Yafmot Posted July 13, 2009 Posted July 13, 2009 Why not just use an old cement mixer? If you can't easily cut out the lifter bars, or if the tub is just too far gone, you could remove it and install a big stainless or Aluminum mixing bowl from a resturant supply. Or maybe contact a pharmaceutical equipment manufacturer and get a replacement tub for a pill panner, which is basically identical to a commercial star roller. In the 'States, Harbor Freight Tools will sometimes have the mixers on sale for around $100. That's enough capacity for anybody, although if you're making 18" shells you'll probably need a whole gang of them to make enough for a show without taking a month to do so.
willd Posted August 11, 2009 Posted August 11, 2009 I constructed a similar roller a couple of years ago and never had any success with it so i gave up and put it in the back of a cupboard. Seeing yours which are practically identical makes me think that it might not be completely useless. Can you reccomend an easy to roll composition for someone who has never successfully rolled stars.
FREAKYDUTCHMEN Posted August 12, 2009 Posted August 12, 2009 Perc/redgum/parlon/dextrin (with something extra like CuO for blue for example) are very easy to roll compositions, they'll never spike or anything like that. The only problem is that its a little expencive. Use water/alc as solvent, or you could use sgrs instead of dex and leave the alcohol out your spraybottle.
TrueBluePyro Posted August 13, 2009 Posted August 13, 2009 With a formular asking for NC could you use the Toro Method? Is that how it is normaly done? Or a formular that has parlon in it and you want to use the parlon as the binder so you use acertone, is that possible to roll that kind of comp?
Seymour Posted August 13, 2009 Posted August 13, 2009 I've rolled stars with parlon as a binder, and while it works fine, you do have the problems ofd parlon's stickeyness, and the stars druying while you roll. Do-able, but annoying. With NC bound rolled stars, I have used the toro method. Since most NC comes as a solution or as excruded granules, there is no other option easily avaliable. I'm in no mind to throw smokeless in any mill. However if you already have finely divided NC, the world of regular rolling is open to you.
TrueBluePyro Posted August 13, 2009 Posted August 13, 2009 For my NC I just use smokeless powder mixed with acertone, I would normaly cut these stars, but I rather making larger batches and rolling them seems to be alot easyer for big batches.
50AE Posted August 15, 2009 Posted August 15, 2009 Perc/redgum/parlon/dextrin (with something extra like CuO for blue for example) are very easy to roll compositions, they'll never spike or anything like that. The only problem is that its a little expencive. Use water/alc as solvent, or you could use sgrs instead of dex and leave the alcohol out your spraybottle. I tasted that while trying to cut/press a similar composition using KClO3 instead of KClO4. I understood that it's very good to roll, but a nightmare to cut and almost impossible to press.
Mumbles Posted August 15, 2009 Posted August 15, 2009 Well, thats because you're probably trying to wet it with acetone instead of water.
TrueBluePyro Posted August 16, 2009 Posted August 16, 2009 I think if anyone wants to biuld a nice star roller, the best one would have to be PF's tire roller (check my DP) all the stars come out as a average size, aka, they are all about the same size, so there is really no star screening needed. It is fairly easy to biuld also. Just gota find a tire that has the little groves on the inside of the tire.
50AE Posted August 16, 2009 Posted August 16, 2009 Mumbles, I wet them with water. But I used SGRS instead of dextrin.
Mumbles Posted August 25, 2009 Posted August 25, 2009 Got it. The SGRS thing was not mentioned, so I presumed it still contained dextrin. I really don't find SGRS difficult to cut, but I agree with the pressing thing. You just have to be patient while preparing to cut it, it's easy to over wet because the SGRS takes so long to activate. If overwet, it is hard to cut. The stars stick to the knife.
pyrogeorge Posted March 3, 2012 Posted March 3, 2012 (edited) My new star roller design. http://img19.imageshack.us/img19/157/image034es.jpghttp://img21.imageshack.us/img21/9290/image041tu.jpghttp://img138.imageshack.us/img138/1180/image039sd.jpghttp://img210.imageshack.us/img210/4650/image043q.jpghttp://img854.imageshack.us/img854/3645/image040y.jpghttp://img441.imageshack.us/img441/842/image044o.jpghttp://img594.imageshack.us/img594/5203/image047h.jpghttp://img846.imageshack.us/img846/8625/image048m.jpghttp://img29.imageshack.us/img29/7466/image049z.jpg Edited March 3, 2012 by pyrogeorge
pyrogeorge Posted March 10, 2012 Posted March 10, 2012 My new star roller design. http://img19.imageshack.us/img19/157/image034es.jpghttp://img21.imageshack.us/img21/9290/image041tu.jpghttp://img138.imageshack.us/img138/1180/image039sd.jpghttp://img210.imageshack.us/img210/4650/image043q.jpghttp://img854.imageshack.us/img854/3645/image040y.jpghttp://img441.imageshack.us/img441/842/image044o.jpghttp://img594.imageshack.us/img594/5203/image047h.jpghttp://img846.imageshack.us/img846/8625/image048m.jpghttp://img29.imageshack.us/img29/7466/image049z.jpg some updates http://img51.imageshack.us/img51/1607/image052y.jpg http://img197.imageshack.us/img197/1114/image054fc.jpg http://img718.imageshack.us/img718/3457/image053xn.jpg Next time i will roll stars :)
JFeve81 Posted March 10, 2012 Posted March 10, 2012 Looks nice. My only question is: Will the rod (shaft) between the first bearing and the tub be strong enough to support the tub when it's loaded with star comp? It just looks to me that that would be a easy spot for it to bend. What's that tub originally made for?
Algenco Posted March 10, 2012 Posted March 10, 2012 Looks nice. My only question is: Will the rod (shaft) between the first bearing and the tub be strong enough to support the tub when it's loaded with star comp? It just looks to me that that would be a easy spot for it to bend. What's that tub originally made for? your not going to have a lot of weight (star comp) , should be ok.
pyrogeorge Posted March 11, 2012 Posted March 11, 2012 Looks nice. My only question is: Will the rod (shaft) between the first bearing and the tub be strong enough to support the tub when it's loaded with star comp? It just looks to me that that would be a easy spot for it to bend. What's that tub originally made for?As Algenco wrote,i will use 500gr max of composition for making stars,so no problem for the shaft.This tub is used for taking out the clothes from washing machine.It is hard plastic.
warthog Posted March 11, 2012 Posted March 11, 2012 You are a darn good carpenter. I wish I were. If I tried to make that it would be pitiful looking. What is in the spray can? Was that something used in the build? Maybe some sort of spray on wood sealer? Other than the part that has been mentioned, it looks like it should do really well to me. As long as the bowl never gets too heavy it should be a sweet little roller.
pyrogeorge Posted March 11, 2012 Posted March 11, 2012 (edited) Lol,i am not carpenter.It is a simple design.The spray can is wood varnish. Edited March 11, 2012 by pyrogeorge
Potassiumchlorate Posted March 11, 2012 Posted March 11, 2012 I probably couldn't make a star roller. It takes some skills to do it.
warthog Posted March 11, 2012 Posted March 11, 2012 Varnish, that was what I thought it might be. If you aren't a carpenter, I don't even have a word for what I am as far as this sort of thing goes other than, "Ugh"
pyrogeorge Posted March 25, 2012 Posted March 25, 2012 My star roller in action I rolled Bleser Yellow Mg stars.
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