Loading bench pics

[grumman581]

My first dedicated bench after 20 years of reloading.

Uhhh... I think you forgot something...

Where's the beer cooler?

[Oyeboten]

Got things set up in a trials way...decided on an elevated Platform which sits on a Table and can be set aside if need be.



The height seems good, and no Handles sticking out where I might run into them in passing.

Loaded up a few experimental .38 Special Rounds this evening, maybe head out to the Range to-morrow and see what they do.

[fstreed]

Oyeboten, nice set up. Love the vintage tooling. Is that an Ideal lube-sizer? How do you like it?

[Oyeboten]

Hi fstreed,


The Orange one is a Lyman 45 Lubricator-Size, on the far end there, and I had to warm it up pretty good to get all the old rock hard 1950s or whenever Lube out of it. Empty and clean now, waiting for my 'soft' home mad Lube mix to get poured in.

The one closest is a much earlier Ideal Lubricator-Sizer, still full of ancient rock hard lube, and I will warm it up and clean it all out soon, and likewise, fill with my soft home made Lube mix.

Have not used either yet, other than a few trial experiments with the Lyman one.

Both seem very likable and easy to use.

I wanted to get into Casting my own Boolits, so, I figured having these would be a good deal. I am primarily interested in loading for .38 Special, and, .45 Long Colt, so I figured I could leave each one set up for their respective Caliber.


I need more Sizing Dies though ( they both take the same Dies of course)..only having some .358 ones presently, and I will need various right-shape-end Top Punches for various Boolit nose shapes I want to try.


Loaded a few rounds of .38 Special Black Powder last night, home made Grease-Wafer over the Powder, 18 grns under store-bought ( and stick-out in this instance ) 148 HBWCs loaded backwards...realized I also need a right-shaped Seating component for the 310 Loading Dies, so...the 'Shopping List' continues. Of course! And, some of these things I can ( and may have to ) make too I suppose.

Did not have any 158 Grn Semi-Wads or .158 Grn or heavier anything, so, 148 it was.


Got a .358 - 195 grn Mold recently, and have some other various lighter ones also, got some Lead...sent off for some Tin, so looking forward to Casting soon..!


The 'Ideal No. 5' Cast Iron Powder Charger on the right there I am using for BP, and, the later era Orange color one is a Lyman, which I will use for Smokeless.

[fstreed]

Hi fstreed,


The Orange one is a Lyman 45 Lubricator-Size, on the far end there, and I had to warm it up pretty good to get all the old rock hard 1950s or whenever Lube out of it. Empty and clean now, waiting for my 'soft' home mad Lube mix to get poured in.

The one closest is a much earlier Ideal Lubricator-Sizer, still full of ancient rock hard lube, and I will warm it up and clean it all out soon, and likewise, fill with my soft home made Lube mix.

I bought a Lyman 45 several years ago and used it some, it worked well. I left it in storage when I moved to Oregon from the East coast, along with my Lachmiller, and a lot of other reloading stuff.

The reason I asked about the Ideal is because I recently bought two of them from ebay. I haven't got them yet but am looking forward to trying them (or at least making one good one from the two). I have a Lyman 450 I use but wanted the Ideals just because I liked the looks of them.

Nice to see the older equipment still working.

[Oyeboten]

I agree, the old 'Ideal' and earlier 'Lyman' stuff is so good looking, just seeing it makes one want to get into or onto re-loading.

Really polite and well designed, well made little Machines.

Most anyone's was back then, for that matter...far as my tastes go.

[Catshooter]

Oyeboten,

Very nice set up you have there. I also really like the vintage Lyman/Ideal equipment. Have you been to The310Shop.com yet? It's a terrible place for someone like us, just awful.


Cat

[Oyeboten]

Yes...I did look into the 310 Shop awhile back. It's a Treasure Trove alright.


But Yowie, too expensive for me! Those prices hurt just thinking about it.


"e-bay" ( and patience, and luck ) - a boys best friend!


Lol...


Although Gunshows sometimes can be alright for those 'Cigar Boxes' of junk, where, the odd 310 Die or other may be sleeping.

Just hard to tell what they are sometimes.


I like the elegence of the 310 Die's size...something nice about them, vis a vie the big chunky ones.


Well...I got my handfull of experimental 'Plinking' .38 Special rounds done.

Maybe I will do a little 'Range Report' on them soon, once I can get out to the Range and try 'em.

[skeet1]

Many of you guys have posted photos of your bench and work area so I thought I might as well show mine.

Skeet1

[LAH]

Works for me Skeet1, who's the policeman in the pic?................Creeker



Dry Creek Bullet Works
Dry Creek Firewood

[WILCO]

Many of you guys have posted photos of your bench and work area so I thought I might as well show mine.

Looks like a great place to spend many, many hours.

[WILCO]

What you couldn't get all of the hottie on the wall in the picture ...Ray

I'd rather see a pic of a cast boolit, a favorite dog or one of those classic Sherman tanks.

[grumman581]

I'd rather see a pic of a cast boolit, a favorite dog or one of those classic Sherman tanks.

I'm not so old that I begrudge the OP his fantasy girl on the wall...

I would hazard to guess that the Sherman tank would be cheaper to acquire than the girl in the photo...

A wise man once said that the most expensive hobby is collecting ex-wives...

This would probably look better on the wall though:

http://pix.motivatedphotos.com/2009/...-GirlsGuns.jpg

http://de.acidcow.com/pics/20100303/...th_guns_05.jpg

[skeet1]

LAH,
The photo of the cop on the wall is me taken in 1986. It is the photo that hung in the Chaffee County, Colorado S.O. during my term as sheriff. I hang it in the shop as a memento and since no one else goes in there much it seemed like the place to hang it.

Skeet1

[LAH]

Thanks Skeet1, guess you're retired now? Are you anywhere near Miami?

[Edubya]

LAH,
The photo of the cop on the wall is me taken in 1986. It is the photo that hung in the Chaffee County, Colorado S.O. during my term as sheriff. I hang it in the shop as a memento and since no one else goes in there much it seemed like the place to hang it.

Skeet1

Hey Skeet, I betcha the picture keeps the rats and other vermin out of your special room too.
EW

[skeet1]

LAH,
As a matter of fact I'm still working but in March of next year I become a free man and I can hardly wait. 33 years in cop work is too long. 13 years with the Chaffee County S.O. and 20 years with BNSF Railway Police.

As for being close to Miami, OK, no. Helena is NW of Enid about 30 miles.

Edubya,
Maybe that why no one else goes in my shop very much.

Skeet1

[Xcaliber]

Finally found some material to kick start and finish my little portable re-loading table. Its small and looks crowded in the pics , but that is to show what can be mounted on as needed. The table is 5/16" x 20.5" x 10" , drilled and tapped to mount press and all the goodies needed to re-load. Bottom frame is 3" x 1 1/2 tubing found. The main mast is heavy duty pipe and collar welded on as best as I could. The table itself can be un-screwed from the frame to dis-assemble and being in the collar, makes it easy to swing left (un-screw) and work from any angle and still be solid and stable to work with . Made to hold 2 - 550-b presses front and backside. Wasn't sure how stable it was going to be so I mounted only one. Will mount the other later on. Got tired of working in the storage area outside where it got HOT . Now I can re-load in the comfort of my room where its cooler.®
Attachment 22357 Attachment 22358 Attachment 22359

[bpost1958]

I can't seem to figure out how to post pics.



Does this work?

[bpost1958]

Why did it work once and now I can't figure out what I did