Making that Bullet Collator

[Gillie Dog]

Is there a rule of thumb on how much wider(longer) and how much deeper the rifle brass collator plates holes should be than the case itself?

Like 2mm wider than total length of the case and 2mm deeper than the largest diameter of the case itself? Plate thickness around the diameter of the case or a little less seems appropriate.

I am making a custom 30 M1 Carbine plate to try. Using a pistol brass collator plate with that tall skinny case is counter intuitive, having it laying on its side for collation seems more appropriate.

Thanks

GD

[GWS]

Is there a rule of thumb on how much wider(longer) and how much deeper the rifle brass collator plates holes should be than the case itself?

Like 2mm wider than total length of the case and 2mm deeper than the largest diameter of the case itself? Plate thickness around the diameter of the case or a little less seems appropriate.

I am making a custom 30 M1 Carbine plate to try. Using a pistol brass collator plate with that tall skinny case is counter intuitive, having it laying on its side for collation seems more appropriate.

Thanks, GD

I never asked what anyone else does.....but my own rule of thumb is generally to use a plate for as many calibers as I can get away with. Trial and Error.

That said, I have learned a couple of things during my own Trial and Error on doing CASE plates:

1. don't try to use one that two cases can drop into together side by side......into one hole. I have gotten away with it (see first vid), but I don't recommend it.
2. plate height for cases need to be shallow enough so one case cannot drop into a hole on top of another case, IOW's shallower or equal to case height.
3. Plate height for cases need to be deep enough so once cases fill a hole, they don't fall over or get knocked over by other cases. And it's surprising what you can get away with. Video below is not the best height or design for that application, but I was curious to find out if I could collate rifle, .223, in my favorite (TylerR's) Large Pistol plate. It worked, but the second video shows a normal better design using a lay-down rifle case plate just for .223 rifle cases, showed a bit slow motion in the first test of it. Yet for 30 carbine, I'd rather use a drop in as I did for .357..... Last video....





I prefer using the lay-down style for .223 unless I'm just set up for large pistol and feeling in a hurry. Another video of just the plate running:



One thing about lay-down rifle case collators, is you do need to match plate thickness with case thickness, so there's no piggybacking.

Yet .357 and most likely 30 carbine sure works great this way......(below, just using TylerR's large pistol case plate)

[Gillie Dog]

1. don't try to use one that two cases can drop into together side by side......into one hole. I have gotten away with it (see first vid), but I don't recommend it.
2. plate height for cases need to be shallow enough so one case cannot drop into a hole on top of another case, IOW's shallower or equal to case height. One thing about lay-down rifle case collators, is you do need to match plate thickness with case thickness, so there's no piggybacking.

Yet .357 and most likely 30 carbine sure works great this way......(below, just using TylerR's large pistol case plate)

Since I have all my pistol calibers covered with pistol plate(s), I tested the 30 M1 in a pistol plate and it functioned like your 223 did with leaners with 8mm thick, with 12mm thick (not standard thickness as both large and small pistol are 8mm thick) very little leaners but a lot of empty holes on both thus use a rifle brass plate idea. Case is about 35mm long so thicker with larger diameter holes for stand-up collation would be needed I would guess.

With very limited "rifle" calibers to do, one, I thought a plate sized just for it would be appropriate. All pistol calibers do quite well in the plates stand-up. I modified the slide plate for stand-up to be smooth and moved hole a little forward for more clearance (small collator plate does more calibers now) and it still functions for large pistol collator plate. I do everything in small plate except 44 mag (which works fine in 8mm thick plate) and 45 ACP. Have not tried the standard slide plate with lay-down cases yet as have not produced a rifle collator plate yet, but getting there.

One thing I have not figured out is what the slide plate adjuster "alternate" is for, read about the slide plate adjuster here but did not find anything on the "alternate".

Thanks very much

GD

[GWS]

One thing I have not figured out is what the slide plate adjuster "alternate" is for, read about the slide plate adjuster here but did not find anything on the "alternate".
GD

First I noticed it......TylerR will have to tell you.......

I ended up making a slide without an adjuster.....just solid and wide open. I have one with the adjuster, but it was always adjusted wide open anyway so I just made the solid one................keeping the adjusting one too, for when I find something that needs it. The 357 video.....using the solid wide open one.Pistol_Brass_Slide_Plate-solid.zip

[TylerR]

First I noticed it......TylerR will have to tell you.......

I ended up making a slide without an adjuster.....just solid and wide open. I have one with the adjuster, but it was always adjusted wide open anyway so I just made the solid one................keeping the adjusting one too, for when I find something that needs it. The 357 video.....using the solid wide open one.Pistol_Brass_Slide_Plate-solid.zip

The alternate slider is just the original without a ramp. I have found that sometimes that is more reliable.

[Gillie Dog]

First I noticed it......TylerR will have to tell you.......

I ended up making a slide without an adjuster.....just solid and wide open. I have one with the adjuster, but it was always adjusted wide open anyway so I just made the solid one................keeping the adjusting one too, for when I find something that needs it. The 357 video.....using the solid wide open one.

I also made solid slide for "pistol brass" stand-up. Definitely need adjuster for 30 Carbine lay-down, moved closed some. Printing sweeper now (one baby step at a time), going to try "large" one first as looks appropriate for how 30 Carbine react in collator.

