Dillon Tool Heads and stands - how to cover?

[FISH4BUGS]

I load on a Dillon 550b that I have had since it was a 450....many years.
I have accumulated a fair number of die sets, tool heads and tool head stands.
I wonder what you Dillon users use to cover them up....or do you just leave them open to the elements in your reloading/casting area?
In my OCD personality, i want it neat and organized.
Before I start to figure out what to do, I thought I would get other input.
I mean, I could cover each of them with an old sock, but then there are no labels and with 12 sets of dies i would have to go through each of them to find what I want.
Yeah, i know....first world problems, right?
But I have started to think about this a bit as fall closes and winter approaches.....that is my casting and reloading time.
Your thoughts?.

[C.F.Plinker]

I have a shelf that runs the full width of my bench and is about 10 inches above the bench top. I keep all of the toolheads on their stands underneath the shelf. This way they are protected yet they are easy to get to.

[Winger Ed.]

I'd get a wall hung metal shop/parts cabinet with several adjustable shelfs and keep them in it.
Some are just crazy expensive, but Amazon lists a few for 1-200 bucks that look really nice and would last forever.

[rancher1913]

i have been using a king size pillow case to cover my presses, suppose you could custom sew something and put labels on them.

[JimB..]

I currently store them in the old military version glass front bookcases, but I also have an old particle board bookcase that lays on its side. I had a piece of plexi in front of it, but took it off and haven’t missed it.

[FISH4BUGS]

i have been using a king size pillow case to cover my presses, suppose you could custom sew something and put labels on them.

I thought the same thing. However, sewing is a skill I never picked up. :)
Maybe Dillon can make a new product?
Guys like me that love the accessories would probably pay stupid money for each of them.

[imashooter2]

I keep dust off a lot of things on basement shelves by inverting pint and quart take out containers over them.

[B1GB1RD]

I mean Dillon does make the covers for the machines and the tool head set ups, pricey, but......

[FISH4BUGS]

I mean Dillon does make the covers for the machines and the tool head set ups, pricey, but......

I have a cover for the 550 press.
I just looked at Dillon's web site and did not find tool head covers.
Can you post a link if you can find them?

[rancher1913]

i have not seen dillon tool head covers but you could buy a regular dillon cover and take a pair of scissors to it to make it fit, at least it will have the dillon name on it :grin:

[imashooter2]

i have not seen dillon tool head covers but you could buy a regular dillon cover and take a pair of scissors to it to make it fit, at least it will have the dillon name on it :grin:

Not after you cut it short enough to fit a tool head.

[Dave W.]

Dillon tool head covers, part #11143, $14.99.
The description is RF100 / Quick Change Dust Cover

https://www.dillonprecision.com/11143

[C.F.Plinker]

Unless you have a powder measure on every one of them you might try the pint or half gallon size zipper type refrigerator bags. They are transparent so you could see the labels on the toolhead.

[Walter Laich]

Unless you have a powder measure on every one of them you might try the pint or half gallon size zipper type refrigerator bags. They are transparent so you could see the labels on the toolhead.

I worry about this as the bags can't 'breathe' and would trap water vapor down here on gulf coast

[15meter]

I use pillow cases on the complete machines (MEC shotgun presses too).

On the tool heads, I use lead shot bags. Just about a perfect fit. I also use the shot bags on my Redding powder measures.

No labels but a toe tag tied to the shot bag with calibers written on them would solve that.

MEC's are easy, gauge in declining size left to right, 12, 16, 20, 28, .410 all sitting on the same shelf.

Always considered cutting down a couple of Bemis Double A seamless for the two Dillons. Just never got around to it.

Always figured that if the weave on those Bemis bags was tight enough to keep flour in, the weave was tight enough to keep dust out.

[hd09]

cut the legs off old jeans and sew the end shut.

[G W Wade]

I have 12 different tool heads. but only 3 powder measures. I store assembled tool heads w/o powder measure in approx 4 by 4 inch cardboard boxes with the conversion box insode. Label on the box and stack nicely taking minimum room and dust free GW

[MrWolf]

I use the cheap blender covers. Just looked they went up like everything else at a lil over $8 each. Prob find them cheaper. Works for me and also covers my Xbox.
Ron

[B1GB1RD]

I have a cover for the 550 press.
I just looked at Dillon's web site and did not find tool head covers.
Can you post a link if you can find them?

https://www.dillonprecision.com/11143

[FISH4BUGS]

https://www.dillonprecision.com/11143

I get that. But not all my tool heads haver a powder measure on it.....not at over 100 bucks per powder measure.

[georgerkahn]

I load on a Dillon 550b that I have had since it was a 450....many years.
I have accumulated a fair number of die sets, tool heads and tool head stands.
I wonder what you Dillon users use to cover them up....or do you just leave them open to the elements in your reloading/casting area?
In my OCD personality, i want it neat and organized.
Before I start to figure out what to do, I thought I would get other input.
I mean, I could cover each of them with an old sock, but then there are no labels and with 12 sets of dies i would have to go through each of them to find what I want.
Yeah, i know....first world problems, right?
But I have started to think about this a bit as fall closes and winter approaches.....that is my casting and reloading time.
Your thoughts?.

