Suggestions for turret labeling ?

I have 6 Lee 4 hole turrets right now holding 380ACP/9MM/38S/357M/44M/45ACP dies & other than looking at the die markings, I was trying to figure out a good way to easily mark them according to caliber without having to look at the small caliber designations on the dies. Some way that would make it easy to ID them separately just by a glance.

I am trying to do it without permanently marking them, like in using an "etcher", or an "engraver", in case in the future I want to change the turret(s) to some other caliber.

Some of the ideas I have come up with are:

• Color coded by marker
• Color coded by paint
• Color coded by fingernail polish
• taping a label to one of the dies in the turret for each caliber

I figure there may be a better way, so I am asking here for any other suggestions that might work to "non - permanently" designate each current caliber/turret.

I also have been considering making a "shelf" set with holes in it for each turret & then just labeling the shelf/shelves, but I have not made anything for them yet & was thinking it would be good to mark the individual turrets as well as mark the shelf holes, just in case.

Anyone have any good ideas?

"Thanks!", in advance, if anyone can help out!
:)

Attachment 216862

Depending on how you value your time, these are available from hardline for $16

For labeling my Hollywood Senior Turret, I use the cardboard sleeve from primer packaging and cut into @ 1" square, then use a three ring binder punch to punch one hole in it. That hole will fit over the exposed stem of the decapping or expander that's sticking out the top of the die. Writing down any pertinent information on the homemade tag. I use a nylon lock nut, just snugged down, atop these dies to prevent scratching my forearms on the exposed rod threads..... which also prevents inadvertent removal of said tag.



Winelover

I used a fine tip Sharpie. I wrote on the side of the turret. If you need to remove it later, brake cleaner will take it off.

I use the yellowish tape. I call it drafting tape. Make band out of it that fits around and between 2 of the dies. Print the caliber and whatever inf. is important for re-setups. I keep a record of die setup numbers. Top of die body to locknut, Top of bullet seating stem to top of die body.

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Originally Posted by Panman213

I used a fine tip Sharpie. I wrote on the side of the turret. If you need to remove it later, brake cleaner will take it off.

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You beat me to it. And I just use denatured alcohol to remove the markings. Black Sharpie on bright backgrounds, Silver Sharpie on dark backgrounds.

A label maker is another possibility. it produces print on a small strip that is fairly durable but easily removed.

By the way, that plate posted by jcren in post #2 is Slick !

I store mine in the lee round die box. I use a black marker to put the caliber on the side of the box.

Sharpie - black usually, wipe off with alcohol or solvent

My Wife recently bought me an inexpensive label maker that has proven to be very useful in the loading room. One of those would work great. A sharpie would also work. It just depends on how neat you want it to be.

I store them in the Lee Die boxes, the round ones and I use a label maker to label the top and sides of each container.

Not my pic:
https://leeprecision.com/images/D/90535_2.jpg

cheap label maker , casio

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Originally Posted by jcren

Attachment 216862

Depending on how you value your time, these are available from hardline for $16

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I've seen those and considered getting them along with the rail they sell to hang them on the wall next to the press. Just concerned with having them open, TN can get quite humid sometimes and though now I am in the house, was in the shed, I still have my doubts.

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Originally Posted by chuckerbird

I store mine in the lee round die box. I use a black marker to put the caliber on the side of the box.

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same here for the rifle turrets.
pistol turrets have a powder measure attached and the entire assembly is stored in the powder measure box labelled accordingly.

Not too expensive and the labels look good...if that matters. I have used a Sharpie but it looks like ****.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005X9VZ70...132917987&th=1

I use a Brother label maker that uses 3/8" plastic tape. White background w/black lettering. Fits between the dies installed on a turret and oil/solvent doesn't harm. I have 9 so marked, some 13 years old.

Attachment 216875Attachment 216876
I made shelves for my turrets and cut the holes to fit with a jigsaw. They fit nice and keeps things neat and orderly.

About those label makers....

My wife bought on for me at Christmas time and I made labels for my Dillon turret storage bases. I can tell at a glance which caliber is needed, BUT I noticed the other day that the labels are beginning to peel! They've been on there about 10 years now and the stickum is going bad, so maybe that's normal, but still.......

