Square Deal B modifications

[crackshot258]

Well it was hot here today, mid 90s so I stayed inside and finally got around to make another modification to my Square Deal B Dillon press. I added a finished bullet counter. Here are a couple of pictures to show some of what I did. This was added to the machine that I posted adding LEDs to a couple of weeks ago. The LEDs and the counter all run off a recycled cellphone battery. I made 700 bullets on it today and it only took 10 min to recharge the battery. No power is used when it's at rest. When a finished bullet opens the flapper it moves the small magnet (see picture) to energize a magnetic reed switch which increments the counter.

If anyone is interested in the LED modification PM me and I'll re-post it.

 

[Hokie_PhD]

Interesting mods
Btw love the Builders Square paint stirrer, that a name I haven't heard in decades. I remember when they closed down.

At first I thought the counter was silly, then I thought about it a min, and think it could be very useful for my turret with the mod to kick out the finished round that I've seen. So while not something that's a high priority I'm beginning to think the two might be on the horizon as I start loading much more.

So thanks for sharing and giving me ideas. I wonder how many others will feel the same way.

 

[Walkalong]

Very cool.

 

[jmorris]

I like how yours measures round in the bin and not just strokes.

Once it was concluded on another forum to be impossible for an SD to have case feed, I made a case feeder for one.

 

[crackshot258]

Well it was hot here today, mid 90s so I stayed inside and finally got around to make another modification to my Square Deal B Dillon press. I added a finished bullet counter. Here are a couple of pictures to show some of what I did. This was added to the machine that I posted adding LEDs to a couple of weeks ago. The LEDs and the counter all run off a recycled cellphone battery. I made 700 bullets on it today and it only took 10 min to recharge the battery. No power is used when it's at rest. When a finished bullet opens the flapper it moves the small magnet (see picture) to energize a magnetic reed switch which increments the counter. Everything is hot glued except the mount for the counter. I have < $5 invested in this mod.

If anyone is interested in the LED modification PM me and I'll re-post it. I've included the pictures anyway just so you can see what I did.

 

[Load Master]

Nice work! In place of a battery for my LED lights I wired in a USB phone charger. The charger powers the LED lights on both of my progressive presses. It just saves me from worrying about a battery. I don't have a counter on my presses. I have large bins with cleaned and ready cases that I scoop out into 50 round trays. This way I have an exact count on my cases that go into the case collator, normally 100 to 200 cases at a time.

 

[DRAINSMITH]

I added a counter to my Hornady too.

 

[9mmepiphany]

Rather than start a new thread, you can just continue posting in the one you started yesterday.

I'm merging the two together

 

[RainDodger]

Very cool stuff. I did something way simpler regarding a counter on my Square Deal. I simply ordered a little counter from Amazon (I think it was about $7). Mounted it to the left of the Square deal and attached a small spring (about the size of a ball point pen spring) between the arm of the press and the actuation lever of the counter. Bingo. Works great. If anyone wants pictures, I can post some today.

Ok, adding a picture of it. Pretty simple:

 

[crackshot258]

I had thoughts of doing a count on strokes but I wanted a count on finished bullets only. Sometimes when loading 9mm some 380s get mixed in and I get them out at the powder drop station so they don't affect the count since they are not finished. Good job though and it looks nice.
You need more clutter on your bench!

 

[Walkalong]

I count the primers used to prime a batch of brass, & put the number on a sticky note in with the brass. That number gets transferred as the brass moves along. I record that as the number of rounds loaded in the load book and when I pack it in an ammo can a sticky note goes with it containing the bullet, powder charge, primer, and number of loaded rounds. I just count primer packs.

 

[jmorris]

I used a counter on my Loadmaster because there was no low primer alarm. It was a mechanical one with a spring like the op.

I decided I wanted another for one of my 650's when I was sizing and trimming 223 because there is no primer stop.

The stuff I had on hand was an old pedometer, I removed the little weight and spring that counts steps and wired in a cheap magnetic switch to trigger it.