crasher

One of the reasons that email is such an easy avenue is because email servers aren't required to maintain a chain of custody that verifies that the posting address and sender info isn't spoofed during the hand-off from server to server. They accept garbage and hand garbage to the next server in line with no repercussion. They prefer it that way because as it stands - they can't be held accountable. Same with getting spoofed caller I.D. info. I hate that nobody is making them responsible for passing on damaging bytes. It's just like letting someone dig holes in a public road.

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Workforce-Telescopic-Magnetic-Pick-Up-Tool-95212/202103569#.UUpmVU3Y3IU

According to the data sheet from Digi-Key, the (Chicom Cherry Brand) microswitch on the Dillon case feeder is only good for 6,000 cycles (as I read it). While I only use that particular XL650 to decap military 5.56, I can tell you that the switch tends to give up at about 120K, and manages to cause the 20 amp GFCI to pop about every 3rd round down the tube passed the paddle. Damned if I can understand how it can trip a 20 amp GFCI, but I replaced 2 GFCIs before I realized it was the case feeder switch that was doing it. I took one switch apart and it's mostly clean inside, no soot and arcing tracks, and the motor will run fine if I take the switch out of the circuit. I wear a lot of Station-1 Locator units out. I wish there was some replacement made out of brass or stainless that didn't scar so easily. I get a divot on the far right just from brass dropping onto it from the feeder. The plastic Station-1 Insert mechanism wears out pretty regularly and wobbles which causes brass to hang up in the locator which scars the aluminum when you crash the brass into the bottom of the die because it didn't feed that last 1/8 inch into the shell plate, if it hasn't hung up and crashed into the bottom of the drop tube first. I grease my rails every 200 to 250 rounds (I have a counter) but the plastic unit only lasts me about 30K to 40K at best, and it's getting pretty wobbly about 75% of the way through that number. I break the springs more often than that. Yes, I pay Dillon a lot of money for parts I break and stockpile as well as shipping, because I know it's not a warranty issue. And I have to say that they never send me the wrong stuff or make me wait too long on stock. But I would appreciate it if they'd come up with a Dillon sticker for my tool boxes already. I just wish I knew how you guys keep that blue paint so nice and clean. I spend a lot of time wiping grease smudges from mine.

Case feeder is using the small rifle plate for 5.56, on a 650. The plate pops up enough to allow brass under the plate. I've had the unit since new, almost a year. I'm on the verge of boring and threading a hole axially into the end of the shaft to run a bolt through the opening between the clutch bolts to attach the plate to the shaft. The 650 is on a strongmount. The bench is solid, nailed to the wall and concrete floor. The case feeder post is chained to the wall on the left and right with a turnbuckle to eliminate vibration. I load the feeder with a (clean) 1LB potato salad container, so I'm not loading the hopper to overflowing. Regardless of this, the problem occurs at several intervals til the hopper is mostly empty. It'll happen about once every 50 to 75 rounds on frequent occasions. Randomly more often. The shaft is clean, the clutch has never been tightened since new, but it's not a problem with 'spin'. It happens at slow and fast setting. The hopper is clean, I've wiped it clean with alcohol many times to eliminate possible build-up while scooping the shells out from under the plate to reload it. Combining this with brass misalignments at the shell drop or station #1 every 20 rounds or so and I'm constantly fiddling with this press trying to keep it running just decapping brass at about ~25/minute rate. Since that's about the slow speed rotation of the case feeder, I don't think I'm expecting too much from the feeder. Thanks for any consideration and or hints/tips.

Video was lost so I'm reposting. Two points: 1.) I don't know why everyone is so adamant about keeping count by counting primer packs. I use my 650 to decap/size and trim 5.56 brass, and don't run powder or primers through the machine. I've run about 12,000 rounds through, and I don't have a primer pack on the bench. 2.) I have my micro-switch mounted underneath the platform on right side, and it triggers when the spent primer cup bracket makes contact on the downstroke. I'd much rather count brass, as you do,that actually went down the chute, but so far I've not seen a way to make a sturdy paddle for the brass to hit on the way through that wont stress my microswitch. Any more detail on the paddle, and I just may have to change my config.

Thanks for the reply. I quoted the post because I got about 3/8 of a 5 gallon bucket of Federal 5.56 brass cuttings before I had to change to the 2nd surface. I'm going to have to order at least a 2nd blade just to feel safe. I noticed that the cut rim of the shell was looking like it was being rounded over instead of the clean cut, so I swapped to the 2nd surface and asked the question.

New user of a 650 and case feeder, so I started at the end, and I'm reading forward through the archives til I got to the front. I'm using my 650 just to size 5.56 brass, so there's no powder/primers, or other dies involved beyond a Lee universal decapper in station 1 and the trimmer/die in station 4. I was wondering what kind of life I could expect from my trimmer cutter blade, based on a 3 sided blade costing ~$20 + shipping, and I was reading the archives for comment. In a discussion on vacuum set-ups in this thread started 02-Jan-2011: My link - post #21 - "I use a $30 2gal shop vac I found at target. I was using a larger unit, but it was way to noisy. I bought 3 feet of clear tubing from Home Depot, it fits the attachment perfect, other end goes into a 5 gal plastic bucket. I put a hole in the lid to just fit the clear hose, in the opposite side of the bucket lid I cut a hole for the vac hose. 95% of the chips go into the 5 gal pail, and the vacuum doesn't get full or clog my filter. I get a 3/4 full 5 gal pale every 2 days" That is a LOT of brass trimming. What's the life expectancy? I was hoping for some comment/discussion on your experience, with any tips for the care and feeding of a healthy cutter. I already put a CPU heat sink on the top, with thermal paste, and lowered the temps of the unit between 10* and 20* depending on where the measurement is taken. I'm thinking I might need 2 or 3 spare cutter blades, and that's a batch of cash right there. Are there alternatives? Alternative sources? I like my new/Blue a lot, but costs are costs. Ways to sharpen that little cutter? Thanks for helping a noob.

I use the short handle on my Hornady classic for decapping, and it's perfect with a short throw. I have his long handle ergo for FL sizing, and I'm happy with that too. I'd have to say that he gave you good advice. There's a lot going on at the same time with a progressive. You'd want the mechanical advantage. Either way, he has a good product line.

Then why do bullet prices not come back down ? Bullet proces sky rocketed when metals went up, problem was when the metal came back down bullet prices stayed up. Commodity prices effect bullet makers profit. But not the retail prices. Retail prices are straight up supply and demand. Primers, powder and bullet companies found out what the market would bare. Simple as that. They are free to charge what they want for their products. I am free to buy or not buy. I dont fault them in the least for earning a profit and pricing their wares as they see fit. But please dont blow smoke up my rear end and try to play the blame game for prices. Well, when the price goes up and people continue to buy the commodity - it just sets a new floor price for the stuff. It's clearly what people are willing to pay. When the cost of components goes back down - why should we expect the manufacturers to drop the price of the product when they already know how much we're willing to pay for the product?

Why don't you call the folks who made it? It's a toll free call. Pat Cuz' Fedex delivered it yesterday (Saturday) after 6PM EST.

Thank you, Sir. I appreciate the response.

First question post, thanks for the info: I just got a new RT-1200, set it up and trimmed about 75 5.56 cases when it occurred to me that the trimmer case had no air vent holes and the case was getting warmer than I expected. It wasn't too hot to touch, but hotter than I expected a tool that I hope to use for several hundred cases at a time to be. Am I overly concerned, or is this an issue? The vacuum was running, and ambient air temp was about 72*. Thanks for any advice.