Arbor Press

[oscar]

Forgive my ignorance. We at the southern tip of Africa make do with whatever we can find locally (and import that is not items restricted in terms of US legislation). I've been reloading since the late 70's and has never come across an Arbor Press.
What is it used for? Do I miss out on something?

Oscar

[725]

Hi Oscar,
An arbor press is a tool, not specifically used in ammo reloading, that runs a ram via a rack and pinion type gear to exert vast pressure on a work item. If you need to squish something, force one tight fitting piece into another, or compress something, an arbor press is one tool that can do that. I'm far from an expert on the tool or it's various uses. Would not suprise me that one of these clever guys around this forum has figured a way to use it to swage boolits or something.

Now, I have a request. Was reading an article from SA the other day and in the article were two words I didn't understand: 1-Shangaans, 2-knobkerries. Can you define these words for me? When reading articles from foreign (to me) authors, I miss the much of the complete understandings from not knowing these various terms.

Regards, 725

[Bret4207]

http://www.dakecorp.com/presses.html

That should give you an idea of what they are. Handy tool in the shop.

[Morgan Astorbilt]

While we've got a thread about arbor presses, just want to mention that ENCO has the 2-Ton Palmgren arbor press on sale for $125.99 shipped FREE! The regular price on this item is $189., and it weight about 70lb. The shipping alone must be worth at least $50. I've got this press, and use it for case forming, as well as general machine work.
Morgan

[oscar]

725

Saw some arbor presses in Handloaders Digets. Was just wondering.

Your request :

Shangaan is a South African indigenous nation such as Zulu, Xhosa, etc.

Knobkerrie is a traditional weapon usually carried by native warriors together with an assegaai (stabbing spear) and shield. The knobkerrie looks like a walking stick with a ball shaped knob on one end and was used in close combat situations in tribal wars to smash the oponent's skull.

Regards
Oscar

[mike in co]

there are machine shop arbor presses and then there are (benchrest) reloading arbor presses.

machine shop can run from 20 lbs up, gear operated, on and on....

reloading arbor presses are much lighter, inder 10 lbs, used for deprimming, re sizing(neck) and seating bullets......brass that was just fired in the previous stage.

yes i use a light shop press for some reloading tasks.

as it is a machine shop tool, i would think you could get one locally .

mike in co

[garandsrus]

Oscar,

Here's a link to a reloading arbor press from Sinclair International (http://www.sinclairintl.com/cgi-bin/category.cgi?category=search&item=AP-1000&type=store).

John

[Powderpacker]

Standard, threaded reloading dies won't work with an arbor press. I think L. E. Wilson is the only company that makes dies which will work with an arbor press and their selection of chamberings is not as extensive as the selection available in standard dies. Wilson does sell blank dies so your gunsmith can make dies for you with the same reamer he used to chamber your gun.

[mike in co]

Standard, threaded reloading dies won't work with an arbor press. I think L. E. Wilson is the only company that makes dies which will work with an arbor press and their selection of chamberings is not as extensive as the selection available in standard dies. Wilson does sell blank dies so your gunsmith can make dies for you with the same reamer he used to chamber your gun.



awww....but lee classic handloaders work great in an arbor press.....did i mention i have over 35 lee loaders ?


mike in co

[floodgate]

Oscar:

The origin of the term "arbor press" was the practice of mounting through-drilled parts for lathe turning by pressing a cylindrical billet called an "arbor" (sized to be a "press fit"; there are also expanding arbors) through the aperture, mounting the arbor between centers with a lathe dog, or between a 3- or 4-jaw chuck and a center in the lathe tailstock, doing the turning, and then pressing the arbor back out with a smaller follower bar. Most machinists eventually accumulate quite an array of arbors. The presses are used for many other purposes around the shop, too; but the name "arbor press" has stuck.

The arbor press is the best tool for use with the old Ideal/Lyman drive-in/drive-out F/L sizing dies - as discussed here a week or two ago. Since they operate vertically, they are a lot more convenient than trying to juggle die, case, knockout rod and spacer horizontally into a padded vise. Also, they can be gotten very cheaply from the "machinists' porn" catalogs; or just about any machine or auto shop will have at least one gathering dust at the back of the bench.

Some folks use a drill press as an arbor press, but that is pretty rough on the spindle rack and feed pinion.

Floodgate

[miestro_jerry]

Just buy one, you will find many things for it to do.

Jerry

[725]

Oscar,
Thanks for the definitions. I was in the Limpopo River region a couple of years ago with a SAP friend. We had a wonderful time. Ended up through Krueger. Even spent a little time in your neck of the woods, Pretoria. Now that I know the name of my walking stick with a nice round knob on the end of it, I'll be able to impress my friends with all my worldly knowledge. (They are generally never very impressed with the stuff I do) Picked it up from one of the many road side vendors.
Regards, 725

[RFWobbly]

Just buy one, you will find many things for it to do.

Yes, you'll be able to press the knobs onto your Knobkerrie. :mrgreen:

[klw]

For what it is worth I still don't know what these are used for. I have one but I've never used it.

[felix]

Used for hand dies, Kenneth. Hand dies are the same dies you have for a press, but without the threads for inserting into a press. Hand dies are typically custom made with the same chambering reamer used for the barrel. Hand dies don't work well when lube is required, which means cases are exquisitely made just for the gun in question. ... felix

[klw]

Thanks! That I understood.

[Wayne Smith]

I use mine with Paco Kelly's 22 sizer. Works much better than a hammer. I've asked Pat if he could make the gas check tool to use on an arbor press, he thought it possible. From what I've seen on his interest thread I doubt it will be anytime soon, though.