My Press Mounted Nose First Sizer Adapter for Lyman/RCBS Dies

[theperfessor]

Wanted to start a new thread on this. At the prompting of several members I have looked at developing the hardware using Lyman-style dies to allow nose first sizing using a regular reloading press. Lee of course makes a push through die system for presses but many folks have Lyman dies they would like to utilize. Several members have shown some fine examples of machined products that address this issue.

I won't get into the merits of whether sizing is a good or bad idea, the effectiveness of tumble lubing, etc. This is simply my attempt to come up with the best and most cost effective way to do this using the resources I have available.

The items consist of a snap-in type shellholder adapter for the press ram, several pushrods (photo shows a 9mm/.38 rod and a .45 pistol caliber rod), and a die body adapter. All the steel parts were made from some scrap 1144 prehardened steel, the die body is made from scrap 7075 aluminum 1" hex bar.

The shellholder adapter has a 0.250" hole drilled and reamed in the center for the pushrods. The pushrods are essentially just longer versions of my flat point nose punches and are relatively easy to make. The die body adapter has a regular 7/8-14 thread on the OD and has three mill cuts around the end that allow an O-ring to be snapped on. This lines up with the ring on Lyman dies so the die just pushes in and the O-ring snaps into place in the groove and holds the die securely in place without needing to use any other tools or accessories. It's also made the proper length so that the regular O-ring on the die itself does not have to be removed. The die can easily be pushed out from the top down when you need to change it, you don't have to remove the die from the press to do so. You do have to remove the adapter O-ring when you put the die in or take the die out of the press, but that's no real problem. And the O-rings are standard hardware store/plumbing aisle stuff so it's easy to get a cheap replacement when needed.

I don't feel like I have the optimal design yet, I'm still looking at some things I want to work out before I go into production on any scale. I'd like to make the set with a shellholder, die body adapter, and a couple of pushrods available at the $20-$25 level.

One question for you guys. All the dies I have are Lyman. Do RCBS dies have the groove around them right behind the O-ring?

[Ben]

Keith :

WOW !.............All I can say is " YOU'RE GOOD " ! ! !

[theperfessor]

Well, I know I'm not the brightest bulb on the tree sometimes, so I try to adhere to the KISS principle as much as I can. Thanks for kind words.

[Alan in Vermont]

I just checked the one RCBS sizer that I have and it does not have the groove behind the O-ring like the Lyman sizers do.

[theperfessor]

Thanks Alan, not really what I wanted to hear but I appreciate your response. The O-ring seems to hold on to the body of my Lyman dies pretty securely, so using RCBS dies would probably work fine, it's just that with the Lymans there is a very satisfying little "snap" when the die is fully inserted.

[largom]

Keith, That is beautiful work! I really like your shell holder - push rod set up. I will modify mine to be like yours. Sorry to steal your design but I don't make to resell. I used a thin threaded cap with center bored out to hold my dies in place. Like your idea MUCH better. I was thinking about replacing my cap with a hair-pin clip. Just drill a small hole for the clip through the side of the die holder so the clip leg passes under the edge of the die. Would have to remove clip to install die holder in press and to change dies. Hair-pin clips are like Bobby-pins only round and come in different sizes. This arreangement would not require a groove for o-ring. I have not tried this on my die holder yet but see no reason why it would not work. If you like the idea use it.

Larry

[462]

Prof, when your R&D is completed, I'm in for one.

[cbrick]

WOW! That's too nice for words.

Being a firm believer that nose first sizes more concentrically than the in & out method with a nose punch this should be a boon to those using either of those sizers. If they wanted to size nose first they could also then lube & seat the check in the Lubrisizer with a die .001" larger. That's two steps but no nose punches and more concentric boolits.

Nice work, there is a reason why your the perfessor.

Rick

[ph4570]

That is nice work.

[beagle]

Keith,

That looks mighty fine so far.

There are three problems we encountered with our prototypes and I haven't seen Crazy Mark's latest innovation.

1. The opening for the sizing die should have a stop at the top. Ours were opened straight through. I can't see that part of the die on yours.

2. The o-rings on the die caught hell and have to be replaced more frequently than normal but that's not a big thing.

3. There should be a way to positively lock the sizer die into the die body. I D & T'd my body for a 6-32 setscrew to fit into one of the lube holes but that's kind of hit or miss but it works.I think Mark found a 7/8 X 14 nut in plumbing supplies and modified it for his as he's further along than I am in development.