The alternate slider is just the original without a ramp. I have found that sometimes that is more reliable.

Will test it with my one and only lay-down case. Ramp is functioning in minimal testing.


Thanks, both of you.

GD

[Mbeavers1]

I am struggling with my proximity switch recognizing bullets in the drop tube then stopping the motor. I think the issue is again my long bullets. The very pointy part of my bullet is across the sensor so I think there is too much standoff so the sensor cant detect the bullet. Is there any way to reduce the length of Drop Tube 6 by 1" (20%). I tried just scaling the z axis in Cura but then the spring adapter profile in the top also shrinks and I cant connect the spring.

[M500]

Have you tried TylerR's drop tube spacer?

https://github.com/BF556/Feeder/blob...acer_Small.stl

[Mbeavers1]

Nope, but I will! I did try changing the ball bearing position but that lead to unreliable feeding. Thanks!

[GWS]

The "alt" drop tubes are way shorter......made for if you want to use them just under the collator. And the drop tube spacer is sometimes used between to give more space between drop hole out of the collator and the prox., so long bullets don't get stopped half way out of the collator and cause jams.

That said, it doesn't mean there aren't more uses and possibilities for both the spacer and the Alt drop tubes. .... pictures, as usual, do help us help.

I think the main purpose for the long in the long drop tubes is to provide a bullet stack above the feed die. But that stack can also be achieved with spacers.....what do you think, TylerR? and actually, I've been perfectly successful with the stack in the lower end of my spring tube, since that's all I have, besides the lower spring adapter, above my feed dies. (yes, my spring tubes are full when the prox under the collator turns off.)

As you all know.....this fun game is lots of trial and error with so many options and scenarios to deal with, but perfection is at the end of the fun journey.

[TylerR]

I am struggling with my proximity switch recognizing bullets in the drop tube then stopping the motor. I think the issue is again my long bullets. The very pointy part of my bullet is across the sensor so I think there is too much standoff so the sensor cant detect the bullet. Is there any way to reduce the length of Drop Tube 6 by 1" (20%). I tried just scaling the z axis in Cura but then the spring adapter profile in the top also shrinks and I cant connect the spring.

Give this a try.

https://github.com/BF556/Feeder/blob...e_Prox_6mm.stl

[GWS]

Give this a try.

https://github.com/BF556/Feeder/blob...be_New_6mm.stl

I see baseball is over.........and you've been busy today..... They look good......but Drop_Tube_Prox_6mm.stl can't be the name because they work for what else? What's the little circle/cylinder on one side at the bottom? The rest is obvious to even me. I like how clean it is! Well done.

[TylerR]

I see baseball is over.........and you've been busy today..... They look good......but Drop_Tube_Prox_6mm.stl can't be the name because they work for what else? What's the little circle/cylinder on one side at the bottom? The rest is obvious to even me. I like how clean it is! Well done.

Yes. finally!!! Now basketball fires up. lol

Now that you mention it that should be the name. I will rename them.
The little cylinder is to interface with the prox sensor housing.

[GWS]

I've slept a while since I put one together.....I see. Cool. I'm replacing my own original design on all my setups. I have broken too many. They work great, they just have a weak spot you have to be too careful with. Thought I was just being too old and clumsy....and maybe that's still true. But your two piece design resists old and clumsy better. Just the way it is.....glad you converted to prox so you could convert me to the two piece design.

On sports, I'm glad my kids have all left the nest....too old to coach any more. NOT Unhappy about that. ConnieMack world series is over too....a Dallas team beat Cinn. Ohio in the final due to a passed ball with bases loaded in overtime. Great teams....felt sorry for that pitcher/catcher.....that's the trouble with sports....someone has to lose....sometimes even the best team.

[calgarysparky]

Gday gday!! So I printed the 300mm unit and plate. Which bowl mount and which ramp AM I to use with the 300mm bowl?

[Gillie Dog]

Gday gday!! So I printed the 300mm unit and plate. Which bowl mount and which ramp AM I to use with the 300mm bowl?

I just did one also.

Same mounts, "Mongo" ramp and "Mongo" brass slide plate is what I did. Forget where I found/read that at the time.....

GD

[GWS]

I just did one also.

Same mounts, "Mongo" ramp and "Mongo" brass slide plate is what I did. Forget where I found/read that at the time.....

GD

Mongo ramp, but regular sized cut-out for slide plates. Half right.

https://castboolits.gunloads.com/sho...=1#post5476096

[TylerR]

Mongo ramp, but regular sized cut-out for slide plates. Half right.

https://castboolits.gunloads.com/sho...=1#post5476096

I think he means he used the Mongo brass slide, which is correct.

[GWS]

I think he means he used the Mongo brass slide, which is correct.

I went home and checked it out.....you are right.....the picture is deceiving......but bullet slides are regular sized, not Mongo.

Complicated....

[TylerR]

Well I guess the picture in my last post is incorrect then, because I used the regular sized one.

For incorrect, it sure works good. Maybe I'm dreaming....I'll have to go home and look closer.

Since it is "in between" I think either one works. now you have me questioning it.