GW Staar
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- Feb 26, 2009
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September 2017 UPDATE: While the following works, it only works trouble-free if you can find a "quality" microswitch.....the one I bought from Radio Shack was a bit troublesome.
That led to Part 4! Proximity Switch Replaces the Micro Switch
You can follow the directions below and use a microswitch, but I recommend you just go to Part 4....easier to make...works better. Do watch the 2 Videos here first! Caliber change is just as fast with either type of switch. Pretty pictures here ....
I made a common base mechanism containing a micro-switch, that works with each pistol caliber I choose. Its just a matter of cutting the spring tubing with a Dremel, and cutting various diameter thin-wall clear tubing, that comes in 1/16" diameter increments which telescopes into each other. A dab of super glue here and there makes each size conversion permanent. The Micro-switch used is a long arm style that cost me a couple of bucks, the tubing came in 3' lengths. I bought 1 each of 9/16", 1/2", 7/16", and 3/8" diameters. On average they were $2.50 a piece. Plus I bought two 1/2" PVC couplers at Home Depot. and made the switch holder out of an aluminum license plate blank.
A lot of credit goes to JMorris for some of the ideas...especially the micro-switch mount.
Click on the picture below to see a video on how this mod works with .45 ACP. Then click on the little square (bottom right corner of the vid) to see it full screen. Turn the volume down because my recording mic had no volume control and it was way louder than real.
Clicking on the next picture demos both the .40 S&W and the really fast caliber change from .45ACP.
It was just as easy to make the .357/9mm version, which I have finished and tested with both bullets as well.
The pictures below show how I made the base microswitch mechanism that is used no matter the caliber
.
The only permanent "damage" to the Hornady Collator is the hole drilled in the box for the cord (an old computer power cord). And of course the white wire that was cut and wire nut fastened to the new switch cord.
I used shrink tube to cover up what might electrocute somebody on the connectors...should have used sheath covered ones, but these I had on hand.
This is the prototype before final fit and some black car trim paint, for elegance.
I cut a 1/2" PVC coupler in half, reamed it inside to take the center ridge out, then super glued it to a piece of 5/8 tubing. The .45 Spring tube fits in the other end tight, the smaller caliber spring tubes slide inside.
The idea is to put the tube through the hole and fasten the switch to it. But I didn't want to glue it together because I didn't want any more permanent changes. The black thumb-nail was collateral damage during painting.
The answer was a rubber washing machine hose washer. It fits real tight perfect....just press it on.
Perfect! Won't rotate, or pull loose without a lot of effort.
The microswitch-holder was formed around a 5/8" wood dowel and a small piece of wood the same thickness as the switch housing. My vice was opened up just so, and the aluminum piece was forced into the resulting hole by the dowel. The the aluminum and dowel was tightened in the vice and the piece was then hammer-formed around the piece of wood. Worked pretty good. So now the holder-mounted switch is slipped over the tubing.
(picture above) A piece of hard wire was shaped in the vice to fit Hornady's own wire support holder, but I use it to hold the microswitch holder tight against the rubber washer. The washer also provides clearance for the wire leads....so far so good.
Now a piece of the next smaller sized tubing is cut and a slot is cut in it to allow the microswitch room to work.
I scribed a line to line things up, and glued a 1/8" wide piece of the first bigger sized tubing to make a stop for the smaller piece.
The picture below shows how the switch-holder was fastened to the support wire. The support wire was purposely bent a little more towards the collator, so that it has some spring tension that holds the switch-holder tight against the collator. It also keeps it from rotating.
That led to Part 4! Proximity Switch Replaces the Micro Switch
You can follow the directions below and use a microswitch, but I recommend you just go to Part 4....easier to make...works better. Do watch the 2 Videos here first! Caliber change is just as fast with either type of switch. Pretty pictures here ....
I made a common base mechanism containing a micro-switch, that works with each pistol caliber I choose. Its just a matter of cutting the spring tubing with a Dremel, and cutting various diameter thin-wall clear tubing, that comes in 1/16" diameter increments which telescopes into each other. A dab of super glue here and there makes each size conversion permanent. The Micro-switch used is a long arm style that cost me a couple of bucks, the tubing came in 3' lengths. I bought 1 each of 9/16", 1/2", 7/16", and 3/8" diameters. On average they were $2.50 a piece. Plus I bought two 1/2" PVC couplers at Home Depot. and made the switch holder out of an aluminum license plate blank.
A lot of credit goes to JMorris for some of the ideas...especially the micro-switch mount.
Click on the picture below to see a video on how this mod works with .45 ACP. Then click on the little square (bottom right corner of the vid) to see it full screen. Turn the volume down because my recording mic had no volume control and it was way louder than real.
Clicking on the next picture demos both the .40 S&W and the really fast caliber change from .45ACP.
It was just as easy to make the .357/9mm version, which I have finished and tested with both bullets as well.
The pictures below show how I made the base microswitch mechanism that is used no matter the caliber
.
The only permanent "damage" to the Hornady Collator is the hole drilled in the box for the cord (an old computer power cord). And of course the white wire that was cut and wire nut fastened to the new switch cord.
I used shrink tube to cover up what might electrocute somebody on the connectors...should have used sheath covered ones, but these I had on hand.
This is the prototype before final fit and some black car trim paint, for elegance.
I cut a 1/2" PVC coupler in half, reamed it inside to take the center ridge out, then super glued it to a piece of 5/8 tubing. The .45 Spring tube fits in the other end tight, the smaller caliber spring tubes slide inside.
The idea is to put the tube through the hole and fasten the switch to it. But I didn't want to glue it together because I didn't want any more permanent changes. The black thumb-nail was collateral damage during painting.
The answer was a rubber washing machine hose washer. It fits real tight perfect....just press it on.
Perfect! Won't rotate, or pull loose without a lot of effort.
The microswitch-holder was formed around a 5/8" wood dowel and a small piece of wood the same thickness as the switch housing. My vice was opened up just so, and the aluminum piece was forced into the resulting hole by the dowel. The the aluminum and dowel was tightened in the vice and the piece was then hammer-formed around the piece of wood. Worked pretty good. So now the holder-mounted switch is slipped over the tubing.
(picture above) A piece of hard wire was shaped in the vice to fit Hornady's own wire support holder, but I use it to hold the microswitch holder tight against the rubber washer. The washer also provides clearance for the wire leads....so far so good.
Now a piece of the next smaller sized tubing is cut and a slot is cut in it to allow the microswitch room to work.
I scribed a line to line things up, and glued a 1/8" wide piece of the first bigger sized tubing to make a stop for the smaller piece.
The picture below shows how the switch-holder was fastened to the support wire. The support wire was purposely bent a little more towards the collator, so that it has some spring tension that holds the switch-holder tight against the collator. It also keeps it from rotating.
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