Operator error or tool problem ?

[watkibe]

I had trouble while using my Lee case trimming tool. I was trimming a bunch of brass, and the first few cases seemed to need a lot of trimming. I measured the brass with calipers, and it was all right on the nominal length...except the brass that I had just trimmed, which was way too short ! I knew I had a tool problem, so I looked at it closely. The part that Lee calls the "lock stud" had a visible divot worn in the center of it by the pin on the end of the length gauge ! Hitting the lock stud is how the gauge "measures" the length. For years I have used a bench mounted motor with a chuck to hold the cutter, and have a handle with another chuck on the end of it for the lock stud. It's fast and easy, but over the years the motorized use "drilled" a divot into the lock stud. And I never looked closely enough to notice ! Another case of me feeling both smart and dumb about the same thing: smart because I figured it out, dumb because I did it in the first place.

But there is a happy ending. A new cutter comes with the lock stud, and even I could easily afford to buy several more since it's from Lee !

[Buckshot]

.............There was probably primer residue grit and other abrasive stuff on the lock stud, and that roller bearing they use as the guide for the length gage is HARD!. Over time forming a cavity a couple thousandths deep would be no problem a-tall. Heck, you can drill a hole through glass with a brass rod, so long as you put an abrasive paste on the end.

..............Buckshot

[crabo]

Not quite related, but I made a handle to hold cases while I used my drill press to trim cases.

I drilled a piece of flat stock and then welded the stud on the back side of the strap. You only have to turn the nut a 1/4 turn to release it. I hold the strap in my left hand, push up with my right, holding the deburring tool with my right hand.

Once it is trimmed, I give it 3-5 quick twists to deburr, flip the tool, and chamfer. It makes processing brass a lot faster.

You could do it with JB Weld if you don't have a welder.

[watkibe]

Not quite related, but I made a handle to hold cases while I used my drill press to trim cases.

I drilled a piece of flat stock and then welded the stud on the back side of the strap. You only have to turn the nut a 1/4 turn to release it. I hold the strap in my left hand, push up with my right, holding the deburring tool with my right hand.

Once it is trimmed, I give it 3-5 quick twists to deburr, flip the tool, and chamfer. It makes processing brass a lot faster.

You could do it with JB Weld if you don't have a welder.

...so I can't show you a picture of my set up, but it's sort of similar. I took a piece of 1" free machining steel rod and drilled and tapped a hole in the end of it to fit the thread on a Jacob's chuck. The lock stud stays there and I change shell holders. It's big enough to hang on to it for a while without my hand getting worn out. For the cutter, I have a motor from some kind of universal drill press/lathe machine that has another chuck on one of the arbors. I built a speed controller to slow the motor down.