I have a couple of guns that use shortened 223 brass as the basis for the round.
I have a small band saw that would work very well for shortening the brass using a jig that I could make with very little problem.
So, what would you folks recommend for TPI for the blade?
When it's time to fight, you fight like you are the third monkey on the ramp to Noah's Ark.... and brother, it's STARTING TO RAIN!!
Any band saw, no matter the TPI of the blade, will leave VERY jagged and rough mouths! You will spend unbelievable amounts of time trying to clean up the jagged, rough, uneven mouths. If you must cut 223 brass, look at using a metal slitting saw like the little Harbor Freight metal cut-off saw which many on here use with success.
A bandsaw cutting round stock is an accident looking for a place to happen! If you do go that route, PLEASE be very careful to insure you have 10 fingers left.....even with the best of jigs you can come up with. I have been doing lots of metal and woodworking for over 5 decades and still have all my digits....and am VERY cautious!
Good luck
A simple jig from square stock with a "chamber" thru center and true can be used to hold cases to cut. A small metal cutting fiber saw blade with correct blade will cut these cases quickly and effiently. A small fiber bladed saw will leave a decent finish. A true saw blade even a 28 0r 32 tpi will leave a very rough edge, grabbing and pulling possibly bending the case at the cut. We made some of these small saws up using die grinders and 3" cutt off wheels for areas at work. They did a wonderful job. A jig or fixture with stop built added to the guide rail can be very accurate.
I have noticed several people mention Harbor Freight has a small $40 abrasive chopsaw ideal for cutting down brass. I'd look into that.
I would get the finest tooth blade and run it as fast as you can, that will likely still be too slow.
I built this machine to cut .223 brass, it uses a HSS blade turning 3000 rpm.
I did make this simple fixture to cut down a hand full of 308 cases to form my 45 acp shot shells.
The knurled knob/screw locks the case in place and the stock sits in the angle iron clamped into the saw so everything stays square.
It is slow but also works.
All righty then, it would appear to not be such a good idea. Oh well, it's not the first nor will it be the last. I guess it's HF mini chop saw.
When it's time to fight, you fight like you are the third monkey on the ramp to Noah's Ark.... and brother, it's STARTING TO RAIN!!
It is NOT an abrasive wheel! It is a tool steel slitting saw mounted on a teeny brush-type universal motor. I use similar saw blades in my milling machines to precision-cut metals and make screw slots. The under-powered HF saw will cut thin stuff but the blades will not last long at all against good steel. I use the 3 HF saws I have for wood, plastic and brass bar stock Gives an ultra-clean cut! Do not use an abrasive cutoff wheel as it will overheat the brass, burn it , and you will have a bunch of useless brass. Abrasive wheels are made for ferrous metals, not brass, copper, or bronze.Originally Posted by JHeath
Get one. You will use it for a number of cut-off jobs around your shop.
I use whatever sears sold me as a metal cutting blade in my band saw and
patterned my jig after this to make 300 Whisper brass.
worked ok didn't leave that jagged an edge IMHO - I did have to final trim with a rotary trimmer.
I then had a friend offer to use his Dillon trimmer in his 1050 which not only cut them down
but swaged primer pocket and rough sized 'em
Didn't cost me much to do it that way so I quit making mine from scratch.
je suis charlie
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Thomas Jefferson Quotations:
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As I recall the rule of thumb is three teeth should be in contact with the surface you're cutting, so with brass ~0.015" thick that would be teeth spaced 0.005" apart or 200 tpi.
Good point I forgot to mentioned. A rule I use when cutting bar and plate stock in my horizontal bandsaws.
AND.........the slitting saws I use are 80 to 100 TPI and will cut/slit thin metals.....if those metals are rigidly held and cannot grab, move, or shift!
I really do not think your can find OR afford a 200 tpi bandsaw blade for your "small bandsaw".
banger
One of these works like a charm!!!
http://www.ebay.com/itm/TruePower-91...wAAOSwZVhWRAP7
That is the HF saw in a different box. Same China stuff - different brand.
FWIW the blade on the machine I posted in #5 is about 14 TPI but at 3000 rpm that is just shy of 4000 FPM blade speed. Quite a bit faster than the 320 FPM of the bandsaw posted in #6.
what about those tubing cutters used for copper tube? Just need a mandrel that fits into the case with a radial groove for the blade to cut to made to a good fit it makes a nice cut .
Ive used one a few years back while to cut 500 x 3"1/4 cases down for my double rifle to 3" .
Didn't have a case trimmer in those days .
If my counting is correct it appears to be 31 teeth per inch on the bandsaw blade for cutting metal on my little bandsaw.
je suis charlie
It is better to live one day as a LION than a dozen days as a Sheep.
Thomas Jefferson Quotations:
"The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against tyranny in government."
I used a diamond bladed wet saw for tile cutting once for curiosity's sake. It worked and there was no chance of the brass overheating.
I've also just hooked my trimmer up to a power drill and cut from full length .223 down to .300 AAC and it worked pretty well. All in all, it probably was quicker than the way I was doing with the rough cut, followed by finish trim once I factored in the loading the brass in the holder each time for the rough cut.
I would use either my mini lathe or my tile saw but I doubt you want to buy something that expensive for cutting off cases unless you're going to do a bunch.
True a mini lathe is expensive just for trimming brass, but you can make so many odds and ends for reloading and casting not to mention gunsmithing projects that they are really, really handy to have.
I generally do not think much of Harbor Fright but the Mini chop saw is a real gem for shortening cases.
BvT
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Since almost all aspects of our cultural existence are LIBERAL in most states, this means that the nation is on a trajectory to dissolution by the burden of toleration and acceptance of LAWBREAKING as a norm, a trajectory back to the dark ages of history.
BvT
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