Flat top punch, SAECO top punches, custom punches?

[curioushooter]

I have a few Saeco molds but have balked at the $30 they want for their top punches which fit RCBS Lube-A-Matics.

So far all the molds I have used Lyman 429 top punch, so I have been fine.

But I recently acquired a round nosed mold and I am thinking of buying a RNFP profile mold.

It would seem that I could simply use a FLAT faced top punch. But nobody seems to make one (except NOE). I guess I could just file one down? Or make one from a bolt?

Has anyone ever made a top punch using high-strength-epoxy attached the the end of a parent punch? It seems like that would work for round nosed bullets well. Put car wax on a cast boolit and then just mold the epoxy to it?

Any tips or pointers? It seems like there would be a market out there for flat top punches or custom punches. Somebody out there doing this?

[ReloaderFred]

Yes, you can custom form a top punch to a bullet by coating a bullet with wax as a release, and then place a small amount of epoxy inside an unused top punch. This would dedicate that top punch to use with that bullet.

However, if you want to be able to reclaim that top punch to it's original form, you can do the same thing with a hot glue gun. That way you'll be able to remove the hardened hot glue from the punch should you need the original shape.

Hope this helps.

Fred

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

I could simply use a FLAT faced top punch. But nobody seems to make one (except NOE). I guess I could just file one down? Or make one from a bolt?

I've made one from a Bolt, using a drill press as a redneck Mill.
Also, Accurate Molds offers a few sizes of Flat faced TP's

[Land Owner]

I've made one from a Bolt...

Mine from a steel 16-penny nail with shank cut off by hack saw.

[waco]

http://accuratemolds.com/order.php
$5 gets all three sizes.

[Land Owner]

Got to admit waco, that's a great: link, product, and price.

[gwpercle]

I have taken RN top punches and filled them with JB Weld , sanded flat after curing and made a flat punch.
I have also fitted another RN to a wadcutter boolit with JB Weld... that was about 25 years ago and it's still in use.
Flat punch is the most useful ...any boolit with a flat spot... WC , SWC , RF , TC the flat punch can be used on .
Truth be told I have even used my flat punch on round nosed boolits and it works just fine.

Gary