Loading bench pics

[be603]

Wow Randy, those high school work benches -- FLASHBACK! I can still hear Mr Simond's (shop teacher) preaching shop safety on first day. "When in the welding or casting area when the metal is white hot -- do not touch it. I don't like the smell and you'll jump around, knock things over and make a mess of my shop.... besides it'll hurt."

/heh. Gotta love shop teacher with dry humor.

[PatMarlin]

Wow- very impressive Randy.

Omni-turn, small foot print. That is my next type of CNC purchase. Fagor controlled as I have 2 Fagor controlled machines now, and love the system.

I have a 1955 Chucker and it is just a gem to run. I don't have the threading option like on yours even though it's an HCT.

Charlie- nice guy and interesting to say the least. We tried to help him get going with Freechex, or Freechecks?, including myself and others, and 45nut Ken the owner here at CB, and he thumbed his nose at us and requested his membership be terminated... I would consider that interesting specially when CB is the premier forum in the business, and has the best folks for members you could ask for anywhere on the net.

To each his own. Knowing a bit about what it takes, I don't see how anyone involved could make an acceptable dollar on gas check dies, by farming them out.

Welcome aboard Randy ...

[W.R.Buchanan]

Pat: I would consider burning the relationship with CB to be a direct violation of the first rule of business.

That rule is "Don't look a gift horse in the mouth"

All the free advertising and satisfied customer feedback that would come from this source certainly could be considered a gift.

To add to your comment about profitability, I would have to say that it would be hard to show much a profit even making them yourself. Product costs $X to make, you must sell for 2.2 x $X to make it work. That doesn't count your time which sooner or later you have to pay yourself for. Almost sounds like a labor of love. I still have to work and make money so I bid stuff with the above mentioned numbers, and try for more anytime I can get it. My prices to him would have been beyond his price point, he already is getting killed by this problem, and it can only get worse.

The only way a product like this can work in a job shop is if it is ran during dead times or after hours, as the margins are too narrow for prime time prices. I have quite a few friends who have a variety of products that are done this way, but nobody is getting rich from them.

Anyway. On another note, the Omniturn "packaging concept" and first 40+ machines came from me. My machines all used Hardinge HSL Speed Lathes for spindles and beds.

All of the subsiquent ripoffs of my design known as the GT-75 were built by NC Electronics, and have a Chinese built lathe unit. Plus they have not improved anything since 1995! These guys never had an original idea amongst them.

The one in the picture was my protoype that was repackaged with the last one of my "personal" all white cabinets. Normally they are cobalt blue.

All of the Omniturn machines use their proprietary IBM PC based control.

A Fagor Control could be retro fitted without too much hassle.

Randy

[PatMarlin]

Your words obviously spoken from true business experience.

I think I can speak for others here at Cast Boolits, and say it's an honor to have you as a member Randy...

Do I detect a faint hint the original Omni-turn may become available for sale at sometime?

It seems rarely do folks come up with a dead original design anymore. I've been taken a few times.

[LAH]

your words obviously spoken from true business experience.

I think i can speak for others here at cast boolits, and say it's an honor to have you as a member randy...

+++1+++

[Matt_G]

Welcome to the forum Randy.
Real nice man cave ya got there.

[W.R.Buchanan]

Thanks Matt: I've worked accumulating tools for 30+ years. I finally repackaged it all in my back yard.

Pat: no it won't be for sale anytime soon. It is one of my more profitable machines. In fact it would be put into continuous use making Brass Boolits before I sold it. (All the rage with the bench resters now)

I had considered the gas check tool long before I met Charlie. I have a punch press I run about every 15 years or so, and many friends in that business I could go to for die design, lets face it it is not a real complicated product, and with a punch press you could make lots of gas checks. In fact I could make all I would ever need in my lifetime in about 2 days, and then I could sell the dies! Sounds like a winner? Now a alternative to Hornadys product at about 70% of their price could be a winner? But look at all of the different sizes you'd need to cover their product line. Then you'd want to set up a press for each die shoe, and the next thing you know you are going crazy listening to 15 puunch presses banging away all day.. Sounds like another machine shop?

Thing is, I have a rule that I follow pretty closely. I don't reinvent the wheel. That's why you don't have to worry about me as competition. There is already 2 people making this product. I see no need for more. If I feel the need to make my own gas checks I would buy a tool from you or him for what, $75? I can't make one for that. I have 3-4 calibers I need checks for .30,.44,.458, and maybe down the road .264.

I can't make tools for all 4 for $300,,,,Well,,, I probably could but, I'd rather buy one and write it off on my income taxes just like all of my reloading stuff is . I don't want to get into this business, I just want to shoot. You kind of have to pick your battles.

I pick products based on my ability to prototype and take into production and then Farm out the work to several buddies I have with shops. We already know this won't work on chek tools cuz there isn't enough money in the job. So I'll make something else instead.

Randy

[Catshooter]

Nice shop and welcome to the forum Randy. It's a great place here, much to learn. Isn't interesting how you can learn so much from a pic or two?


Cat

[koyote]

I'm pretty new to all this, but it's fun and I'm doing enough to invest the time and space in something better.

This is my temporary set up in the room we're remodelling, which is also currently my leather shop (eventually my son's bedroom)





Eventually, once I get the 10 foot addition to the north end of my shop poured and walled up, the leather and reloading will be out there (though I'm concerned a bit about winter temps)

Once the knife shop is reorganized a bit, I'll have better access to both lathes and the minimill will be on a more stable and proper height mount. Unfortunately, I lack a lathe I can put proper sized gun barrels through, since I have an old southbend 9 and a small 4 inch lathe for fine work (and I suppose eventually case trimming)

[jfg]

Mine, somewhat crowded, but works for me.

[blaser.306]

I don't see a problem there ! I almost can make out enoughh extra space for an extra press or two ! It gives the rest of us a feeling of optimism that we haven't reached our potential yet !!!

[cptkeybrd]

JFG OMG I love it, looks like a ride at Disney World

[PatMarlin]

Mine, somewhat crowded, but works for me.

That is an amazing set up. Holy cow. I know what you need.

[cavalrymedic]

JFG, I just want to stand in your reloading shack and smell the gun powder. Is it just me? Does anyone else love the smell of gunpowder?

[Bush Pilot]

Mine, somewhat crowded, but works for me.

It's not crowded, it's just REALLY comfortable.

[gvanzeggelaar]

Ya everytime I buy some I always open it and get a good smell.

[lbaize3]

After looking at some of the pictures I no longer feel guilty about showing my pigpin. I thought I would wait until I cleaned up the area some before I took pictures. Now I know that I won't be in the mood to clean it for a while. Heck, gotta go shooting while the cool weather holds.

I designed an eight by six foot area in the laundry room that was mine for reloading. I then built the cabinets and benches for my tools. I use clamps to hold my tools where I want them. The system works for me. I have numerous presses that are all mounted to boards for clamping down. The two Dillon 550 loaders stay set up... one for large primers and one for small.

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/images/attach/jpg.gif

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/images/attach/jpg.gif

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/images/attach/jpg.gif

[koyote]

I did get a new bench tool recently. An automatic decapper (male! almost 8)

[drklynoon]

Few additions. I'm trying to figure out were to mount my old LEE press. I still want it but I don't want it in the way of casting. HMMMM This first one is of my room. I spend almost all night in here if it's not loadin it's school work.


This is of my bench with it's new additions

Here's the only decent thing I've ever made outta wood. It's a very functional gun vise in case you were wondering. It also serves as a book shelf. lol

[Missoulaz28]

Got most of my stuff set up, looks a little better now. Several presses and all of the casting equipment is missing from these.