If you've addressed these things, there's no reason that it won't work and well too. You do excellent work.

Some of the RCBS sizers have a raised portion right below the O-ring. This wouldn't enter the die body that we used. Being as there was no reason for that, I turned mine down to normal body diameter. This was only on three dies of the 100 or so sizers I have so it's pretty rare to encounter one. Lachmiller sizer dies work in it as well.

Extending the top a little to accomodate a catcher cup like Lee uses is useful too but this could simply be a flat can with a 7/8" opening in it secured by the adapter die.

I found that I could get by with I beleive 6 rods. .22, .25, .30, .35, .44 and .45. You could probably get by with five but I had some old Sierra .25 GCs that were thick and slightly undersize wo I made a fitted rod for them.

Looks mighty fine though and completely eliminates bent bullets and distorted noses./beagle

[taminsong]

Prof, I'd like to be in the list when you're ready to sell it.
Just PM me in case I forgot this thread.

Very nice job!

[theperfessor]

largom -
Steal away! And I like the hair clip idea, thought of trying something like that but they didn't have any thing suitable at any place open on Sunday around here. I wanted to try the O-ring idea, and in very limited testing it seems to work fine. I'll get out to a real industrial fastener supply store this week and see what I can find.

My Lyman dies have a slightly larger diameter around the O-ring end and of course there's the O-ring on the die. The adapter has a 0.044" wall thickness and I didn't want to have a thin-walled counterbore on the end and I didn't want to damage the die's O-ring. I figured I would have a slightly shorter, simpler hole to bore accurately in the die body and limit O-ring damage. But I will try the hairclip idea just to see.

beagle -
If I understand your comment properly:
My die body has a 33/64" hole drilled through it and then it is bored out to the right depth and diameter. The bottom of the die (which is pointing up in this application) seats positively against the die body at the bottom of the hole. The die will not push out in that direction.

I did not want to add any more machined parts than necessary. In my limited testing this evening the die stayed firmly in place as I sized a dozen or so culled .358 158 gr RN bullets that had fins and flash on them. After all, the only thing that would pull the die out is gravity. The die I used was an old .358 Lyman that was covered with dried lube and the ejector pin was stuck like it was welded in place. I scraped the lube off, cleaned it down to bare metal on the OD with Hoppe's and steel wool, and popped it in the die body. With the proper pushrod in place it was no problem to push the pin right out.

I was able to switch dies and pushrods in less than 20 seconds, the O-rings on the pushrods and die body made things tool-free and very easy to do.

When I got to the last bullet I just popped out the pushrod, put the ejector pin in the die, put the pushrod back in and used it to push the ejector pin and thus the bullet out of the top of the die body.

I'm still trying to come up with a good bullet catcher.

A couple more photos, the first one shows the parts in place on the press, the second one was the ejector pin as I first popped it loose, you can see the hardened lube on it.

[beagle]

Sounds as if you throught through the stop problem at the top faster than we did. We had very little machinery available when we did ours so the stop should have been easy and self evident. We were corresponding coast to coast and Mark was doing the work on a lathe using existing die bodies.

The setup for the rods looks like it will work better than ours do. Easier to exchange.

You have to get the dies pretty clean before and after use. If not, they're hard going in intially and after removal, you should clean thouroughly and also clean the lube holes in the dies, especially if you're doing GC'd bullets. Minute pieces of copper catch in the lube holes and score the bullet during the following lube cycle. I've found that a pin punch of the proper diameter works well and pushes lube and filings out where a bore brush or pipe cleaner can remove them from the die.

The o-ring may work well for retaining the die. Being an ex aircraft guy, I tend to over engineer stuff so that it can't possible come off.

If you were to find a nut like Mark did, and I expect he'll drop in here in a bit and comment, you could releive the bottom of the die for the sizer o-ring and still have a positive stop and positive retention. Seems as if the nut was existing on some plumbling application and would be easy to modify./beagle

[theperfessor]

Yeah, if I could buy the nut cheap enough that would be another retention method to investigate. i just didn't want to have to make another part if I didn't need to. And you've cited the reason I didn't go with an existing die body - I didn't want to use one that was bored through all the way.

I can appreciate over-engineering things, I tend to do that too. I have to tell myself that enough is really enough sometimes.

[bfuller14]

Perfessor,
Those are great....
Please let us know when they are available . All my dies are
Lyman and this will work perfect.

Thank you Sir,
Barry

[Whiterabbit]

Bullet catch? Here is what I noticed.

