Titan ReloadingMidSouth Shooters SupplyInline FabricationRepackbox
RotoMetals2Reloading EverythingWidenersLee Precision
Load Data
Results 1 to 16 of 16

Thread: Pat Marlin check maker

  1. #1
    Boolit Master lead chucker's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2010
    Location
    Alaska
    Posts
    1,010

    Pat Marlin check maker

    I recently got back into casting boolits for my 44 mag. I have pat's check maker and the Free check's The free checks works good but is hard on my hands. I like Pat's but it keeps jamming up when you try to pull the disk cutter back down in the die. I've gone through a few set screws that hold it in the holder. Im using coil and foil aluminum material. Seems like its building up aluminum material from cutting in the die wall making it a real tight fit. I clean it and it works for about 5-10 disks and starts to jam up again. I tried turning the die to find the sweet spot and it works for a few and jams up again. It jams after the disk is cut and you are trying to lower the cutter so you can slide the material to cut the next disk. I like the check maker but it is a real pain to use. It makes really nice gas checks. Any one having this problem using the same check maker?
    Dont pee down my back and tell me its raining.

  2. #2
    Boolit Grand Master

    Beagle333's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2012
    Location
    Back in the woods a piece, just outside Auburn, AL.
    Posts
    5,499
    All I can say is they don't all do that. I have the .357 and the .30 cal and they work flawlessly.
    KE4GWE - - - - - - Colt 1860, it just feels right.

  3. #3
    Boolit Master
    obssd1958's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2006
    Location
    Idaho
    Posts
    1,077
    Call or message Pat. He's a great guy to work with, and he'll take care of 'ya!

    What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.
    - Henry S. Haskins in “Meditations in Wall Street”

    "Political correctness is a doctrine, fostered by a delusional, illogical minority, and rapidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a turd by the clean end." ...Unknown

  4. #4
    Boolit Master
    Join Date
    May 2014
    Posts
    1,436
    Are you lubing your die? Some on here put lube on the side of the material to be cut. I just smear a little lanolin on the edges of the punch when it sticks out of the top of the die body. I do this every few discs. Prevents Al buildup.
    QUIS CUSTODIET IPSOS CUSTODES?

  5. #5
    Moderator Emeritus


    JonB_in_Glencoe's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2010
    Location
    Land of 10,000 Lakes
    Posts
    15,832
    I had the 41PB and 44PB Patmarlin checkmakers.
    I was using popcan metal.
    I would lube a Q-tip with Sprue plate lube (Synth 2 cycle oil) and I would circle the q-tip inside the outer die cutter area every strip (about 12 disks), it would lube the die and clean the debris out in the same motion. It's a little bit of a pain, but once you develop a system, it becomes automatic.

    Also, I polished the sides of the cutter post, mine had some minor machining lines in it, after it was polished, it would slide back through the material better ( the action that you described your jamming issue)...BUT be extra careful to NOT polish the cutting edge.
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    “If someone has a gun and is trying to kill you, it would be reasonable to shoot back with your own gun.”
    ― The Dalai Lama, Seattle Times, May 2001

  6. #6
    Boolit Bub 1616s16's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2012
    Location
    along the wabash river s w indiana
    Posts
    70
    I have one and is just like the op's. Mine likes the shelf it lays on.
    Thank you
    16s

  7. #7
    Boolit Master
    RobS's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2008
    Location
    Kansas
    Posts
    4,518
    Quote Originally Posted by JonB_in_Glencoe View Post
    I had the 41PB and 44PB Patmarlin checkmakers.
    I was using popcan metal.
    I would lube a Q-tip with Sprue plate lube (Synth 2 cycle oil) and I would circle the q-tip inside the outer die cutter area every strip (about 12 disks), it would lube the die and clean the debris out in the same motion. It's a little bit of a pain, but once you develop a system, it becomes automatic.

    Also, I polished the sides of the cutter post, mine had some minor machining lines in it, after it was polished, it would slide back through the material better ( the action that you described your jamming issue)...BUT be extra careful to NOT polish the cutting edge.

    Lube it. I started using sprue lube and all is good.

