Push through sizer idea

[country gent]

I would make a batch of 8 ounce soft brass hammers occassionaly at work. Was a pain everybody wanted one no one wanted to help with the work. I would turn 8-10 heads up lay out them mill flats then the handle socket. The handle socket is a pain for wood hamndles as your working with a tapered end mill 3* from bottom up half way and 5* from top down half ways so when wedges are driven in it pulls up tight and stays tight. Theres alot of ways to mahe this sizer happen. Interupted threads would be neat as quarter turn would release and 1/4 turn would lock. A [pin set up with cut cams in the body also would allow this quick action changes. A nose cap could be used to lock the insert in place also. Body could be cut tapered to hold lyman rcbs H&I die bodiessaving making the insert all together. The mindand skill are the only limits

[btroj]

No hammers made. None in the works either.

I used a set screw as it was well within my abilities. I thought of threading the insert but worried about the already thin walls. All that is needed is a method of holding the weight of the insert. All forces from sizing push the insert into the body, only gravity pulls it out.

The lathe has opened a whole new world of ideas. I am learning how to make things work. I was actually a bit worried when I got it abput how steep the learning curve might be. I shouldn't have worried so much. I can see where the lathe is a lot like casting, it takes the right mind set to get the best out of it. Machine tools are definitely not for everyone.

[btroj]

Made another body and insert today. Took a few comments from others and some observations by me and made the idea better.



Rick commented on making sure the insert didn't tilt and size bullets crooked. This photo shows how snug the insert fits. This one is snug enough I can't feel it move when the set screw is tightened.

The first one was difficult to get the set screwed started properly as it was n the threads for the press. I decided it would be better to remove the threads from the region with the set screw to make it easier to get things right.




I also threaded the entire body so it can be inserted from the bottom of the press if you wanted to keep the insert in place.

I like this concept and will be making more inserts for different size bullets. The inserts are far faster to make than a full size die. They also require far less material and take up less space in storage.

[country gent]

Maybe dedicate one of the newer presses with the 1 1/2 14 threads to this project. Alot of the new presses have a bushing for 7/8 14 dies. Remove the bushing and make one body for the press and insert to fit the bigger body

[freebullet]

That's lookin great btroj! Color me envious.

[btroj]

Maybe dedicate one of the newer presses with the 1 1/2 14 threads to this project. Alot of the new presses have a bushing for 7/8 14 dies. Remove the bushing and make one body for the press and insert to fit the bigger body

I have an RCBS Rockchucker I thought of using that way. Only issue is that I only have room for a single press on my bench.

[cbrick]

Lookin good! Even your threads are looking much better.

Make sure you don't crank on the set screw enough to make the sizing insert oval shaped.

Rick

[slughammer]

Here is how I made mine. Drilled an old die out to .562. Then used a boring bar to counterbore the end to .625 dia x .80 deep. Bushings are .625 drill rod X 1.0 long. When I counterbored the die to .625 the plan was to turn a groove into the bushings and use O-rings for retention (or duct tape without a groove). This one turned out close enough that it’s pretty much a friction fit. (I’ll put those O-ring grooves in when I get a roundtuit)


Here it is with one bushing installed and a second sitting there

[btroj]

I hadn't thought of using an O-ring. That would be a better solution in many ways.

I drilled the body clear thru as a boring bar is something I haven't yet purchases or made: that is something I need to change soon.

[dtknowles]

I hadn't thought of using an O-ring. That would be a better solution in many ways.

I drilled the body clear thru as a boring bar is something I haven't yet purchases or made: that is something I need to change soon.

I just got some Lyman/rcbs top punches from the professor and they had O-rings for retention. I have not used them yet but I am sure they will do the job since I had been sticking them in with sticky lube.

Tim

[freebullet]

I have an RCBS Rockchucker I thought of using that way. Only issue is that I only have room for a single press on my bench.

You'd think a guy with freshly honed machining skills could whip up a quick release mount so he could mount different presses with the throw of a lever. Kind of like the lee setup except sturdy and nice.

The o rings a good idea. The wft trimmer with interchangeable inserts uses 2 o rings on the inserts.

[MUSTANG]

A threaded insert would be useful similar to the old Lee Speed Die's (Bottom of pic - knurled area is the threaded insert).

I have used these for 9mm, 40 S&W, and 45 ACP for many years. Lee does not seem to make them any more. Although I have not had problems with my dies despite many 10's of thousands of rounds through each; it may be the die wall was too thin for holding the Carbide sizing insert as postulated in earlier posts.

[zuke]

What about using magnet's to hold them together?

[dtknowles]

What about using magnet's to hold them together?

Interesting idea. I have some small powerful magnets. I used to use them to hold hatches and canopies on my model airplanes. For that applications I glued the magnets on each part with opposing poles but if the die is steel the magnets would only need to be on the holder. Not sure if the is enough meat to install them.

Tim

[btroj]

A properly sized round magnet with a center hole could easily be glued to the top on the insert.

Dang guys, nice ideas. I'm impressed.

[freebullet]

If the insert comes against the magnet the force of sizing boolits would probably crack the magnet. You could drill the insert to inset a small magnet in the end while not putting pressure on the magnet.