Parted out Star Reloaders on eBay

[rbwillnj]

You may have noticed that someone, (not me) has parted out a number of reloaders on eBay.   This is a good time to remind members that bronze primer casting is not interchangeable on different Star reloaders.   They were fitted at the factory and both bronze casting and the steel floor base were stamped with matching numbers.   A primer casting will NOT fit any other steel floor base.

Likewise, the crank shaft bearing was fitted to the column during final assembly.   The taper pin hole location is slightly different on every machine.   The chance of purchasing a separate Column and a crank shaft bearing and having them fit properly is extremely low.   Unfortunately they are not marked in any way to aid in matching them up.    When I rebuild Star reloaders I stamp both the column and the crank shaft bearing to ensure I reassemble matching parts.

Bruce Williams
Star Machine Works

[Rolling Stone]

Might this be a good time to mention that most parts are not interchangable between progressive and universal presses. For instance shell plates and Hulme case feeder cams besides the ones you mentioned.

[z4lunch]

What about the aluminum base
I have a cracked one I want to replace
Thanks Steve

[Rolling Stone]

I can't say but I'm a COB and unless there was a piece gone.  I would have it welded on the under side. I could be sure then that it fit.

[rbwillnj]

Aluminum bases are interchangeable....except that there is a dowel pin through the aluminum base into the steel floor base.   This pin is installed during final assembly and the location is different on each machine.   When you purchase an aluminum base from another machine the hole for the dowel pin will not line up, and it will interfere with installation of the aluminum base.   However, you can remove the dowel pin in the steel base and then you can install the aluminum base.   For good measure, you should drill and ream an new hole for a dowel pin in a different location....but you don't have to.  Phelps machines do not have dowel pins.

When installing the new aluminum base you should do so with the tool head on the machine in the down position so you can line up the powder slide cam in the center of the slot in the powder slide housing. 

If you can't come up with a used aluminum base, I have new ones.  I can also do the installation on your machine.

Bruce Williams
Star Machine Works.

PS   I have never noticed a difference in case feeder cams for a Universal vs a Progressive.  Primer slide cams for Universals and Progressives are NOT the same.

[Rolling Stone]

Bruce,
Perhaps I mis-spoke. I needed a replacement cam and holder for one of my machines, so I bought one. When I installed it the stroke was off and I had to rework the part that attaches the cam to the guide pin. Evidently there is about the same difference in the offset of the cam as there is difference in shell plates as the attachment was like my universal but needed to be different to work on the progressive. I did change heights but it took moving the cam closer to the pin if I remember correctly.

[rbwillnj]

The steel floor base of the Progressive is about 1/8" (0.130") smaller in diameter than the steel floor base of a Universal.  That means that a case feeder mounted on a Progressive would end up about 1/16" closer to the primer push rod to which the cam is attached.  So it I wouldn't be surprised if you had to adjust the height of the cam to compensate.   

Bruce

[661MACK]

Read this too late bought one of the brass parts, but came with misc other parts that still made it worth the price.  Hate seeing machines parted out like that.  I have six universal machines and when I  kick the bucket I will make sure my kid sells them complete. 

[FOR_Star]

Out of curiosity, why would anyone "part-out" Star machines?  Seems like their value would be greater as whole machines, especially given the hand-crafted nature of each machine's original assembly.
Kinda like finding a batch of old, crusty, Single Action Armys in need of lots of TLC and then parting them out.

[johnfreeman]

Agreed.  I think it's merely a chance to attempt to wring out every penny from a collectible item without being knowledgeable about the subject.

[824tsv]

Would a Progressive tool head be interchangeable with a Universal? If not what are the differences?

[rbwillnj]

The tool head is the same except the Angle Lever Cam.  The Progressive uses #49, the Universal #49U.   The difference is because a Universal Steel Floor Base is larger than a Progressive Steel Floor Base.

Bruce Williams