  8. #8
    Boolit Master


    Bloodman14's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2009
    Location
    Lebanon, Mo.
    Posts
    1,320
    I tend to put a drop of 2 cycle oil on top of the cutter every once in awhile, seems to make it work better.
    Lead Forever!


    The 2nd amendment was never intended to allow private citizens to 'keep and bear arms.' If it had, there would have been wording such as 'the right of the People to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed. -Ken Konecki, July 27, 1992

    John Galt was here.

    "Politics is the art of postponing an answer until it is no longer relevant". (From the movie 'Red Tails')

  9. #9
    Boolit Master lead chucker's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2010
    Location
    Alaska
    Posts
    1,010
    Well guys i cleaned up the check maker and put a little 2 cycle oil on the cutter and so far it seems to have made a night and day difference. I didn't think this tool was in need of lube. So far so good.
    1616s16 you should revisit your check maker. The lube really made it work for me. Thanks for the help guys.
    Dont pee down my back and tell me its raining.

  10. #10
    Boolit Master lead chucker's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2010
    Location
    Alaska
    Posts
    1,010
    Just punched another 100+ discs to double check and its flawless. A little dab of 2 cycle oil will do ya.
    Dont pee down my back and tell me its raining.

  11. #11
    Boolit Buddy
    Join Date
    Mar 2009
    Location
    eastern Iowa
    Posts
    472
    Something else that my help. You can easily lube the strips with Jhonson's paste wax. I usually lube only one side but both sides are good too. It goes on very thin and isn't sticky. Just swipe a small cloth into the wax and swipe the strip with it. I use the strip right away before it dries
    n.h.schmidt

  12. #12
    Boolit Master Retumbo's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2014
    Location
    Ontario
    Posts
    743
    I ended up selling my PM and making my own.

  13. #13
    Boolit Master gpidaho's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2014
    Location
    Beautiful Idaho
    Posts
    2,644
    I use my BP lube (Beeswax and olive oil) Clean and lube at first sign of sticking. Gp

  14. #14
    Boolit Bub FrontSite's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2011
    Location
    NMC Montana USA
    Posts
    34
    I have the Pat Marlins Check Maker. I was having problems and contacted Pat. He was extremely helpful and even replaced one 30 caliber maker that wouldn't seem to perform, (made it past quality control, it happens).
    For the sticking problem, I discovered a slight bit of my home made case spray lube or dab a bit of Ed's Red on a 1/8th sheet of the blue paper shop towel, folded around the alum. strip and pulled through to apply a LIGHT coat of lube to both sides of the material I'm punching, serves two purposes. One, makes cutting seem easier and two, forming the cup is easier also and they don't seem to hang up. Occasionally, about every 20 to 25 strips, mine are 9.5 inches long, I use a q-tip with a slight bit of Ed's Red to swab out and wipe down the punch rod and the die body. I've found this maintenance step makes for a smoother session, besides makes a good break time to refill the coffee cup.

  15. #15
    Banned

    PatMarlin's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2005
    Posts
    6,341
    Hi Lead Chucker,

    Your dies have a problem and I can correct them. Please send your dies back and I will rebuild them or send you a new set and get them working properly.

    Just the nature of the beast- sometimes some bad parts or a strange combination of issues cause problems. Like, for instance... I just found a tool moved mysteriously on one of my CNC machines this week causing my FEM dies to fit to tight in the ram. Never had that happen in 10 years.

    Stuff happens that's why I have always taken care of any issues like this. Just shoot me and email and I will send you return instructions.

    If I don't know about the problem, I can't fix it.

    Warmest regards and keep your powder dry!

    Pat
    Last edited by PatMarlin; 03-15-2018 at 10:05 PM.

  16. #16
    Banned

    PatMarlin's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2005
    Posts
    6,341
    Also...

    Would like to add, sometimes the metals you use make all of the difference. Some metals just are not suitable for forming gas checks. As always experiment and try before you buy large quantities. After all, you are manufacturing your own product basically.

    More tips on operation on my website in the "Learning Pages" and "Frequent Questions."
    Last edited by PatMarlin; 03-16-2018 at 09:45 PM.

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  
Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check