Chillydog
Member
Ponchh, thanks for sharing that info on case feeder and collator. I sent Titan and email to see if those could be added since mine has not shipped yet.
I knew the arm hitting the web between my fingers on every down stroke would get old in a hurry.
I changed the handle again, from 1/2 to 1 in dia. Made it twice as nice and soon as my buddy brings me some
1 1/2 in. I'm going to see if it will make it 3 times as nice.
View attachment 890527
Tried to load a video of it in action.
Can't pull it off.
Your new handle will create a lot of twist that the original handle did not. Especially with the handle being that much longer. Your second handle picture appears the handle is out of line from the first picture. Press being twisted?
Makes sense, less is gripping the rim so more likely to damage case. I have a shell holder set so not terribly concerned but one more thing to remember.Did anyone notice on the package for the X-press shell holder that it states that these are not to be used for sizing cases?.......thoughts?
Did anyone notice on the package for the X-press shell holder that it states that these are not to be used for sizing cases?.......thoughts?
I'm watching this thread intently. I'll bet Lee is watching it like a hawk watching a chipmunk.
That is what caught my eye also...plus for less than a Benjamin it was a low cost experiment.I like the concept of a single stage affair with a feeder....that makes all the difference. For me, besides the deprimer, I like the swager
I decapped 7,200 cases this last weekend with the APP press, averaging 2,300 cases per hour. I have it hooked up to my Hornady case feeder. Here is an 8 minute video of one of the session showing the sustained velocity. it's not perfect, but even with it's faults this is faster than any other method.
All 9mm outdoor range brass I presorted by caliber and pulled all the nickel/steel/aluminum. It had also been hosed down, but not really cleaned. Most of it was dry, but some were accidentally stored without fully drying. In other words, this was dirty.
A few things I learned:
1. I recorded and analyzed a few 8-10 minute sessions like the video here. My average rate was 2,316 cases per hour or 38.6 per minute. On long sprints where I had little brass or operator induced errors, that number was closer to 3,120 cases per hour or 52 cases per minute
2. Periodically the cease slider mechanism would stop fully sliding to the shell holder, leaving the case off center. This happens less than 5% of the time. Most of the time, I think it’s due to the dirty or nicked cases. However, sometimes that rate jumps up to 30% or more. I found that if I removed the case slider every 1,000 or so cases and wiped down all the friction surfaces with Hornady one shot, it dramatically improved and kept the problem rate at less than 5%, even with this nasty brass. I’m concerned about the longevity of some of the plastic parts, but time will tell. The jaw mechanism the grasps and moves the cases is petty ingenious and precise - most of the time.
[Related to the case slider, I think I am going to model up and print some kind of quick release fittings for connecting the case feeder tubes for different calibers. While it works well, it is slow to change calibers for the feeder tube.]
3. On the APP Press product page on Lee’s web site, John Lee recommended removing the detent for the shell plate holder if you are using X-Press shell holders. My case slider feed problems dropped dramatically when I did that. He is definitely right - the more freely the shell holder can rotate, the more fluidly the cases can load and unload.
4. This is my first experience with Lee’s breech lock bushings. Most of my dies are on Hornady bushings with Hornady’s lock rings. I tried using the new Spline Drive Lock Bushing, and I love the fact that I can easily remove or install it securely with the Lee tool. However, the little Phillips head screw that Lee provides to vise clamp the die is lousy and I could not get it to stay closed. At several points I found the screw backed out enough that the die was spinning freely in the bushing, and at one point I found the screw on the floor. I’m going to find some small Allen head screws to replace them. I ended up replacing the spline drive lock bushing with a standard lee breech lock busing and a Hornady lock ring to hold the die in place.
5. The press handle is more comfortable than it looks. I varied my position a lot - I stood, sat, used my left hand, used my right hand, offset myself 90 degrees from the press so that I was pushing the handle left with my right arm (think winning an arm wrestling match but without putting your elbow on the table). However, the more I use it the more I miss my Inline Fabrication roller handles. I did reach out to Dan @ Inline Fab with some specific suggestions, not that I have any pull
6. A motorized case feeder was key to maintaining velocity. Even the badly engineered Hornady feeder.
All in all I like this press as much as I hoped I would. Worth every penny. I’ll continue to use my LnL AP progressive press for most of my loading operations, but kudos to Lee for doing some legitimate innovation with this press. This is a great value for the money.
