"Hey Dummy!"…"I answered…What?"…"Use a rubber band!" LEE SIZING

[OS OK]

This morning I almost forced that red container apart while sizing some PC'd boolits. I've dumped it twice before and thought I'd keep a better eye on it…so much for that idea!

Then that little voice in my head said…"Hey Dummy!"
I said…"What?"
It said…"Put a rubber band around that dang thing!"
I said…"Duh! Why didn't I think of that!"

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[nagantguy]

Good idea, when I saw dummy in the title I knew I had to look..........now why didn't I think of that?

[aquarist]

Good idea, I've filled it to bursting a few times before.

[RogerDat]

The little voice in your head is more helpful than mine... mine always tells me things like "go ahead she won't mind" or "long term it is an investment".

[OS OK]

The little voice in your head is more helpful than mine... mine always tells me things like "go ahead she won't mind" or "long term it is an investment".

I'm not so sure about that…mine says a lot of…"Go ahead do it! Forgiveness is easier than permission anyway!"

[country gent]

9 of the 10 voices in my head are saying ...........

[OS OK]

9 of the 10 voices in my head are saying ...........

SO…You running a democracy in there…or is there a tyrant bully that rules?

[Outer Rondacker]

What is the spring for on the press? It looks to be over the ram.

[DerekP Houston]

What is the spring for on the press? It looks to be over the ram.


The spring is another ingenious tip I saw on here. you just drop the bullet in the spring and it holds it in the middle of the ram. Helps prevent pinched fingers since you don't have to guide the bullet as much. That rubber band idea....geez how didn't I see that. Nice job!

[Outer Rondacker]

Anyone know the size on this spring? :} And I love the rubber idea.

[dikman]

While it might be a bit of messing around setting it up, the upside-down press is just sooo much better for sizing - quicker, fingers are out of the way and the boolits just drop down.

(My little voices are obviously better trained - they rarely call me dummy :smile:).

[OS OK]

The spring is just a little bit wider than the post and its about 3/16'' or a bit less taller. Just tall enough to catch the base of the boolit to keep it pretty much centered on the post without holding it w/fingers. Goes really fast just dropping them there and 'let her rip'.
The only thing that holds your speed up is 'how fast can you grab those little slick willies' that are powder coated, especially little tapered 9mm's.
Try to find the smallest/thinnest wire you can get to allow it to collapse completely under the die.

[Budzilla 19]

The things you learn on here!!! Great ideas! Especially that spring !! Thanks guys !

[Outer Rondacker]

Yes thanks guys.

[roysha]

That little voice in my head usually comes out of my mouth with something along the lines of, "Hold my beer and watch this!" Oh well.

[John Boy]

The spring is just a little bit wider than the post and its about 3/16'' or a bit less taller.
So why not ... I get out my calipers - measure the width of the post & length - write down measurements on a piece of paper - go to the hardware store - pull out the springs box - read the measurements on the box label and buy the one that fits the measurements on the paper.

[Outer Rondacker]

So I take it if its over the sizing ram post then depending on what cal bullet I am sizing the spring would change no?

[Walla2]

The voices in my head argue.

[Rizzo]

Good idea OP!
Thanks, I'll give it a try.

[John Hill]

I use the rubber band to keep the lid on my Lee hand priming tool tray. I have had it come loose many times and spill the primers before I started using the rubber band.
John

[OS OK]

So I take it if its over the sizing ram post then depending on what cal bullet I am sizing the spring would change no?

As long as the spring 'just' slips over the post…good nuff…keep it thin so it will collapse under the die…don't let it stick up too high.

[MT Chambers]

Yup, most lee stuff benefits from rubber bands or duct tape.

[OS OK]

So I take it if its over the sizing ram post then depending on what cal bullet I am sizing the spring would change no?

Yes…the spring acts like a corral for the boolit… the underside of the die is cone shaped and all the boolit needs to do is come up within that cone and the nose of the boolit will shove itself over and center up by itself…I just don't want to keep my fingers in there too long.

