New Bullet Blocks

[greenwart]

I haven't made any reloading or bullet block in a number of years and needed some for little stubby 308 bullets.
That's my reloading project for the day.

[Chill Wills]

Very Nicely Done!

Those look good. I am always in a hurry when I make mine so seeing the above inspires me to take a snowy day and follow your lead.

What kind of wood?

[Skeet06]

Greenwart, nice project. How about a little info on how you made your blocks?

[Mk42gunner]

Forstner bits are your friend when making loading blocks. They cut a much cleaner, better looking flat bottomed hole than just about any other type of wood boring bit.

Good job on these.

Robert

[Dryball]

The easiest way is to print out a grid pattern and glue it to the face of wood and go to town on your drill press. The other trick I know is to punch each hole so it's easier to locate. It's a pain but...

[quack1]

If you don't have Forstner bits, you can drill completely through the block and then glue a thin piece of plywood or composition board to the bottom.

[DonMountain]

The easiest way is to print out a grid pattern and glue it to the face of wood and go to town on your drill press. The other trick I know is to punch each hole so it's easier to locate. It's a pain but...

I like your loading blocks! They are magnificent! After purchasing a couple of Stalwart loading blocks a long time ago, I figured that I could make those too. So I did. Bunches of them for special sizes and depths. From scrap pieces of oak from my furniture making hobby, I developed a system for making these loading blocks. I use a Shopsmith in drill press configuration using the fence anchored in one place and a stop block clamped to the table to start, then move the blocks around for drilling using a bunch of carefully planed blocks of oak wood (conveniently 3/4" thick) and a set of Harbor Freight milling bits I had purchased pretty cheap for my mini-lathe/milling machine. So, I can drill any size holes just by replacing the mill/drill bit, and space the holes using the shim blocks.

[Moleman-]

Those look nice! I'm usually trying to reload something only to find my blocks already full when I make a set in a hurry and it shows.

[country gent]

I seen a new loading block I think it was lymans catalogue called bleacher blocks. each 10 round column is a taller height on the block I may make a couple to see how they work out. I make mine with the forester bits. The other plus to forester bits is the edges that reduce chipping leave an under cut in the corner on blind holes. A simple trick when drilling loading blocks is to clamp a rail on the drill press table to alighn the block in the right location in the long axis. I do this on the outside column then add a spacer for each out so the rail dosnt need reset each time.

[jem102]

I seen a new loading block I think it was lymans catalogue called bleacher blocks. each 10 round column is a taller height on the block I may make a couple to see how they work out. I make mine with the forester bits. The other plus to forester bits is the edges that reduce chipping leave an under cut in the corner on blind holes. A simple trick when drilling loading blocks is to clamp a rail on the drill press table to alighn the block in the right location in the long axis. I do this on the outside column then add a spacer for each out so the rail dosnt need reset each time.

Neat idea, thanks for the tip.

[greenwart]

The key to making these is creating a template to punch holes for layout. I used to have some graph paper software, but this time I just used open office draw. Set the grid size to the spacing , draw your lines and print out. I will print out a whole 8.5x11 sheet and trim to what I need to cover. Use some Blue 3m tape and tape securely to the blocks and punch index holes. I have a round tipped punch that will make a 1/16x1/4 hole. On the bullet blocks I used a brad tip drill from harbor freight, but usually I use forster bits for the larger reloading loading blocks. Having A long slender punched hole allows you to quickly drill the holes since the brad tip will align nicely. Use a router with a 1/4-1/2" round nose cuts the side grips. They make all the difference in the world. I had an old wooden reloading block that I would constantly use and that had that feature. Miter the corner edges, sand and a coat or two of linseed oil and you have something you can pass down to you kids /grand children.

Bob

[greenwart]

I saw those bleacher blecks and thought they were a solution looking for a problem What is the advantage other than looking cool. They may be easier to grab the case and place bullets on top, but they wouldn't improve loading powder charges.

[greenwart]

I have at least 40 reloading blocks or more. You just got me thinking that a problem is what size is which, and color coding the ends or edges might make it nice to know what size they are.