Dispensing Powder Directly from Measure to Pan?

[memilanuk]

I think you guys are missing the point... to *not* have to hold the pan up to the drop tube, but to have the thrower drop the charge straight into the pan as it sits on the scale.

 

[chkunz]

I think you guys are missing the point... to *not* have to hold the pan up to the drop tube, but to have the thrower drop the charge straight into the pan as it sits on the scale.

That is correct, I am trying to eliminate that step.

 

[minnesotamulisha]

That makes much more sense.

 

[1066]

I think you guys are missing the point... to *not* have to hold the pan up to the drop tube, but to have the thrower drop the charge straight into the pan as it sits on the scale.

And if you re-tare your scale (or just add some weight to the plastic pan) and use one of the combo scale pan/funnels you could eliminate another small step and tip the powder straight from the pan into the case with no funnel.

http://www.brownells.com/reloading/powder-handling/powder-funnels/lyman-powder-pal-funnel-pan-prod32962.aspx

 

[chkunz]

I think you guys are missing the point... to *not* have to hold the pan up to the drop tube, but to have the thrower drop the charge straight into the pan as it sits on the scale.

And if you re-tare your scale (or just add some weight to the plastic pan) and use one of the combo scale pan/funnels you could eliminate another small step and tip the powder straight from the pan into the case with no funnel.

http://www.brownells.com/reloading/powder-handling/powder-funnels/lyman-powder-pal-funnel-pan-prod32962.aspx

I will give that some consideration, thanks.

 

[amlevin]

I think you guys are missing the point... to *not* have to hold the pan up to the drop tube, but to have the thrower drop the charge straight into the pan as it sits on the scale.

That is correct, I am trying to eliminate that step.

Then look at one of these setups and just find a "pan" with higher sides. Mine works great and does exactly what you are describing.

I've tried the pans with integral "funnels" but they are still too short to prevent the splashing of powder as it hits the pan. While I use a "Mickey Mouse" solution of a cut off pop can to catch then pour into the case using a Satern funnel, I'm sure that there are other options. Maybe a shot glass? 8)

As with any other powder dispenser I just set the Uniflow so it drops a charge about .1-.2 gr light and a turn or so of the trickler knob puts me dead on. I'm using a digital scale so I have lots of options for a "pan". If using a beam scale a little work with some shim material and a soldering iron could make a good "splash shield" for the beam scale pan.

 

[memilanuk]

Link

Now we just need one of those for powder measures *other* than RCBS... which is kinda what the video Boyd linked to is supposed to provide (trickling done separately).

 

[chkunz]

I think you guys are missing the point... to *not* have to hold the pan up to the drop tube, but to have the thrower drop the charge straight into the pan as it sits on the scale.

That is correct, I am trying to eliminate that step.

Then look at one of these setups and just find a "pan" with higher sides. Mine works great and does exactly what you are describing.

I've tried the pans with integral "funnels" but they are still too short to prevent the splashing of powder as it hits the pan. While I use a "Mickey Mouse" solution of a cut off pop can to catch then pour into the case using a Satern funnel, I'm sure that there are other options. Maybe a shot glass? 8)

As with any other powder dispenser I just set the Uniflow so it drops a charge about .1-.2 gr light and a turn or so of the trickler knob puts me dead on. I'm using a digital scale so I have lots of options for a "pan". If using a beam scale a little work with some shim material and a soldering iron could make a good "splash shield" for the beam scale pan.

This looks promising!

 

[amlevin]

Link

Now we just need one of those for powder measures *other* than RCBS... which is kinda what the video Boyd linked to is supposed to provide (trickling done separately).

Just exactly what brand do you have in mind. I can't see any reason why this stand and trickler, which is sold separate from the uniflow measure, couldn't be adapted. When you buy this the only pieces you get are the tube that screws into the Uniflow, the stand, and he trickler with "elephant's trunk" attached.

Surely one could adapt just about any of their favorite "Powder Dumpers" to this. Those without fancy machine shops at their disposal, think Duck Tape and J-B Weld along with a piece of tubing from Home Depot 8)

If your favorite powder measure will allow a drop tube to be screwed into the bottom of it you can mount it on this stand with not a lot of imagination required. Some will even fit "out of the box".

 

[chkunz]

Having the trickler integral to the extended drop tube looks like a definite plus, this serves the purpose and gets it out of the way. I am tempted to order one,

 

[memilanuk]

Just exactly what brand do you have in mind.

Harrells culver style, and Lee PPM, come to mind. Both use wildly different attachement methods and/or drop tube setups from the big-name brand (RCBS/Redding/Hornady) powder measures that thread into a 7/8x14 tpi hole and have thread-in drop tubes. Not saying it couldn't be done, but it'd probably involve a whole lot of duct-tape and/or JB Weld

 

[BoydAllen]

Having discovered that extruded acrylic tube is so very cheap, and knowing that my SAECO powder measures use smooth set screw secured drop tubes of half inch OD, as well as my Harrell measure, which uses a brass collet, I can see my way clear to do some experimenting with simply heating and bending some to a shape that would slow the powder sufficiently so that it would not bounce out of the pan. How is $9 plus shipping for a bundle of six pieces of 1/2 od x 1/4 id 36" ?

 

[DMC]

EOS 1V are still the best film cameras around, - miss film nowadays !

An empty 35MM film canister works great

As does the little measuring cups/dipper in Gatorade powder mix. Almost the same as a film can, but with a small handle. Zero your scales to the weight of the dipper, or pour into a pan on the scales.

