Star Reloaders Discussion Forums > Star History

Powder Shut-Off

(1/3) > >>

bwpsc:
A old progressive press showed up on e-bay this week.  It has a Star metal tag on the outside edge ot the tool head. What was different about this machine was that it had a neat powder shut-off built into the powder slide housing. Had not seen anything like this before in the housing. Anyone else seen this before?
Later,

NYKenn:
Interesting. First time seeing a shut off built in. Maybe a prototype that was not utilized?
 
Also interesting is the Red paint. Wonder if it it original or someone went to the effort to change colors.

Also, there is some type of threaded thumb screw near the safety cam. Have not seen that before either. Would speculate it was some sort of stop for the final finished round?

Bruce..What say you?

rbwillnj:
The pictured reloader is a very early Pat. Pending machine.   I have one that is nearly identical with a Bronze powder slide housing like the one pictured.  Mine does not have a powder shut off.   

It should be noted that a No. 0 powder slide is not used with this powder slide housing.  The powder slide is 1/2" wide rather than 5/8" wide.  I have another Pat. Pending machine that uses a standard No. 0 powder slide, but the housing is not marked as such.  I'm guessing it predated the development No. 00 powder slide housing so there was no need to distinguish between them.  Although Star reloaders remained largely unchanged for many years, there were quite a few changes in the first few years.

The machine itself is not a prototype.  It is definitely a commercial model, and not the earliest commercial model which would have had a cast iron rather than an aluminum base.   As for the shut off, I don't know if it is something Star tried then abandoned or if it was user installed.

Bruce Williams

PS   My early Star was given to me by the late Larry Lawson.   He was a great guy with whom I spent many hours talking on the phone.  That alone makes this machine a cherished part of my collection.

bwpsc:
Thanks Bruce,
I knew you would have some insight on this different part.
It's fun to see the different progression of the press.
Some good ideas and some so-so.
Thanks,

rbwillnj:
A couple weeks ago, a customer sent me two bases with columns to have me drill and tap them for mounting case feeders.   I recognized one as a very old base so I asked the customer to send me pictures of the machine when he got it back together.   As it turns out, it was another Pat Pending machine with a bronze powder slide housing and a powder shut off.    I think this confirms that Star experimented with powder shut offs on very early machines then abandoned the idea.

Bruce Williams

Navigation

[0] Message Index

[#] Next page