Making your own Gas Checks

[Dthunter]

Can you guys give me some makes/manufacturers of gas check making tools?

I recently tried to look into info about Pat Marlins stuff.
But the links didnt lead to anything.

Also, can Pats equip/tool cut/form .015" thick Brass checks as well?
Just curious.

What is the thickness of "beverage cans"?
Coke/pepsi sort of cans?

[Ben]

I'd think that this link would answer any questions you have about Pat's g/c making tools and then some :

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=104930

[JeffinNZ]

Soda can walls tend to be 4-6 thou inch. Generally too thin for single layer use but 2 ply may work depending on the boolit shank diameter. I ply up 1 x litho plate (.012) and 1 x soda can (.004) for .016 inch.

[Dthunter]

Whohooo!
I think I have a major source of .016" aluminum sheet metal!
I work at a mill, and the piping insulation covering is sheet aluminum!
Both .016 & .020" thick!

I should be able to get a pile of waste material, and i can cut it up into 1/2" strips on an industial sheer!

I hope this works out!
Maybe free gas check material for a while

[Ben]

I hope that the hardness is correct for check making. If so, looks like the .016 might be a good candidate for some fine g/cs.

The .020 may be a bit thick ?

I guess all check makers may take different widths of metal. My .30 cal. CheckMaker is made by Pat and works best with a .460" wide strip.

[Dthunter]

I have to try the .020" stuff yet, chances are it is too thick.

[JeffinNZ]

Ben makes a good point. I too found a source of 16 thou material; side walls of deod/hair spray alum. cans. Very soft however and whilst it made the most beautiful checks they didn't shoot well at all.

[Sagebrush7]

Jeff, must be the hair blowing back in your eyes! Maybe the ground is still moving! Kiddin aside hope everything is well with you and friends.




Ben makes a good point. I too found a source of 16 thou material; side walls of deod/hair spray alum. cans. Very soft however and whilst it made the most beautiful checks they didn't shoot well at all.

[30CAL-TEXAN]

I tried using the .020 alum in my CheckMaker a few times and it was just too thick to work with. If the sides didn't sheer off of the bottom of the check it would be stuck on the male end of the die once it was formed. I didn't even get enough of them made to load and test, I gave up.

I guess if you had a good enough supply of the material laying around you might justify getting the check tool custom made to use it.

[pistolman44]

I had a Freechex II and used .014 alm. to mak checks for 44 caliber. But with this tool some of the checks where loose after sizeing. I ordered a 45 plain base die from Pat but can't give a report on it yet. Ordered it around Jan 12, 2011 but haven't got it yet.

[Loki610]

Has anyone tried this with a lee hand press yet?

[JKH]

buy a Freechex III from Charlie, send him samples of your aluminum pipe wrap & he can optomize the tool for your material. You can use the FC III with a loading press, arbor press or a drill press (even a hammer if need be) for great flexibility. I just got another tool in .22 from him with 2 forming mandrels, I made specifically for my .008" lith plate and the other for .011" material, beautiful tool that makes beautiful checks! :-)


One thing to keep in mind about aluminum & check tools, it's the MATERIAL that will effect grip on the boolit shank primarily, if the checks fit tight BEFORE sizing but come off after that means your aluminum is to hard & you have spring back. It has nothing to do with the tool, you have to aneal your aluminum or find softer material.

Jeff

[MGySgt]

Question - How do you anneal aluminum?

[edsmith]

I put mine in a toaster oven for a hour at 450degrees. works for me. do it out doors,unless you like a foggy house.got the t-shirt.

[MGySgt]

Thanks edsmith - the same as annealing copper. Sounds like a job for the casting shed!

[JKH]

yes, DONT do it in the house! stinks like mad depending on what's on the aluminum (dirt, coatings, bat poop, etc.).

There is a thread (or several) here on the boards concerning this, one thing is that you want to control it as much as possible for consistency, I remember a thread about using a sharpy marker and placing a mark on the aluminum, when it disapears then its done, CAVEAT; that is to the best of my memory which is skiddish of late so double check and dont take my word for it!

Jeff