I noticed that when I have a specific place for my bullets (box), then I *could* stack them in there, but more often just dump them in as a tub.

But with a LEE push through sizer, with the hopper off, I pluck the bullets out one at a time. With my right hand, I place it in the box nice and tidy, and my left hand is grabbing another bullet from the pile to stuff up the sizer chute. My productivity doesn't suffer, and my bullets are nicely organized in boxes.

[94Doug]

I'm in when all the R&D is done.

Doug

[Ausglock]

G'day All.

The Lee push through Sizer of mine has a length of clear Plastic tube fitted over the top and it curves down to a Plastic bucket on the floor to catch the boolits.
The tube is like a large curved handle walking stick.

When the last boolit has been sized, I pull the tube off the sizer die and all the boolits left in the tube run down into the bucket.

[beagle]

Well, both good ideas on the bullet catcher. My press is mounted so high that after a long sesion, reaching up tires me out. The tube's agood idea too but I'd rather grab the bullets and avoid any banging around and getting dinged up. I usually catch them one at a time and stack in a container./beagle

[scrapcan]

before you go to far, did you try using a plastic bag to hold the die in? Just enough to give a thickness to great a slight interference fit. Just hold the plastic bag over the die as you push it into the adapter. Don't worry about the piece over the die, the first bullet will go through it. I was skeptical when I got my WTA manufacturing die, but it works well.

here is a link to hairpin type clips. Might help you to see if there is a size that would work.

I also think that extending the die a little and using the clip to hold the die in would be a great way to go.

http://www.thread-rite.com/pins/hairpin_clips.htm

here is a page form fastenal
http://www.fastenal.com/content/product_specifications/HAIRPN.SS.pdf

Here is the link at MSC
http://www1.mscdirect.com/eCommerce/NavigationServlet/Fasteners-Adhesives/Pins-Clips-Retaining-Rings/Pins-Clips/Hairpin-Clips/_/N-77e2n

[theperfessor]

Manlyjt - Thanks for the links.

Just ordered a bar of 7/8" 1144 prehardened steel to make shell holder adapters, also ordered a bar of 1" hex 4140 prehardened steel for the threaded die bodies. I will make several versions of the die retention mechanism and test them out.

Next week is my midterm break, I plan to run up a batch of shellholder adapters and threaded die bodies and some generic pushrods. The material cost is easy to figure, but I need to see how long it takes to make a batch efficiently so I can set the price at a fair level for all.

I'm hoping I can have a good product ready to ship by the end of next week.

[scrapcan]

cool beans, watching intently.

[bfuller14]

That is great Perfessor,
We are patiently watching your quality work.


Thank you,
Barry

[NYBushBro]

I would be interested in one of these once you get the bugs ironed out and go into full 'production mode'.

I do like the idea of the nut one of the other posters (beagle?) talked about, for locking the die down into the body (if I followed that train of thought correctly.)

This would also make it easier to use molds that have difficult to find (or impossible to find) top punches. I like this idea!

It might be quicker (for the most used diameters) to get an extra sizing die for the 450 and just make this a 'two step' operation - press next to lube-sizer... but I'm just thinking out loud at the moment.

[dogtired]

I made an adapter with a pretty tight (for once) inside diameter. The Lyman dies slid in well. The RCBS dies did not. The reason: the stamped numbers for size on the side of the RCBS dies. The Lyman dies are stamped on the top. Some sanding on the numbers finally got it to fit. You might want to keep that in mind if using RCBS.

[geargnasher]

Perfesser, I'd love to buy one as well when you get the manufacturing sorted out. As far as a boolit catcher goes, I'm envisioning a clear plastic Gatorade bottle with a 7/8" hole cut in the bottom held on by the die. Of course you'd have to cut the top off to reach inside and screw the die in the press. RFN and WFN boolits have a bad habit of "stacking" and can make an impressive column on a stable bench. I put curved deflectors inside of my Lee catchers to keep this from happening.

Gear

[theperfessor]

I've got an idea about bullet collection that I'd rather not share until I get things worked out. If my idea is sound I think it will enhance the product nicely and will be a little different than anything out there now. We'll see what comes out.

Thanks to all for your interest, suggestions, help, and kind words about this project. Didn't really realize how many people were interested in nose first push through sizing. I have always used my old rebuilt 450 for all my lubing and sizing and never really thought much about any other way of doing it. But I can see lots of reasons for sizing in a press instead of using a traditional luber.

