Opening up a carbide die?

[buck1]

A buddy of mine needs to open up a RCBS 44M carbide die three thou.
I told him to use it for about 200 years and then check it again. LOL
Any advice I can pass along? Thanks in advance....Buck

[mike in co]

A GOOD MACHINE SHOP WITH A POWER HONE CAN DO IT.....but typically only to an od....not a taper.

[OLPDon]

"Diamond paste" I use to use the stuff when I worked in Can Co. to polish carbide rings used to draw 2 piece cans (seamless type) found on beer and bev. cans.
Now mind you I said Polish, just a little on a wooden dowel. Now as for 3 thou. gona take a lot of turning, and I have no idea how much the Diamond Paste would cost comes in different grits.

I would think a friendly Machinist like Buckshot might give you a better idea on how its done the right way.
Don

[leftiye]

Don is on the right track with the diamond polishing compound. Last I bought was about $12 a tube from MSC. He's also right about your friend dieing before he gets .003" polished out of the die.

That much might also be problematical in keeping things straight. If you can turn out a steel (or several in progressing larger sizes) "form" the same shape as the die and coat it with diamond paste and turn the form in a drill press or something like that, it might eventually get you there. There's a reason that carbide dies (not these maybe) are cut with a plunge EDM.

[Leverluver]

Expandable diamond laps, also in MSC will speed things up somewhat.

[warf73]

Why not call RCBS and talk to them they offered to open my die for free. I was told it would take 3-4 weeks to get it back.

Just a thought.

Warf

[44man]

The picture I get is the fella sitting at the bench with the press rusted shut and a beard down to the floor with a pristine die still there! Still trying to figure how many bottles of scotch would be needed.

[buck1]

44man
Boolit Master
"The picture I get is the fella sitting at the bench with the press rusted shut and a beard down to the floor with a pristine die still there! Still trying to figure how many bottles of scotch would be needed."
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Not even close. .......
Try this one on...
A deticated cast boolit shooter(from .22 to .460) that is having his fat well cast boolits sized down by the brass.
I dont have all the details on his prob but its a neck tenshion thing.

Of all people I would think you would have related to that!
How you came up with a rusted press and Scotch is beyond me.

[44man]

It was the 200 year thing that made me laugh, you have to admit it makes a funny picture. But then the beard might be 100 feet long!

[buck1]

OK, I'm with you now.

Thanks to all....Buck

[Boomer Mikey]

I open all my carbide ring sizing dies to produce sized cases with new case dimensions.

I do it in my lathe with a round or half round medium diamond dust coated Swiss file and a light cutting oil. Use light pressure and a fine file or some 600 silicon paper for the finish or polishing cut. You can introduce a slight chamfer on the leading edge to feed cases better too.

You can get a set of diamond dust Swiss files from most good hardware and tool suppliers.

I don't like reloads with an "hourglass" shape and there's no sense overworking the brass.

Don't try this with titanium nitride coated dies.

Boomer :Fire:

[mtgrs737]

I'm with Warf73 send it to the people who made it. they will get it done right.