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Messages - rbwillnj

301
Star Reloaders / Re: Star small parts bag.
« on: January 11, 2015, 03:48:38 pm »
Interesting, never seen that before, but I have a similar one from Phelps.

302
Star Reloaders / Re: New to Star Reloading
« on: January 01, 2015, 10:03:44 am »
Frochevy,

Welcome to the forum.   Lots of nice people and great information here.   I sent you a PM

Also,   Here is an old thread on Posting Pictures.   I think there have been others as well.

http://www.starreloaders.com/forum/index.php?topic=1103.msg4266#msg4266

303
Star Reloaders / Re: RCBS Star Dies
« on: December 19, 2014, 08:47:16 am »
This is a set of Dillon SuperStar .223 dies which are RCBS Dies.   There is actually a set of these on eBay right now.

304
Star Reloaders / Re: Star Straight Line? Caliber 30/06 with wilson dies
« on: December 14, 2014, 09:41:51 pm »
With the Star Machine Works acquisition I got a box of very old 7/8-14 dies with no markings other than the caliber.   I assume they were made by Star and that they were for the Straight-line????

305
Star Reloaders / Re: RCBS Star Dies
« on: December 14, 2014, 09:37:50 pm »
Never heard of RCBS making dies with the Star thread, but the Dillon Super Star .223 dies were RCBS dies.   Hard to imagine that they were all turned down from 7/8-14, but maybe.   On Dillon's website he mentions going to a machinist to have the dies ground down and threaded with a Star thread, but I assume that was only the prototype.


306
Stars Want to Sell/Want to Buy / Re: Wanted: Parts!
« on: December 13, 2014, 10:12:09 pm »
Sent you a PM, I have both.

Bruce
Star Machine Works

307
Stars Want to Sell/Want to Buy / Re: Star .45 Taper Crimp Die
« on: December 08, 2014, 06:15:53 pm »
I have some.   My contact information is here;   www.starmachineworks.com

Bruce

308
Star Reloaders / Re: star - phelps
« on: November 26, 2014, 01:07:39 pm »
The Phelps reloaders are for the most part pretty good copies of Stars, but unlike Stars which changed very little over their production history, it's hard to find two Phelps that are exactly alike.    Most of the early Phelps that were actually produced by John Phelps are pretty good.  Not as exact or consistent as a Star, but still a decent reloader.   After Phelps suffered bankruptcy and stopped producing reloaders, the assets were bought by Dan Fausto.   Fausto continued to put together machines from parts, and may have had some additional parts made, but in my opinion, the overall quality went down hill.   I have seen some really bad Phelps reloaders.....but also some nice ones.   

So echoing Dave's comments, many parts are interchangeable, but not all, and the interchangeability might depend on the particular Phelps reloader you have.

Bruce

So there were only two owners?  Interesting.  I knew Dan Fausto.  Never thought he was very serious about the business.  Sort of a hobby.  Any idea what time frames the two owners operated in?

Dan Fausto is the guy who originally took a Star reloader to John Phelps and asked "can you make this"   Fausto was a Newark New Jersey police officer.  He was also a commercial reloader.  Fausto helped with the sales effort, promoting the machine and taking the Phelps reloader to gun shows and so on.   

John Phelps initially had a shop in Orange New Jersey, just outside of Newark.  He then moved to Sussex New Jersey.   Not sure of the date, but he went through a bankruptcy and Fausto bought the assets in the bankruptcy sale.  As I understand it, Phelps was out of the reloader business sometime in the late sixties or early seventies.  I heard that Phelps stopped producing machines before the bankruptcy due to a law suit.  I don't know if the bankruptcy and law suit were linked.  After the sale Fausto continued to put together machines from parts and did have some parts made as well.

Back in 2008 I had the opportunity to buy what was left, all of which was stored at Dan Fausto's home, about three miles from my home.   I passed on the opportunity and Ed Broadback purchased the remaining parts but not the machinery.  Earlier this year the machinery went to a scrapper.

309
Star History / Re: Star Machine Works, the Next Chapter
« on: November 18, 2014, 06:08:00 pm »
Thank you all for the kind words and encouragement.  I will do my best to not disappoint.


