Brass Sorting Machine

[jmorris]

The tubes are .065 thick. I machined endcaps that go over the small shafts and into the 2" and only tacked them in place so they wouldn't warp from the heat of welding.

I used oil lite bushings for bearings and held them into position with double split setcollars. You could machine these parts from one hunk of metal but I couldn't think of a more simple/fast/cheap method than the above.

The gears were one of the few things I bought just for the project. I originally intended to use a belt drive to counter rotate the shafts; however, a slight amount of run out existed in both rollers (they both arch .015" or so in the center). If they are timed correctly they work together and the slot taper dimentions remain constant down the length. If they are clocked opposed from one another the gap could change .030" in one rotation droping cases into the wrong bin.

Think of the rollers like this rotating from both ends and moving like this )) ((

Vs rotating from both ends and doing this. () )(

Unless you used a cogged belt sooner or later this would occur and it would not sort properly so I went with gears.

Edited April 10, 2012 by jmorris

[jonblack]

jmorris

Thank you for the reply and for providing the additional information. It is evident that you put a ton of thought into your machine.

I do have limited access to a mill and a lathe but I don't own either piece of equipment myself. I would have to get a buddy to do it, but I would imagine he would be happy to help. However, anything tasks I could perform myself would be all the better.

I have previous looked at using cam followers for the 4130 tubes. I suppose I could also press fit some of sort of bearing with a shoulder on it into the ends of the tubes, and use a bolt to create the "shafts." However, I guess the bolt would have to be a perfect fit or it would induce unwanted run out in the shafts.

Any thoughts on my ideas?

Thanks again

jonblack

[jonblack]

I'm trying to find the thread where you said the length of 4130 tubing that you used. From the pictures I am guessing the tubes are about 3 feet long. Can you confirm the length of the tubes?

If you were starting from scratch would you make the tubes a little longer or does it really not matter too much?

Thank you

jonblack

Edited April 11, 2012 by jonblack

[jmorris]

the 2" tubes are just over 3' long but the longer the better as long as you don't add to run out. As it sits it will sort 380 from 9mm from 38 super, if you had longer rollers you could sort brass of the same caliber from one another by what chamber they were fired from.

[jonblack]

I have these aluminum pipes in the back yard.

RATS - I can't link to photos as a new member!

What is the best way to measure runout on these? I thought I would put a clean cut on the ends and then roll them on the two pieces of steel in the photo and see if I noticed "light gaps" as I rolled them. Is that too crude?

Thanks

jonblack

[jmorris]

A better way would be to put them in V blocks (both ends) and rotate them with an indicator in the center.

[jonblack]

A better way would be to put them in V blocks (both ends) and rotate them with an indicator in the center.

Thanks for the suggestion. I do have an indicator but I don't have any v-blocks. I do have some angle iron on hand. Recon I could use the angle and make some makeshift v-blocks?

Can you comment on my ideas of using cam followers for the shafts?

Thanks a million, you have been very helpful

jonblack

[jmorris]

Angle iron, wood with V's cut in it anything that won't move or flex should work. Not real sure of your cam follower idea but if its setup like rollers on either side they would also work to check the runout.

Hard for me to see anything that would be as simple or work as well as a bearing over a shaft for the gear end of the rollers.

[jonblack]

Hard for me to see anything that would be as simple or work as well as a bearing over a shaft for the gear end of the rollers.

Yeah you are probably right. I'm not sure why I am avoiding just having some shafts turned. I do have a couple of machinist friends.

Is the drive end set up the same way as the geared end?

Thank you

jonblack

Edited April 12, 2012 by jonblack

[jmorris]

Yes, the drive end bushings are the same. The only parts I machined were the 4 parts that go over the small 4130 tubes and into the large 4130 tubes.

[jonblack]

jmorris

I really appreciate all of your help and your taking the time to answer my questions. Hopefully I have enough information to build my own machine now. I have wanted one for a couple of years, every since I saw yours. A local indoor range has a commercial sorter, probably a Camdex, but it never was on my to-do list until I saw your machine.

Thanks again

jonblack

[Mike in CT]

Here is one that I have first hand experience with.

We used this at a club I shot at 2 years ago, so it may have evolved in design. Basically a top bin that will let debris and .22 fall through, then a funnel hole that lets the cases drop perpendicular to the sorting lanes. The key element is basically a slab of plastic (acrylic?), that has channels cut into it. Narrow at first and then graduated into 3 widths. The 45, 40 and 9 drop into bins below.

When we ran it we used 3 guys. One guy to feed the hopper, one to separate nested shells, and then another watching the sorting lanes for pesky 23 Super or other calibers that would clog the lanes. I was never sure if it really saved time over the 3 plastic slotted sorting bins and it was very loud, since it was shaken by a mounted vibrating sander.

I was thinking the sorting lanes could have been cut with an additional width to drop out the .380 first

Mike

[jonblack]

jmorris

Can you comment on how the tubing diameter would affect sorting accuracy? For example, would a larger diameter tube sort more accurately as compared to tubing that is smaller in diameter?

This is just something I was thinking about and thought maybe you would have some insight.

Thank you

jonblack

Edited May 13, 2012 by jonblack