Trim Mate Case Prep Center

[jballs918]

just wondering if anyone had one of these. they look like a ok unit. i need a better way to debur stuff. even though im a young guy my hands still get tried after a while. i dont have a drill press and i dont like how fast they spin. to easy to mess up my brass. i like the fact that they have more then one station so you can trimmer then do the inside and outside. i have a ch4d trimmer that works well. if any of you guys out there can do a review on the case prep then please feell free and also anyone out there got any other good ideas please send them my way. you guys always have a better way then what im doing it lol. thanks

jason

[DaveInFloweryBranchGA]

I have one, I'm very happy with it. You might want to look at the RCBS motorized trimmer. They offer a head that trims and chamfers both sides of the brass mouth at the same time.

Hope this helps,

Dave

[BruceB]

My wife gave me one of these machines for Christmas at least eight years ago. It's not a machine that I would've bought for myself, but I am VERY glad she got it for me.

Most appreciated is the speed at which I can process new brass, which I almost always buy in bulk. These new cases have a lot of case-mouth dents etc, so I run them partway into a sizer die to reshape the mouths to a proper state of roundness. With the Trim Mate running right beside the press, it's the work of mere seconds to debur both the inside and outside of each case after the shaping-up....job finished!

I'd class it as a nice-to-have accessory, one that's certainly not essential but which really makes life at the bench easier.

[Hip's Ax]

I've had a Trim Mate for 6 or so years now, I love it. If it died or were stolen tomorrow I'd go buy another right away. Cuts brass prep time by a huge amount (I do from a hundred to a thousand at a time) and when I do primer pocket uniforming with it the pockets look impossibly perfect. Buy one, you will not be sorry.

[wcb_gabe]

Love it! I agree it's one of those things you can do without but once you have you wonder how you ever did without it. Did I mention I really, really like mine?

[monadnock#5]

I bought a Prep Center specifically for my high power brass. I uniform the primer pockets and debur the flash holes. I also chamfer the case necks on those cases that don't need trimming on my RCBS motorized trimmer with three way head. While the Prep Center is a great thing, it's the trimmer that's made my reloading complete. It has made the most feared and lothesome aspect of reloading the easiest part of the job.

[9.3X62AL]

It has made the most feared and lothesome aspect of reloading the easiest part of the job.


Ya know, I've looked at this machine over and over--thinking it would be a cool accessory setup. The comments here--esp. #5's--have pushed me over the edge. Case trimming is the only phase of the reloading process that I truly don't enjoy. If a power tool can delete the fatigue and hasten the process, I think it might appear on my bench shortly. Powering up the Forster trimmer would be another such step.

[DaveInFloweryBranchGA]

Deputy Al,

Before I spend money on motorizing Forester trimmer, were I you, I'd take a hard look at the three way heads available for the RCBS motorized trimmer. Those things trim the brass to length and chamber both inside and outside of the case mouth in one operation. Also, you don't have to buy additional heads for additional calibers, just the "button" that matches the caliber you need. It's a great setup and I highly recommend it. Cut my trim work in about half. All I do with my trim mate now is clean up the flash hole, unless I don't happen to have the "button" for a particular caliber because the volume of brass is so low for that caliber.

Regards,

Dave

[straightshooter1]

I have had the Trim Mate since shortly after they came out. One "quit" but RCBS replaced it even though I told them it was 3-4 years old.

I use mine to prep rifle brass, deburr the flash holes, ream the primer pockets, etc. It is great and fast.

Bob

[BruceB]

My Forster case trimmer now has the adaptor for a power drive. It's just a hex shank which replaces the hand crank, but it sho' nuff eases a lousy chore. A "battery screwdriver" didn't work worth a damn, but once I hopped it up with my Makita 3/8" 120V drill, it REALLY makes shavings! It takes care to get a setup which isn't running off-center, which could ruin a trimmer rather quickly, I'd bet. A flexible coupling is somewhere in the near future to reduce this possibility.

What I'm contemplating now is the Forster drill-press-mounted trimmer. This is a $50 set-up which mounts on the drill table, and the extent of trimming is controlled by the stop on the drill-press feed mechanism. I can likely make a decent accomodation for it on my Unimat, which turns into a drill press rather easily.

[jballs918]

hey guys the rbcs 3 ways look great. it would be about 110 altogether . i would only need one cutter for 223. all the others i do not use that much. and the hand trimmer would work fine. i dont mind doing it by hand so i dont have to worry about hte extra money.

[kywoodwrkr]

BruceB,
I have both the Lyman and Forster drill press model case trimmers.
I have each mounted on their own board which in turn may be mounted to a drill press table.
One has a universal shell holder(Lyman I think) and the other uses the collets like the lathe type case trimmers.
Both work real well in my opinion.
Turned a couple nuts(locked) on a Forster lathe type and then used a nut driver in a cordless drill to drive it.
Lubing the cutting shaft has to be remebered as you don't have the feel(drag) of the hand operated trimmer.
FWIW
DaveP kywoodwrkr

[vp146b4]

I don't know what I would do without mine. I use all the functions. My wrists are so happy when I use the inside deburring tool, and cleaning the primer pocket, either brushing or uniforming is a snap. It is a real time and wrist saver.
Bill

[DaveInFloweryBranchGA]

hey guys the rbcs 3 ways look great. it would be about 110 altogether . i would only need one cutter for 223. all the others i do not use that much. and the hand trimmer would work fine. i dont mind doing it by hand so i dont have to worry about hte extra money.

Did you know Midway now sells inserts for the 3 way cutter for a measly 10 bucks? That means you don't have to spend 30 bucks each time you want to change calibers. I'm ordering one soon for my .30 caliber 3 way cutter to convert it to .223.

Dave

[Charley]

I picked up a Trim Mate about two years ago as part of a package deal from an estate. Figured I would sell it, but it turned out to be a very handy tool to have on the bench. makes indide/outside chamfering pretty painles, and is the fastest way to remove primer pocket crimps hat I know of, outside of Dillon's swageing tool.