Dale53
03-19-2008, 10:03 AM
I like the Dillon company and l like their products. Their service is second to NONE. I have been a customer since the 450 tool days (and that is a LONG time ago). I got a 550B when they first hit the market (sold my 450 and bought a 550B). Recently, I got tired of switching primer sizes and bought my second 550B.
I am reorganizing my basement shop and was trying to determine how best to organize my tool heads to have them ready at hand so I could do a caliber quick change with the least effort (as you might have figured out I am sometimes an impatient type).
I looked at Dillon tool stands:
http://www.dillonprecision.com/#/content/p/9/pid/23606/catid/3/Dillon_Toolhead_Stand
While they are worth the money, buying 10 of them costs about $200.00 when you factor shipping. That's a lot of primers and powder.
I decided to use a bit of scrap lumber I already have and a $1.50 1/2"x 3' dowel and build my own tool head holders. My board of choice was a 4' piece of 1"x5.5" (actual) pine. I used a Forstner bit to drill 10 holes (5" apart) the length of the board for the 1/2" dowel (3" long). The holes are 1/2" by 3/4" deep. I will round the tops of the dowels before inserting them into the board and gluing them so that I can easily set the tool heads on the dowels.
Dillon's tool heads have a 1/2" hole in the center of the tool head. My reloading bench is rather deep so the board will be lengthwise of the bench against the back. Now, if you sit the tool head on the dowel, the ends of the dies will rest on the board - with the decapping pins sticking out that is a potential for bending a decapping pin. I bought a length of 1/2" PVC Schedule 40 plumbing pipe at Lowe's (about a $1.50 for either 5' or 10' - since the cost was the same, I bought the 10' piece[smilie=1:). Using my powered miter saw, I cut ten pieces of pipe 1.0" long. These slip over the dowels and allow the tool head to rest on the pipe and elevate the decapping pins off the board. Neat fix, easily done!:mrgreen:
I already had my caliber conversions, as shipped, in their little blue boxes. I'll mark the boxes with the caliber designation and stand the boxes on end between the tool heads.
Now, when I want to change calibers EVERYTHING is ready at hand. I have three Dillon measures and two Lee Pro Auto Disk measures. I'll keep one Dillon measure as a "floater" for occasional calibers and have four complete set ups of the most used calibers I load for
(.32 S&W L and .32 H&R, .38/.357, .44 Special/Magnum, and .45 ACP).
I am always willing to save a couple of hundred dollars (as long as I can have the same functionality ) and the work involved was minor.
When I have the rack finished, I'll post a picture.
Dale53
Pictures:
1-This shows the bench without the tool rack.
2-Here you can see how simple the "rack" really is and yet how useful it can be. A 1"x5.5"x48" long with dowels cut 3" long and installed in a bored 1/2" hole 3/4" deep and then glued with wood glue.
3-Details showing the dowel, the PVC 1/2" pipe 1" tall. Note: the dowel has the top tapered to allow easier insertion into the tool head
4-Tool "rack' in relation to the two presses.
HINT:
Click on the pictures to enlarge...
Dale53
I am reorganizing my basement shop and was trying to determine how best to organize my tool heads to have them ready at hand so I could do a caliber quick change with the least effort (as you might have figured out I am sometimes an impatient type).
I looked at Dillon tool stands:
http://www.dillonprecision.com/#/content/p/9/pid/23606/catid/3/Dillon_Toolhead_Stand
While they are worth the money, buying 10 of them costs about $200.00 when you factor shipping. That's a lot of primers and powder.
I decided to use a bit of scrap lumber I already have and a $1.50 1/2"x 3' dowel and build my own tool head holders. My board of choice was a 4' piece of 1"x5.5" (actual) pine. I used a Forstner bit to drill 10 holes (5" apart) the length of the board for the 1/2" dowel (3" long). The holes are 1/2" by 3/4" deep. I will round the tops of the dowels before inserting them into the board and gluing them so that I can easily set the tool heads on the dowels.
Dillon's tool heads have a 1/2" hole in the center of the tool head. My reloading bench is rather deep so the board will be lengthwise of the bench against the back. Now, if you sit the tool head on the dowel, the ends of the dies will rest on the board - with the decapping pins sticking out that is a potential for bending a decapping pin. I bought a length of 1/2" PVC Schedule 40 plumbing pipe at Lowe's (about a $1.50 for either 5' or 10' - since the cost was the same, I bought the 10' piece[smilie=1:). Using my powered miter saw, I cut ten pieces of pipe 1.0" long. These slip over the dowels and allow the tool head to rest on the pipe and elevate the decapping pins off the board. Neat fix, easily done!:mrgreen:
I already had my caliber conversions, as shipped, in their little blue boxes. I'll mark the boxes with the caliber designation and stand the boxes on end between the tool heads.
Now, when I want to change calibers EVERYTHING is ready at hand. I have three Dillon measures and two Lee Pro Auto Disk measures. I'll keep one Dillon measure as a "floater" for occasional calibers and have four complete set ups of the most used calibers I load for
(.32 S&W L and .32 H&R, .38/.357, .44 Special/Magnum, and .45 ACP).
I am always willing to save a couple of hundred dollars (as long as I can have the same functionality ) and the work involved was minor.
When I have the rack finished, I'll post a picture.
Dale53
Pictures:
1-This shows the bench without the tool rack.
2-Here you can see how simple the "rack" really is and yet how useful it can be. A 1"x5.5"x48" long with dowels cut 3" long and installed in a bored 1/2" hole 3/4" deep and then glued with wood glue.
3-Details showing the dowel, the PVC 1/2" pipe 1" tall. Note: the dowel has the top tapered to allow easier insertion into the tool head
4-Tool "rack' in relation to the two presses.
HINT:
Click on the pictures to enlarge...
Dale53