Tools to make dies

[Deliverator]

What tools are needed to make swaging dies? Can it be done with just a lathe? Or do you need a mill too? Is it substantially more difficult without certain tool sets or just more time consuming?

[tiger762]

Just my two cents, but I think 99% of the work is making the reamer to cut the ogive. You can get 7/8-14 die blanks (threaded, knurled, pilot through-hole) for $20 from PTG. Making that 4S,6S,8S ogive is the trick. I've experimented with using carbide burrs after doing some step drilling. Once you have a rough cut ogive, next up is heat treating then polishing. Getting that mirror smooth ogive surface is a huge amount of the work involved. Making the core swage is trivial. As is the core seat. Just dealing with cylindrical geometry up to that point...

[bangerjim]

That is what I spend my money on...............commercial dies! I do not waste time making them, even though I have all the machine tools and machinist skills to do so.

banger

[country gent]

I always thought that an edm machine would be just the ticket for making swage dies An slightly undersized electrode could be turned up from carbon and the Body Blanks pre hardened allowing for very accurate consistant machining and finsih from the machine. A mill would be handy for some of the linkages and odds and ends but a lathe can do it all. I was going to try a bullet mold with the CNC edm I ran but medically retired before I got the chance

[Cane_man]

no mill needed, just a lathe...

no special tools, but you will have to learn how to make a reamer for the pointing die, heat treat it, and make the laps...

tons of info in the archives on how to do this at home

making the dies is as much fun as making the bullets, at least it is for me :)

[Chuck Walla]

I guess you must have found a great place to buy quality swaging dies for a good price and get them within a short period of time. Please share with the rest of us!!!
That is what I spend my money on...............commercial dies! I do not waste time making them, even though I have all the machine tools and machinist skills to do so.

banger