Primer Catcher/3d Printer

N

ninosdemente

New member
Hopefully the right place for this.

I was able to set my Rock Chucker Supreme (RC IV) with a case kicker. But would like to make a prime catcher.... but I don't have a 3d printer to experiment. Has anyone purchased a prime catcher or made one similar to this https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:148190?

Wanted to know if this works before I buy one online or unless someone will sell me one if you have a printer and worth your time. Unless online purchase is the best way to go about it.

The case kicker I was able to make was something like this: https://youtu.be/RpEP7orTCR4

Thanks in advanced.
 
I printed one that was similar but the exit was on the other side, it works.

I have an Anet 8 printer, it was about $160 shipped, there is no end to things on the site you linked to. Ammomike83’s bullet collator is a winner too.
 
Does it work ? I need to buy one of the aftermarket ones for myself because I keep a Lee that is set up to be clamped to the bench for depriming my Rockchucker is so bad at spitting fired primers everywhere but where they should go.

Offtopic - but I have another hobby which would benefit from 3D printing and that one you referenced has some decent reviews. They have improved a lot and prices dropped since I last looked at them, thanks
 
I'm a dye-in-the-wool RCBS guy, but I ditched my Rockchhucker Supreme because I was tired of the primers jumping out everywhere & I didn't think I should have to buy more stuff to clutter up my press throat.

Come on RCBS, you can design an integral primer catcher for crying out load!
 
I'm a dye-in-the-wool RCBS guy, but I ditched my Rockchhucker Supreme because I was tired of the primers jumping out everywhere & I didn't think I should have to buy more stuff to clutter up my press throat.
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I use a neodymium magnet. That's all it took to keep the original primer catch tray in proper alignment - while still not dragging on the ram. In addition, I added a styrene tube inside the ram**. I haven't dropped more primers from the RC IV during decapping than maybe 0.5% in the last 10 years (1 escapee per 200 primers, at most, I'd say).

However... The 'snap-on' style of the original RC IV tray does make removal for primer disposal somewhat tricky and irritating. I've been meaning to print a new primer catch that just uses a magnet to keep it in place. ...But actually typing that sentence out brought to mind that I could just cut the stupid tabs/studs off of the original tray and stick with my neodymium friend.


** A styrene tube inserted into the ram keeps primers from flying out of the priming arm slot. If you like priming on the press, then constantly removing and installing the tube is annoying. But I rarely do such, so it doesn't matter for me. I did the same with my Redding T-7 (a through-ram depriming system, even), but still have far more flying primers with it.
 
I use a neodymium magnet. That's all it took to keep the original primer catch tray in proper alignment - while still not dragging on the ram.
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thanks for the tip

I have a tray full of magnets, glued one on each side of the stock catcher and one on the bottom and it caught about 20 primers in a row with none dropped. Works much better than foam between frame and catcher. I have a small piece of aluminum arrow I drop in the ram to stop them from kicking out the front, a cut off piece of drinking straw would work also
 
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Hounddawg, it works. The one that the op linked to looks pretty good too.

Also, found one for the 650 “ski ramp” that’s pretty neat.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f4OZfe-fstU

Don’t need it if you print off a “switch” for one though.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jZDT63UZVVE

I have been really impressed with the Anet, incredible for what it costs. You do need to remember that is is a “kit” and you have to bolt it all together and that will take a couple hours.
 
The links provided are some very creative alternatives... for my needs I would go with the one posted even if it the primers come out from the opposite side.

I was originally was going to purchase a case kicker or something similar to speed up process a bit.

Not that I'm a cheapo... but doesn't hurt to make something one can be proud of that actually works and spend much less at the same time.

I was also planning on rigging the primer catcher but the set up I have doesn't allow me to do much. I will provide picture to show why I need to get something different.

The printer is really inexpensive for it being a 3d printer. I had thought they were much, much more money.
 
I have been really impressed with the Anet, incredible for what it costs. You do need to remember that is is a “kit” and you have to bolt it all together and that will take a couple hours.
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I have an Anet A8, as well.
It's decent enough for the price.
It took a while to get mine tuned and adjusted properly, only to discover that the print bed warped with heat (I was chasing my tail for a while). One of these days, I'll figure out how to counter that properly with a mechanical fix ... or just buy a Prusa*. For now, I've just learned how to live with it and compensate with tweaks in the slicer and careful part placement.

Two words of advice, hounddawg:
1. DO NOT use thread locking compounds anywhere on the machine during assembly or maintenance. It will absolutely destroy the acrylic frame.

2. Don't buy cheap filament - especially cheap PLA. It isn't worth the headaches that come with the contaminants, short shelf life, and low print quality. I've got about 12 kilos here that I'll never even attempt to use again. Some of it gets brittle so quickly that if it isn't used within a month of opening the package, it breaks while printing. Some of it is just contaminated and clogs the nozzle. Some of it is so far out of round that it won't feed worth a crap. Some of it isn't even the advertised material (ABS with a PLA label, or mystery material with a PLA label). And more problems.

Just stay away from off-brand, cheap filament. The last thing you want to constantly mess with on the Anet A6 or A8 are filament 'changes' or extruder cleaning. It's a fiddly, annoying process on these machines. Even if you have to pay twice as much for 'name brand', it's worth it.


*I'd like a metal frame and better extruder for my machine, plus a print bed that doesn't warp. But by the time those costs add up, I think I'd rather put the money toward a Prusa, or parts for an Arduino-driven DIY printer with a larger print bed (I'd like to be able to prototype parts up to 32" long).
 
It took a while to get mine tuned and adjusted properly, only to discover that the print bed warped with heat (I was chasing my tail for a while)
Click to expand...

I have a glass tile (mirror) on top of my bed, made life a lot easier.

This is worth reading, it’s about getting the Anet 8 to print out a bullet collator but still worthwhile.

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/sho...8-printer-Making-it-print-the-Bullet-collator

I’d post some photos here but I can’t figure out how to get the file sizes small enough.
 
A primer catcher can be made out of a tin can. Or Tupperware. Or a foam cup. Or a small plastic pail. Or a plastic bag
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problem with my Rockchucker was getting them from the case to the primer catcher.

However I had some magnets and used FrankenMausers trick and for the first time in it's life the RC deprimed 50 primers and 100% of them went into the primer catcher. Those dam magnets and superglue been in my shop the entire time I was cussing that press for crapping spent primers on the floor.

2 hardware store magnets, 1 cut off piece of 1/4 inch tubing or drinking straw, and a bit of superglue from Dollar General and FrankenMauser did what all the engineers at RCBS been chasing their tails in circles over for 50 years.

Kudos
 
So here are the pictures...

This is the aluminum piece from Home Depot I wrapped to keep some of the glare off my eyes.

http://www.mentegraphics.com/pictures/63.jpg

Ugly but functional case kicker.

http://www.mentegraphics.com/pictures/64.jpg

With the primer catcher... made around it.

http://www.mentegraphics.com/pictures/65.jpg

The aluminum piece raises when the primer catcher is placed on the press. As you can see not great with the angle, but it raises enough that a rifle brass doesn't slide down. It gets stuck between the plate and the ram. So I can just file/sand down the primer but it still wouldn't solve the problem on having to catch a good majority of the primers and I would have to empty the tray.

http://www.mentegraphics.com/pictures/66.jpg


hounddawg, do you mind posting a picture of what you did? Thanks.
 
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