Shop ninety percent done - bullets back in production!

[303british.com]

Just before the long weekend, I put together a few hundred 43 and 60 grain .224 bullets. Here are some pix. This is my main bench with three manual presses. There's a small work table to the right where I put my pneumatic press. I had to cover the window with a towel so that the picture wouldn't get bleached by the sun. Wifey wants to make some new curtains for it. The walls are not complete and I have to anchor two outlets.

http://i481.photobucket.com/albums/rr179/S_Redgwell/Bullet%20Making/1sep13_1_zps830f4d83.jpg

Here's a closer shot of the derimming press I got from featherhead. It sits on a small worktable. You can see an outlet against the wall. It's now attached to some board about one foot from the ceiling.

http://i481.photobucket.com/albums/rr179/S_Redgwell/Bullet%20Making/1sep13_2_zps3550dde7.jpg

This pic shows the manual press I use to seat the lead cores into the jackets. These are 60 grain bullets. I wanted to show everyone how I've got my bullet operation set up. This Series II press is the first of three on a metal bench. I start here and move the bullets to the right for each successive step. (See the first pic for the whole bench.) The middle press point forms. The last press on the right tip forms.

http://i481.photobucket.com/albums/rr179/S_Redgwell/Bullet%20Making/1sep13_3_zps68275146.jpg

This is a close up of the same press, but with 43 grain bullets for my hornet. The wooden tray on the left holds 200 jackets and lead cores.

http://i481.photobucket.com/albums/rr179/S_Redgwell/Bullet%20Making/1sep13_4_zpsd3a7254d.jpg

On another thread, we were talking about derimming dies. For those of you that do not use Corbin dies (either fellow), this is how they come out. Note that the bottom is flat, not rounded. These were formed on featherhead's pneumatic press. The occasional case cracks as you can see on the left.

http://i481.photobucket.com/albums/rr179/S_Redgwell/Bullet%20Making/case3_zps6dc52990.jpg

This last picture is an older picture of my shop, before the improvements. It was dingy, cramped and I had water coming through the floor in spots. Now, it's bright, spacious and dry!

http://i481.photobucket.com/albums/rr179/S_Redgwell/Bullet%20Making/Varmintpress.jpg

[303british.com]

I wanted to add this picture. :) It's from a few years back when I used hard "foam trays" to hold jackets. I marked the top of the foam with a pen and poked the pen into the material to make the holes. 100 on each piece. I keep them on my shelf in case I ever have an overflow when I'm prepping. As silly as they look, the foam works. It just takes time to place the cases into them.

http://i481.photobucket.com/albums/rr179/S_Redgwell/Bullet%20Making/Varmintjackets.jpg

With my bigger bullets - these are .314s - I use reloading trays. They work well and are easy to clean. Since I don't make as many of these as I do the 224s, the plastic trays are all I need.

http://i481.photobucket.com/albums/rr179/S_Redgwell/Bullet%20Making/303before.jpg

[Whiterabbit]

So, I don't do any of this, but I couldn't resist opening the topic because you used the word "shop" in the title. I'm a sucker!

Anyways, I am posting because I am looking at your loading blocks and the noodle is working (perhaps poorly). I'm left wondering.

So, I figure if you are making .22 caliber jacketed bullets, then the goal is mass production and fast, yes? Well it seems to be loading and unloading those blocks would take some time, as you have to "touch" each jacket and core during loading and unloading.

I'm wondering if you can make a block that holds the cases relatively flush to the surface. The block would have "sides" to it to hold cases like a bin. you pour in 200 derimed cases and shake the bin, and these cases will naturally fall base first into the holes, yes? When one is in, then the others will simply roll right over it. After a minute of shaking, the block should be fully loaded, you can remove extras or hand place the last small handful.

You could do the same with cores, methinks.

Anyways, I don't know how time consuming it is to load the blocks, being a non swager. Just thinking.

[jmort]

Nice to have a nice shop/space to work in. I like your layout/set-up. Makes sense to me. Well done.

[Cane_man]

shop porn is awesome, thanks for posting :guntootsmiley:

[303british.com]

So, I don't do any of this, but I couldn't resist opening the topic because you used the word "shop" in the title. I'm a sucker!

Anyways, I am posting because I am looking at your loading blocks and the noodle is working (perhaps poorly). I'm left wondering.

So, I figure if you are making .22 caliber jacketed bullets, then the goal is mass production and fast, yes? Well it seems to be loading and unloading those blocks would take some time, as you have to "touch" each jacket and core during loading and unloading.

I'm wondering if you can make a block that holds the cases relatively flush to the surface. The block would have "sides" to it to hold cases like a bin. you pour in 200 derimed cases and shake the bin, and these cases will naturally fall base first into the holes, yes? When one is in, then the others will simply roll right over it. After a minute of shaking, the block should be fully loaded, you can remove extras or hand place the last small handful.

You could do the same with cores, methinks.

Anyways, I don't know how time consuming it is to load the blocks, being a non swager. Just thinking.

As a matter of fact, I do have a tray like that. I got it from a board member, supe47. It works for my 60s, but the 43s are too short. I use supe47's tray and my own wooden ones. It's nice to have more than you need! :)

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=64643&d=1363744819


Nice to have a nice shop/space to work in. I like your layout/set-up. Makes sense to me. Well done.


shop porn is awesome, thanks for posting :guntootsmiley:

Thanks. I'm glad that it's dry now. When I had the leaks, I was always worried about the humidity. I'll be glad when the walls are finished. I want to frame, install styrofoam insulation and panel it. Workshops should be cozy. I suggested putting in a fireplace, but wifey gave me the stinkeye. Sometimes I think that she has no sense of humour! :)