Lets make a Swage press

[sprinkintime]

How do you guys bend the arm?

Wacki, I just used a torch and heated it in a vise with a cheater bar bent real nice.
Sprink

[wacki]

How much bigger bullets can this press handle compared to a walnut hill?

edit: ok I see the comparison to meg mite.

[wacki]

Ok so after $200 of steel I have to buy brass bushings and pay someone to drill and tap the big holes. Anything else that I might need to consider? Trying to estimate total cost for someone that doesn't own a machine shop. All I have is a drill press and friends with stick welding equipment.

[Blublister]

Wacki, cutting the slots on the top plate and ram may be the only other problem i can think of. If you have a vice that can do some type of feed it can be done on your drill press with some patience. If you have the vice and boring head you can do everything at home. Then its just the threading left.

If you have a hand tap or can borrow one then the treading can be hand taped. Iff you have to buy a tap then take it to machine shop to just cut the thread.

I bought all my steel from the scrap metal dealer. This has a lot more work involved to cut to size and clean up but cost me $90 for enough material to build 2 of these presses. This can take a long time of searching for the steel needed.

[wacki]

Ok here is a boring head. I assume this will work?

http://m.harborfreight.com/2-inch-bo...not%20provided


what kind of vice do I need? Vice that feeds?!?!?!


thanks

[Blublister]

Wacki, I cant open your link but a 2" boring head will work fine. Just make sure the taper fits your drill press.

For the vice, do a search for "cross slide vice" on harbor freight tools website. I see they have a 6" cross slide vice for $80. The vice is something you can use over and over on your machine so it may be worth getting.

Hope this helps.

[Smithy]

The same with a already cast/lubed bullet, original right, swaged left.

This is a quote from early on in the thread showing a picture of both bullets. I notice that the swaged bullet has a lube groove with an impressive amount of lube apparently inside, could you tell me (I couldn't find it by searching this thread) how you created the lube groove? When I shifted to 200 grain bullets for SASS and my 45LC, it was a standard mold with a single band which did not allow nearly enough room for the black powder lube I needed to place on the bullet. So what I did was to get Corbin's HC-2 (knurling tool) and all of the sized bullet's exterior (which was now flat as can be from the sizing) was imparted with a diamond pattern that just sucked up the lube during pan lubing. Another size run a thousandth over the first brought the bullet right into shape. I was thinking that would be what you'd have to do, but apparently you've figured out something much better. Smithy.

[supe47]

"The same with a already cast/lubed bullet, original right, swaged left."
If I'm correct, the answer is in the quote "ALREADY CAST/LUBED". Lube the boolit before swaging and you won't loose the lube groove. You won't add anything but your loss of lube groove will be minimal.

[Smithy]

OK, that makes sense now. Would that be the final bullet making plan then? Cast a regular bullet, lube and size it, and then swage it only making it slightly different? I guess I don't see the advantage is over the lubed cast bullet from the start? In other-words, wouldn't it be easier to shoot the lubed core in the first place? Just asking, not trying to stir the pot. I myself go through many a (other people would say) unnecessary step in my reloading just because that's the outcome I'm looking for. Smithy.

[supe47]

If you're referring to post #13, I believe the OP (ANEAT) is just demonstrating the power of his press by reforming a cast boolit's nose configuration. It is a fine looking press.

[Smithy]

Oh, OK. I guess I just should have asked if a Corbin tool was used much like mine. There are three versions of the HC-? tool. The original or HC-1 is their standard cannelure tool and does what the name implies. The model 2 (mine) imparts a knurled pattern on all of the external surface that you allow to have contact with the wheels. and the 3 model allows to place two cannelures on a bullet. A close to the nose one for handgun loading and a closer to the base one for rifle shooting. Some folk have used either the #1 or #3 tools to gouge a deeper cannelure into a lead bullet so that more lube could be placed into it. Or in a swaged bullet case, put a cannelure where before, no one existed. This was not an issue for my swaged disks since they will be shot from a shot cup or wad and no contact will be made with the barrel at all. Smithy. Again, thanks to all for their input.

