Fast case trimmers

[petroid]

if your going to wear gloves on a drill press get yourself some of the tear away type. I spent 35 years in the machining trades I've seen many a mutilated finger over the years from gloves caught up in a drill press. it unbelievable how much power even a little drill press has when it has a hold of you

I second this. I have seen some nasty injuries with all kinds of machines. I still think the CTS Trimmer is a great option. Less than $50 but you need to get one for each caliber. Get one for the highest volume caliber you load and try it out. Leaves no burr inside or out! You may not even have to chamfer if you are seating boat tailed bullets. I use a lee universal expander for my 223 and 300 blackout cases and don't have to chamfer, the FCD removes the flare and I can even seat cast boolits.

[oldfart1956]

Let me try a quick test before rambling on...brb...Audie..

[oldfart1956]

Okie dokie...seem to be able to post now. First off lets address the safety concerns. Useing a drill press as mentioned does have it's concerns but bear in mind the cutter is quite small and the exposed part even smaller. And be cautious with gloves as mentioned. They could get caught in the chuck! So what we need is a guard of some sort. Sitting here I noticed the clear rubber tube that is on my Lee turret press to catch the primers....hmmm...the Lee case trimmer holder fit right in it! So if we take a 1 inch piece of that hose/tube and slide it over the Lee trimmers sharp end and let it extend just enough to cover the cutty bits...it works. Might want to put a wrap of tape around the Lee holder thing as mine is a bit loose. A hose clamp tightened on the top of the hose would work as well. They sell this stuff in any plumbing supply or Lowes/Home Depot. The clear tubing lets you watch for any build-up of brass chips. I'll see if this posts and, again, be right back. Audie...the longwinded Oldfart

[oldfart1956]

One of the (minor) issues I have with the Lee trimming system is the constant chucking/un-chucking of the case in the holder. It's time consuming and rough on these old fingers. Hence the reason for going the finger holding option. Here might be a way around that. Loved Stevens approach as well! If we take an inexpensive pair of snap-ring pliars could we modify the tips to hold a case? The spring-loaded to open type would work rather well I think. Try this...using two fingers of your right hand curl them up like 2 claws...like a pirates hook...only 2 of them. Now using 1 finger on your left hand..curl that up like a pirates hook. Hold your hands together and slide the single finger (left hand) in between the right hand fingers. This is what we need to hold the case. The tips have to be curved (2 on one side-one on the other) to hold different sized round brass cases. Maybe this will get someones imagination working. I'll look for a set of snap-ring pliars when time allows. Audie...the Oldfart..

[oldfart1956]

Hmmmm...just figured something else out. While fiddling with this I wondered how to put a guard on the chuck to avoid getting caught up in it. Then I noticed the empty water bottle in the trash and a light went on. Cut a water bottle off about 2 or 3 inches below the neck. Chuck up the Lee cutter and slide the water bottle over it until it covers up the chuck and a strip of duct tape to attach it to the cutter. Practically idiot proof. Audie...the Oldfart..

[Sagebrush7]

Audie I like the water bottle guard. Been experimenting with the drill press and the Lee cutters. You guys reminded me about the CTS tools I have one for the .223. Found it, and will experiment with it again before I buy one for the 7mm Mag and 30-06. You guys gave me some great suggestions. Thanks for your post.

Hmmmm...just figured something else out. While fiddling with this I wondered how to put a guard on the chuck to avoid getting caught up in it. Then I noticed the empty water bottle in the trash and a light went on. Cut a water bottle off about 2 or 3 inches below the neck. Chuck up the Lee cutter and slide the water bottle over it until it covers up the chuck and a strip of duct tape to attach it to the cutter. Practically idiot proof. Audie...the Oldfart..

[petroid]

Sage you had not mentioned you had the CTS. How do you like it? In my opinion it is a great but for large volume calibers. I currently only have the 300 BLK version but am looking at getting one for 223/5.56 when funds allow

[Sagebrush7]

Thats happens when you get old! About ten years ago I processed a bucket full of .223 cases using a rechargble B&D mini drill and the CT. Seem to remember it worked well. I didn't measure all cases but they crimped the same place in the canulure. I found it again after a move. Going to purchase a cheap drill again to work with. My new HD one has to much torc and to heavy. James

Sage you had not mentioned you had the CTS. How do you like it? In my opinion it is a great but for large volume calibers. I currently only have the 300 BLK version but am looking at getting one for 223/5.56 when funds allow

[Sagebrush7]

