Monotonous duty . . . 'sizing' . . . Wanna race?

[OS OK]

Well most of you have seen these upside down presses by now but there's a twist to mine...
I have just about learned the coordination to run the dang thing at a pretty good clip...without too many hiccups.

"Wanna race?"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XcvhKHVn7gU&t=1s

[Lloyd Smale]

definitely fast but id bet if you had to take bullets down more then .003 you'd have an awful sore arm sizing on the up stroke.

[OS OK]

Howdy Lloyd...I'm sizing on the down stroke but your right...I get a sore arm anyway and mainly in the shoulder joint.
This is why we should all have a peck of grandkids around for this kinda stuff!

[lightman]

Thats pretty slick! I noticed your helper showed up about half way through!

[OS OK]

Thats pretty slick! I noticed your helper showed up about half way through!

That was 'Sassy' newest shop dog... cute lil pup but she wants to take anything loose out of the shop around on the front porch and chew on it. Have to watch her like a hawk...but, eventually she'll grow out of that and prolly start digging holes everywhere...:bigsmyl2:...that's alright too so long as I don't step in one and disappear.

[dondiego]

I need to see the camera angle from the side where you are adding the boolets. Can't tell too much from the side shown.

[Peregrine]

Your alloy is definitely softer than mine. :p
Water dropping for convenience while casting has it's downsides.

[sutherpride59]

Hahahah you look like me with my star sizer minus the bucket and tube system to direct my boolits. I’m only 30 so water quenched 45 boolits don’t kill me too bad bud I also put a much longer arm on mine to make life easier.

[Rcmaveric]

Theres guy on one of my other groups thhat put a bullet feader on his Lee sizer die. That was fast. I can do pretty decent with most my bullets. Except those pesky little 380 acp bullets.

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

[elmacgyver0]

Nice, love the pup!

[OS OK]

I need to see the camera angle from the side where you are adding the boolets. Can't tell too much from the side shown.

There's a video at the bottom of this article that shows all the angles.... https://thereloadersnetwork.com/2018/04/09/sizing-cast-projectiles-from-lube-sizing-to-lee-push-through-to-an-upside-down-press-what/

A YouTube vid here too... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_bhSQvM4xtQ

[reddog81]

I just tried on my RCBS Rockchucker with a lee die and did 25 in a minute and it took 1:25 to do 39. You got me beat!

[Taterhead]

Great video, and clever setup!

[kevin c]

Nice! But I'm not racing you until I get a sizer that has a feed ramp (I like my fingers with all the meat on them, thank you), and that sizes on the downstroke, unlike the flipped Lee single stage I use now.

[Lloyd Smale]

I mounted a lee hand press upside down on my bench with a piece of hose that fits tightly over the lee die and feeds the bullets into a coffee can under the bench. Works pretty good but I could see where a bit better quality press would be even better. Its a bit tough on it to size water dropped bullets more then .003, especially if there gas checked. Actually the star works just as fast but I hate putting wear on it for large batches of bullets that don't need to be lubed when I can use a 20 dollar lee ***. I chuckle at kevins post. I took a chunk out of my thumb already once trying to race and the only one there keeping ET's was me.

[kevin c]

Already donated a little of one finger to my range: slipped using an impact driver, which drove right into the back of my pinky holding the work piece (that taught me better than to not use gloves, clamps or a screw guide). The club president didn't help; he went around the work crew showing them the "chunks of Kevin" still on the bit. Mostly blood, but I did have a hole where there used to be nail, skin and bone. I'm lucky the nail grew back, and that it was my weak hand (hurt for quite a while).

[OS OK]

For you guys that still size in your single stage...'right side up'...here's a tip that'll increase output some...

https://i.imgur.com/1kCTJnt.jpg

Put a spring on the push post that is a little taller than the post and the spring will center the cast good enough to go into the size die...all you need do is get fast at putting the cast within the spring and don't have to worry about nicking a finger holding the cast centered.

Also...a rubber band around the little red container top will prevent it from pushing off the plastic base and spilling your freshly sized cast all over the floor.

[Taterhead]

That last idea is golden! Kind of like the difference between the Redding pass-through brass sizer vs the Lee Bulge Buster. The Redding is faster since you just drop in the case!

I'm using this one!

[gwpercle]

Typical UTube video.... all I can see is the back of your hand and you dropping boolits through a hole in the table. That's all I see....shoot it again from the other side .
I don't like Utube video's any way .

[reddog81]

Put a spring on the push post that is a little taller than the post and the spring will center the cast good enough to go into the size die...all you need do is get fast at putting the cast within the spring and don't have to worry about nicking a finger holding the cast centered.

Stupid question - where do you find the appropriate springs?