In any case I'm still actively pursuing this project so stayed tuned, we'll be right back after a commercial break...

[largom]

Keith, I used a nut on my original die and it's a pain to put on, at least for me anyway. I used a standard die nut with a washer welded to the bottom. The 1/2 in. washer holds the die in. I also made a holder to take the Redding neck die bushings. These are available in .001 in. increments.

Larry

[theperfessor]

Yeah, I really don't want to add a nut or another machined part if I don't have to. I'll look at the Redding neck die bushings.

[Char-Gar]

I think I would just turn the top to accept a Lee bullet catcher from one of their push through dies. End of problem.

[FrankG]

Turn a portion of the top to round , say to 7/8"dia. and use a heavy weight 1 qt. tupperware type bowl with a snap on lid . Punch a hole to fit over the 7/8" top. Cut a shallow groove for an 1/8" 'O' ring to keep bowl secure.

[wrench]

I love the idea you've got here, I'm in for a couple of sizes when you get them going!

[MikeS]

Add me to the list of people wanting one of these once you've got it all worked out. Or even before you get them worked out, wouldn't be the first time I've beta tested products! :)

[theperfessor]

Just wanted to post an update. I spent Friday and Saturday working out some tooling issues to enable me to mass produce shell holder blanks. Finally got that done and was able to produce an initial batch. Then I rewrote a CNC program and ran off some generic push rods. I'm going to run some more tomorrow morning, then (hopefully) pick up the steel to make the threaded die bodies. After I post this I'm going to dig through some old programs to find one I can adapt to doing the threading and boring.

Then I'll probably finish the CAD drawing of the top of the die holder and the bullet catcher. Need that to write the final program. Hopefully I'll have at least a working CNC program and at least one sample by tomorrow night. Then I've got two days of scheduled training on our Motoman welding robot, so I won't be able to anything again until Thursday. Probably won't post back to this thread until then. Still hope to have enough finished by next weekend to set a price and start taking orders.

A big thanks to Largom for sharing some information via pm that has proven to be very useful. The folks on this site are great!

[beagle]

While you're making the blank shell holders, offer them for sale as well. I have two and use them for "anvils" to push stuff on the Rockchucker. They're handy./beagle

[lbaize3]

Perfessor, like everyone else, I've got to have one of them too. Heck, put me on the list and tell me how much money to send....

[cabezaverde]

Not like you don't already have enough on your plate. Have you thought about the same thing for Saeco dies?

[theperfessor]

I don't have any SAECO dies to measure. If you or anyone else have a spare die you would be willing to loan me long enough to take some measurements I'd be willing to pay shipping both ways and throw in a SAECO nose punch or something for your trouble.

The Lyman dies are .700" diameter and the external 7/8-14 thread has a root diameter of about .788" or so. Can't put a much larger hole in the die holder without turning it into a coil spring!

But if it is possible I'd be glad to give it a try. If anybody has dimensions for a SAECO die and wants to share them that would be great.

[cabezaverde]

I could send you one to experiment with. PM me.

[sparky45]

Put me down for one or two as well.
sparky45

[Catshooter]

Another cool product from the well of your creativity. Very nice.


Cat

[beagle]

Never thought about Saeco dies in our experiments as neither Mark nor myself uses Saeco dies and for the majority of users, it will be RCBS or Lymans.

Actually, Saeco dies woould probably be easier to fabricate an adapter for than the RCBS and Lymans. The shell holder and push rods would be about the same for both type units./beagle

[theperfessor]

Just came in from the shop. My steel came in this afternoon. It came in a 12' length, so my friend that ordered it cut it in two 6' lengths, which I can spin in my lathe IF I have the right bushing to put in the off end of my lathe spindle - which I didn't, so I had to bore out a blank I had made up previously. Finally got that done and got all my tools laid out and dialed in to my digital readout. My Newall unit allows me to preset the offsets for 99 tools, so setting it up is just like using a CNC machine. I decided to cut the die body adapters on my own manual lathe, it's a little slower than using a CNC lathe but I've got a better selection of tools and more control over the process and more than adequate accuracy.

The first die body adapter took a while, mostly getting the thread dimensions correct. The second piece didn't take nearly as long, so I feel pretty good about that. With two die body adapters I can try a couple different die retention methods. I've lengthened the die cavity and counterbored the end so the die fits totally up inside the adapter. I'm going to try putting my outside/inside O-ring below the die in one of them, and drilling for a hair pin clip in the other one. We'll see what works best and is the easiest to machine.

