Adjusting the Star/Magma Bullet Sizer

Add "and Technique" to the title. How do you approach adjusting the die/punch/which holes to plug when the bullet to be sized and lubed has a small band separating a single lube groove from the crimp groove? I end up with lube on the bullet nose, in the crimp groove and many times the gas check. There is too much lube per stroke to suit the bullet. I tried short stroking the lube but doing so causes lube to enter the die between bullets - I guess because the there is still lube pressure at the die while the piston returns and I cycle in another bullet?

Hope my description isn't overly confusing. In a nutshell; assuming I get the timing right (punch length adjustment) the bullet is seeing too much lube per stroke so it winds up everywhere.

I am assuming your using a heated base? If so turn down the heat, Than make adjustments. As far as the holes go, adjust the depth and plug to what is not needed, Some math is required. I mark the boolits with a paint marker and look at alignment with the holes I want. I remove the die as I adjust to see what is happening during the adjustment phase. Sometimes you do not need a full stroke to fill a shallow lube groove.

Perhaps the video on their page will help you: https://www.magmaengineering.com/magma-star-lube-sizer/

Page 4 of the instruction manual also has a drawing showing how to adjust the top punch: https://www.magmaengineering.com/PDF/Star_Sizer.pdf

Hope this helps.

Fred

It sounds as though you lube is too warm, as already mentioned, and/or the pressure on the reservoir piston is too high, and the lube is "seeping" out between bullets, perhaps? The reservoir piston adjustment is the most troublesome part of these otherwise great machines, in my opinion.

Good luck!

Thanks for the links Fred. Bright light that I am the instructions disappeared long ago.

Have finally installed a years old, never used Lyman heater but no temp controller.

Been using Lyman green lube, started with it on handgun bullets a long time ago. Other than being stiff when cold it works well.

Think I'll pull the die and bench install a bullet to see if one of the other holes offers some advantage. For some reason the adjustment of the top punch is hyper sensitive.

Not related to my question but I have struggled with adding lube for years. Only recently found that the "top screw" (part #108) is supposed to have internal threads. My lube/sizer does not, it is a slip fit on the piston rod. Contacted Magma CS who kindly offered to sell me a replacement for $20+.

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Originally Posted by scottnc

Thanks for the links Fred. Bright light that I am the instructions disappeared long ago.

Have finally installed a years old, never used Lyman heater but no temp controller.

Been using Lyman green lube, started with it on handgun bullets a long time ago. Other than being stiff when cold it works well.

...

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For what it's worth, I had a heater with no "temp controller" and picked up a five dollar electric light dimmer at (iirc) Home Depot, which I wired to a three-plug-in (female) socket. I also purchased one of those plug-in-lamp sockets, where a 10-watt light bulb screwed in and plugged into this. Obviously, one of the other empty sockets is for the heater. This way I was able to use the dimmer -- the round-knob version -- to control from zero to full line voltage AND have the little light bulb visually show me how much "juice" the heater was getting. (One note is that if you try/use this most inexpensive and great working set-up, do NOT buy an LED bulb! I tried that, and they apparently do not dim! Hence, you need a plain-Jane incandescent bulb)
geo

georgerkahn, Similarly, I have used a Lutron 1K watt dimmer on a 4500 watt@220V water heater element wired to 110V with success. If I recall correctly, using 110 on a 220 element cut the wattage down to 25%. To preserve the dimmer a Walmart mini desk fan was used to keep the Lutron's aluminum heat sink cool. Instead of a light bulb to monitor input to the element, a Harbor Freight voltmeter (from back when they were free w/purchase) with ring wire ends crimped to the leads was attached directly to the element. Ran this set-up for hundreds of hours without a failure. Will have to look to see if the Lyman heaters wattage is stated.

I was into brewing all grain beer at the time.

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Originally Posted by scottnc

Will have to look to see if the Lyman heaters wattage is stated.

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20 Watts

Found the problem. Should keep this to myself. Left one hole of the first row unplugged. Onward.

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Originally Posted by scottnc

Found the problem. Should keep this to myself. Left one hole of the first row unplugged. Onward.

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You're not the first one to do this, and you certainly won't be the last.......[smilie=s:

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Originally Posted by Woodtroll

It sounds as though you lube is too warm, as already mentioned, and/or the pressure on the reservoir piston is too high, and the lube is "seeping" out between bullets, perhaps? The reservoir piston adjustment is the most troublesome part of these otherwise great machines, in my opinion.

Good luck!

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I put the Magma E pneumatic device on the lube reservoir. Geez. I wish I'd bought that thing ten years ago.

I found instructions on the Star to be absolutely horrible. The videos from Magma are no real help either. What you need to know is that the lube to the die is always under the pressure of either your spring or air cylinder, whichever you are using. That pressure alone is not enough to lube a bullet, but it is the cause of lube on the noses or other places you don't want it. The purpose of that pressure is only to get the lube to the die, no more, no less. The key is to use as little temperature as possible. I run the spring on mine, so I can't adjust the pressure, but I can adjust the temperature. I do have an air cylinder, and did try it, but I don't think it is as effective to adjust that than adjust temperature.

Once you fully stroke your handle, your bullet is going to stop wherever the punch is set to. At that point you continue to pull and you actuate a lever which pushes a piston. This piston injects that lube at a high pressure through the holes in the die, and ideally into your bullet lube groove. The Star sizer is basically a bench mounted grease gun. What you are describing are two separate issues, and this is where a lot of instructions fail miserably. Turn your heat way down, just over room temperature is plenty for most lubes, say 75F. A lot run just fine at 65F room temp. If you solve that problem, your other problem is easy to fix.