Arbor press uses and ideas

[oconeedan]

I have an arbor press that I hardly use at all, with only one "bit" and a rotating base. I know there are many uses in our hobby, would like to hear the ways you use your arbor press and where you get the attachments / bits/ whatever they are called.
I'm thinking gas check seating, sizing, etc.
Thanks in advance. Dan

[targetfreak]

I have a couple "extra" drill presses, and use them for de-priming, sizing, etc. (in addition to my RCBS press) because they all have drill chucks, which are relatively easy to accommodate various dies. So, I would suggest an effort to attach a drill chuck (1/2" or larger) to the ram, and then go to town.

[country gent]

A lot depends on the size of the arbor press. Wilson or lee dies with one can do some pretty heavy sizing operations. I have seen some bullet swaging done on them. They are handy tools to have. In the shop I use them for press fits, broaching, and bending.
They can be used where heavy forces are needed

[725]

Don't do it much, but have used a small arbor to load with the Lee Loader system.

[elmacgyver0]

I made a set of dies to load .410 shells using an arbor press.

[Mal Paso]

I used my 2 Ton for press fits and seating mold alignment pins. I had it mounted so I could do the firing pin on a Redhawk. It got cooked in a fire, now it's garden art. I have a 20T hydraulic but keep my eye out for another 2T.

[Dan Cash]

Make gas checks, cut wads for BP cartridges, bullet sizing with push through dies; the li8st is limited by your imagination.

[ndnchf]

I use mine for many things. But reloading related, I use it to increase cast bullet size by using this simple set up. I can also enlarge the meplat of a pointy bullet for use in a tubular magazine.

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

I have one press (acquired from the scrapyard) that I setup for making 22 cal GCs using a Freechex III die.
I have recently acquired another one from the scrapyard that needed cleaning up, it came with a round punch and die which is about the correct size to cut 50 cal ML patches (or just cleaning patches?) ...I haven't tried it yet, to see if it'll cut cloth cleanly.

[oconeedan]

Thanks everyone for the ideas. I don't know what it is rated at, it only has "No. 1" cast into the frame, the ram is about 1" square, and a stroke of about 6".
Thanks, Dan

[midnight]

Mine is used mainly for making gas checks with Freechex IIIs. I also press fit bushings in draw dies for drawing bullet jackets down. Also use a small K&M with chamber seaters. A very useful tool.

Bob

[Sooner]

Ndnchf
Did you turn the lower threads off of the bolt? That is a great idea.

[W.R.Buchanan]

I have several, from a Harbor Freight 1 ton, to a Sinclair Mini which I use for reloading,,, to my most used one, a Craftsman Drill Press, which I use everyday for pushing the roll pins in my Hand Presses as I assemble them.

If you have a Drill Press you have an Arbor Press. And anyone thinking you will hurt it by using it this way, is not fully informed!

Incidentally,,, Lee Classic Loaders are nothing more than inexpensive Wilson Hand Dies. Lee figured out that the average guy didn't have a Arbor Press so he promoted the use of a plastic mallet instead. The Hand Die tool was originally designed to be operated with an Arbor Press, and not beat on with a mallet.

If Wilson saw you beating on one of their hand dies,,, they would slap you!

If you have a Drill Press you can run any of these dies correctly without damage. Lee Hand Dies run very well using a Drill Press. Been doing it for 40+ years.

Randy

[country gent]

Back in the day almost every farm had a bottle capper these were a arbor press for capping bottles lighter than most press but a lot of height and adjustable. THese did double duty with the reloading hand tools of the day. When I was a kid loading 222 rem with a lee hand tool and mallet for Dad to go over to Grandmas and dig out the old botttle capper for me, must have been disturbing his Red Skeleton show. A lot of small lever presses have been made and even small light rack and pinions for this both commercially and as home projects. I made one up but aluminum wasnt available used steel it is heavy but solid height is adjustable rack and pinion ram works very good but is heavy. We had these little shop made presses in most of the maintenance areas of the factory for pushing pins, bushings and bearings in and out. Werent hard to make and easier than punches and hammers