Pat Marlin's checkmaker

[sirgknight]

My 30 cal checkmaker arrived today and I am anxious to give it a try. Maybe I can find a little time this weekend. It's a really nice looking tool and seems it will be very durable. I'll try to get pics of first checks.

These checks were made from the .014 gauge aluminum from Ace hardware and were made from four and six inch strips. The 4 inch strips made 8 discs and the 6 inch strip made 12 discs. I'm still experimenting to see which length strips will best suit my paper cutter, but I'll probably stay with the 6 inch length. For this experiment I set up the tool, cut the strips, cut the discs, formed the checks and then run them through my sizing dies, all in about an hours time. That tells you how simple and easy this tool is to use. The checks seat on the bullets without any problems. After seating the checks onto the bullets I actually dropped them from waist-high onto the floor to see if they would loosen or fall off. They retained their firm grip on the bullet. I'm very pleased with this operation and am now anxious to put them to the real test. The bullets shown are made from the Lee 90362 (113gr RNFP), Lee 90364 (120gr RN), and Lyman 311291 (170gr RN). The Lee bullets were all sized .309 for my carbine. The Lyman bullets were sized .309 and .311. Pat marlin has definitely provided us a beneficial, money-saving tool.

[Ben]

Remember , without pics, it never happened......................

[frankenfab]

Remember , without pics, it never happened......................

Yeah, Pat can thank YOUR pics of your 311284 groups for my order!:bigsmyl2:

[onondaga]

The bottle cap looking wrinkles are clearly visible in your pictures . I thought the wrinkles would disappear when the checks were seated, sized and crimped.

Are you concerned that the material you selected to make the checks with is not an optimal thickness material for your tool?

Those irregularities visually vary from check to check and boolit to boolit in your photos. Accuracy has always been related to eliminating variables for me to close up group size after I find the charge and LOA that point to the best possibility for an accurate load. I would be concerned with the irregularity between individual bottle cap looking wrinkle patterns on your boolits.

Gary

[sirgknight]

The material I'm using is exactly what has been recommended. What can I do to remove the wrinkles and make the checks more uniform?

[beagle]

I kinda like the wrinkles on my .35PB checks. Seems like they kinda dig in and hold the check on better so the crinkly edge may not be a problem./beagle

[L1A1Rocker]

Cool, maybe mine will show up this weed. The wrinkles are odd, I don't recall ever seeing them before on Pat's check maker.

[mold maker]

The wrinkles haven't shown any ill effects for me. The checks do grip better. I think the look is just different from what we are accustomed to.

[Lonegun1894]

I hope mine are on their way also. I bought 2k Hornady's when i placed my order for the checkmaker, and am close to running out, so I'll be keeping my fingers crossed. Based on everyone's comments that has gotten theirs though, the wait is well worth it.

[mold maker]

It's like a pot of gold at the end of a long rainbow. Well worth the wait.

[7of7]

It's like a pot of gold at the end of a long rainbow. Well worth the wait.

Yes they are... but I am going through quite a few bits,... because I keep chomping them...

[PatMarlin]

I would be concerned with the irregularity between individual bottle cap looking wrinkle patterns on your boolits.

Gary

For those who have issues with the bottle cap, here is some info on that:

Explanation of the Theory and Engineering behind Checkmaker™ Gas Check Forming Dies-
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=89742

Nothing is irregular in the fit and accuracy they produce. If you want to eliminate the bottle cap you can polish your female die forming hole. Also thicker material eliminates bottle caps.

7of7- you received your 35PB dies correct? Just wanted to double check.

Not pointed at you, but some guys have posted they don't have their dies on threads, but when they get them, they say nothing further, and leave it at that.

Many die orders have shipped here the past 2 weeks, and many are leaving tomorrow.

...:drinks:

[PatMarlin]

As always your Checkmaker™ dies are guaranteed to be spot on, and if anyone is not happy or has any trouble with their dies whatsoever contact me right away and I'll get you fixed up pronto.

Thankfully, issues (customer) have been extremely low, but these are manufactured dies and while I strive to improve production methods, quality, and improve QC, flaws can happen.

[Lonegun1894]

Pat,
Personally, I know stuff happens anytime we try to make something, and while I haven't received mine yet, I'd much rather wait longer and get something good than ask the maker to hurry and get a lower quality product. Thanks, and I'll wait as long as it takes. In fact, have a few things I'm thinking about selling to pay for another couple check makers from you, so you will be getting another order from me soon, i hope.

[PatMarlin]

Thank you for that comment LG.

I work to see guys get a big smile on their face, when they first drop their new dies in their press and make quality gas checks. I've done nothing else but bust my butt for 3 years here to make that happen.

