Hand made tools

[Rustolium]

Howdy fellas! Maybe one of you can help me. Saw the thread on homemade tools and it got me thinking. I'd like to make my own powder scoops. I just need some deminsions for them. Any help is appreciated.

[Pavogrande]

Easy enough -- solder a piece of wire to a cart case - measure amount it holds - cut it off until it holds what you want -- for big loads start with a 45/70 case :-)

[Rustolium]

Easy enough -- solder a piece of wire to a cart case - measure amount it holds - cut it off until it holds what you want -- for big loads start with a 45/70 case :-)

Thanks, Pavogrande, but I was looking more for dimensions for me to make some. I don't have access to a scale or empty brass here.

[Shiloh]

Thanks, Pavogrande, but I was looking more for dimensions for me to make some. I don't have access to a scale or empty brass here.

A Scale is a MUST HAVE piece of equipment in you're reloading supplies!!
I wouldn't even use the pre-made LEE measuring scoops unless I new what weight They were pouring was for sure!

Shiloh :castmine:

[13Echo]

The Lee powder scale is cheap and it works.

Jerry Liles

[scrapcan]

Rustolium,

Where are you at? I think you might be able to come up with a scale for not a lot form members here on the board.

You can use the lee manual to do some volumetric calculations for powder dippers it is in the second edition. Calculating cubic centimeters or cubic inches is not a big deal just use the formula for volume of a cylinder. I also would not want to do much reloading without a scale, however thousands of reloaders have bought the lee loader kits and many probably never had a scale.

[Rustolium]

I'm deployed right now. I have free time to make stuff, just need dimensions. I'm just trying to make stuff up before I get back and start reloading. A scale is in the works for me, but I think the scoops would do just fine. I have the Lee handloader, don't remember the actual name (not the hitting kind). So I was trying to get a nice compact portable setup going.

[Pepe Ray]

Hi there;
What manufacturing materials do you have to work with?
Where are you deployed that you don't have access to MT brass?
9mm, .45ACP, or .223 would all be usefull to use for your purpose.
Pepe Ray

[Rustolium]

I work as a machinist so I have the tooling, but I'm in the Air Force so no brass :(
I'm just trying to make as much as I can rather than buy. Thanks for the replies folks!

[scrapcan]

Rusty,

Go to the lee website and look at their powder scoop set. You can make a set that will have the desired volume to match the table. Here is a link to the the chart.

http://www.leeprecision.com/cgi-data/instruct/Dippers.pdf

Their dippers are in cc (cubic centimeter) so you can use a formula to solve for either diameter or length. You will want to use the volume of a right cylinder to get you in the ball park. and then fine tune.

Here is the formula for a right cylinder volume = pi*r^2*h (pretty sure you don't need this but someone else may.

If you are just going to use a drill to create the cavity you can calculate the volume of the bit cone shape. using an equation for the shape you get.

you can set your volume and hold either radius or length constant and solve for the other.

IF you need an example just say so and many here can give you an example ( myself included).

I think you could use whatever you have handy for the dipper. You can use regular solder to attach some type of handle. thins flat stock works well because it makes the dipper more controllable. But a simple paper clip soldered to a tube adjusted for proper volume will work also.

Here is another table for the lee volumetric measures

http://www.leeprecision.com/cgi-data/instruct/AD2302.pdf

[scrapcan]

Another thing you can do to get volume in cc pretty close is to use a syringe and water to get your length. If you are deployed maybe one of the medics can find you one to use as an "oiler" and you can use it to set volume also. Just don't use it for the illegal use that seems so common these days.

[Rustolium]

Thanks for all the responses fellas! I'll hit the Lee wwebsite tonight at work and see how it goes! I like the idea for using the syringe for volume. Again, thanks!