Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles DIY Auto Trickler Build

I've been using my Hornady Trickler for some time now and decided to look into an auto trickler. Man, those things were $150 and up for something so simple. So, I got online and looked at several different DIY and other builds and came up with my own. All the credit goes to the ideas that I gathered from others. To my surprise, it was very easy and also very cheap compared to a store bought one. My total build cost was $37.20. I wanted to share this because too many times I've seen things like this only to be sold for way too much money and "scalp" the general public. I'm all for helping out the other guy. So here is my list of items used.

Material list: (everything bought off amazon)

- 1.5" screw tap pvc cap (2 pack) - $4.84
- PWM switch (has an offsetting and then works like a rheostat switch) - $6.99
- AA battery holder (2 pack) - $4.99
- 15pc cell phone coin style vibrating motors - $12.99
- Waterproof box (only used the top for easy access to change batteries) - $7.39
- 1/4" rubber hose (already had)
- 6 small screws (already had)
- 1/4" metal tube 3" long (already had)
- JB plastic weld (already had)

I decided to raise it up some so that I could get it to work with my Lyman M5 beam scale. So I raised the PVC up enough and also added some rubber hose to the feet as well. That way it doesn't dampen the PVC cap when vibrating. I ended up using 3 of the coin vibrating motors because I can always turn it down. Unlike the other models that I say, you had 2 buttons. A fast and a slow trickle. This way, I have as slow as I want or wide open fast trickle. I usually use my Lee scoops to get it real close then trickle away. As soon as I see the beam slightly move, I dial it way back. Then when I get real close, I can drop 1 kernel of Varget at a time to fine tune. When done, simply dump the remaining powder back into my containers.

This is very interesting. Maybe I will give it a go
when you got your materials, did you use those search terms?

Thanks

Very cool SD. That’s a cool build.

Not sure what you mean, but I used everything listed, nothing else. The rubber hose on the front 2 is 1.25" and the rear is 1.75" . The rest is basically like legos.

I meant if you searched for the supplies using those exact terms in Amazon
I assume after having everything it is fairly straightforward (until I try )

I dont know if its allowed or not but I can add all the links to the items I bought. I didnt because didnt think I could post links to others sites.

I'm trying to see what is "auto" about this thing, and I don't see it in your photos or description of what you did and what you used. Am I missing something?

Auto I guess is a vague term. Basically, the switch is a rheostat for low voltage. When the knob is turned, 3 vibrating motors shake the PVC cap and powder is dispensed. The more voltage that is sent to the vibrating motors, the more powder is dispensed. Thus, it is automatically dumping powder into your tray. You don't have to hand turn the tube like on the old Tricklers. You can feed 1 kernel at a time or have a running stream of powder. It's not quite fast enough to vibrate out a full 47g charge, thus is why I use the Lee scoops to get it very close then turn the switch.

I see.

Back in the day after I thought the RCBS Chargemaster was overkill, I sold my first one and bought a Vibra Shine electric trickler. I then bought a foot pedal to control it, and mounted a switch on the electric trickler so that its local pushbutton controlled it or the footpedal could control it.

It works okay but I don't use it. After I used that a while I bought a Hornady equivalent to the Chargemaster and decided it ws a POS and sold it, then bought another Chargemaster and have used it ever since.

I've paid some attention to the dispenser systems that are supposedly much more precise than the CM 1500, but don't see where something like that would benefit me in my situation. I do think that at some level or another, technology can benefit many of us to an extent. Just depends on what you're goals are, I guess.

I just loaded up some 155 scenars in my 308 and tried something. I purposely used a smaller Lee scoop so that I could run the vibrator wide open. It dumps pretty damn fast. AS soon as I saw the scale move off bottom, I started cutting the switch back until I got real close to setpoint. Then just barely turned it on to single drop a kernel of varget to setpoint. So far its working very nicely.

OP, that is pretty cool!

I use a similar set up that I bought commercially, big difference is the switch, which allows for slow and fast trickle and uses push buttons. It's possible to drop a kernel at a time with it by just tapping the slow button (yellow).



https://dandyproductsllc.com/products/dandy-2-speed-electric-powder-trickler

I actually looked at that model and considered having a piece of aluminum stock I had milled and machined to do it. I have a close friend who has a machine shop. But figured it was too much trouble. The push button switches I had to buy in bulk, and I ran across this PWM switch and went that route. I really like how you linked the scale to the CPU screen for easy viewing. My Lyman M5 is sometimes a pain because I have to lean back in my chair to see the setpoint. What kind of setup is that?