Bruce

310
Star History / Star Machine Works, the Next Chapter
« on: November 16, 2014, 04:42:39 pm »
Dear  Star Enthusiast:

I am pleased to announce that Star Machine Works is under new management.   I have completed the purchase Star Machine Works from Bill Cunningham and everything, parts, jigs, fixtures etc. have been moved east to New Jersey.  We have nearly completed the process of unpacking and organizing the tons (literally) of “New Old Stock” parts and look forward to serving fellow Star enthusiasts for years to come.

My goal is to provide all of the parts needed to keep these fine machines operating.   As mentioned above, I have tons of original Star parts in inventory.  Unfortunately, some parts are sold out, so I will be working to replenish stocks of those parts as quickly as possible.
 
I currently have no plans to produce “New” Star Universals or Progressives, but I will continue to rebuild/refurbish/refinish Star reloaders into like new condition.  The many original Star jigs and fixtures I have acquired will enhance my efforts in this area.   I generally have fully rebuilt Star Progressives and Star Universals in a variety of calibers available for purchase.

Sincerely,
R. Bruce Williams
Aka “rbwillnj” on the Star Reloaders Forum
(908) 750-6312
StarMachineWorks at ptd dot net

311
Star Reloaders / Re: What Plastic Was Used on the Casefeeder Tubes?
« on: November 05, 2014, 10:56:11 am »
As Rolling Stone mentioned, you might want to consider my adapter that allows you to mount Lee Case Feeder tubes and Collator to a Star.   With the proper top plate on your Hulme, you can load any caliber.   It should easily hold more than fifty 38 Special cases and the Collator allows you to drop in handfuls of cases like a Freeloader.

More info here:

http://www.starreloaders.com/forum/index.php?topic=1735.0

312
Stars Want to Sell/Want to Buy / Re: powder plastic tube
« on: November 04, 2014, 01:29:53 pm »
Jerry,   I can replace your powder magazine tube.    I use a heavy wall 12 inch polycarbonate tube that must be machined to fit your parts.  You have to send your powder magazine including the lid to me so I can machine the tube to fit.   The cost is $25 plus $10 for return shipping.  If you have more than one, I can do two for the same shipping cost.

Bruce

See more in this topic  http://www.starreloaders.com/forum/index.php?topic=1373.0

313
Star Reloaders / Re: Complete restoration road block....
« on: November 03, 2014, 04:27:28 pm »
Tom,   The crankshaft assembly is put together using a hydraulic press and a special fixture to assure that everything is in perfect alignment.    A hydraulic press, and something to properly support the assembly should be used to assemble and disassemble the crankshaft assembly and crankshaft bearing assembly.

I can help you with this.......but why do you want to take it apart?

Bruce

314
Star Reloaders / Re: star - phelps
« on: October 28, 2014, 12:20:03 pm »
The Phelps reloaders are for the most part pretty good copies of Stars, but unlike Stars which changed very little over their production history, it's hard to find two Phelps that are exactly alike.    Most of the early Phelps that were actually produced by John Phelps are pretty good.  Not as exact or consistent as a Star, but still a decent reloader.   After Phelps suffered bankruptcy and stopped producing reloaders, the assets were bought by Dan Fausto.   Fausto continued to put together machines from parts, and may have had some additional parts made, but in my opinion, the overall quality went down hill.   I have seen some really bad Phelps reloaders.....but also some nice ones.   

So echoing Dave's comments, many parts are interchangeable, but not all, and the interchangeability might depend on the particular Phelps reloader you have.

Bruce

315
Loading Data & Reloading Procedures / Re: double powder loads
« on: October 18, 2014, 08:48:05 pm »
Actually, the "00" is 5/16" thick.   

It has been my experience that Bullseye powder slides drop more than the amount stamped on the slide.   A 2.7 BE slide typically drops about 2.9 grains of Bullseye......at least for the lots of Bullseye I have tried.

I have slides marked 2.7 BE available in both the "0" and "00" size.   I might have some available for lower charge weights as well, maybe one that actually drop 2.7 grains of Bullseye.

Bruce