I built little shelves with holes drilled in them for the dies to fit in and labeled the shelves. Next, to the shelves, I have a screw protruding to hang the appropriate shell plate on and I mark the side of the touret with a sharpie.
https://i.imgur.com/sYjEEcm.png?1

Attachment 216897I at one point had a bunch of Avery address labels left over from something and made up a bunch with load data on them to stick on ammo boxes. They just so happen to be about the same dimensions as the flat on the side of a xl650 tool head. I mostly just use them for 9mm because I have a couple of tool heads set for different loads and bullet profiles in 9mm other calibres I mostly find one load that works in everything and stick to it.

When I had a Lee press I would stick the labels on either the powder measure or around one of the dies depending if it was a load that I had a dedicated measure for.

Attachment 216898 This is how I do mine..

I do both of what has been suggested - sharpie and storing them in round die boxes marked with a label.

But wow....some of the setups here floor me.

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Originally Posted by chuckerbird

I store mine in the lee round die box. I use a black marker to put the caliber on the side of the box.

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Me too

Thanks everyone for the great suggestions!
:)

I am going to wait & see if anyone adds anything more for suggestions over the weekend & then decide what to do next week.
:)

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Originally Posted by MyFlatline

Attachment 216898 This is how I do mine..

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Yeah! Me too.

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Originally Posted by Panman213

I used a fine tip Sharpie. I wrote on the side of the turret. If you need to remove it later, brake cleaner will take it off.

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This is what I do as well. Simple and easy.

sharpie on the tool head

on powder measures I use one of those round 'dots' sticker and put amount of powder thrown and for what caliber.
could say: 5.5 Red Dot and other that says .45 R and .44 R (both use same powder amounts) Then cover the dots with clear packing tape.

Since I only use Red Dot (32s --45s and shotgun) there is no worry about getting wrong measure

dayglo orange really stand out.

Boldly mark the dies so no matter the position or turret you change them to you will always be correct.
Dave

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Originally Posted by MyFlatline

Attachment 216898 This is how I do mine..

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I use the lable maker, plus lable the container. MyFlatline's approach is great, but do your dies rust? I'm in a very humid environment so have to store them covered with a lightly oiled cloth and a closed container with little packets of silica beads to keep them from rusting. Anyone else have this issue?

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Originally Posted by sparkyv

I use the lable maker, plus lable the container. MyFlatline's approach is great, but do your dies rust? I'm in a very humid environment so have to store them covered with a lightly oiled cloth and a closed container with little packets of silica beads to keep them from rusting. Anyone else have this issue?

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I live in the wet part of Florida :razz: No they don't rust as I keep them inside the house and it is climate controlled (by the wife):bigsmyl2: None of my dies came in round containers, so the 3" pipe was my best option.

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Originally Posted by MyFlatline

I live in the wet part of Florida :razz: No they don't rust as I keep them inside the house and it is climate controlled (by the wife):bigsmyl2: None of my dies came in round containers, so the 3" pipe was my best option.

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Ahhh, that explains it. My reloading room (garage) is not climate controlled.

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Originally Posted by sparkyv

Ahhh, that explains it. My reloading room (garage) is not climate controlled.

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All prep is done outside in the shop. All loading is done in my small home office. I keep all the powder and primers inside also. My dies don't seem to rust as bad as other reloading tools. Case gauges for example, if you look at one it rusts. Mine have all been coated now but what a pain.

Sharpie on the tool head

Well, I finally went and got a section of PVC pipe to use for making holders like MyFlatline showed in an earlier post.
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/atta...754407&thumb=1

Inexpensive( about $4) to make about 10 or so, sturdy enough & light weight.

Just need to cut them to height(length) and figure out a way to fasten them together so I can keep them all on a shelf.

I was thinking about using a threaded rod all in a row, or maybe hot gluing them together in a staggered pattern ( kind of like a line of staggered bowling pins) so they fit on a shelf in a row above my desk/bench.

Have not decided yet....

As you can tell, I am not getting fancy, nor am I in a hurry about doing this. I like to take my time at some things. I may do something more fancy in the future, but right now I think these PVC holders will do fine for what I want to do.

Thanks again for the suggestions & if anyone wants to add something, please do!
:)