Messages

1

Star History / Re: Wemco Williams Star Reloader

« on: February 08, 2006, 09:23:51 pm »

I liked to try to get Elard to talk about stuff, but he was usually pretty quiet. He and Willis both mentioned (at different times) a story about a guy that had cast a lead weight onto the small brass knob of the primer follower rod. He evidently had a dirty machine, and was using force instead of cleaning. Well, you can imagine what happened. The guy blew the stack of primers................I don't know if he actually tried to sue Star, but he did call and at least threaten them. People....................

all the best,

Mike

2

Star History / Re: Wemco Williams Star Reloader

« on: February 04, 2006, 05:37:54 pm »

Primer turrets are scary things. I'm sorry to hear of your mis-fortune.

all the best,

Mike

3

Star History / Re: A couple of quick notes on Star history

« on: February 04, 2006, 05:35:50 pm »

Yes,

That is the safety cam/auto eject for use with a taper crimp die and/or rimless cases. It works well with a case feeder, as noted. It was designed in the late 1070's or very early 1980's. They sometimes require a little fine tuning when switching from .45acp to 9mm, for example.

all the best,

Mike

4

Survey Says... / 45 ACP 'Major' loads in the Star.

« on: November 01, 2005, 12:11:50 am »

It depends on what powder you want to use. What gun are you shooting? What length barrel? Using the 200 grain #68, you only have to go 825fps, plus a little to be sure you'll make chrono. I'm pretty fond of Hogdon Clays, as it is very clean burning. Overall length, and crimp will also affect velocity. Lots of people like 231, bullseye, 700X, Accurate#2. A little slower, not quite as clean, but lower pressure at the same velocity are Unversal Clays , titegroup, Unique, accurate#5. In .45acp, there's a lot of possibilities.....

Buy a loading manual. If you are shooting a 1911, remember to have enough crimp the bullet does not push back into the cases when it hits the ramp. Overall length is also important for reliable feeding.

Did I mention - buy a loading manual???

Some guy named Ken Waters has done a bunch of load development, and his manual has long been one of my favorites....  

all the best,

Mike

5

Star History / Star Shell Plates and Dies Catalog?

« on: October 31, 2005, 11:58:49 pm »

Ken,

I know Elard liked the idea of the straight-line machine, but he mentioned it was too expensive to make at the time. I don't know the timing of when it was produced, as it was before I worked there, and I did not ask.

The non-universal machine was called the "progressive", and was the first version produced, according to what I remember of my listening to Elard.

They also produced about a dozen or so multi-stage presses. They did not use a rotating shell plate, and had 7/8-14 holes for the dies. The rounds were moved from station by hand. The primer magazine is a horizontal (formed) square tube, with a slot on the top side for a follower, and to let the gasses escape if there was an accident (it works...). I have one, and the parts for a couple more. I converted mine to use rcbs type shell holders. These were made prior to WWII. Elard indidcated they were trying to make a less expensive loading tool, by did not sell many.

I still have a data sheet for the shell plates. I'll find it, and post the calibers listed here.

all the best,

Mike

6

Star History / A couple of quick notes on Star history

« on: October 31, 2005, 11:46:21 pm »

Steven,

I remember several times Elard would grumble about people wanting a powder cut-off. He indicated that he thought it was a bad idea. He wanted to be sure the machine would always throw a charge. He also wanted to be sure the safety cam was installed and working on every machine not using a taper crimp die. A friend of mine - Frank Appel - designed a safety cam that would work with the taper crimp die (at Elard's request), and sold some to Star. I still have a few. This was in the 70's, and CNC was still quite expensive, so only a low quantity was made. I'm not positive the design was ever really fine tuned.

