Modifications to the Lee APP

[Ed Dwan]

Hi all!
I've posted this on the CastBoolits site, and got a recommendation to make those posts available here. I've been working with my Lee APP, and the more I use it, the more I like it. I finally got my case feeder working reliably, so my resizing speed has really increased. One thing that bothered me was getting that pretty new bottle dirty with primer residue, so I printed a soda bottle adapter with my 3D printer. That way I could use a standard soda bottle to catch old primers, put the cap back on and throw it away...no muss, no fuss. I also added threads at the top so you can keep the adapter on the soda bottle and just put the cap back on the adapter and store your primer bottle until it fills up. It's available on Thingiverse here.


I also made a couple of other mods. One was to print an extension handle, and the other to find a way to catch and direct my sized cases under my bench. I've posted both mods on Thingiverse so you can print your own if you have a 3D printer (links are below.) The extension handle really makes using the APP a lot more comfortable and seems to speed it up for me. One afternoon, I sized 1200 .45 ACP cases in about 20 minutes as I finally got my case feeder tuned and I could barely keep up with it. The second mod was to make a diverter for a square funnel from Amazon to catch the brass and direct it into a bucket or box under my bench. I use a strong magnet to locate it on the bench in the right location and then can pull it off and stick it to my safe out of the way when not in use. If you'd like to see a short video of the APP in action, I posted it on YouTube (pardon the absolutely amateurish quality.)
Ed

Lee APP Extension Handle




Shell catcher/diverter

 

[Ed Dwan]

Hi all!
Still enjoying my new APP, and come to find out I really like the Lee Lock-Ring Eliminator bushings. The only problem is that they don't fit well in the Inline Fabrication Hornaday LNL bushing tray. I asked Dan if he were planning to make bushing trays for the Lee, and he said there wasn't enough demand. So the simple solution was to 3D print a collar for the bushing so it would fit snugly in the tray. Pictures below show what it looks like. I've posted the files on Thingiverse here.
Ed

 

[Ed Dwan]

Hi all!
I just figured out another neat little tidbit of the Lee APP. The lid to the little bottle they give you to catch primers and/or bullets not only fits some powder bottles, but it also fits the large mouth vitamin bottles you get from Costco or Sam's Club. I usually use the old vitamin bottles to hold lubed cast bullets, and it dawned on me the mouth was about the same size, so I checked, and voilá! Fits perfectly.
Ed

 

[sparkyv]

Wow, Ed. You are blowing through that resizing at a nice clip. Nice mods. I have a mild intrest in 3D printing for gizmos such as yours. Well done, sir.

 

[Ed Dwan]

Hi all,
Still loving my Lee APP. Even though I have all my old Lee push through sizers, I decided to get the NOE APP Adapter and some of their bushings. I like to keep things neat and organized, so I 3D printed a tray to hold the adapter, little allen wrench, and the bushings. I made a four and six hole version, and I can always expand if I get more bushings. I posted the files on Thingiverse here.
Ed

 

[rocirish]

Could you make a bracket like that to hold misc. dies? Maybe 4-6 wide?

 

[Ed Dwan]

Could you make a bracket like that to hold misc. dies? Maybe 4-6 wide?

Hi,
I certainly can, but with the weight of the dies, I would probably go with something like those below from Inline Fabrication. Dan does great work, and his prices are very reasonable. The primary reason I make my own stuff is that they don't have what I need. For most of my reloading, I use the Lee Classic turret (4-hole) and use the Inline holders for the turrets. I also have a Lee Classic Cast press that I converted from the Hornady LNL bushings to the new Lee Breech Lock bushings. Dan doesn't sell racks for those, but since I already had a few LNL racks, I just printed some spacers to hold the Lee bushings (see post #2 above.)
Ed

 

[rocirish]

Yeah, that makes sense. I just thought maybe I could print up something quick to hold those misc. dies, like the decappers, bullet puller etc. Thanks

 

[Ed Dwan]

Hi all,
I came up with another mod for the Lee APP to improve the bullet slider. The OEM version kept throwing my bullets, so I made my own bullet slider. Basically, I replaced the two piece slider with pinchers and made a single unit. Actually, I can't take all the credit as I came across a version while preparing to design my own bullet slider. I took his design and made some modifications to fit my needs. In any event, I made it customizable and posted the files here on Thingiverse. When used with my bullet feeder, I was easily getting 60+ per minute, so I could zip through 56 lbs (about 1800) of PC & Hitek coated bullets in pretty short order.
Ed

 

[Ed Dwan]

Hi all,
Still loving my Lee APP. Even though I have all my old Lee push through sizers, I decided to get the NOE APP Adapter and some of their bushings. I like to keep things neat and organized, so I 3D printed a tray to hold the adapter, little allen wrench, and the bushings. I made a four and six hole version, and I can always expand if I get more bushings. I posted the files on Thingiverse here.
Ed

View attachment 915629

View attachment 915628

Hi all,
Thought I'd provide an update. I ordered some more bushings from NOE, and rather than use two trays, I made an 8-hole version. I updated the files on Thingiverse if you want to print one for yourself. The link above should still work.
Ed

 

[GW Staar]

Nice! Someday maybe I will get around to using lead and sizing boolits, and needing to buy Noe products!