[Outer Rondacker]

I just don't want to keep my fingers in there too long.
I have got myself many times. I was going to do the upside down press thing but it would seam ever time I get a second single stage press somebody needs it. Thanks for the tip guys.

[BUCKEYE BANDIT]

I'm left handed already,so not adding upside down press will certainly reduce the confusion factor. Thanks for both TIPS:bigsmyl2:

[mdi]

Jes take a bullet and the sizer ram and put it in yer pocket. When you happen to go by a hardware store jes find a spring that the bullet will fit in and a bit longer than the ram...

K.I.S.S.

[bedbugbilly]

Jeeze . . . I thought I was the only one who ever dumped that red container off and spilled boolits all over the floor!

Good solution!

[Dragonheart]

Yes, I too have heard those voices before, but mine said throw that bottle away and invert the press so the bullets just drop into the die and get pushed out directly out the bottom into the storage cans. I listened and did that.

Then the voices said, "this is too much work" so why don't you make the press operate with a push of a button, so I did that too.

[robg]

2 ideas I'm going to steal .you are a real problem solver.no more picking boolits off the floor and pinched fingers

[OS OK]

Yes, I too have heard those voices before, but mine said throw that bottle away and invert the press so the bullets just drop into the die and get pushed out directly out the bottom into the storage cans. I listened and did that.

Then the voices said, "this is too much work" so why don't you make the press operate with a push of a button, so I did that too.

"Well…don't keep us in suspense…post us a picture!"

[Dragonheart]

I thought you would never ask!
161419161420

[Outer Rondacker]

More details. Ram, valve and so on. LOOKS GREAT.

[OS OK]

"I'm impressed…looks very professional and a dream to use…kerplunk, swish, kerplunk, swish…I could get used to that…well…except for the 'finger cramp' you are going to have from operating that valve arm!
Did anyone ever suspect you of being a 'neat freak?'
Well done, well lit up, well cleaned…well organized...well hell…'Let's go shoot'!"

Thanks for the pic's. …OS OK

[dikman]

Now that is what I call "over the top"! Well done to that man :drinks:.

[Rally]

Dragonheart,
Outstanding!!! Love the mounting system also.

[GoodOlBoy]

I don't mind all the voices in my head, I just wish they all spoke english....

:D

GoodOlBoy

[gpidaho]

The voices in my head argue, my imaginary friend hides things from me, and one of my personalities just wandered off. One of those days! Gp

[Sghinds]

You could make your own spring. Just need some thin wire, wrap it around the punch until desired length, and trim it off. It doesn't have to be perfect, its just holding the boolit inside for alignment.

[Ballistics in Scotland]

I've had snippets of the same motorcycle inner tube securing the pestilential Rockchucker primer catcher for more than a quarter of a century.

[Dragonheart]

More details. Ram, valve and so on. LOOKS GREAT.

OK, here goes:

The pneumatic cylinder that drives an inverted RCBS Rock Chucker Supreme Single Stage Press is a double acting 2-1/2" bore, 4" stroke cylinder. By removing 5 bolts I can remove the press from the frame if ever needed. The supporting frame was build from salvage steel cut off materials at $0.30 a pound. The whip air hoses,quick connects & regulator came from Harbor Freight. The 5 way pneumatic lever switch and muffler/limiters were purchased off EBay. The thing that was the most time consuming was making the linkage to attach the piston rod of the air cylinder to the main shaft of the press.

The steel frame is mounted to a board that attaches to two aluminum T-tracks set into my countertop. The red knobs, made by Woodpecker, have through bolts that slide in the tracks allowing Ram Chucker to slide front to back and be locked down in any position. Actually, my other tools ( vice, trimmers, lube/sizer, shot shell press, etc.) all use the same mounting system so I can quickly change out tools and save space on my countertop.

I use Ram Chucker to do a lot of the otherwise labor intensive operation of a single stage press like push through sizing powder coated bullets, bulge busting cases, etc. Most bullet sizing is done with about 40 psi of pressure. I can't keep up the pace for a long time, but I can size 30+ bullets in a minute. Ram Chucker never gets tierd, but I do.