Don't know how much I'll get done in the next two days, but I plan to get back on them Thursday and Friday.

I've been thinking about posting a sign up sheet, so I can make up enough with the first batch to take care of everybody that wants one. Gonna think about that, but right now I'm tired and have to get up for an 8 am class tomorrow.

[theperfessor]

Let me also mention Beagle has provided several good ideas and input into this process. And he nailed the reason I didn't consider making an adapter for Saeco dies. Saeco is just not that popular. It would depend on the maximum outside diameter and the thread diameter/pitch combination. Beagle is right, most people would be using Lyman/RCBS dies.

[theperfessor]

Always wanted one, now I have a reason to get one. Last thing I did last night before I crashed was to order a SPI 0-1" thread mike and complete anvil set from Enco. Tired of wasting time and fumbling with thread wires!

[Catshooter]

The second machinist that I worked with used thread wires. I was impressed and deceided that that was ok for her but I had to go pee.

That Beagle guy is one smart cookie I've noticed.


Cat

[Longwood]

A soda bottle will slip down over the Lee sizers, so i sometimes catch and store bullets in them..

[theperfessor]

Yes, my bullet catcher will use a soda bottle. It will also be a quick disconnect.

[smokemjoe]

I made one like that also, My dies go up in the houseing more and made a piolt or guide bushing to line up the bullet, I also took a small coffee can with a plastic lid and cut a X in the center, I put this on top of the die and dont have to pick up the bullets each time, I size my bullets .001 over size that I want and finish size them in this die, Makes them shoot alot better, I also made my own shell holder, drilled it 1/4 28 in the center and make push pins to fit for different size base bullets. You may find after sizing alot of bullets the gease makes the die hard to push out. I dont see how the thin wall die holder dont come into but it dont, I have sized 41 Swiss bullets down .006 and no troubles and in a press its no force, You got a very nice set up going, Joe

[Rick459]

ok so i wanted to purchase a set of the perfesser push through adapter for regular RCBS or Lyman sizing dies but since he is no longer making them i decided to try and make my own. so i took a a Lee factory crimp die in 30/06 that i don't use removed the internals opened the die body to accept my RCBS .265 sizing die made a punch to fit my RCBS Rock Chucker press out of a bolt. works pretty good that i will be purchasing more of the Lee die bodies for my other sizing dies. i did this all on my mini lathe and by all means i am no master machinist.
http://i123.photobucket.com/albums/o301/rick4570/20161023_131334_zpsveglotsw.jpg (http://s123.photobucket.com/user/rick4570/media/20161023_131334_zpsveglotsw.jpg.html)
http://i123.photobucket.com/albums/o301/rick4570/20161023_131444_zps8yftlnhk.jpg (http://s123.photobucket.com/user/rick4570/media/20161023_131444_zps8yftlnhk.jpg.html)
http://i123.photobucket.com/albums/o301/rick4570/20161023_131519_zps9kchsast.jpg (http://s123.photobucket.com/user/rick4570/media/20161023_131519_zps9kchsast.jpg.html)
hope this was of help to some here.
Rick

[Dragonheart]

I have been thinking along the same lines because when you get down to it I haven't found a sizing system that is better than the original nose punch Lyman and RCBS dies. To that end I have purchased some threaded rod 7/8"-14 from Zorro Tools. Then I got to thinking maybe that would be too thin and since I have an RCBS Rock Chucker there is a removable threaded collet that holds the dies and Zorro had that size rod also, which is 1-1/4"-12. I don't know about all presses, but this collet size seems to be a standard and would give plenty of working room. Instead of turning the rod wouldn't it be a time saver that would justify the cost just to start out with threaded rod?

I have also considered starting with the Hornady die locking system as they make inexpensive twist locking collets with 7/8" thread that go into a 1-1/4" Hornady collet that supports their system.

