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Thread: patch cutting

  1. #1
    Boolit Buddy Hdskip's Avatar
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    patch cutting

    this is my solution to patch cutting. made the cutter and thematerial holder. I can stack 10-12 thickness of material and clamp them with the top guide. I run the cutter in the drill press. it has a knock out hole to remove the patches from the cutter. there is some waste involved but the time savings more than offsets that for my purposes.
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  2. #2
    Boolit Master
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    That is a nice piece of wood work. Just for fun after you make up a bunch of patches with your new cutting setup, try cutting out some "square" or close to square ones roughly the same size and do us a test from a rest or bench to see if the round ones are more accurate please? I did that several years ago and found no difference so now I either start the ball and cut even with my antique straight razor or pre cut squares large enough to cover the ball well. Pleeeeeeeze?
    John

  3. #3
    Boolit Buddy Hdskip's Avatar
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    Although it's been a lot of years ago, in my testing i never found any difference in shape of the patch. Tested from the bench and offhand . Most of my shooting was done off hand and tested .45 and 50 cal. I was not shooting for benchrest accuracy but for hunting and local off hand matches. The only thing that made much difference was patch thickness.Pillow ticking was my material of choice and liked it to be about .015 thick. I always used wet patches that was moistened with a concoction of water and dawn dish soap.I also soaked my patches days ahead of shooting. Also before cutting patches I ran the material through a wash cycle and dried it. That took out much of the filler in the cloth.
    Don't know if any of this information is helpful but that was my routine.

  4. #4
    Boolit Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by Hdskip View Post
    this is my solution to patch cutting. made the cutter and thematerial holder. I can stack 10-12 thickness of material and clamp them with the top guide. I run the cutter in the drill press. it has a knock out hole to remove the patches from the cutter. there is some waste involved but the time savings more than offsets that for my purposes.
    Click image for larger version. 

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    Its a fun gadget and you did a nice job of it but time saving ? Nah - I bet I can race ya with my arch punch and hammer - twelve at the time and just a couple good whacks ........

  5. #5
    Boolit Master arcticap's Avatar
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    What's the diameter of the patches that you are cutting and for which caliber[s] are they used for?

    I can see the benefit of cutting round patches. especially if using a drill press that turns in circles.
    A person can't make square patches with that kind of tool.

    And round patches also look like they match the round hole of the bore better.
    Last edited by arcticap; 09-08-2018 at 01:51 PM.

  6. #6
    Boolit Master
    triggerhappy243's Avatar
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    i love it when american ingenuity stands proud.

  7. #7
    Boolit Buddy Hdskip's Avatar
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    The patches are 1 1/4" in diameter. right wrong or indifferent, I use them for both my .45 and .50. As far a the Nah on it being a time saver it's also a lot easier than swinging a hammer and a darn sight quieter. Besides my racing days are long past.
    I use the maul and arch punches for my leather working.
    I spent my working career getting paid to find easier and better ways to do things and I carried that mind set home. lol

  8. #8
    Boolit Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by Hdskip View Post
    The patches are 1 1/4" in diameter. right wrong or indifferent, I use them for both my .45 and .50. As far a the Nah on it being a time saver it's also a lot easier than swinging a hammer and a darn sight quieter. Besides my racing days are long past.
    I use the maul and arch punches for my leather working.
    I spent my working career getting paid to find easier and better ways to do things and I carried that mind set home. lol
    Good method - yes - nice gadget - yes - quieter yes - I just am not seeing easier (unles there is a problem swinging a hammer) or better or faster than a quality punch and hammer on a decent block --- does it matter - NO! - we both gonna get enough patches in ten minutes to keep us shooting for months.

    You forgot cheaper !! Decent wad punches that size are pricey (I was given mine - a set from 1nch to 2inch) and they not easy to make - needs good steel and/or proper heat treatment if they gonna last - I am told your type setup can be made from softer steel and work ok ??
    Last edited by indian joe; 09-09-2018 at 04:43 AM.

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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