Auto Drum again and again and....

Auto Disk, Pro Auto Disk, and Auto Drum Powder Measures along with their associated charge bar, disks, and drums.
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Re: Auto Drum again and again and....

Post by Ranch Dog »

horseman wrote:The thumbscrew and leaking are really the main issue though.
I've had a similar problem with the Knurled Knob on the Swivel Adapter with the Auto Disk System, but I'm not sure what I ended up doing (memory is loosing more each day). Is it being used with a Lee die? I ask that because die body depth is a big thing.

I've not had issues with the drums, I dust them with mica when I slide them in. What I had problems with is when it came to securing them. My fingertips are worthless. I was having a lot of variation in drops and a little bit of leaking with the fine stuff. Titan 3D-d a Auto Drum Finger Wrench that allowed me to control my hand to get a uniform pressure on the drum. I think my inability to control a consistent drum tension was creating most of my issues. My posts are on here somewhere and I probably didn't end up telling the "rest of the story".

Your topic got me thinking as to why my Drum got better and stayed good enough to buy as many as I have. I did not like the performance at the start. I did find these images and they are probably in that original topic of mine.
AutoDrum_stats_Unique_01.jpg
AutoDrum_stats_TiteGroup_01.jpg
AutoDrum_stats_H110_04.jpg
The first three tests, those above were a %@*&$ Moment and the question as to why I purchased it. So, with some time on hand, I worked through it over a period of time. The was a lot of study of the die setup along with the wrench arriving and working with drum tension. I ran another test against the Auto Disk Pro with and without a baffle and the Perfect Powder Measure. No surprise here, as those two have never liked H110.
AutoDrum_stats_H110_02.jpg
With time spent on the die and drum setup, here is what was delivered. I also had "soaped" the hopper, hopper adapter, and drum of the Auto Drum.
AutoDrum_stats_H110_03.jpg
I hadn't soaped the hopper of the Auto Disk in years, a decade, so I thought I ought to rerun the test in fairness to that device. This step taught me that the dish detergent wash and air drying of these plastic components must be a seasonal event.
AutoDrum_stats_H110.jpg
I'm using HP38 with my Hi-Point 4595, got to start getting rid of some of these powders, and I thought it would leak like a sieve, but not so. I don't run my Load-Masters like a spinning wheel. Like you, I pull a charged case at least every 10 rounds; weigh it, and put it back on the press, and continue.

You are intuitive guys so I suspect that you might have already consider some of this. My apologies if you have.

I've been tied up with aviation things the last couple of weeks and wanted to comment on two topics as well. One was the CFCD vs. COAL, that might have been two topics, and BrianT had one on adjusting the Auto Drum on the L-M for rifle charging. I've got most of the Lee stuff down being very specific about thread pitch and how many turns are needed for what.
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Re: Auto Drum again and again and....

Post by horseman »

I received my Auto Drum back from Lee several days ago but hadn't put it use until this evening. (they replaced a bunch of stuff on it). Setup the Load Master back to 45acp after loading a couple hundred 9's a few days ago. Stuck the AD on and adjusted for case flare then for powder drop at 9.5gr. Silhouette. Dropped very accurately, leaked a bunch. Tightened the adjusting screw about as tight as I can get it, still leaks all over the press, not bad mind you but enough to annoy me. Vacuumed up the powder from the press and installed the Pro disc with adjustable charge bar and loaded up several rounds. No powder leaks and every one was 9.5gr. I'm going to take the AD, clean it, again, put some mica on the inside drum and give it one more shot. We'll see how it goes. Right now I wouldn't give you 5 bucks for a truck load of them.
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Re: Auto Drum again and again and....

Post by GasGuzzler »

I'll buy it if you have to reject it.
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Re: Auto Drum again and again and....

Post by horseman »

I admire an opportunist GG but you may have to wait a bit longer. I just know everyone is waiting with bated breath to find out if the AD worked (better) or not. Put it back together (why is that little part that drives the gear so hard to install?) set it on the LM, adjusted for more case flair than I really wanted but did get a full rotation of the drum. Ran several powder charges (singly) and had no leaks and charges were right on the money, but I expected that as Silhouette is an easy powder to use and the AD DID drop consistent charges before. I have no idea what I did to clean up the leaks, but whatever it was it seems to have eliminated the issue for now. I still do NOT like that thumb screw. This is without a doubt the "finickiest" and most frustrating to set up measure I've ever owned. But when it works, it works well. I will continue to use it as long as it works as it is now for mostly loading 223 on the LM but I think this will be the last one. One thing I do wonder about is why other measures that use return springs seem to have small light strength springs Lee likes to use a valve spring from a 6cyl diesel truck motor for theirs?? I'll keep you in mind GG... :)
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Re: Auto Drum again and again and....