[Larrypeterson]

I just finished my press!! I used hot roll and flame cut plate except for the ram and guides. It was much more difficult to machine than cold roll but it works very well. I was a bit concerned when I first cranked the handle as it was a bit tight. After a little oil and a few times up and down it smoothed right out. The next step is to build the dies and push rods. Today I am "one happy camper!!"

I want to thank the originator of this thread and for all the comments that helped me with the technical issues. Also a big thanks for the folks that provided the working prints. This would never had been possible for me without all the help. I'm still looking for a spring but even without it, the press is usable. I am thinking about taking a picture and posting it here after I get it painted. I have the strongest urge to refer to this press as "Her." No disrespect to the fine ladies in our lives. Once again, thank you, to all those who contributed to this project.

LP

[midnight]

Well I just took the plunge. I got $330 worth of steel from Speedymetals. Enough to build two presses. I just have to get the bronze bushings and I can start. I got a Grizzly 1006 mill a year and a half ago and a 10x24 1945 Logan lathe last May. This is really going to be a learning experience. I think I can do everything needed except the welding and cutting the inside threads on the ram. I'm going to thread the ram 1-12 so I can use all my "H" dies on it. An adapter to 7/8-14 will let me use the Walnut Hill dies although I have two Walnut Hills so I probably won't need it. On the way home from Speedymetals (only 20 miles from my house I picked up a pair of struts for free. After I took them apart I got two beautiful rods about 0.800 in dia. and around 12 in long. I may use them on one of the presses. I have a Bridgeport #2 boring head & a set of 5/8 indexable boring bars so the big holes shouldn't be a problem. I'll have to practice on some scrap. I'll probably be doing this all winter. Maybe when I'm done I'll be much more proficient with the mill and the lathe.

Bob

[just bill]

I've read through the posts, and two supplier seem to be the focus, McMasters & Carr and Speedy. Which one seems to be the best? Speedy seems to be able to send most every thing cut to size, however they seem to be high on their shipping.
Thanks,
Bill

[Steve Steven]

Check also OnLineMetals.com http://www.onlinemetals.com/ and compare prices, they differ some.

Steve

[PWS]

I've read through the posts, and two supplier seem to be the focus, McMasters & Carr and Speedy. Which one seems to be the best? Speedy seems to be able to send most every thing cut to size, however they seem to be high on their shipping.
Thanks,
Bill

Speedy will ship via USPS Flat Rate if you call and ask them on the phone.

[KAYDADOG]

Speedy metals regardless of the shipping will be far cheaper than McMaster Carr. I currently built a four post hydraulic press and compared the two. I also live 10 minutes from a McMaster Carr and with zero shipping they are quite a bit higher. Speedy Metals will also cut to length at just a slightly higher cost, McMaster Carr doesn't. If you don't own an industrial size band saw see how long it will take you to cut a 1" thick plate 4"-6" wide. The extra few dollars will save countless hours. I purchased all plates about 1/8" oversize and finish mill to length.
If you forget to order something and only need a small piece this is where shipping charges can add up, they may have a set starting flat shipping rate charge. Went through this process with another firm and still found Speedy Metals the cheapest and very fast delivery.
A lot of machining ahead. In my opinion the ram has the most machining. It took forever to mill the slot using a Mill with digital readout. Don't see making any of the components on a drill press, not accurate enough.
Good Luck on the project.

[257]

I to don't use mc master carr unless I can't get somewhere else. they are quite a bit more than other people. another good supply place is reid supply , but the don't sell metal they are very reasonable on all types of machine shop stuff

[Alan in WI]

Is anyone install a spring in the press? If so where are you buying them and do you have an item number.
Thanks.

[tuscani]

great post lots of effort from everybody that contributed i am in the proces of making one also
but in metric mesurements .on the plans i can not find the depth from the cuts in the toggle block but i wil take the oem plans and convert
i also wonder if it is posible to make the press with shorter toggle arms i. i am planning on going to change the baseplate configuration withthe one from the top so the toggle arms sits on the bottem plate and you got more clearens for the arm on the side of the plates.
ore does long togggle arms make a more smooth working press ?
i have some corbin H die so i will use 1"x12 unf in the topplate and the ram
need to make an adaptor for the floating punch does someone got plans for a floating punch holder (H dies)?