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Thread: Turning Checkmaker™ Die Housings

  1. #1
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    Turning Checkmaker™ Die Housings

    Here's a little of what I do every day.

    The time frame is considerably longer than the video shows. I will be working on educational videos and more for cast shooting, so this was good practice:

    https://www.wevideo.com/view/1111860966

    Pat...

  2. #2
    Boolit Buddy
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    Pretty neat process. I had to watch it cut off the die twice. I was expecting some kind of hacksaw or something! Thanks for sharing.

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    Just a very small step in what it takes to make Checkmaker™ dies.
    Last edited by PatMarlin; 04-15-2018 at 01:15 PM. Reason: Inappropriate comments

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    Quote Originally Posted by Duckdog View Post
    Pretty neat process. I had to watch it cut off the die twice. I was expecting some kind of hacksaw or something! Thanks for sharing.
    Thanks Duckdog. There's a lot that goes into the process of manufacturing these dies.

    I run both CNC and manual machines and make the best out of what I have. Of course there's expensive CNC machines available that will do more, and much faster, but at a cost of thousands and thousands of dollars. If there were as many cast shooters that use gas checks as there are reloaders who use reloading dies, there would be huge market making the investment worth it, and it would bring the cost of dies down.

    But, we cast shooters are still a very niche market.

    It's never been an easy business, but it's something dear to my heart. Appreciate your comment.

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    CastingFool's Avatar
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    When I worked in a machine shop, I ran a J&L #2 universal lathe. All manual, loved running it. I ran others, too, like a boring mill, and a Kearney & Trecker mill. Didn't care much for those.

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    Boolit Master
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    What coolant are you using? It has a limited splash area.
    QUIS CUSTODIET IPSOS CUSTODES?

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    I using of all things Balistol.

    When I started running my first flood coolant about 9 years ago, I immediately broke out in a rash on my arms and sinuses were inflamed by standard industry soluble oils and water. I was either going to have to quit or find an alternative.

    Balistol keeps the machines clean, and rust free. Food grade and non toxic. Makes a great flood coolant and lube. I buy it by the 5 gallon cans.

  8. #8
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    Quote Originally Posted by CastingFool View Post
    When I worked in a machine shop, I ran a J&L #2 universal lathe. All manual, loved running it. I ran others, too, like a boring mill, and a Kearney & Trecker mill. Didn't care much for those.
    Here's my manual section. Started with the old Logan far back wall, then the knee mill (Webb Korean), then the Hardinge Chucker on the left. Still use all 3 every day.
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails ShopManual.jpg  

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    Boolit Master
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    You were an inspiration in your early days mate, and you are more so today. Looking forward to more of these vids. Regards Stephen.

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    Thank you for the Kind words Stephen.

    It's much appreciated...

    Pat

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    Quote Originally Posted by Duckdog View Post
    Pretty neat process. I had to watch it cut off the die twice. I was expecting some kind of hacksaw or something! Thanks for sharing.
    Thanks DD...

    Parting actually takes a real solid machine and tool to do it well. That is an Israeli made tool by ISCAR. Very tough and solid. The Israelis make some very fine quality machine tooling.

    Took a few years of trying various brands of parting tools until I found this one. Now I have one on every machine, permanently.

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    Very interesting. Thanks. Pretty cool to see how something I have is made. Keep saying someday I will get a metal lathe.

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    couple of question to a complete lathe novice:

    does the fluid get filtered as it recirculates?

    do you lose much of it from splashing and ending up on cutters and such?

    with water involved is there a potential rust problem for the lathe?

    thanks
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    In red...
    Quote Originally Posted by Walter Laich View Post
    couple of question to a complete lathe novice:

    does the fluid get filtered as it recirculates?
    yes to a certain degree

    do you lose much of it from splashing and ending up on cutters and such?
    not much but some

    with water involved is there a potential rust problem for the lathe?

    coolents usually have some sort of rust inhibitors in them. Still best to clean off and dry asap

    thanks

  15. #15
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    Some of the water sol fluids if left on may not cause rusting but they do get very gummy and sticky attracting dirt and crud. A water clean up removes it easily though. Some of the additives are for rust prevention, wetting agents to allow it to flow and disperse better into tighter areas, anti fungal to reduce infections in scrapes and cuts, and also anti bacterial to reduce things growing in it.
    We had screens on the drain holes to remove most of the large things from the coolant. then the tank was set up as a filter in its own right, The tank was set up with 2 sections coolant flowed in one side and sediments settled as it flowed over the separator into the other section. the pump pulled from the second section. On machines we used black oil in the first section had a few inches of water in it and then the oil, this made a place for sediments and cut down on the amount of oil. One of the problems with water sol oils was contamination by the machines oil ( lubes) that ended up on top.

    I'm curious as to what ratio you mixing the balistol to use for cutting fluid? How does it work for tapping and reaming?

  16. #16
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    Ballistol is so clean, doesn't gum up, doesn't need washed off. Just is a wonderful clean lube.

    Doesn't effect your skin if you get splashed. Safe to water your plants with.

    I run about 1 Ballistol to 9 parts water to start, then adjust as needed because you have to add water as it evaporates (hardly any is lost to splash as my machines are shielded), then add balistol as needed to keep parts and the machine rust free.

    I had to scrub and detoxify all of my machines to remove all the old oils. Once ballistol is used, they stay clean with no buildup or gum up.

    I get great tool life. I use about 4-5 gallons a year. Stuff works for me.

    Another tip-

    I run water through an iron mineral removing water filter, and I run blocks of magnesium in the coolant tanks as a "Zinc" like you would for marine sea water corrosion, but Zinc does not work for fresh water. Magnesium does.

    Less nobel metal gives everything else a longer shelf life including coolant life.

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    Thanks, Pat, that's good info on use of Ballistol as a flood coolant. I copied that and filed it in my Myford folder.

  18. #18
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    It's the little things in manufacturing that really just really drives you nuts...

    Like the very machine in that video decided it was time for it's operating system to get corrupted.

    Luckily, of course I have all my programs backed up but not my tool offsets.

    So a couple days down waiting to get a system disk from the mfg.

    Another day on the phone with tech support reloading the system.

    Now on day 3 reloading my programs and retouching off all my tools for every program.

    All the while not a part getting done. If it was easy as "Push a button" and a part gets done, everybody would be doing it.

    Oh well... quit my rant for now... lol

  19. #19
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    Quote Originally Posted by country gent View Post
    On machines we used black oil in the first section had a few inches of water in it and then the oil, this made a place for sediments and cut down on the amount of oil. One of the problems with water sol oils was contamination by the machines oil ( lubes) that ended up on top.

    I'm curious as to what ratio you mixing the balistol to use for cutting fluid? How does it work for tapping and reaming?
    That's what I love about Balistol. Detox and scrub the machine clean of all oils and grease and run nothing but Balistol flood coolant. Nothing to contaminate.

    BUT... the ways have zerk fittings that have to be greased. I again use a non toxic, food grade based white grease for food equipment by Lubriplate.

    This grease is fantastic. Will not dissolve or mix with balistol and water. It took some work to get the right products, but what you wind up with is a non toxic machine shop.

    I have another Hardgine machine that uses oil to lube the ways- again, I run pure Balistol. The ways show no wear in 9 -10 years on my first machine.

    I do every operation with nothing but Balistol, and on manual machines- tapping, reaming, and drilling I use straight undiluted Balistol.

  20. #20
    Boolit Master
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    Thank you for this interesting account. About Ballistol, would you recommend it as a general purpose gun oil?

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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