Thanks for the tip Jim I guess i'll retire my film canisters ;D

I did advertising photography and some photojournalism many years ago, hence I had many thousands of empty film canisters. Somewhere along the way I have disposed of them, so I have to make do with whatever is available now. :'( Plus a quart of Gatorade is nice to have at the range. ;D

I still have quite a few. Haven't given up on B&W film with my EOS-1 V 8)

 

[1066]

My thoughts on this: With a system like this, with an integrated trickler it's really immaterial what measure you use. A long as it's able to throw a charge 1-2 grains light every time even the cheapest basic measure will work as well.

If you were to substitute the manual trickler for an Omega you would have a pretty slick system - If you were to substitute the trickler for an Omega auto-trickler, use a good tuned scale and fit a simple webcam system, you would have a system that was would be hard to beat.

A hand weighed charge every pull of the handle and tip straight into the case every 6-10 seconds. Sounds to me you could pay $3,000 for a system like that.

 

[waltk]

My thoughts on this: With a system like this, with an integrated trickler it's really immaterial what measure you use. A long as it's able to throw a charge 1-2 grains light every time even the cheapest basic measure will work as well.

If you were to substitute the manual trickler for an Omega you would have a pretty slick system - If you were to substitute the trickler for an Omega auto-trickler, use a good tuned scale and fit a simple webcam system, you would have a system that was would be hard to beat.

A hand weighed charge every pull of the handle and tip straight into the case every 6-10 seconds. Sounds to me you could pay $3,000 for a system like that.

You mean something like a Prometheus, Gen. I or II?

 

[amlevin]

Just exactly what brand do you have in mind.

Harrells culver style, and Lee PPM, come to mind. Both use wildly different attachement methods and/or drop tube setups from the big-name brand (RCBS/Redding/Hornady) powder measures that thread into a 7/8x14 tpi hole and have thread-in drop tubes. Not saying it couldn't be done, but it'd probably involve a whole lot of duct-tape and/or JB Weld

The Lee would be a piece of cake to "adapt" Just modify the Lee drop tube so the RCBS tube would fit over it. Then clamp the Lee measure to the side of the RCBS stand.

Since you'd be trickling every charge why spend the big bucks for a Harrells-Culver. You could be "in the setup", including a good digital scale for less than the cost of the Harrell's alone.

Wouldn't even use a full tube of J-B Weld 8)

 

[BoydAllen]

When you next review the Youtube video of a Gen II Prometheus, take note of the time that it takes to finish a charge, and consider that its use requires either catching the charge and transferring it to a funnel on a case in a loading block manually, or removing each case from the loading block so that it can be charged, and then note the probable required time for completion of one complete case charging cycle. Next survey the time that it takes for a Chargemaster to do the same task, and finally consider that with a tuned balance beam scale, and a web cam, throwing into the pan and trickling to final charge, the cycle can be completed in a conservative 18 seconds or so, no matter what the charge weight, this with an accuracy of +- .05 or better. For me this is an exercise to see what can be done with simple modifications of equipment that I already have. Most of the shooting that I do is at 100 yards, with powders that I can throw inside +- .1 grain, but challenges such as this are fun, given that they do not cost much, and that the results can be surprisingly competitive with expensive alternatives.

 

[amamnn]

If your measure is worth a Sh*t there should not be much variance once you get the powder settled in the reservoir. This means as someone said above, you can just dispense powder into the cases. You can do a whole tray at a time. This is a common practice. If you get nervous, pour out a case onto your pan every now and then and check the weight. A couple of tenths of grains one way or the other is ok, even in point blank BR................

 

[chkunz]

If your measure is worth a Sh*t there should not be much variance once you get the powder settled in the reservoir. This means as someone said above, you can just dispense powder into the cases. You can do a whole tray at a time. This is a common practice. If you get nervous, pour out a case onto your pan every now and then and check the weight. A couple of tenths of grains one way or the other is ok, even in point blank BR................

First let me agree with you on one point, "a couple of tenths of grains one way or the other is ok" for some applications. There have been many references by careful, respected researchers that have presented data for some applications that have supported this opinion. However there are some applications where this is not acceptable and weighing each charge is required. Either way this thread is about facilitating the operation when weighing each charge is required or simply desired and not a debate of throwing vs weighing charges, others have beat that subject sufficiently to death. I have loaded many rounds over many years and have weighed all changes even though most could have been thrown without compromising performance. We handloaders can work on some things but not on others so we tend to work on what we can, case prep, powder charge, etc. Thank you for your input and it will be helpful to some folks but not as much to my thread but still worth your time to reply. There are a lot of folks watching and learning and most opinions will help some but weighing charges has its place for some applications. Each handloader must decide what effort is worthwhile. And we all do not have to do all that could be done, the wisdom is knowing what matters and what should be done.

 

[chkunz]

I think you guys are missing the point... to *not* have to hold the pan up to the drop tube, but to have the thrower drop the charge straight into the pan as it sits on the scale.

That is correct, I am trying to eliminate that step.

Then look at one of these setups and just find a "pan" with higher sides. Mine works great and does exactly what you are describing.

I've tried the pans with integral "funnels" but they are still too short to prevent the splashing of powder as it hits the pan. While I use a "Mickey Mouse" solution of a cut off pop can to catch then pour into the case using a Satern funnel, I'm sure that there are other options. Maybe a shot glass? 8)

As with any other powder dispenser I just set the Uniflow so it drops a charge about .1-.2 gr light and a turn or so of the trickler knob puts me dead on. I'm using a digital scale so I have lots of options for a "pan". If using a beam scale a little work with some shim material and a soldering iron could make a good "splash shield" for the beam scale pan.

I ordered one of these today, I will let you know how it works, thanks.