Four more days and I will have my own 3d printer.......I'll probably get really obnoxious around here........if I can learn to use it, that is.

I already have an order from a grandson who lost his 10" lens cap for his reflector telescope......so will I get inundated from family?

 

[mmb617]

I don't have a 3d printer and the only thing I see so far on my APP that could be improved is the handle. The roller version looks like it would work better but it seems to be out of stock everywhere.

I will say that I'm very impressed with how well the APP works, at least for what I do with it which is decap, size, and expand cases for 9mm and .45 acp. I do all my reloading on a single stage press and this thing saves a ton of time and effort.

Guys like you are making me think more and more about the usefulness of 3d printing. Custom made die racks would be nice. Thanks. I really need something else to spend money on, what with shooting being so cheap and all.

 

[GW Staar]

"so far" The biggest pain for my needs was feeding rifle......and you don't need a 3d printer to improve that. The APP is tool that has quickly become a "will not do without" tool. I think every single stage press will someday have a case/bullet feeder.....and compete. Mind you there are better tools for normal sizing....especially larger cases, and I already have those, but for case processing like depriming, swaging, debulging. and bullet processing like sizing, nothing else yet comes close without spending ridiculous amounts of money.

I'm wondering out loud if it might become the best trimmer as well.....if you add a Dillon RT1500 to it.......but wait that costs more than 3 APPS......nevermind. I'll keep my motorized Forster.

I still wish RCBS came up with the idea for their Summit!......and my goal STILL is to create a case/bullet feeder for that.....and that would change everything for me. Maybe the 3D printer will make that possible. I know.......if wishes were fishes......

 

[Ed Dwan]

Hi all,
I designed and 3D printed a wrench for the Lee lock ring that's be easier to use than the cute little one they give you. I've posted the STL file on Thingiverse here. Remember, this isn't a pipe wrench and isn't designed to really torque down the lock rings (and new style bushings,) rather it's an aid to break loose those on a little too tight.
Ed

 

[GW Staar]

Ought to help.....I've struggled a few times with a little too tight. Good idea!

 

[Toprudder]

I was having real good luck feeding 45acp and 9mm through my APP case feeder, but when it came to 38spl and 357mag, I was having problems with the cases missing the fingers or coming out sideways. I made a case deflector that seems to pretty much have corrected that problem without making any other modifications to the press. It is a simple piece of thin sheet aluminum that clips on to the left side of the press arm. Being connected to the arm, it swings out of the way for the case to travel in the shuttle, but swings back into place when the arm is down. See the photos. It looks a little crude, but it was more a proof-of-concept mock-up to begin with, but I think I will just clean it up a bit and keep it.

 

[Obturation]

I was having real good luck feeding 45acp and 9mm through my APP case feeder, but when it came to 38spl and 357mag, I was having problems with the cases missing the fingers or coming out sideways. I made a case deflector that seems to pretty much have corrected that problem without making any other modifications to the press. It is a simple piece of thin sheet aluminum that clips on to the left side of the press arm. Being connected to the arm, it swings out of the way for the case to travel in the shuttle, but swings back into place when the arm is down. See the photos. It looks a little crude, but it was more a proof-of-concept mock-up to begin with, but I think I will just clean it up a bit and keep it.

I haven't had trouble with 357 mag in my app , it's the only case I've used on it so far and maybe processed only 250 cases . If I notice an issue I'll give this a try.

 

[GW Staar]

I haven't even tried .38/.357. But will keep this fix in mind. Ed may find another use for his 3d printer.... Aluminum or plastic either would do the same thing. Thanks for sharing!

 

[Toprudder]

I haven't even tried .38/.357. But will keep this fix in mind. Ed may find another use for his 3d printer.... Aluminum or plastic either would do the same thing. Thanks for sharing!

Yeah, I was thinking someone could 3D print one. The aluminum was good for working out the dimensions, it could be bent and tweaked until it worked. It is also what I had.