[OS OK]

Typical UTube video.... all I can see is the back of your hand and you dropping boolits through a hole in the table. That's all I see....shoot it again from the other side .
I don't like Utube video's any way .

I already gave a couple links above in post no. 11 . . . I guess you were too busy complaining to notice, much less follow a post. But, don't bother...it's a YouTube link...remember? YouHatem!


Stupid question - where do you find the appropriate springs?

Typically there are assorted springs sold in the hardware stores...take your push post with you and find one that just slips over the post with a smidge of room to spare and you may have to cut a coil or two out to let it stand maybe 1/4" taller than the post. Get a couple and experiment. It's not a stupid question.

[Taterhead]

Someone might have been having a rough day. I personally enjoyed the videos, as I do most of yours. Love the personality.

I've sold 4 presses this past year thinking I'd "simplify." Now this inverted press idea has me thinking about adding another one again. Oh well!

[OS OK]

Someone might have been having a rough day. I personally enjoyed the videos, as I do most of yours. Love the personality.

I've sold 4 presses this past year thinking I'd "simplify." Now this inverted press idea has me thinking about adding another one again. Oh well!

Thanks for the kind words Tater.
That RCBS Jr. press has a handle hole threaded on the backside of the cam. When it's mounted upside down just put the handle there and your puling down to size without any mods.

[ghh3rd]

I run my Lee upside down and go fairly quickly, but nowhere as fast as you. Of course I have to watch my timing or I might get bit by the press. Don’t ask me how I know.

Thanks for posting your video.

[OS OK]

I just posted the video about wanting to race to stir up some interest about the upside down press again.
At one time here we had about 3 or 4 fellas working on their own designs at the same time.
Since sizing is a monotonous and sometimes grueling job that always last for too long...I thought maybe i could stir interest some in the upside down sizing idea again...get some new fellas interested in their own build since sizing doesn't have to be slow and you can cobble together something rather quickly to increase production dramatically.

[dondiego]

I will be using the spring idea. I might even try to find the RCBS Jr. press up in the attic.

[dverna]

The spring idea is excellent.

Cannot watch the videos as my internet is limited but from the other comments I gather you do not have a ramp feed. I saw one made of PVC pipe for a Star that was really slick and kept the fingers a few inches from the punch. Guy took a handful of bullets and plopped each onto the ramp and they slide into the opening of the die.

[JBinMN]

OSOK "Charlie" has a tray & a feed tube as well. It is on the other side of the press from the camera.

Yup Charlie, you need to to least post up a couple pics from the other side of your rig. Doesn't need video. I think one of your first videos showed the other side when you were making putting it together though.

Use the camera, buddy. Share some pics.
;)

BTW, for some folks... if ya rig a press upside down, ya don't need a spring or a rubberband... LOL
;)

P.P.S. - I use a piece of garden hose too, on the press when upside down, for feeding the boolits into a bucket without denting like was mentioned above. I think It was Lloyd S.. It works dandy that way.
;)

[OS OK]

Morning there JB..thanks for the suggestion...

It all started out experimenting, searching for a faster way to size the general pistol fodder. I was given this old RCBS Jr. press and it was my first and only candidate for the project...note...the threaded hole in the backside of the cam? It worked perfectly to have the handle come on the down stroke for sizing. Lucky break there...

https://i.imgur.com/lerWjWt.jpg?1

Then I needed a mount for this new idea...went through a lot of designs...mulled on it for a few days & headed off to the welding shop to pick up some steel scrap. I discovered this piece of steel tubing and all my plans went right out the window...all the sudden I saw a new way to mount that press...

https://i.imgur.com/33hn7lY.jpg?1

This is the mount...I wanted it to hang over the edge of the bench yet have the entrance of the die hole at the level of the bench top for ease on my old back...here's the test set-up in the fab shop...

https://i.imgur.com/mMpHyca.jpg?1

After a red-rattle can-O-paint, this is how I hand fed it...one at a time in the die hole...that's when I decided that I needed to go a little farther to protect my fingers from that push post...

https://i.imgur.com/AHi36Hq.jpg?1

So...back to mulling on a feed tube and an area to stage the cast as I pushed them into the tube...this came to mind...

https://i.imgur.com/f1Hr0sg.jpg

Here's the build as it is today...it took some monkeying with that feed tube mounting adjustment, length, angle & shape on the end to get all the pistol casts to feed through it. It will not feed a FWC and it will not feed a long rifle cast, rifle cast require a steeper angle into the mouth of the die.

https://i.imgur.com/GCnkVrW.jpg

Here' the underside where the feed tube mount is...it's adjustable and the staging top is adjustable too..

https://i.imgur.com/ScRvb1y.jpg

A couple angles of the end of the feed tube I neglected to include...

