Lee Auto Drum Problem.

[powwowell]

Anyone experienced a broken Sector Gear on their Lee Auto Drum?

If so, any thoughts? Did the gear fail, or was something else wrong?

I switched my Auto Drum from my Classic Turret Press, to a Pro 1000 and the sector gear broke on the first powder throw. Differences . . . 1) the Turret press has the Auto Riser and the Pro 1000 does not . . . 2) the actuator rod is longer on the Auto Drum than the Auto Disk, that was on the Pro 1000.

If the gear didn't fail due to a production, or material, issue, could the extra length of the actuator rod, be the culprit?

 

[Load Master]

Have you removed the disconnector? Photos of the issue would help. Also is the riser part number 90041?

 

[sugarmaker]

Mine failed on its first throw. It caught on the alumninum body and sheared the little pin off. Call to lee, new gear arrived in a couple of days. Beveled the edges of the new gear, works fine now.

 

[powwowell]

The replacement sector gear, from Lee, arrived today. I suppose the 4th of July holiday caused the delay? No charge for the gear, or for shipping.

The Lee tech seemed to think it was a flaw in the gear. I got it back together and all is well. I'll use a riser on the Pro 1000, just in case. I loaded several hundred rounds on my turret, with a riser and no problems with the Auto-Drum.

 

[kcofohio]

Good to see Lee made it right!

 

[splattergun]

When I first installed my auto drum I did it without the riser. That part came later. When I installed the riser I found that the powder -through die was too short, and it caused the auto-drum to make a 'clunk' noise and flared the brass way too much. So I quickly readjusted the die and the problem went away. No gear broken this time, but I did learn that the adjustments are different with and without the riser.

 

[jscottbiggs]

Today was the first time I've had the "pleasure" of using a Lee Auto Drum and I think I'll stay with dipping. Worked to install it a get it working for almost 3 hours and was no closer at the end of that time than I was when I started. No matter what I did, it would NOT rotate. Went, verbatim, from the instructions and even watched a few Youtube videos and the piece of junk won't work. I'm really getting tired of the cheap crap Lee is selling for accessories and will be switching to a different brand. The old stuff worked fine, but the new stuff is garbage. The press was broken when my brother-in-law received it and now the Auto Drum won't operate. Same thing with the Safety Prime on MY press. Waste of money as my Safety Prime didn't come with my press so I bought it separately. What's going on with their quality? There doesn't seem to be any. I LOVE the press, but everything I've gotten as far as accessories is either not working or won't work well enough to use.

 

[Load Master]

Today was the first time I've had the "pleasure" of using a Lee Auto Drum and I think I'll stay with dipping. Worked to install it a get it working for almost 3 hours and was no closer at the end of that time than I was when I started. No matter what I did, it would NOT rotate. Went, verbatim, from the instructions and even watched a few Youtube videos and the piece of junk won't work. I'm really getting tired of the cheap crap Lee is selling for accessories and will be switching to a different brand. The old stuff worked fine, but the new stuff is garbage. The press was broken when my brother-in-law received it and now the Auto Drum won't operate. Same thing with the Safety Prime on MY press. Waste of money as my Safety Prime didn't come with my press so I bought it separately. What's going on with their quality? There doesn't seem to be any. I LOVE the press, but everything I've gotten as far as accessories is either not working or won't work well enough to use.

So, is your post just to complain or are you looking for help to resolve your issue? If it is the second part, we need more details. What press, what cal, what powder, photos would be helpful. Is it being used as it came or have you changed anything? With or without the disconnector? Is the powder hopper on/off valve open?

 

[jscottbiggs]

Both to complain and get help. I'm better today so I'll keep the complaining to a minimum, but I don't want to have to send anything back to Lee again. 45 ACP is what the press is set up for right now. (Classic Turret press), Bullseye powder, nothing changed and disconnector still attached, hopper open, safety button pushed, drum will not turn. Plastic cover where thumb nut attaches looks like it wants to fall off, loose and opens up when you pull lever. everything IS per instructions and even watched many videos. Nothing covers if this happens. May have a broken gear as stated in a previous remark.

 

[jscottbiggs]

Sorry, no pictures as it's at my brother-in-law's and it never occurred to me that I might need a camera so I didn't take one and my cell phone camera isn't worthy of taking a pic.

 

[Bang!]

Today was the first time I've had the "pleasure" of using a Lee Auto Drum and I think I'll stay with dipping. Worked to install it a get it working for almost 3 hours and was no closer at the end of that time than I was when I started. No matter what I did, it would NOT rotate. Went, verbatim, from the instructions and even watched a few Youtube videos and the piece of junk won't work. I'm really getting tired of the cheap crap Lee is selling for accessories and will be switching to a different brand. The old stuff worked fine, but the new stuff is garbage. The press was broken when my brother-in-law received it and now the Auto Drum won't operate. Same thing with the Safety Prime on MY press. Waste of money as my Safety Prime didn't come with my press so I bought it separately. What's going on with their quality? There doesn't seem to be any. I LOVE the press, but everything I've gotten as far as accessories is either not working or won't work well enough to use.

You've made this complaint on other places on the internet. Copy and paste same rant about how you hate Lee equipment and it's all bad equipment from Lee.

Put that aside and we'll help you.

You say the drum doesn't turn. A case has to go up into the powder measure to activate and turn the drum. If a case was going into measure and pushing up the drum will turn or you will have a lot more problems. So right now with info at hand I'll guess you don't have it set up correctly.

Haven't touched mine in months but if I get time today I'll pull mine out and identify the parts for you and what should be there. May catch you on another sight you posted this same rant.

 

[Load Master]

Have you seen this video? It shows how to setup the drum and how to achieve full drum rotation.


This one shows how the sector gear rotates the drum.

 

[Chuck59]

Just a counter point. My Auto Drum arrived today, so I installed it with fear and trepidation.
Works beautifully. Easily adjusted, super accurate with BE. (of course) Small charges of Herco will be the acid test, but I'm betting it will be fine.

 

[ewlyon]

For the price, the auto drum is a great powder measure with a few easily circumvented quirks. Read the instructions, experiment with it a bit, and it will treat you right. Although the adjustment with powder through dies was annoying enough that I have changed to expanding and charging cases in separate steps on my turret.
If you think the auto riser helps and it doesn't interfere with your other dies, you might as well just leave it on the measure like I do.

 

[Load Master]

Just a counter point. My Auto Drum arrived today, so I installed it with fear and trepidation.
Works beautifully. Easily adjusted, super accurate with BE. (of course) Small charges of Herco will be the acid test, but I'm betting it will be fine.

I've had mine for well over a year. In fact I have two of them for two different presses. A recent find, some complain of the drum leaking powders. This happens when switching for one type of powder to another, like ball to flake or to extruded. Taking the unit apart and cleaning any powder left inside with a fine brush normally resolves the issue. Also, when adjusting to a smaller charge, adjust the drum with it in the powder dump position in place of the fill position.