StarReloaders.com Discussion Forum
Star Reloaders Discussion Forums => Star Reloaders => Topic started by: saltydog on April 01, 2011, 03:34:55 pm
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McMaster-Carr stock bunches of tubes, but not any that would seem to duplicate the Hulme tube measurements.
Granted, my plastic tubes are warped and brittle, but they measure an odd size. 33/64" ID and 21/32" OD.
What have any of you guys used to replace the Hulme tubes?
Thanks,
salty
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Salty Dog....I ran into the same problem with my old Hulme tubes that were warped and brittle.
My solution was found at Home Depot plumbing dept. They have 10 foot sections of 1/2'' CPVC # 4120 pipe labeled "Flowguard Gold." They cut three of them into 20" sections and I now have 18 tubes that will hold almost 400 cases for about $12.00 and tax. They work perfectly. The only drawback is that the tubes are not clear. I have used mine long enough now that I can listen and hear when the last empty case hits the base and I know when to change tubes. I load my tubes after I have finished reloading and have plenty of empty cases, tubed and ready to start the next round.
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Why > Just 20" ?
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Somebody has got to have found an answer. No way that I am the only gent out there whose tubes are getting kinda warped and brittle. :)
Whenever I find a tube listed at McM-C with an ID suitable for .45 cases, the tube OD would seem to be too large for the feeder base. Or, the other way with OD OK for fit to the Hulme base, but ID won't play nice with .45 cases.
These things can't be as rare as hen's teeth or woodpecker lips.
Suggestions appreciated.
Thanks,
salty
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salty hit me with a link for ones that are to big OD and I'll see about tossing them in to the lathe. I'm going to need .45acp and 38 super sizes myself
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Hey Guys
McMaster-Carr has tubes that will work for .45 Colt, BUT, they AIN'T CLEAR.........I would prefer Clear, But, I got 2 of them....
#8628K57 5' $4.73ea
9/16" (.5625") ID 5/8" (.6250") OD
They also have these....5/8" OD & 1/2" ID #8565K36 6' $5.73ea
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And I thank you one and all.
Doc, thats gotta work Thanks. Bytheway, you aren't THE Richard Kimball of Fugitive fame are you?
Thanks,
salty
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I don't know if any of you have followed the posts on using Lee Collator and tubes with the Hulme but for 45ACP and smaller I can't imagine anything working better. You can buy the replacement tubes (clear) for little or nothing. JMHO. I haven't tried them on anything larger than 45ACP but I would bet they will work on 45 Colt as well.
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saltydog
Since you ask, I got the nickname of 'Doc' when I first got on the Police
Dept from the Commissioner, they found out that my father was a Doctor...So Doc has stuck with me since 1960.....Imagine that.....{:-)
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Using the 'search' function and 'Lee Collator tubes' as the target, the only reference was a single post in this thread.
Stone, where are the posts you mentioned?
Thanks,
salty
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I have talked about it several times in the past. The Lee tubes are not direct replacements for the Hulme tubes, but the Lee Case Feeder and Lee Collator can be adapted to feed a Star. I use Lee Case Feeders and Collators on all of my Stars to load everything from .32 ACP to 45 Long Colt and .223. Works kind of like a Freeloader with multiple tubes.
I'm still planning to create my own version that would be a bit more substantial.
Pictures aren't great, but you get the idea.
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I like the clear powder tube. tt
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I searched my posts instead, try searching for freeloader. If that doesn't work to your satisfaction, try building a freeloader. The freeloader is simply an attachment for the Hulme feeder that collates the cases before they reach the feeder. There is a bowl attached to a tube attached to the feeder. This works great. I have one original and 3 Lee collators on other machines. I have also used the PVC 1/2" pipe with hairpins like primer tubes to hold the cases. I tapered the end that went in the feeler so that it didn't slip out and dump cases all over the floor. Ask me why I decided to do that! I used an approximately 6' piece that held 50 38 spec. so primers & cases would run out at the same time. Wonder how often that occurred? Well I thought it was an acceptable idea at the time. Just have to have a high ceiling, which I did.
RS
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Thank you all.
A revolving case feeder/or primer/bullet feeder may be in the far off future.
