star tooling

[luober2]

does anyone know what happened to tooling, jigs, and fixtures that were used to build the star reloaders? are there any copies of any of the blueprints that they must have had? who did the metal casting of some of the parts for the reloading machines before they were finish machined (aluminum base plates, brass primer slide housings, powder slide housings)? what happened to all of the spare parts that must have been in stock when they closed the doors?

[steven d. ogden]

The lubricator-sizer dies, parts, ect. went to Magma Engineering.  Mr. Cunningham  of Pioneer, CA., bought everything else; he has apparently decided to go incognito although at one time he would answer emails.

[luober2]

does anyone know if mr.cunningham of pioneer california is still in business? has anyone been to his shop? what is the quality of the work that he does? has anyone bought anything from him lately?

[rbwillnj]

My guestimate is that he purchased the spare parts inventory from Star, but not the tooling.   I know that he used C-H to manufacture quite a few die sets at one time, but has not been back in contact with them for several years (according to C-H).

Bill Cunnignham has not answered any of my phone calls, or emails in about a year.   Others I have talked to have said pretty much the same thing.   Is he still in business?  Who knows.

[CDRT]

I bought some parts from him a couple years ago.  The quality was top notch.  I tried contacting him last July; left messages, sent emails and a fax and never heard from him.

[Lifetyme]

I was at the shop in San Diego talking to George and met Bill the day he was there packing up the shop.  My recollection is that Magma got all of the luber parts and jigs and Bill took all of the reloader parts and jigs.  I haven't talked to Bill in a few years and don't know if he is still in the Star business or not.  I believe that I was told that the old belt driven equipment was going to some historical venue or local museum.

Regards,

Bob

P.S.  I am looking for a 9MM shellplate.

[Kenneth L. Walters]

The lubricator-sizer dies, parts, ect. went to Magma Engineering.  Mr. Cunningham  of Pioneer, CA., bought everything else; he has apparently decided to go incognito although at one time he would answer emails.

I laid into Cunningham here once about letting Star die.  That got a couple e-mails from him.  But my sense of this is that he was no machinest.  Even if he had the necessary equipment he just didn't have the skill (nor interest).  Star deserved a better fate than to fall into the hands of this guy!

[jasta]

sounds like the same thing that midway did after they got fajen gun stocks just pissed all away about stars tooling a lot of the tooling just got scraped luckey turner of otay metal mart had a big scrap bin there and every day i would go there and dig in it it was a hell of a lot of fun and i got lots of goodys they had a big gridly lathe that had a bar stock holder on it and in moving it it fell and snaped one of the forks that the bar tube sat on well i got the two of them and cut the forks off the top i used one for my barrel vise and the other for my wire wheel buffer but in short i know you  don't want to here this but if you did not know what you were looking at a lot of there tooling would just look like a lot of junk but not to me it was some of the best spent time digging in that bin a lot of my pals would call me junk yard and all i tell them is yup i am a junk yard all the way to the bank i still have all the brass stock they made the primer tubes out of but i sracped the rest of the brass when the price went sky high only in america can one get rich by digging in anothers scrap heres one more thing i have some casting for a reloading press that was made here in san diego called [boss] one thing the folks at star ask me if i wanted was the casting mould that they cast the reloader base in i had to pass as it was just to dam big so in the bin it went

[rbwillnj]

Jasta,   I sent you a private message a while ago.

[Ross Chesley]

Here's what I know...

1. Bill Cunningham does not have a good track record for replying quickly or being easy to reach.
2. The domain "starmachineworks.com" was set to expire in August, but was renewed so this means someone decided to keep it going.

I heard various rumors...  

It would be great if Bill would join the forum and support it -- the offer has been extended several times in the past but he has not accepted.

Please visit the Star Reloaders forum and see the topic "Whatever Happened". There are reports indicating someone is taking care of business at SMW these days. I say that is great.

Please also know that the owner of this website will start offering parts for sale and will do anything possible to encourage people who have the ability to make parts to have a venue to reach members and sell their parts.

If you know people who are making parts or could make parts, please e-mail me. I am going to put together a list and contact them so we can make some arrangements and get them posted in a storefront order system. This website is a great place to advertise and sell parts to Star owners. It is the only website you will find on the internet with information and a commitment to keep iStars going.

All the contributing forum members represent Star Reloaders to the world and I am very grateful to everyone who posts and shares their experience and knowledge.

Stay tuned for a new topic that will survey the parts people want.

[Star73]

I sent Bill C an email 10 days or so ago requesting prices on specific parts & rec'd an immediate reply.  Last week I mailed an order w/ MO attached. Hope to reiceve shipment soon as he was accomodating. In the past I have exp'd the same as reported by others here. Will advise further. Also it looks as if the prices on the site need revised!

[NMBob]

I have also placed a recent order (for a .45 ACP carbide die) and will report.

NMBob

[Star73]

As promised here is a followup to my order w/ Bill C. Rec'd the order today...no more than 10 days since initiated....4 sprgs. Refreshing!
Ron H

[Kenneth L. Walters]

Maybe he can supply springs but he clearly can not build new tools.  This was a sad end for a company and product that deserved better!

[NMBob]

Got my .45 sizing die the day I posted the above.  Well-made die, and it works fine.  My check was not cashed until the die was on its way.

NMBob