Tried the drill press and Lee cutter again on some old 30-06 cases. As suggested chucked up the cutter and slammed up the case holding with a glove. Whups! the case came out .030 short of the recommended lenght. Got the Makita hand drill out and set down in a chair. Turned the drill down to number one setting on torc. Chucked up the Lee cutter. Used a small steel plate as my back stop to keep from over cutting. I guess Lee makes the pin longer for different thickness in case heads. The cases were held with a Tillman XL 1490 gell glove to cut down on finger fatique. Moving the handdrill and case was a lot faster in hitting the flash hole with the pin. Pushing down on the steel plate lightly with the case head stopped the over cutting. Since I will be processing 20 cases at a time I think I will stick with the Lee case cutter. I highly recommend the Tillman gloves for all outside chores. Regular gloves tire my old fingers out very quick. The Tillmans let me work with tool and power equiptment with out the finger fatique. That my 2 cts.

[petroid]

The Lee trimmer is made to bottom out against the shell holder. Without it, it will trim way too short. I have tried placing the cutter in a drill press and sitting the shell on the drill plate but have only succeeded in wearing the pin down so that it trims too short.

[freebullet]

Wft is worth every penny. fast, accurate, & solid what more could you ask for?

[silverjay]

Check out the franklin arsenal platinum case prep. I just got one and really like it.

[Reddirt204]

I used to use a Lyman trimmer but have recently purchased a Trimm-It (I think that's it) very similar to the WFT 11 has inter-changeable inserts, comes with 223 & 308 family inserts just over $100 posted

Cheers

Reddirt204

[Outpost75]

I run the Lee trimmer in the drill press, simply holding the shell holder and lock stud in the drill press vise. Have done it for years and run tens of thousands of cases.

[GLL]

I checked out the WFT trimmer and it looked interesting. It only seems to be set up to index for rifle cases though.

Is that true?

Jerry

[bangerjim]

I vote for the Lee Quick Trim system. Uses your 1 stage press, trims fast AND deburs inside and out of the mouth! Very fast, you can adjust it if you feel necessary, and accurate from what I see.

I just bought 6 different "collet dies" for all the sizes I use including 06. 3-4 turns of handle and it os all over.

I have the complete set of those "other" Lee things that bottom out thru the primer flash hole (big drawback) and chucking in drill is a PITA. No need to deprime with the Quick Trim. Do it later.

I also have an RCBS style "lathe-like" trimmer with all the pilots, etc. Too hard to set up. And too time consuming chucking the base each time.

But do what your pocket book allows you.

bangerjim

[oldfart1956]

Hey Sagebrush got tied up and wanted to make a few suggestions. Glad the CT trimmers is working. Not familiar with that one. Anyways, I should have mentioned the case needs to be sitting flat on the drill press bed/table. When the little pin passes thru the primer hole it has to hit something or...well...you know what it does. Now, if the trimmed case is trimming too short just unscrew the length gauge 1/4 turn and try another case. If there's a little divot on the press table where you're setting the case it will gammahooch this up. We get those when we drill right thru something into the table...eh? I just measured my set-up for the .45acp and over all length of the tool assembled was 2.631 and every time I unscrewed the case length gauge 1/4 turn it made things longer by a fairly set amount. (2.631/2.641+/2.651/2.661.) Even with 1 full turn unscrewed it's still tight enough to use. Next, wearing the case length gauge down. Seriously? Is the metal on the drill press bed more abrasive than the Lee holder? Stop reefing on the handle...we're not swaging the case down...we're trimming it by a coupl'a thousands of an inch or so. I hook my right index finger on the lever and the moment it bottoms out (trims) I leave go of it. An don't be holdin' it down till it heats up and takes the temper out of the dagnab pin! I keep a spare .45 acp case length gauge on hand on account of ...I drop them and snap the pins. I just measured a new still in the pack one compared to the one I trimmed (roughly) 4000 cases and they are identical as close as I can measure. (Brown&Sharp caliper) I trust you'll take this in the jovial manner it is intended and glad the CT is working. Thought this info might be of some use for newbies. Audie...the Oldfart.

[gpidaho]

I really like the new Lyman E-ZEE TRIM in battery powered drill fast, easy and inexpensive. GP

[Hip's Ax]

+1 for the Giraud. I put off buying it for quite sometime. Now I don't know how I ever lived without it.

[rbertalotto]

[QUOTE]if your going to wear gloves on a drill press get yourself some of the tear away type. I spent 35 years in the machining trades I've seen many a mutilated finger over the years from gloves caught up in a drill press. it unbelievable how much power even a little drill press has when it has a hold of you/QUOTE]

AMEN Brother! The drillpress is one of the most dangerous tools in the shop because folks think it is harmless! Just get a glove wrapped around a turning chuck and see what a fun day that turns into!