https://i.imgur.com/vEBIfY3.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/YdGJ0En.jpg

[Conditor22]

A work in progress still in the prototype stage; have some tweaks and mods to do but have sized well over 10,000 boolits with it.


https://i.imgur.com/Qegrl9Y.jpg?1

https://i.imgur.com/g21wsxf.png

[JBinMN]

There! LOL
:D

Thanks Charlie!
;)

[OS OK]

A work in progress still in the prototype stage; have some tweaks and mods to do but have sized well over 10,000 boolits with it.


https://i.imgur.com/Qegrl9Y.jpg?1

https://i.imgur.com/g21wsxf.png

Very cool, I love 'Merican Enovation' . . . us dumb rednecks can geter done!

I welcome anyone who wants to post pictures of their rigs in this thread...

[JBinMN]

I don't have the space for setups like Charlie or Conditor22. Mine is just a simple reversible Lee C-press due to it being small enough & can do duty ike a regular press, then flip for sizing when I need to size.

I only usually do 50 -100 at a time anyway, so there is no need yet for any "automation", or adding anything to increase speed.

I kind of like doing these small tasks without rush, so I don't have a "need for speed". I'll get er done by walking instead of running.
;)

Reminds me though, of the old joke about the Old Bull & Young Bull on the hill over looking a herd of cows. Young Bull says to Old Bull,
"Hey Old Bull, let's run down & go "have a date" with one of those pretty cows down there! What ya say?"

Old Bull looks at the cows & then at the Young Bull & says,
"How about we "walk" down there & "have a date" with a Lot of them instead.".

;)

So, I think for now, I will stick with "walking" instead of running.
;)

Ya'll do as ya like though, I enjoy seeing & reading about the fun you folks have!
:)

[OS OK]

I don't have the space for setups like Charlie or Conditor22. Mine is just a simple reversible Lee C-press due to it being small enough & can do duty ike a regular press, then flip for sizing when I need to size.

:)

"Heheheheheh" . . . I remember back when you were talking about your specific requirements for this deal...does this picture ring any bells JB ? :bigsmyl2:

https://i.imgur.com/wNjBJKg.jpg

[JBinMN]

Yep. Pretty close to what I ended up with , except instead of using my RCBS 3, I used a Lee C.. and no riser.
;)

234063234062

[OS OK]

Pretty simple huh? Works like a champ, huh?

Made in "Merrriiicaaa" by a "Merrriiicaaan!"

[dverna]

OS OK, thanks for adding those pictures. A very good way to feed the bullets and keep from getting fingers caught!

BTW, I had a feeder on the Star I owned 45 years ago, but loading those tubes was a real pain. I am going with a feed ramp on my current machine as it makes more sense.

Again, like your thinking and thanks again for posting.

BTW, here in northern MI we call what you did Hillbilly Engineering. Got to love it!

[OS OK]

Your welcome dverna...

I enjoy sharing and helping out with a project like this...when I was working on my project there were 1/2 dozen others all collaborating at the same time and helping me.

It sure beats fighting with the rest of the members over their Kali-bashing.

[Lloyd Smale]

cool advice
For you guys that still size in your single stage...'right side up'...here's a tip that'll increase output some...

https://i.imgur.com/1kCTJnt.jpg

Put a spring on the push post that is a little taller than the post and the spring will center the cast good enough to go into the size die...all you need do is get fast at putting the cast within the spring and don't have to worry about nicking a finger holding the cast centered.

Also...a rubber band around the little red container top will prevent it from pushing off the plastic base and spilling your freshly sized cast all over the floor.

[MT Chambers]

I believe that the STAR would be faster, more precise, and lube at the same time, without all the plumbing.

[Elkins45]

Howdy Lloyd...I'm sizing on the down stroke but your right...I get a sore arm anyway and mainly in the shoulder joint.
This is why we should all have a peck of grandkids around for this kinda stuff!

Wait...how are you sizing on the downstroke? That’s a flipped reloading press, right? Doesn’t the downstroke (which is now the upstroke) raise the ram or did you flip the linkage somehow?

EDIT: never mind, I found the answer on that page you linked to on a later post. I can’t do that with my press.


For you guys that still size in your single stage...'right side up'...here's a tip that'll increase output some...

https://i.imgur.com/1kCTJnt.jpg

Put a spring on the push post that is a little taller than the post and the spring will center the cast good enough to go into the size die...all you need do is get fast at putting the cast within the spring and don't have to worry about nicking a finger holding the cast centered.

Also...a rubber band around the little red container top will prevent it from pushing off the plastic base and spilling your freshly sized cast all over the floor.

That spring idea is fantastic. I’m headed to the garage to root through my box of random springs to see if I have one that works. Thanks!