HeavyMetal
06-29-2016, 10:38 PM
For those who may not know Erik runs a web site called Hollowpointmold .com.
He does exactly what one would think: he alters molds to hollow point configuration and he does it quite well!
What may not be as well known is his small machine shop mail order business where he will tackle small lathe and mill work on a per piece price pending size and number of parts.
This thread is about that type of work on a small project Erik and I had discussed a few weeks ago.
It really started two months ago when I rescued an older SAECO lube sizer from my local reloading supply house, it had not been used very hard but someone had removed the handle and linkage in, I believe, an attempt to make it easier to store.
As always the removed parts were no longer with the sizer which explained the $15.00 price tag!
I wasted no time in scooping it up and dragging it home!
My nephew has the same sizer so a quick phone call got me measurements for both the handle and the two linkage pieces and a little after work drilling and grinding got the unit back together again.
Now I needed tooling!
The same shop had a small selection of dies and a .430 die was added to the sizer.
This is where Erik comes in!
Years ago I was in a group buy for a pointed SWC boolit, very similar to Lymans 429303 but with some up grades to the design, the gas check was dropped, boolit weight was increased to about 240 grains, and the Lube groove and crimp groove were "fixed" so the molds made would drop the fresh castings without beating the mold to death trying to get them out of the mold.
Anybody that has cast with the 429303 or the smaller 357 mold knows what I mean!
The issue now was how to lube and size without damaging the point of the boolit?
A call to Erik asking him to make a special top punch for the SAECO was made and we had an interesting conversation in which Erik pointed out it would be easier for him to make an adapter to take standard RCBS and Lyman top punches and it would be easier and cheaper for me to buy the RCBS style top punches in the future!
Erik would, and did, make a top punch to meet my needs for the pointed SWC boolit and made the adapter as well!
Parts were on my desk this afternoon, the top punch is steel and the adapter is brass, and they fit my SAECO perfectly with no hassle at all!
Not sure what Eric's plans are, if any, for additional SAECO top punch adapters nor do I have a price, in our conversation Erik mentioned $50ish for the work, I sent him $60 to be fair and to cover SFRB shipping back to me.
Since turn around time was two weeks I think this was a very good deal and I thought the members here should know Erik Ohlen does more than just hollow point boolit molds!
As a PS Erik also makes Arrow heads as well for hunting.
His site is www.hollowpointmold.com and much of his stuff can be seen there, trust me it's worth the look!
HM
He does exactly what one would think: he alters molds to hollow point configuration and he does it quite well!
What may not be as well known is his small machine shop mail order business where he will tackle small lathe and mill work on a per piece price pending size and number of parts.
This thread is about that type of work on a small project Erik and I had discussed a few weeks ago.
It really started two months ago when I rescued an older SAECO lube sizer from my local reloading supply house, it had not been used very hard but someone had removed the handle and linkage in, I believe, an attempt to make it easier to store.
As always the removed parts were no longer with the sizer which explained the $15.00 price tag!
I wasted no time in scooping it up and dragging it home!
My nephew has the same sizer so a quick phone call got me measurements for both the handle and the two linkage pieces and a little after work drilling and grinding got the unit back together again.
Now I needed tooling!
The same shop had a small selection of dies and a .430 die was added to the sizer.
This is where Erik comes in!
Years ago I was in a group buy for a pointed SWC boolit, very similar to Lymans 429303 but with some up grades to the design, the gas check was dropped, boolit weight was increased to about 240 grains, and the Lube groove and crimp groove were "fixed" so the molds made would drop the fresh castings without beating the mold to death trying to get them out of the mold.
Anybody that has cast with the 429303 or the smaller 357 mold knows what I mean!
The issue now was how to lube and size without damaging the point of the boolit?
A call to Erik asking him to make a special top punch for the SAECO was made and we had an interesting conversation in which Erik pointed out it would be easier for him to make an adapter to take standard RCBS and Lyman top punches and it would be easier and cheaper for me to buy the RCBS style top punches in the future!
Erik would, and did, make a top punch to meet my needs for the pointed SWC boolit and made the adapter as well!
Parts were on my desk this afternoon, the top punch is steel and the adapter is brass, and they fit my SAECO perfectly with no hassle at all!
Not sure what Eric's plans are, if any, for additional SAECO top punch adapters nor do I have a price, in our conversation Erik mentioned $50ish for the work, I sent him $60 to be fair and to cover SFRB shipping back to me.
Since turn around time was two weeks I think this was a very good deal and I thought the members here should know Erik Ohlen does more than just hollow point boolit molds!
As a PS Erik also makes Arrow heads as well for hunting.
His site is www.hollowpointmold.com and much of his stuff can be seen there, trust me it's worth the look!
HM