Automated Size & Lubricator?

[Tazza]

The idea was to keep it compact and solid. Needs to be able to size millions being a commercial machine.

There is a model in development that will have a longer stroke for long projectiles like 300 blackout etc and a changeable die plate so different style sizing dies may be used.

As you said, it needs to be robust to handle the torture of a commercial caster.

Stroke was the one thing i didn't consider with mine, i have recently started casting 300bo, sadly all sized by hand as they are still in the testing stages to ensure the shape and alloy is suitable (so far yes it is). Pretty sure i'll need to make a bigger one for this too, but as you already know, the longer the stroke, the more pushing power you will need from the motor.

Looking forward to seeing it's big brother when it's made.

[dansedgli]

Did you know you can add a bullet feeder to your Star?
Bullet Feeder for one Caliber $125.00
https://www.magmaengineering.com/magma-star-lube-sizer/

Yes I have a bullet feeder and it runs as fast as I can move my arm. I still hate it.

The star breaks often. The top hole in the link bar between the handle and the sizing punch wears out quickly and breaks the top pin.

[Jatz357]

Yes I have a bullet feeder and it runs as fast as I can move my arm. I still hate it.

The star breaks often. The top hole in the link bar between the handle and the sizing punch wears out quickly and breaks the top pin.

Maybe there is a call for a hobbyist style sizer that maybe able to size a couple of thousand an hour. If you weren't trying to do 10's of thousands you could easily hand feed at that.

[Tazza]

There is the gremlin sizer setup, or even if someone wanted lower production rates, they could go the lee APP and possibly make an automation kit for it, just run it slow and it will be cheap and saves effort.

[Jatz357]

As you said, it needs to be robust to handle the torture of a commercial caster.

Stroke was the one thing i didn't consider with mine, i have recently started casting 300bo, sadly all sized by hand as they are still in the testing stages to ensure the shape and alloy is suitable (so far yes it is). Pretty sure I'll need to make a bigger one for this too, but as you already know, the longer the stroke, the more pushing power you will need from the motor.

Looking forward to seeing it's big brother when it's made.

Big brother as you put it won't really be any bigger. Based on the math we will probably change the final drive ratio to compensate for the extra leverage needed for the extra travel to cater for longer projectiles. I'd suggest trying to size long projectiles at 6000 + an hour may not produce best results but we will try different ratios and transfer bar designs.

Die suitability would also be limited to dies with decent tapered lead-in. To short of lead-in will allow longer projectiles to tilt slightly before, or as the punch starts to push.

I use a machine that will run at 8800 an hour however the basic collator can't keep up with it and I don't know how long the feed drive mechanism would last at that speed.

[Tazza]

True, you just need a larger wheel to give the extra stroke

Wow, 8800 per hour is just insane, i'd love to see that running, i wish i could get mine going that fast. It has more moving parts, so i don't know how reliable it would be at that speed. If i could have a shorter distance between the drop tube to the die, i feel it could work faster.

As for the die, if you get some custom dies cut, you can calculate how deep they need to be to ensure the base is below the slider when they drop in. I'm using custom cut lee style dies, so i can wind it out a little if required, with your style, it's a little more difficult.

[Jhopson]

Here is a link to a bullet sizer made by American Casting.

https://americancastingequipment.com...d-bullet-sizer


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[dverna]

I recall seeing a video a few years back of a guy who had hooked up a Mickey Mouse set up with an electric motor on a Star and it worked very well. Found the video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XlPcBvGsDTY

There was another item that made feeding the Star by hand safe. It was a simple piece of PVC pipe that was angled to place the bullet into the mouth of the sizer...it was slick and cheap. It would take a bit of experimentation to get the PVC positioned properly but it worked very well once adjusted.

IMO the plastic pipe idea solves the tube issue. I used tubes with the bullet feeder for a while but as Reloader Fred commented, in the end you have spent a bunch of money and not increased productivity. Getting a collator to work 100% has its own challenges with fiddling and adjustments.

I really need to get the plastic pipe idea tried out but I have not cast in a while as I have thousands of bullets still in inventory and I am shooting a lot less with the primer and powder situation.

[beeser]

Both the ACE and EMP sizers look capable but why not extend the capability by adding lube like the Magma? Is it because of the growing demand for high tech coatings?

Also, it doesn't seem to make sense using any of the automated sizers or lube/sizers without a collator if rate of production is the goal. A standard manual Star Lubesizer might be just as quick.

[Tazza]

Here is a video of mine from 2 years ago: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1nKT6dPDxho

It has been modified to work better, but essentially the same running gear.

If/when i do it again, i'd make the drop tube run closer to the punch to make the projectile move less, less movement, less to go wrong. The more time sitting under the drop tube and over the hole for the die, the more time the lead has to drop. Move too fast, and things are more likely to hang up.

