New way to operate press

[GregLaROCHE]

I have a Rock Chucker for heavy duty work. Sometimes I take it to it’s limit, recently sizing down PCed boolits, that had a little too much powder and accumulated at the bases. My bench is pretty solid. It’s built on 3/8 x 1&3/4 inch angle iron. Besides being almost at the limit of my strength, the bench wants to start turning over. It would be nice if I could secure it to the floor, but it’s gravel. I dream of pouring a pad.

Anyway, the other day I discovered I could get a lot more power and stabilize the bench by standing up, turning around and putting my but against the bench, half sitting on it. (I have the handle on the right side while facing it). Standing up with my back to it, my right arm is in position for the handle and I can even use two hands/arms if needed. It makes a Big difference. Besides more force, the bench has less of a tendency to tip over.

Maybe this is not something new, but I just discovered it and it may be interesting for others.

[Moleman-]

Generally make my reloading bench heavy enough that once it's full of stuff you'll break the front 2"x10" board before it moves. Years ago I got by with one of the cheap "workbench" kits from menards. it was much more stable once a couple screws were added to secure it to the wall studs.

[EDG]

My bench has 3 pairs of industrial work bench legs and a 30" wide by 72" long top that is made of 1.5" thick particle board.
I can use both hands on the handle of my Rockchucker. While standing I can lean on both arms while pushing down on the handle with all 225 lbs. I just let my body weight do the work so there is little effort from my arms. That method is good for heavy duty sizing and case forming.

[Winger Ed.]

It would be nice if I could secure it to the floor, but it’s gravel.

Would it be practical to lag bolt the bench to the wall behind it?

[elmacgyver0]

Perhaps a little Imperial sizing wax on a boolit every once in a while might make the task a little easier.
Even a press as strong as that can be broken with enough leverage.

[Bazoo]

I ain't heard of that tip, thanks.

I'd spritz the bullets with Hornady 1 shot.

[rbuck351]

Yeah, if you are having to put all you weight on the handle to size a boolit there is something wrong. Dry boolits add a lot of drag. A bit of one of the sizing waxes would help a bunch and probably wouldn't hurt to have that bit of lube on the PC boolit when going down the bore either.

[pergoman]

Some lube should dramatically reduce the effort needed to get them through the dies. I rub stick lube on the inside of a 2 quart bowl and swirl 2-300 boolits around for a few seconds. This adds just enough lube to make sizing a breeze. No sore arms and no broken equipment.

[GregLaROCHE]

Since the boolits were PCed, I don’t usually need the lube them. The half dozen out of sixty were hard because of the excess PC that accumulated at the bases. I some I didn’t even try to size. Next batch I’ll go back to adding some lube. Why make things any harder than they need to be? I also ordered a few more larger inserts for my NOE sizer, so I can go down more progressively.

[foesgth]

I have started using the Aqualube 5000 (http://hi-performancebulletcoatings.com/sizing-lube/) that the Hi-tek folks make. It reduces sizing effort a bunch.

[Carrier]

Just how much are you sizing them bullets to? The most I need to size is 3 or 4 thousands, are powder coated using a Rockchucker and they glide through the Lee sizer die.

[SSGOldfart]

I kinda go with the ideal of" if it's work to pull the handle something not right" and the bench needs to be fixed[smilie=b:[smilie=b:

[CBH]

I regularly use silicon spray lube(very lightly) on my cast boolits.

[SweetMk]

This comment may seem intuitive, but, it is often overlooked,,,
I find my presses operate with much less force,, when I lubricate the press,,

In fact, I have had occasion to measure the difference between using Mobil 1 synthetic car engine lube,, and EEZOX.

The EEZOX far reduced friction, and effort compared to synthetic motor oil.

If I needed to do some heavy press work, I would lube the press with EEZOX before starting.
Not only the main shaft, but the pivot points as well, friction is cumulative,, it just keeps on adding up,,

[Carrier]

I give the rams on my presses a shot of Hornady One Shot or Case lube. Really slicks it up.

[JohnSmiles]

I have several presses, and lubricate all of them from time to time. I also have a bench top made of 2x12's, and the bench itself is securely bolted to the wall. Maybe overkill, but everything works well and there is zero chance of the bench tipping.