[beagle]

The simplest way to go about this is with a 7/8 X 14 Lyman adapter. Pretty short but it will work. A simple matter to open the die to .700" (as well as I recall) and add a setscrew to fit into the o-ring groove to hold the sizer die in. The removable Rockchucker adapter is an idea but I have removed mine on several occasions and it's a PITA what with the fine threads and the danger of cross threading. The 7/8 X 14 dies make for a thin adapter but the work load is vertical on the adapter rather than horizontal and it works well with no failures so far. Another idea is using the old RCBS aluminium die bodies that they made years ago. These can usually be picked up cheap out of junk boxes at gun shows. More to work with on these and a nut from a plumbers can be fitted to the top as well as a thin 7/8 X 14 nut on the bottom. That really holds it stable. All kinds of rigs you can figure out./beagle


I have been thinking along the same lines because when you get down to it I haven't found a sizing system that is better than the original nose punch Lyman and RCBS dies. To that end I have purchased some threaded rod 7/8"-14 from Zorro Tools. Then I got to thinking maybe that would be too thin and since I have an RCBS Rock Chucker there is a removable threaded collet that holds the dies and Zorro had that size rod also, which is 1-1/4"-12. I don't know about all presses, but this collet size seems to be a standard and would give plenty of working room. Instead of turning the rod wouldn't it be a time saver that would justify the cost just to start out with threaded rod?

I have also considered starting with the Hornady die locking system as they make inexpensive twist locking collets with 7/8" thread that go into a 1-1/4" Hornady collet that supports their system.

[Dragonheart]

Thanks Beagle; I hadn't thought of the Lyman adapter, but since I now have 2' of 7/8' threaded rod I think I will just go with my original idea and just drill/ream out a cut piece to .700" for the dies. Since I will be working with an inverted press and all the load will be down my thoughts were all I need is just a machined cup to drop the dies into. The nose punches could be made with various size punches pressed or screwed into a shellhead adapter.

[beagle]

That will work on the inverted cup. I recommend some method of anchoring the die for the up stroke. In nose first sizing, minute slivers of lead become trapped in the lube holes in the die (scraped off during sizing). This will eventually bind the push rod making anchoring it desirable. However, it sounds good and you're on the right track. It is also desirable that the push rod be kind of loose or float as this allows it to self center and avoid wear on the side of the sizer die. The tolerance/slop in the receptacle cup can compensate for this somewhat. Keep us posted on how it turns out./beagle

[Catshooter]

Do bear in mind that some sizer dies are hardened, and some aren't. Might not make any difference to your application, but it might.


Cat

[beagle]

A little more time now to comment. The last model that Crazy mark made when we were working on this project was a die that had the top enclosed except for a hole that the sized bullet exited through. The remaing portion retained the sizing die at the top. It had just enough space for the die. He was a maintenance supervisor at a hospital and somewhere off plumbing came up with a fairly thin (1/4") 7/8X14 brass nut that had a smaller inside hole. He opened this until it left only a small lip to retain the die. I never saw this one as he was getting really sick then but we corresponded about it. That would be a really neat rig. The outside of the brass nut had flats for removal with a wrench for die removal. After this he was too sick to mess with casting stuff./beagle

[Dragonheart]

I don't think securing the RCBS/Lyman dies in an adapter will pose any problems.

My thoughts start with a piece of threaded rod drilled through large enough to allow for bullets to be pushed through, say 1/2", would accommodate a 45. Then ream/bore out a cup to the dies diameter measured at .700", leaving enough material at the bottom of the cup to support the die when dropped into the cup. The sides for the shelf would leave .200" (.700"-.500") for support.

As far as holding the die in place, a 7/8" nut with a 1/2" washer tacked to the top of the nut could be screwed down on the open end of the threaded rod. This would hold the die and allow bullets to be placed into the die just like a lube/sizer. Of course with the proper equipment a more sophisticated locking nut could be made. It souldn't make any difference that the adapter stood proud. The bushing adapter NOE makes for sizing stands 1" proud in the press.

I don't think there is enough material on a 7/8" rod to allow for interior threads for a cap. For interior threads so that the adapter would sit flush in the press would require stepping up to the 1-1/4' rod, which would have more than enough room for just about anything. My problem is on my little lathe my collets max out at 7/8". Those fortunate to have a real lathe that wouldn't be a problem.

[beagle]

Pretty easy to go with 1 1/4" material standing up (proud). Plenty of room for an internal threaded nut or a groove for an E-clip as a retainer or even a straight pin on the sides as a retainer. I can see the problem on the lathe size. That's been our problem all along. No big lathe and making do with available 7/8 X 14 stuff already existing. Don't fall into the fallacy of thinking you have to use steel. Aluminum's strong enough. Our task was to modify existing stuff without a lot of lathe work other than the boring of the die to accept the sizer die. That's one reason we used a softened Lee shell holder as the holder for the push rods and 5/16" bolts as the push rods. Already threaded except for the shell holder. This is not rocket science. What we need is a simple design that's easy to turn out with a minimum of tool work. That's what we're shooting for here. Something good for all bullet casters to obtain and use./beagle