A little warning about his verbal presentation would have been niceI found this so others can try it for themselves, or not:
Okay, why is my Hornady case feeder "badly engineered"?
Okay, why is my Hornady case feeder "badly engineered"? I have the brace they added to the mast and the attachment to the case outlet that reduces tipping. I use the paper clip trick on the V-block to provide support at the case head to prevent tripping going into the shellplate. It's working.
Real gun said
I'm wondering the same thing. I deprime on my LNL-AP at about 1400 and hour and I can't out run the case feeder.
Digitalsleet,
I don't think there is a case feeder made that will keep up to the rate you said you were depriming at.
I decapped 7,200 cases this last weekend with the APP press, averaging 2,300 cases per hour. I have it hooked up to my Hornady case feeder. Here is an 8 minute video of one of the session showing the sustained velocity. it's not perfect, but even with it's faults this is faster than any other method.
All 9mm outdoor range brass I presorted by caliber and pulled all the nickel/steel/aluminum. It had also been hosed down, but not really cleaned. Most of it was dry, but some were accidentally stored without fully drying. In other words, this was dirty.
A few things I learned:
1. I recorded and analyzed a few 8-10 minute sessions like the video here. My average rate was 2,316 cases per hour or 38.6 per minute. On long sprints where I had little brass or operator induced errors, that number was closer to 3,120 cases per hour or 52 cases per minute
2. Periodically the cease slider mechanism would stop fully sliding to the shell holder, leaving the case off center. This happens less than 5% of the time. Most of the time, I think it’s due to the dirty or nicked cases. However, sometimes that rate jumps up to 30% or more. I found that if I removed the case slider every 1,000 or so cases and wiped down all the friction surfaces with Hornady one shot, it dramatically improved and kept the problem rate at less than 5%, even with this nasty brass. I’m concerned about the longevity of some of the plastic parts, but time will tell. The jaw mechanism the grasps and moves the cases is petty ingenious and precise - most of the time.
[Related to the case slider, I think I am going to model up and print some kind of quick release fittings for connecting the case feeder tubes for different calibers. While it works well, it is slow to change calibers for the feeder tube.]
3. On the APP Press product page on Lee’s web site, John Lee recommended removing the detent for the shell plate holder if you are using X-Press shell holders. My case slider feed problems dropped dramatically when I did that. He is definitely right - the more freely the shell holder can rotate, the more fluidly the cases can load and unload.
4. This is my first experience with Lee’s breech lock bushings. Most of my dies are on Hornady bushings with Hornady’s lock rings. I tried using the new Spline Drive Lock Bushing, and I love the fact that I can easily remove or install it securely with the Lee tool. However, the little Phillips head screw that Lee provides to vise clamp the die is lousy and I could not get it to stay closed. At several points I found the screw backed out enough that the die was spinning freely in the bushing, and at one point I found the screw on the floor. I’m going to find some small Allen head screws to replace them. I ended up replacing the spline drive lock bushing with a standard lee breech lock busing and a Hornady lock ring to hold the die in place.
5. The press handle is more comfortable than it looks. I varied my position a lot - I stood, sat, used my left hand, used my right hand, offset myself 90 degrees from the press so that I was pushing the handle left with my right arm (think winning an arm wrestling match but without putting your elbow on the table). However, the more I use it the more I miss my Inline Fabrication roller handles. I did reach out to Dan @ Inline Fab with some specific suggestions, not that I have any pull
6. A motorized case feeder was key to maintaining velocity. Even the badly engineered Hornady feeder.
All in all I like this press as much as I hoped I would. Worth every penny. I’ll continue to use my LnL AP progressive press for most of my loading operations, but kudos to Lee for doing some legitimate innovation with this press. This is a great value for the money.
Can anyone tell me if case weight matters with the shuttle? Meaning, can you have too many stacked and it makes it slow down, or incomplete it's move.