[OS OK]

If your using a Lee push through size die you may need to hone it with some 400 to 600 grit sandpaper to slick it up some inside. It may have tool marks inside.
Always use a little lube.

[Kevin Rohrer]

Can't say I ever had any problem sizing bullets. It seemed a breeze to do, compared to sizing 7.62mm machine gun brass; and yes, I was using Imperial Sizing Wax.

As for the OP's bench not being heavy enough, he needs to load it w/ more presses, books, bullets, brass...

My bench will not move unless the house gets hit w/ at least 2-megatons.

271046

[Harter66]

My top now is 1-1/8 " 9ply flooring plywood on sort of a desk/book case arrangement . I did have to really lean on the little Partner press a few times but I can't remember what it was for now , maybe some fat 06' I had to get down to a near match chambered 760 , I made some 7×57 from 270 a while back and though I leaned a little the RC handled it well .

I would tend to agree with the guys suggesting some slick em' .

[chrometip78]

Recently had an issue with oversized PC boolits fighting with my Lee sizer dies, used plain old water in a spray bottle, a light mist of water and they were zipping right through. Poored them onto a towel afterwards and rolled them around, dried off easy too.

[onelight]

Can't say I ever had any problem sizing bullets. It seemed a breeze to do, compared to sizing 7.62mm machine gun brass; and yes, I was using Imperial Sizing Wax.

As for the OP's bench not being heavy enough, he needs to load it w/ more presses, books, bullets, brass...

My bench will not move unless the house gets hit w/ at least 2-megatons.

271046
That is some high quality ballast :)

[samari46]

My reloading bench used to be an industrial steel table. Put full dimension 2"x12"'s on top and secured then with counter sunk carriage bolts. Then enclosed the legs with 3/4" plywood,added a shelf inside with a lockable door. Then added an old chart cabinet they threw out of my job. Have a Dillon and rockchucker mounted with 3/8" threaded rod with nuts and lockwashers. That puppy isn't going anywhere. Did that with a second one but with a 2" hard rock maple top and keep my boxes of store bought cast bullets. The hard rock maple top was a freebie. Love repurposing stuff that that other people throw out. The 2"x12"'s were remnants of scaffolding planks thrown out where I worked. Too short to be safely used a full sized scaffolding planks. Frank

[Baltimoreed]

The 2x4 frame of my bench is lag bolted to three walls as it spans the room on one wall, the diagonal legs are also lag bolted to the studs through the sheetrock. It doesn’t have any connection to the floor. No legs in the way. The bench top is made of thick cubicle desk tops from the habitat store. It’s very solid. The op needs to take smaller bites with his sizing or simply size his cast bullets before pc’ing them. Then if necessary size them again.

[Shiloh]

Mounted on a 2x10.
I've split the wood forming 8mm from 30-06.
Would OSB work or should it be plywood??

Shiloh

[gpidaho]

Greg: I didn't read all the posts but if it's taking much leverage at all to size a powder coated bullet your sizing WAY too much or at least too much in one step. If the bullets are say .460 and you need them .452 it shouldn't be done in one pass if at all. Size down in 2 or 3 thousandths at a time or sell the mould and get one that drops a bullet close to the size you need with a very small amount of sizing. Gp

[rbuck351]

Another thing that can be a problem is if you have the sizer die set way low in the press and you are sizing before the press gets to it's high pressure part of it's stroke.

[Kenstone]

Would it be practical to lag bolt the bench to the wall behind it?

Yep, a $1-$2 angle bracket is all you'll need after you find a stud to attach it to.
You'll need 4 screws too
:rolleyes:
273260

The BIGGER bracket is for those in the "when in doubt, build it stout" camp who overbuild everything.
:bigsmyl2:

[onelight]

If you leave enough overhang on the bench top in the back 13/4 to 2" you can push the bench against the wall and push a 2x4 against the wall and bottom of the bench top screw it to the studs and then a few screws counter sunk in the bench top into the 2x4 and stiffens it all up same on the end if it is going in a corner .

[3GRacing]

What gpidaho above said and if they are still hard to push thru after PC- spray a clean rag with pledge, apply boolits, shake, rattle, roll and they'll go thru like butter. I have a .462 mold I need to size to .459, I size to .460 (w/o any lube), PC then size to .459. Works well if the joints in your hands ain't what they used to be.