Post by Ranch Dog »

horseman wrote:I still do NOT like that thumb screw. This is without a doubt the "finickiest" and most frustrating to set up measure I've ever owned. But when it works, it works well.
Both Daboone (where ar't thou brother) and I went through this with the introduction of the Auto Drum. The Titan Auto Drum Finger Wrench makes it a none issue.
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Re: Auto Drum again and again and....

Post by GasGuzzler »

Ranch Dog wrote:
horseman wrote:I still do NOT like that thumb screw. This is without a doubt the "finickiest" and most frustrating to set up measure I've ever owned. But when it works, it works well.
Both Daboone (where ar't thou brother) and I went through this with the introduction of the Auto Drum. The Titan Auto Drum Finger Wrench makes it a none issue.
I too...and I too have the Titan part.
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Re: Auto Drum again and again and....

Post by horseman »

GasGuzzler wrote:
Ranch Dog wrote:
horseman wrote:I still do NOT like that thumb screw. This is without a doubt the "finickiest" and most frustrating to set up measure I've ever owned. But when it works, it works well.
Both Daboone (where ar't thou brother) and I went through this with the introduction of the Auto Drum. The Titan Auto Drum Finger Wrench makes it a none issue.
I too...and I too have the Titan part.

I can see where that would be a good item to have, but the one I'm talking about is the one at the bottom you use to screw the measure into the die. Man I hate that thing. I'm to the point when I install the measure I remove the die on each side of it just so I can get a grip on it.
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Re: Auto Drum again and again and....

Post by GasGuzzler »

Then I am 100% with you. THAT is a horrible design. It's like a quarter dollar thickness to turn. I have one measure and several turrets set up so I have to deal with it every time I swap cartridges.
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Re: Auto Drum again and again and....

Post by Ranch Dog »

horseman wrote:[I can see where that would be a good item to have, but the one I'm talking about is the one at the bottom you use to screw the measure into the die. Man I hate that thing. I'm to the point when I install the measure I remove the die on each side of it just so I can get a grip on it.
Oh, now, I understand. With six of these on my benches, here is what I've done to fix the issue you are having, I learned it with the first. It is a one minute fix if you have the materials.

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Using the tip of a wire, I apply lapping compound on the underside of the "knurled knob" and then rotate it with complete turns, back and forth. It has taken one minute to get it spinning freely on all of my ADrums. I clean it with solvent, blow it dry, and then with the wire apply a bead of Permatex Anti-Seize to on the threads. I don't think that I've ever added additional Anti-Seize. I have six, but I move these between twenty-nine different die sets.

Early on, and by looking at with magnification, I thought the undersurface of the knurled knob against the metal plate was the issue.

Another thing I do, whether it be a Powder Through Expander or Charging Die, is leaving the threads of the die exposed. All these dies come with a threaded Funnel Adapter, I use the adaptor in storage to protect the threads from any mico-debris.
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Re: Auto Drum again and again and....

Post by horseman »

Ranch Dog wrote:
Oh, now, I understand. With six of these on my benches, here is what I've done to fix the issue you are having, I learned it with the first. It is a one minute fix if you have the materials.

Using the tip of a wire, I apply lapping compound on the underside of the "knurled knob" and then rotate it with complete turns, back and forth. It has taken one minute to get it spinning freely on all of my ADrums. I clean it with solvent, blow it dry, and then with the wire apply a bead of Permatex Anti-Seize to on the threads. I don't think that I've ever added additional Anti-Seize. I have six, but I move these between twenty-nine different die sets.

Early on, and by looking at with magnification, I thought the undersurface of the knurled knob against the metal plate was the issue.

Another thing I do, whether it be a Powder Through Expander or Charging Die, is leaving the threads of the die exposed. All these dies come with a threaded Funnel Adapter, I use the adaptor in storage to protect the threads from any mico-debris.
Thanks Michael, I happen to have both those items in my reloading room. I hate to remove it (again) but I'll give that a shot.
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