Right now, I'm just trying to find a suitable replacement for the existing brittle case tubes. For about the past thirty years, those tubes have been laying cross-ways on the rafters of the garage.
If I have to stop a few mnts every 50 rounds, to reload/replace a primer and case tube, so be it.
I'll contact McM-C and order the tubes suggested by Doc.
What I receive, and how it works in the Hulme, I'll post.
Again, thanks,
salty
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Different thought
looking at using a SS tube with a .1875 viewing slot milled out of it , kinds like the bullet tube on my lube master.
Anyone use one of the 5 gal. bucket collators to feed brass ?
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angus6
Try This at McMaster-Carr
http://www.mcmaster.com/#aluminum-tubing/=bv0x9o
#8978K163 36" Aluminum Tube .625 OD x .555 ID ea $6.14
#8978K635 6' " " SAME ea $10.96
Aluminum a lot lighter.............
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The tubes that Doc mentioned in an earlier post arrived this afternoon.
5/8"OD, 1/2"ID, 8565K36, 6' length [no e-mail]@ 5.73 ea. will work.
Thanks Doc.
salty
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rbwilling
Using Lee case feeders and tubes sounds like a grand idea since the Star unit I bought last week doesn't have a Hulme case feeder. Seems like Hulme case feeders are not cheap. What modle Lee feeder did you buy? Haven't seen anyones like it yet.
Also, I'm new to reloading and to the Star Reloaders. My powder charger slides are 3.5 gr BE. with OO on the side with another reading 2.7 gr BE with OO on the side also. I have one more that is marded like the 2.7 but has a much larger hole for the powder to fill. Aprrx. 3/8 dia., but not totally rounded. Looks like someone took a hand drill and tried to drill a hole. What Caliber will these first two slides charge??
Bare with me a bit because I know I'll have some newbie question for you guys. Great forum by the way!!! Keep up the good work and "Let's keep posting!"
1tonye
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The slot in the metal case drop tube does work. I obtained a homemade case feeder with a Star a couple of years ago that was using a piece of copper tubing for the drop tube on the case collator. I believe the copper tubing is 1/2 inch water pipe. Anyaway it had a slot filed into the tube about half the length. A microswitch was used here to contol the motor on the collator but you can also see the cases and know when the collator is empty. It seems to work fine. On the other hand you can buy 1/2 inch ID clear plastic tubing on Ebay for about a dollar a foot. I picked up 3 x 6 foot pieces for only about 22 dollars shipped. (Lifetyme supply) Just search polycarbonate or acrylic tubing and you will get lots of hits. Now if I could just get slightly larger tubing for the feeder on the .45 LC machine... Anyway, there are lots of options that will work.
John
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1TonyE
The 2.7 grain is often used for 148gr .38 caliber wadcutter.
The 3.5 grain is often used for 200gr .45acp wadcutter.
Kenn
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Kenn
Thanks for the info!! Like I said, I'm alittle bit newbie to this whole reloading thing. What size powder charge bar would be needed for 38 special semi-wadecutter or maybe the next step up. Some type of rounded nose?? Is there a certain powder that needs to be used in the Star Loaders??
From what I read on here, the Star loader I have is a universal based upon the locating straps(#79u) and the OO marked on the side of the powder slide. Am i corrrect??
Any help would be Greatly appreciated!!
Tony
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The slot in the metal case drop tube does work. I obtained a homemade case feeder with a Star a couple of years ago that was using a piece of copper tubing for the drop tube on the case collator. I believe the copper tubing is 1/2 inch water pipe. Anyaway it had a slot filed into the tube about half the length. A microswitch was used here to contol the motor on the collator but you can also see the cases and know when the collator is empty. It seems to work fine. On the other hand you can buy 1/2 inch ID clear plastic tubing on Ebay for about a dollar a foot. I picked up 3 x 6 foot pieces for only about 22 dollars shipped. (Lifetyme supply) Just search polycarbonate or acrylic tubing and you will get lots of hits. Now if I could just get slightly larger tubing for the feeder on the .45 LC machine... Anyway, there are lots of options that will work.
John
See my post on the 1st page
Doc -