Pressman
07-29-2012, 05:17 PM
A month or so back there were questions about the Multiplex reloading press. I finally have the time to get this posted in response to that thread. You will have to find teh original thread using thh search feature. I also have a house full of in-laws today. :sad:
The story begins with some background information by Kevin, he lives within easy driving distance.
by Kevin Roher
The wife and I made the 3-hour trip to Logan last Saturday and spent the afternoon talking to people. We went to the address on Orchard, but the people who own the house now did not buy it from Jacoby. I talked to an elderly woman a couple doors down; she knew the family but didn't know Jacoby had a sideline business. His day job was a building inspector.
I then went to three gunstores in the area and left fliers with them showing the press and asking for people who had knowledge of it to call me. One of the gunstore owners knew Jacoby pretty well, but didn't know he made presses. He did state that Jacoby had no machining skills and probably had someone else do it (Thompson?). He didn't know Thompson, but did give me a couple names of those who had machining skills who might have worked with Jacoby. They are still alive and I contacted them, but they didn't work with him.
Jacoby died around 1955, so that is why the company wasn't listed after that. His son just died. He also has a daughter who lives somewhere in New Jersey, but I have no way to contact her. I guess its a dead end.
Multiplex Reloading Press and Dies
Multiplex is a product of D.E. Jacoby, Box 283, Logan Ohio. He is listed in The Gun Digest from 1954 to 1956 as a reloading tool maker. Neither DE Jacoby nor Multiplex is listed in The Gun Digest after 1956. Prior to 1954 he was listed as a partnership; Jacoby and Thompson at 365 North Orchard St., Logan, Ohio. More research is needed to determine the actual beginning date and nothing is known of what type of reloading tool Jacoby and Thompson made.
Multiplex products are first described in the 1954 Gun Digest. There are no pictures of the press though there is an illustrated view of their dies. The concept of the dies was a universal, all caliber seater and a universal die body that the user changed inside parts for neck sizing.
This is an interesting, early post war design. The base is cast aluminum with the remainder of the parts made of steel. Multiplex is cast in the base. The base is 8 long by 4 wide with three 3/8 mounting holes.
It operates upstroke only using a linkage design that nearly copies the Universal press. The link ears measure .25 x .620 x 5.62 giving a travel length of 3.3. The links are attached to the press and carrier with 5/16 pins, secured with e-clips.
The shellholder carrier rides on a one inch shaft fitted with a square key along the back to maintain alignment and prevent any tendency to rotate. The carrier is machined steel and threaded for 7/8-14 tpi dies. The handle is 13 long and 5/8 in diameter which was industry typical. The kink makes loading a lot easier when the handle is raised.
The shellholder is an adapter to take RCBS shellholders; that possibly makes this a very late production press. The adapter is Ύ long and Ύ in diameter, it is made by machining the end off of a typical ram. A single set screw holds it in the carrier. Priming is possible on the press though the primer seater is missing. There is a Ό, non-threaded hole in the base for a punch to fit in.
The story begins with some background information by Kevin, he lives within easy driving distance.
by Kevin Roher
The wife and I made the 3-hour trip to Logan last Saturday and spent the afternoon talking to people. We went to the address on Orchard, but the people who own the house now did not buy it from Jacoby. I talked to an elderly woman a couple doors down; she knew the family but didn't know Jacoby had a sideline business. His day job was a building inspector.
I then went to three gunstores in the area and left fliers with them showing the press and asking for people who had knowledge of it to call me. One of the gunstore owners knew Jacoby pretty well, but didn't know he made presses. He did state that Jacoby had no machining skills and probably had someone else do it (Thompson?). He didn't know Thompson, but did give me a couple names of those who had machining skills who might have worked with Jacoby. They are still alive and I contacted them, but they didn't work with him.
Jacoby died around 1955, so that is why the company wasn't listed after that. His son just died. He also has a daughter who lives somewhere in New Jersey, but I have no way to contact her. I guess its a dead end.
Multiplex Reloading Press and Dies
Multiplex is a product of D.E. Jacoby, Box 283, Logan Ohio. He is listed in The Gun Digest from 1954 to 1956 as a reloading tool maker. Neither DE Jacoby nor Multiplex is listed in The Gun Digest after 1956. Prior to 1954 he was listed as a partnership; Jacoby and Thompson at 365 North Orchard St., Logan, Ohio. More research is needed to determine the actual beginning date and nothing is known of what type of reloading tool Jacoby and Thompson made.
Multiplex products are first described in the 1954 Gun Digest. There are no pictures of the press though there is an illustrated view of their dies. The concept of the dies was a universal, all caliber seater and a universal die body that the user changed inside parts for neck sizing.
This is an interesting, early post war design. The base is cast aluminum with the remainder of the parts made of steel. Multiplex is cast in the base. The base is 8 long by 4 wide with three 3/8 mounting holes.
It operates upstroke only using a linkage design that nearly copies the Universal press. The link ears measure .25 x .620 x 5.62 giving a travel length of 3.3. The links are attached to the press and carrier with 5/16 pins, secured with e-clips.
The shellholder carrier rides on a one inch shaft fitted with a square key along the back to maintain alignment and prevent any tendency to rotate. The carrier is machined steel and threaded for 7/8-14 tpi dies. The handle is 13 long and 5/8 in diameter which was industry typical. The kink makes loading a lot easier when the handle is raised.
The shellholder is an adapter to take RCBS shellholders; that possibly makes this a very late production press. The adapter is Ύ long and Ύ in diameter, it is made by machining the end off of a typical ram. A single set screw holds it in the carrier. Priming is possible on the press though the primer seater is missing. There is a Ό, non-threaded hole in the base for a punch to fit in.