My home made automated dillon 1050

[Texandy]

Well, I haven't done too much on this forum, but I wanted to get into some automated bullet casting (probably with a Master Caster) and figured I should share what I've done since I'm going to be borrowing some ideas from ya'll.

Many have done similar things with a 1050, this one is mine. I don't know of anyone who has done it in quite this fashion. I had a notion to automated a press a few years ago, but not alot of money. But I figured a good basis for power and speed control was at hand... cheap treadmill! All told, with purchasing the treadmill from craigslist, this cost about 250 bucks to do.

I've processed probably about 1.2 million cases with this basic configuration. It has matured a little over time.





The downside to using a treadmill for power is it's super fast rated speed. To slow it down while retaining a decent percent of max speed (less lost overall power), I turned a huge wooden pulley out of glued together 3/4" plywood sheets.

Here's a video of it in operation. Apologies for the poor camera work. Took the video with my phone, so it was a bit difficult to hold still. The ringing in the background is the sound of my automated neck chopper.

http://youtu.be/Zy9IXeurR34?list=UU7...ch_FIAl8Ara6qA

I can vouch for the reliability of the 1050. This one is, I think, a year one RL 1050 that I am the third owner of. Silver paint job rather than blue. And I processed over a million cases with it before I had to replace any of the major components. Dillon says those should give 2 to 3 million operations before replacement and I believe it.


Thanks to Hatch for pointing me in the right direction on automating a Master Caster. He actually talked to me on the phone while on the road. Super nice guy to talk with a complete stranger like that.

[1874Sharps]

Texandy,

Wow, that is really cool!

[Blammer]

neat, what is the machine processing?

[Mike Kerr]

Very original. I am glad you told us what it was because I would have thought it was a wood turning device that bumped into a Dillon 1050 and became an automated 38 special press.
Very inventive - shows great talent.

[Texandy]

5.56 that I've chopped the necks off of. Processing into 300 BLK.

In the other room I've got a drill press set up with a slitting cutter to chop the necks off. Pre-chopping is a must if using a Dillon 1200B for conversion.

It's been a little beer money business of mine for the past couple of years. I need to find some more stuff to do, tho. Unemployed and just selling brass is like being the Indian roadside fireworks stand in the film, "Joe Dirt."

All I've got are snakes and sparklers.

[ph4570]

Well done!

[LUBEDUDE]

That is so cool.

Thanks for posting!

[jmorris]

I like stuff built with stuff one has laying around, good job.

In the other room I've got a drill press set up with a slitting cutter to chop the necks off. Pre-chopping is a must if using a Dillon 1200B for conversion.

Do you have more info on this?

[DeputyDog25]

That is a really nice rig you have going there. You guys just constantly amaze me with all of your talent. I find it hard to make ear wax. LOL

[9w1911]

WOW!!!! Im in love w/ the machine

[DaveInFloweryBranchGA]

Sweeeet!

[Texandy]

I like stuff built with stuff one has laying around, good job.



Do you have more info on this?

I will at some point. I don't want to give too much info about it right now as it's pretty much my only competitive advantage in converting BLK brass.

Thank you all for the kind words.

I can say I did have alot of help building this. Once I was able to figure out exactly how long the connecting arm needed to be, I was able to draw up those L-Plates in CAD and take them over to a guy's place I had helped set up his CNC plasma to get them cut.

The driven arm I was able to get bent and weld-reinforced at a local machinist's for free (we trade favors). The driving arm I cut the slot with a drill press and alot of filing (didn't have a mill at the time) and then took it over to the machinist to get welded on.

Aside from that stuff it is:
1.5" thick wooden pulley (23" diameter, IIRC)
Browning torque limiter + copper bushing and a washer stack
keyed shafting
Some home made pillow blocks
Bearings
Shaft collars
Two 35P sprockets (one big and one little) and chain
And some steel reinforcement plates bolted to the bottom of the big OSB table.

The biggest help was a kinematic flash animation I found on the internet awhile back.