. Hope the plate works for you.....you do have a hex spindle?

    This is what the upgraded baffle looks like.....tall in the back to allow more bullets....



    Someday, I'll make a clutched version........I use my AmmoMike little base for the Lee APP. I use Tyler's bigger (not biggest ) base for rifle cases and bullets on the Pro Chucker 7.

    Dang-it, I may have to start buying into the casting hobby, now......Obama/Bin Biden has me nervous. Will component supply and decent prices come back at all? We all may be doing Boolits soon.....if even that survives...... (the boolits in the picture were purchased years ago not made by me....wish they were)
    Casting is such a fun hobby, GWS! My Dad got me started casting boolits in the summer of 1977 when I was 10 years old. Been casting ever since. Until around six years ago, I only cast for .38 Special, .357 Mag and .44 Mag, but now I'm casting for 9mm (and the popular 9mm variants... .380 Auto and 9mm Makarov) since I have three guys depending on me for copious amounts of 9mm ammo. I have a pile of 5,000 9mm boolits I need to size today. Man, I wish I was setup to do .45 ACP... I'd cast you a big heap of boolits for your contributions here. Need any 9mm, 380 Auto, 9mm Makarov, .38 Special/.357 Mag or .44 Mag boolits? Say the word, and you'll get however many you need.

    The shortage has hit casters, too. Nearly all molds are sold out everywhere.

    I bought an Ammo Mike collator from a forum member here a couple years back, so it doesn't have a hex drive. I also ordered another AM style collator from a guy last Friday. Won't be getting that one for a few more days. I'll also be printing up at least two TylerR, et al. collators, too. And yes, all of them will be put to work... hate having to constantly move the one collator I have from press to press, as well as switching calibers, or switching from boolit to case collating. So each will have a permanent home with one specific duty.

    I'm hoping to start printing my first one this week, if my son will let me have some time on his printer. I can't wait to try out your nose down 9mm plate! Thank you so much for that!

    Quote Originally Posted by Steveo2882 View Post
    I’m confused about how to open the parts generator. I click the jar file and it asks what to open it with. I tried opening it with openscad but nothing opens up. I have installed JRE. Any help would be appreciated.
    A JAR file is similar to a ZIP file. It stands for Java ARchive, and is a way to bundle a bunch of java files into one archive. So you'll need to "unzip" the JAR file like you do a Zip file in order to access the files in it. You'll need a program like "7-Zip" or the like to unpack the JAR.

    After you unpack the JAR, read the Manual for instructions on using the Parts Generator.

    Hmmm... Think this subject might make it into my Cliff Notes.
    "Things sure are a lot more like the way they are now than they used to be." --Yogi Berra

  20. #4560
    Boolit Master GWS's Avatar
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    Pflier, will add files for slot centers.
    Last edited by GWS; 06-13-2021 at 07:41 PM.

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Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check