Is this a FreeChex III check maker?

[smoked turkey]

I purchased this check maker a couple of years ago from a member. I have made several hundred .45 caliber checks with it on my small arbor press from 0.014 aluminum and copper sheets. The checks work great on my 45-70 boolits. However, my arbor press is really too small and the handle too short to do an adequate job. As such I plan to sell this unit on swappin and sellin. My plan is to replace the unit with one of Pat Marlins' .45 caliber units that I can use on my RCBS Rock Chucker. If I recall correctly this is a FreeChex brand. However since there are no identifying markings on the unit I am attaching some pictures and ask that some who are more familiar with these units help me identify the model and help establish a fair selling price. Thanks for the help.

[tjones]

Close but no cigar!

[Pee Wee]

that is a FreeChex ll, but I can't tell what the aluminum part is next to it.

[smoked turkey]

Thanks for identifying the check maker Pee Wee. The item beside the check maker fits in the ram of a reloading press and the check maker will set in it. I can see where that will work but I have not used it that way because I can't get enough power on the press handle to make the check. So I just used my arbor press. Pee Wee do you have an idea what the FreeChex II should be priced at? Thanks.

[tjones]

My 500 FreeChex III works nicely in a HF arbor press 1/2ton, right arm stronger now. That was a design goal from speaking with Charley some years ago. Very nice 3D plans of his tools are published everywhere. It's a nice looking copy of a III. However, the set screw was an addition by a machinist and copyist as the published PDF plans , the aluminum part was for a press adaptation and what seems like a nice feature for small calibers. A file can test this for hardness. All FreeChex tools are freakishly hard as punching tools should be! A II at $250+ caused some stir here back a few years. Most real III's go for about $100. on the unmentionable forum. Many calibers now not available will likely affect price. Good luck. -tj

[JeffinNZ]

Looks like a copy of a FC III. Charlie did not make them with a retaining screw in the top section from memory.

[Pee Wee]

My 500 FreeChex III works nicely in a HF arbor press 1/2ton, right arm stronger now. That was a design goal from speaking with Charley some years ago. Very nice 3D plans of his tools are published everywhere. It's a nice looking copy of a III. However, the set screw was an addition by a machinist and copyist as the published PDF plans , the aluminum part was for a press adaptation and what seems like a nice feature for small calibers. A file can test this for hardness. All FreeChex tools are freakishly hard as punching tools should be! A II at $250+ caused some stir here back a few years. Most real III's go for about $100. on the unmentionable forum. Many calibers now not available will likely affect price. Good luck. -tj

The last one I bought about a year ago was a freechex II 44 cal. was $95.00, Duke bought a III 38 cal. The IIIs are different than IIs



Check on left is a III Check on right is II

[Pee Wee]

Looks like a copy of a FC III. Charlie did not make them with a retaining screw in the top section from memory.

The IIs are fed different than the IIIs. The IIIs strips have to be a certain width to fit between the brass guide, the IIs strips don't have to be as precession as the IIIs. See above photo of the difference in construction.

Yes Charlie Knarld his punch, looks like that one is held in by a set screw.

Now I understand that Charlie is closing down and he will no longer be manufacturing freechex.

[dragon813gt]

The IIs are fed different than the IIIs. The IIIs strips have to be a certain width to fit between the brass guide, the IIs strips don't have to be as precession as the IIIs. See above photo of the difference in construction.

You sure that's not a IV on the left? The one the right is definitely a III. There is no guide on any of them except the IVs. The IIs were meant to use w/ a mallet. I don't have any IIs so I don't know what they look like.

The the OP, it looks like a copy of a FCIII. Charlie did not use a set screw to hold the mandrel in place. They are knurled and in some applications are removable.

[longbow]

That looks to me like the Ed Smith version. He published plans for a homemade Freechec style check maker so if it has differences to the Freechec Charlie makes then I bet it is the Ed Smith version someone made.

Longbow

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

I'd suggest an auction format, because with the announcement that charlie and his FC line may or maynot be offered by him anymore at his current prices have put an unknown value on a GC tool like you have. I'd surely include photos of some GCs made with it, as well as dimensions ...with that neat Ram adaptor, I'd bet it'll go for over $100.

[smoked turkey]

Many thanks to all for the input on my gas check maker. I will clarify a point or two. There is a misconception that what is seen in my photo is not a set screw, when in fact it is a steel roll pin that goes all the way through the steel body. This secures the cutting and forming anvil (?) within the steel body. The body of mine has a slot that my 0.025 feeler gauge fits pretty snug. The pictures of the checks I have made are 0.014 sheet both in alum and copper. The device that fits into the ram of my RC press is aluminum but does not work well with my press in that I cannot get enough leverage to make the cut. My small arbor press is too small for the check maker and I made a wooden block that sits in the slot of the press and rests on the steel base of the mounting pedestal. I will say that whether this tool is made by FreeChex, or is a knock off from another maker, that it makes beautiful gas checks and they work well on my Lyman 457671 sized 0.458. I too am thinking that an auction on swappin' and sellin' is the way to go for this.

[Dragonheart]

I have both the Freechex IV and the Freechex III tools, I operate both using a a pneumatic cylinder, so there is a Ram Checker III and a Ram checker IV. I am aware of no other tool that will make gas checks as fast and as easily as the Freechex tools. Here is a link to a video of my Ram Checker IV:
https://youtu.be/R5sIuzphTEk