My next one may be done to have a longer stroke and a bigger motor, this one is only 1/8 hp, it does most, but every so often, it does get stuck on slightly over sized cast. The only cost was the universal joints for the feeder, speed control for the collator and motor for the collator, the rest i had laying around/scrounged from a mad mate.

[Jatz357]

Here is a video of mine from 2 years ago: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1nKT6dPDxho

It has been modified to work better, but essentially the same running gear.

If/when i do it again, i'd make the drop tube run closer to the punch to make the projectile move less, less movement, less to go wrong. The more time sitting under the drop tube and over the hole for the die, the more time the lead has to drop. Move too fast, and things are more likely to hang up.

My next one may be done to have a longer stroke and a bigger motor, this one is only 1/8 hp, it does most, but every so often, it does get stuck on slightly over sized cast. The only cost was the universal joints for the feeder, speed control for the collator and motor for the collator, the rest i had laying around/scrounged from a mad mate.

That's awesome Tazza. If you're able to change the feed timing to be opposite and have the transfer bar stay over the die when the punch comes down, that will save a lot of hassle with less jams.

[Tazza]

That's awesome Tazza. If you're able to change the feed timing to be opposite and have the transfer bar stay over the die when the punch comes down, that will save a lot of hassle with less jams.

I can definitely look at that, i never actually thought about doing it that way, it does make sense though, if there are any potential hang ups in the bar, the punch will push it out. The only issue i have is the length of stroke mine has. The motor is a little weak for me to put a bigger wheel on it to get the extra stroke. I think i'll need another setup for rifle projectiles with a longer stroke and bigger motor, so i'll be looking at doing it on that one. I'll just need to work out how to reverse the action, but surely it can't be hard to do.

[Jatz357]

I can definitely look at that, i never actually thought about doing it that way, it does make sense though, if there are any potential hang ups in the bar, the punch will push it out. The only issue i have is the length of stroke mine has. The motor is a little weak for me to put a bigger wheel on it to get the extra stroke. I think i'll need another setup for rifle projectiles with a longer stroke and bigger motor, so i'll be looking at doing it on that one. I'll just need to work out how to reverse the action, but surely it can't be hard to do.

The other thing to consider is how it drives the transfer bar. Mechanical feed back to the drop feed tube and spring tension / compression to move the feed bar back over the die. If there is a jam in the drop tube the spring will not have enough strength to move the transfer bar. The machine will cycle again and the jam may clear. Machine just skips a beat and keeps going.

The ACE sizer looks to be a solid machine but only problem I see is the mechanical feed in and out. If it jams, a breakaway kicks out and you have to stop and rest the machine.

If motor power or lack of, is a problem you can change the drive ratio to increase torque. My machine that will run at 8800 is 10:1 gearbox. Newer machines are 15:1 and if torque is an issue with a longer stroke I may go to a 20:1 for longer projectiles. At 50 hertz on the VFD that will be around 4200 an hour and at 60 hertz would be around 5040 an hour. Still good numbers for large projectiles.

[Tazza]

The other thing to consider is how it drives the transfer bar. Mechanical feed back to the drop feed tube and spring tension / compression to move the feed bar back over the die. If there is a jam in the drop tube the spring will not have enough strength to move the transfer bar. The machine will cycle again and the jam may clear. Machine just skips a beat and keeps going.

The ACE sizer looks to be a solid machine but only problem I see is the mechanical feed in and out. If it jams, a breakaway kicks out and you have to stop and rest the machine.

If motor power or lack of, is a problem you can change the drive ratio to increase torque. My machine that will run at 8800 is 10:1 gearbox. Newer machines are 15:1 and if torque is an issue with a longer stroke I may go to a 20:1 for longer projectiles. At 50 hertz on the VFD that will be around 4200 an hour and at 60 hertz would be around 5040 an hour. Still good numbers for large projectiles.

I actually did think about using a spring loaded arm for the slider, but my idea was different, the spring was there to make it so i could have a hard stop at the end of travel so the projectile would have longer over the sizing die to fall down into it, but if i did as you said, have it so the slider bar had the punch go through it, that would not be an issue. I'm going to have to look into this further, see if i can modify mine to this style. As you pointed out, if there is a jam from the drop tube to the slider, it stalls the motor, and i do have this issue from time to time.

I'll need to hit my mad mate up to see what gear boxes he has, see if i can get another one with a lower ratio, see if i can get a 15:1 instead of the 30:1 i have now and just size the motor larger to suit. 1:10 sure is moving when run at full speed.

the 30:1 i have now could be used for rifle or other long projectile, lower speed won't be an issue, as they aren't the ones that are as popular.