Delays weigh far more on myself and my family than the customer- really. When a machine breaks down or some other issues comes up, it just makes life 10 times as hard here. If I had my way, dies would go out the same day as ordered. That's my goal, but I will not send out junk. Ever.

[Baja_Traveler]

Interesting - My 30 cal checks made with the same Ace Hardware material have never shown that bottle cap wrinkle effect. They are smooth all the way around using the die just as Pat sent it. Boolits are very accurate using them - I'm on the door step of moving to AAA in CLA Silhouette...

I'm probably at around my 3,000th check out of the die right now, so the tool has past its break even point - every check I make now is just money in the bank!

[Lonegun1894]

I'm about to join the club as I just received notice [smilie=w: from USPS that Pat just sent my checkmakers in .30, and .35. A big Thank You to Pat, and everything you do. I hope it gets easier for you, and the sooner the better. I hope to be sending some more business your way very soon. Thanks again, and keep it up (please).

[UweJ]

Just received my 35cal. PB GC Maker and must say. Everything as promised and even better. I had to try it out so I cut up some pop cans and made some checks. Sorry to say the material was to thin. No problem though, had to empty some beer cans and behold, the material works perfect. Can´t wait to put them on some boolits and see what develops.
Again thank you Pat, perfect job.
Uwe

[PatMarlin]

That's Great news Uwe.

We were just discussing our international members on another thread, and how Cast Boolits is world wide. I do want to go back and see Das Kehlsteinhaus in your neck of the woods some day, and have a few cocktails with dinner.. :mrgreen:

[pistolman44]

Hopefully will get my 45 PB this week. I think Pat said he would be shipping them this week. Casting season will close for me soon. I don't cast when it's cold out. I have a Ruger Blackhawk in 45 LC that I have been hot rodding a plain base lead 250 gr rf boolit. Can't waite to try it with a PB gas check.

[HARRYMPOPE]

I have experienced different lots of .014 flashing varies in hardness.Some cut perfect checks other tear them and wont work at all.

[rupe01]

I have experienced different lots of .014 flashing varies in hardness.Some cut perfect checks other tear them and wont work at all.

Dont forget you could always heat and quench your copper strips to make them more malleable and at least be able to use up the harder flashing (that's if the flashing is copper not aluminum).

Havent received my .30 cal Checkmaker from Pat yet but thats what i figured i would do if i had that problem.

By the way, Pat, if the flashing used was only .007" could 2 checks be formed at the same time? Just running through ideas until i get mine and try it out.

Rupe

[ReloaderFred]

rupe01,

There's no need to quench non-ferous metals when annealing, as it doesn't affect the temper one way or the other. Non-ferous metals aren't like ferous metal (steel), where the quenching is actually part of the tempering/annealing process.

Aluminum can also be annealed to make it soft, but it's much more tempermental than copper or brass. It melts at a lower temperature, which I've found to be just above the temperature that works best for annealing.

Hope this helps.

Fred

[rupe01]

Thanks Fred. Hopefully Harry can recover that flashing now!

[L1A1Rocker]

Well, I just got my plain base 30 cal and I cannot figure something out. Mine is for the RCBS and has some 90 degree angle thing that I think is supposed to eject the formed check. I watched a you tube video with a guy that seems to just slip it in and it stays in and works great. I cannot figure out how to make the darn thing work. Any suggestions would sure be appriciated.

Thanks

[PatMarlin]

My wife says "Typical male- won't read the instructions" ...:mrgreen:

Here's a pic of a dirty RCBS with your bent thingy:

http://www.patmarlins.com/rcbs.jpg

Pull the pin on your primer arm. Remove the primer arm. Replace the pin, then set the Checkmaker™ ram ejector arm like shown. You will be rockin' in mere minutes... :drinks:

Instructions:

Here is a PDF download link for full operating instructions with pictures:
http://www.patmarlins.com/CheckMakerDiesInstructions.pdf

[L1A1Rocker]

Thanks for the info and pic of the RCBS.

[HARRYMPOPE]

I have already annealed the material to make it usable.

George

[m1g]

Got my 35 cal checkmaker from Pat Friday. Just made a few to see how well it worked. Perfect little checks made from .014 Amerimax aluminum flashing. Perfect fit for my Lee C358 - 158 gr. SWC double cavity mold.
Drops bullets from WW at .359 and resized to .358 with the check. Couldn't ask for better. Gotta get some copper and try them out too. Another great tool to help pass those long winter days when you don't wanna get out. Thanx a milloin Pat. Will soon want more calibers. m1g.