Any other questions, just ask.

[Dragonheart]

"I'm impressed…looks very professional and a dream to use…kerplunk, swish, kerplunk, swish…I could get used to that…well…except for the 'finger cramp' you are going to have from operating that valve arm!
Did anyone ever suspect you of being a 'neat freak?'
Well done, well lit up, well cleaned…well organized...well hell…'Let's go shoot'!"

Thanks for the pic's. …OS OK

Neat freak, No, my friends and family have seen my garage!

[facetious]

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=161419&d=1455971769&thumb=1


I bet it sucks big time to get a finger pinched with that thing!:shock:

The only problem with the voices in my head is that I think thy are having more fun in there than I'm having out here. And look out for the one that tells you to set fires! He just a butt hole trying to get you in trouble.

[Dragonheart]

No doubt it would suck to get a finger pinched, that's the reason I don't do it!

[OS OK]

No doubt it would suck to get a finger pinched, that's the reason I don't do it!

Are you working on an automated boolit feeder that you are going to surprise us with soon?

[Dragonheart]

Hi OS,

I admit a bullet feeder has occurred to me, but I use Ram Checker mostly for sizing PC bullets. My first idea was tube feeders, but the time and effort to load the tubes didn't see like it would save much because I can hand feed 30 bullets a minute without pushing. So far my record was 38 sized bullets in a minute; yes, I get bored and play games like that. I think the best way would be to build a collator and it would have to deliver the bullets nose down, but lately I have had too many irons in the fire to put much though into it, been working on the sprinkler system before the Texas heat sets in.

So not to disappoint you, here is a photo of my newly completed "Ram Buster". When I first built Ram Chucker I couldn't imagine it not having enough power for any operation and actually Ram Checker does because as the cylinder can handle 250 psi, but I am limited by my air compressor, which normally tops out at 125 psi. Bulge Busting straight wall cases puts a lot of stress on any standard press and the operator. Ram Chucker sailed through bulge busting the 9 mm as well as most 45 acp, but I ended up with several thousand 45 cases with small primer pockets. These SP 45's were the devil to push through the die, so I decided to go for more power and build Ram Buster with a 80 mm pneumatic cylinder. So far Ram buster hasn't met a case it can't easily bulge bust.
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[BwBrown]

I am humbled by the ingenuity and craftsmanship!!!
So many ideas to steal - and so little time.
Bob;

[Dragonheart]

I am humbled by the ingenuity and craftsmanship!!!
So many ideas to steal - and so little time.
Bob;

I too am amazed with the things some of the guys come up with and I am always willing to share any information I have it ever needed.

[Idaho Sharpshooter]

I occasionally struggle with the little voices. After a couple years, I went to the VA and visited with a shrink.

He offered me two options: counseling or medication. I went with the meds, and it seems to work about 90% of the time. When things get a little too far out of hand, I just threaten them with counseling. It seems to work rather well.

[glockmeister]

Hearing the voices in your head is OK. It is also OK to argue with yourself, I do that all the time. Worst part is when I lose the argument, trust me it has happened. Take care, John.

[fiberoptik]

I don't mind all the voices in my head, I just wish they all spoke english....

:D

GoodOlBoy

Que?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[fiberoptik]

I occasionally struggle with the little voices. After a couple years, I went to the VA and visited with a shrink.

He offered me two options: counseling or medication. I went with the meds, and it seems to work about 90% of the time. When things get a little too far out of hand, I just threaten them with counseling. It seems to work rather well.

I told my VA shrink I met a guy with the same voice as the voices, he hid under desk, wouldn't come out...


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Walter Laich]

back to the ram press: it's times like these I wish I learned welding in high school instead of Latin.

[Dragonheart]

Actually the Ram Presses I built have become more of a necessity as I have aged. My joints & muscles are no longer able to handle the repetitious tasks of operating a press under full load over and over again for thousands of strokes, but I can push a button with no problem. Maybe if I had learned Latin instead I wouldn't need to be using the press in the first place, but I have to say all those Industrial Engineering Labs have come in handy over the years.