Bill Brenizer is still around, but not in very good shape. If you ever knew him, please send him some good thoughts. He is/was a really fine man. He ran the  manufacturing end of Star Machine Works, and was Elard's partner in the business. He also ran part of the machine shop at North Island Naval Air Station during WWII. He was working there, when he met Elard, IIRC. He was walking around downtown, and found Star. They bought the business from Elard's uncle about 1945.

edit: I too have a few of the Al bodied powder magazines.....

all the best,

Mike

7

Star Reloaders / M/A vs Bruster - Auto Index

« on: September 17, 2005, 04:00:59 am »

I will be making some parts for the Stars, in the future. Shell plates will be first. I've made and modified dies in the past, and I know who is or was making them for Bill C. I'll check into that, too. Please be patient, things on the other end of my business may slow down during the winter, and I'll have time to make stuff. I hate to see a Star sitting idle for parts.......

BTW, I spoke to Bill Brenizer, who was Elard's partner at Star since 1945, the other day. His health is not real good, so please send him some good thoughts........

all the best,

Mike

8

Star History / Number of Star Reloaders produced

« on: September 05, 2005, 02:22:00 am »

Yes, I have considered that. I may be doing that - the only problem is right now I've a hard time keeping up with current business.  A good problem to have!

I did help a guy out a little in Colorado last year, setting him up with a modified powder bar.

The shell plates were made of a special alloy, machined, ground, sent to heat treat, and then finish ground. We really did try to make the best possible parts, and the shell plates were no exception. I made the base plates for about 2 years - the 1 1/16" thick steel base that everything is pretty much indexed to - they are a lot of work.

all the best,

Mike

9

Star Reloaders / Wilkerson??

« on: September 04, 2005, 01:11:13 pm »

Ken,

No idea at all. A good friend of mine, George Rainbolt, was doing the shipping and office stuff the last few years (at Star).  He passed away about a year ago, at the age of 50!

all the best,

Mike

10

Star History / A couple of quick notes on Star history

« on: September 03, 2005, 02:51:44 am »

Several people have said they were factory salespeople for Star. They never had a factory sales staff. I was told this directly by Bill Brenizer, one of the 2 owners. My observation from when I worked there bears this out. Some people - Gil Hebard for example - bought tools in lots and stocked them.

Several times I've also seen where people said the powder magazine tube was "converted" to a clear plastic tube. When I first worked there, in the 70's, they were only installing plastic powder magazine tubes. I don't remember what plastic it is/was, but was a special order material at the time.

All the best,

Mike

11

Star Lubricator & Resizers / Phelps VS Star Lubrisizer!

« on: September 03, 2005, 02:42:59 am »

The Star standard punch was to size the bullet base first. The base comes out more uniform this way, and accuracy is better - the alignment of the bullet through the sizing die is also more nearly perfect this way. The nose first punch will work with more bullet shapes, and is easier to make. Each punch was individually turned on a small South Bend belt driven lathe.

Phelps quality varied quite a bit, reloaders and lubri-sizers. I saw a lot of correspondence at Star, regarding the repair and set-up of Phelps tools. Star would not guarantee that they could get it working correctly, or that parts would fit.

12

Star History / Number of Star Reloaders produced

« on: September 03, 2005, 02:34:30 am »

There's a lot more to the pricing situation than many realize. The amount of hand work in the Star was far more than needed today, with modern methods. That's one reason it was so much better than any other reloader. The owners were no longer young in the 70's, and and talked about whether or not it would be a good thing to tie up a lot of money in new equipement.

A quick example of why/how they were better.....Every crimping die was threaded onto a a hardened and ground mandrel, between lathe centers, and then the threads were chased - so the threads were always concentric with the inside contour.The roll crimp on a .38 special loaded on a Star tool is a thing of beauty... I learned how to chase threads making .38 special crimping dies - 2 wooden trays full - several hundred - I learned a lot there.

Just found this forum tonight - I'll post more about the history from time to time. I used to listen to Bill Brenizer for a hour at lunch time almost every day.

13

Star Reloaders / Wilkerson??

« on: September 03, 2005, 02:23:14 am »

I worked at Star, for a total of about 5 years. The Wilkersons only worked in the office. When Ira retired, Rob took his position. Rob had sorta helped in the office, and done some shipping prior to that. I've heard from several people in the past that they thought the Wilkerson's had some ownership - not true at all. I know that the original owners felt some resentment toward the Wilkersons as they had passed a lot of info to the Dillon Company. I still own a few Star presses and sizers.

All the best,