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Turn Your FX-120i into a Prometheus

Seems like a lot of work and effort for a $200 trickler. The O-ring drive belt is just applying too much pressure on the trickler tube and causing unnecessary friction between the tube and trickler body. Why not just use a small cog belt and pulleys to decrease that pressure during the manufacturing process.
 
ThunderDownUnder said:
Why not adapt it to use the Hornady Lock'n Load trickler?
Click to expand...

1. Unless you plan on sitting there waiting on the trickler to dispense the entire charge by itself, the existing capacity is enough for hundreds and hundreds of rounds.

2. Look at the relative price points: $25 for the RCBS vs. $120 for the Hornady. For that difference, you can buy bearings, drill bit, adhesive, and probably cover the time to do the mod as well.
 
hkfan45 said:
Hi,

Is anyone currently working on an auto trickler that incorporates a powder thrower (i.e. Using an electronic servo) similar to this guy: https://www.ar15.com/forums/t_6_42/447542_Poor_Man_s_Prometheus_for_drfroglegs.html

It looks complicated but I believe that would ultimately be the prometheous clone.
Click to expand...


As of this weekend my servo controlled powder measure is now up and running... and it works extremely well. Total cycle time for the powder measure runs about 0.75 seconds including a gentle "double tap" at the top and bottom of the stroke to help settle the powder. There's also a potentiometer adjustable delay time in the "drop position" for problematic powders or large charges. After the bulk charge hits the pan Adam's trickler finishes things up. It's still cycling manually via pushbutton right now, I'll work with Adam to have the powder measure automatically cycle when the empty pan is placed back on the scale.

It took a couple of iterations to work everything out; the original Redding 3BR liked to bind up when servo controlled so I switched to a Harrell's for the roller bearings. The Harrell's works great and was easy to automate but certainly isn't wallet friendly. Once the Harrell's was up running I found the servo that I purchased sometimes stalled when cutting kernels, so that was swapped for a higher torque servo. The next issue was dealing with the dropped powder splashing back out of the pan and getting all over the place so after several attempts I settled on an angled drop chute to slow the powder down plus a different powder receptacle with taller sides.

I need to clean up some wiring, tidy up a few things, and make a nicer "riser" for Adam's trickler instead of the ugly block of wood it currently sits on (had to raise it for the taller powder receptacle.) After that I'll post some pictures and video, hopefully by this weekend. I was hoping to have this thing finished and running a month ago but there are a lot of irons in the fire and the automated powder thrower is only one of them.

The final project works well but is quite a bit more expensive than I planned on (much of the cost is for the multiple revisions though.) Adam and myself have been kicking around ideas trying to come up with something to throw the bulk charge automatically for around the $200 mark and be robust enough for the typical user but that's still a ways down the road.
 
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I have read all the solutions to a problem that I have not experienced with my Adam Auto Trickler. From bearings to bushings of various materials, to different lubricants and ways to apply them, and so on. All of these approaches appear to be adequate, and surely all can be made to work.

My question, or concern, I guess, is that I have not yet found a need to do any of these with my Auto Trickler. I have had my Auto-Trickler for several weeks, have loaded about 300 rounds very successfully, and have not had any issues.

Am I missing something, or perhaps I have not had or used my Auto-Trickler long enough for problems to surface?

Thank you for you replies.

Alex
 
Nando-AS said:
Am I missing something, or perhaps I have not had or used my Auto-Trickler long enough for problems to surface?

Thank you for you replies.

Alex
Click to expand...


There isn't a problem with Adam's trickler-- it works great out of the box.

The trickler shaft occasionally getting sticky which can lead to chatter and belt slip is easily dealt with; simply add a drop of lube and keep going.

For others like myself who can't leave anything alone, especially when you see an area of improvement, the obvious long term solution was to add bearings.

Are the bearings needed? No, but after adding the sealed bearings I'll probably never have to touch the trickler again. Worth the effort IMO. Others did the mod and agreed with me. I'm sure just as many if not more saw it as wasted effort and are happy with the trickler as-shipped.

Adam has mentioned offering a low friction bushing upgrade in the near future; it will make the unit more maintenance free for minimal cost so I don't see any downsides.
 
Kiba said:
There isn't a problem with Adam's trickler-- it works great out of the box.

The trickler shaft occasionally getting sticky which can lead to chatter and belt slip is easily dealt with; simply add a drop of lube and keep going. . . .
Click to expand...
Great. I will probably get the bushing upgrade from Adam when available.
Thank you!
Alex
 
Alex I ordered the 2 bushings yesterday should be at the house when I get home tonight. I also ordered the 9.5mm drill bit to enlarge the holes. I'll let you know how the upgrade works...If I think about it I'll put it in the car for the next Thursday match...

Hobbs
 
<Mr Technology here, couldn't figure out how to get a video of all of this.

I tried doing some changes to the hose from my powder thrower to my funnel on top, speed-bumps to slow it down and ruined my hose, have to start over. Changed the scale cover to lexan to improve visibility which works great, few spots of glue around the edge holds it together.

Also pictured is the little SOLO condiment cup found at WallyWorld with the higher sides that I use for a powder pan.

If the material hits the funnel too fast, it tends to bridge. Worked with that a little last night, ran some graphite thru the funnel and it made a huge difference. Only bridged 1 time in about 20 loads after the graphite. Going by H-Depot this evening and see if they have some kind of clear flexible tubing that is better than the Tygon I was using.
 

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While playing around with my setup last night I noticed something... the extension tube on the trickler has very shallow and coarse "threads" cut into it to help carry the powder along and out of the spigot.

If the trickler rotates clockwise (looking at the handle end) the threads/grooves will try to pull the powder back into the hopper while if the trickler runs counterclockwise the threads/groove will try to push the powder out.

I didn't get a chance to do much testing, but the trickler seemed to run quicker and more consistently when it rotated counterclockwise (the threads/grooves trying to push the powder out.)

Anyone else experimented with the rotation direction to see if one way works better than the other way?
 
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I received my scale.
I bought A&D FX-120i scale from Japan and have one strange problem.
I need to change weighting units to Grains, but scale has only four settings - G, PCS, % and CT. Before buying I have checked scale specs on http://www.aandd.jp/ web site and it clearly states that scale has other measurement units also. Is any trick to change units or it has different firmware? :(

ETA: emailed to A&D and they sent me pdf file with solution. Many thanks to Darryl Fortier from A&D company.
 
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Rotating tricklers are designed with the internal threads to act as an auger to move the kernels out of the tube. When I used this type of trickler, RCBS in my case, I always rotated the shaft in the direction that moved the kernels outward. I would think that turning opposite would pile up the kernels in the tube...but I have never operated it in that direction personally.
 
Holy Cow! Just got mine hooked up. Works like a champ! If a computer retard like me can do it, anybody can. Great instructions!

Thanks Adam!
 
I own is trickler and absolutely love it. Only negative is he didn't use bushings where the tube goes through the funnel. You must keep it lubricated and that means a small portion of powder get some oil on it. When emptying after I'm done for the day, powder sticks around where the tube goes though. I just vacuum it and done.
 
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