For the toolheads, I purchased "custom" calibre plastic labels -- e.g., ".45ACP" -- for each of my 11 different 550b toolheads. To store them I have a piece of 1" x 10" pine, on rubber nubs, resting on floor with commercial holders -- both from that ubiquitous "e-" online auction site. My reloading room is in unheated basement, and I do NOT cover them -- the ten in described holder on floor, or the one in use in loader. My reasoning is any, say, dust is less of a worry than affects from moisture. As an added btw, while each has a Dillon powder measure as part of it, I empty ALL powder from each immediately after use -- replacing it with a 3"x5" card on which I use a Sharpie to note powder, date, bullet/weight used, and measured amount. I'm too hurtin' (knee) right now -- but if I can make it down later I'll try and snap/post a photo.
geo

[Rapier]

I use an old pillow case to cover the Dillon 550B converted from a 450 and keep the tool heads and boxes with base plates in the wall cabinet above. The cover on the left is on the PW Metallic II. I built tool had stands for the powder throw mounted tool heads, not shown.

[alamogunr]

cut the legs off old jeans and sew the end shut.

This is exactly what I did for my 5 conversions. Each has a powder measure and I cut the legs long enough to cover completely. Took the easy(cheap) way to identify with blue painters tape.

[John Guedry]

I cover my presses with legs from old overalls sewed closed.

[jmorris]

I keep mine in a cabinet.

[15meter]

I use an old pillow case to cover the Dillon 550B converted from a 450 and keep the tool heads and boxes with base plates in the wall cabinet above. The cover on the left is on the PW Metallic II. I built tool had stands for the powder throw mounted tool heads, not shown.

Wish my shop looked that good, only thing I'd do differently is to have the powder on the floor. In case of fire, closer to the floor the better.

Flames have a bad habit of climbing the walls.

I built a 40"x40"x20" wooden box with 1-1/4" sides, bottom and top. The top just sits on loose to vent in case of fire. It sits on the floor away from I hope all the ignition sources.

[oley55]

Crown Royal bags for me. I get them from a friend...:wink:

[Rapier]

Those friends come in handy.

[FISH4BUGS]

Crown Royal bags for me. I get them from a friend...:wink:

I guess labeling which die sets they are really won't matter. :)

[jsizemore]

Took the easy(cheap) way to identify with blue painters tape.

That's my idea of custom with the right price attached. I use it to repurpose 1lb powder bottles filled from 4/8lbers. A Sharpie completes the custom kit.

[alan4620]

For ones with powder measure I use the sock.
For the ones without I cut a square liquor bottle and put over it.
My Grandson made me some 3-d printed stands.
Works for me see thru too.

[Big Wes]

I use the Dillon covers as seen in the upper left of this photo. 309691

[Outer Rondacker]

Old pillow cases for presses. I am cheap and the wife is always looking for a reason to buy new ones. As for die heads I have a six inch shelf with 3d printed tool head holders. I cover them with three liter bottles from soda the grand kids drink. Just take off the labels and cut off the bottoms as high as you need. Set on top and use a label maker to put what tool head they go over.

Keeps the dust off them and easy to clean the plastic is.

[mtnman31]

I've got my toolheads on a lazy suzan that added some toolhead stands to. I cover the whole thing with a trimmed down pillow case. Who am I kidding? I have a trimmed down pillow case for it, but rarely put it on. Same goes for my scale - I've got a cover for it but rarely use it.

https://i.postimg.cc/25D2dmvs/PXL-20230126-202252702.jpg (https://postimg.cc/FYTymMTp)

[W.R.Buchanan]

I use plastic Trash Bags to cover my Shot Shell Presses and Metallic Presses. I have a Blue Dillon cover for my 550B and the Tool Heads live in an enclosed cabinet with Powder, Primers and "Buoolits." (Combination of Bullets and Boolits.)

Dirt is the primary destructive force that kills machinery. Where your machines are placed has a lot to do with how much dirt they get on them. Inside a room in your house,,, Good place!!!. In your garage where you park your cars,,, Not so good.

A Plastic Trash Bag over a machine is the simplest way to protect it from flying dirt.

Randy.

[GWS]

If you don't have a powder measure on each one you can do this:

310077

On my bigger tool heads for my ProChucker 7 press, I just cut the screw top out of a cashew nut jar and lay it over the tool head......Uniflow P.M. just lifts off the powder die (die with the spring in front). Then sit it on a shelf. Not much simpler than that. Uniflows go in a drawer.

310078

[Kenstone]

um, paper bags from the grocery store are my press covers...new every week. :bigsmyl2:
If not tall enough, cut the bottom off of one and tape it to another.
They sell reusable cloth bags that would work too, but you'll have to invest $0.50 for one of those. :-|
.

[lightman]

If you have a powder measure on each one it gets more difficult. But if you don't, look in the kitchen pantry, laundry room, ect for plastic bottles and cut the top off to fit.

The Dillon price sounds high but bear in mind that its a one time purchase, for each.