What bolt size and washer to mount my two bullet swaging press and my Lee Loadmaster press? The swaging press are both made by Richard Corbin if that helps. I want to get the best result of mounting them.
What bolt size and washer to mount my two bullet swaging press and my Lee Loadmaster press? The swaging press are both made by Richard Corbin if that helps. I want to get the best result of mounting them.
I generally go with 5/16 bolts. These fill the holes in the presses better than 1/4. I use washers that fit the bolts.
If I think the bolts might pull through the bench I get some 1 1/2 inch wide 3/16 think steel strips Cut them into pieces so they come out about square. Drill a hole to match bolt size. Use this as a washer on the underside.
Leo
just a thought but I think you ought to work on a work bench that's really, really, really heavy duty, strongly suggest lots of steel for strength and then buy the largest bolts that will go through the holes into press, 5/16 minimum diameter.
I've watched many guys pull press off or tip over or break work benches that were just to lite for what they wanted to do.
Food for thought!
HM
I measure the mounting holes or slots and use the correct size bolt diameters that fit the mounting holes/slots. And I agree - a heavy sturdy bench.
I don’t know those particular presses, but I always use the biggest bolts that would work with the holes of the press. If mounting through wood, I use oversize washers.
The larger bolts, the better, and get grade 8 bolts.
I match the bolt to the hole size. If you don't know the hole size you can use a drill bit to measure with. Or you could just tote the press down to the parts store. I agree with using oversize washers on wood.
Bolt and washer on the top, underside washer,then lock washer then nut. I use the largest bolt that will fit along with the washers and lock washers and nuts. Frank
More important than bolt diameter is what the press is bolted to. With a flimsy, thin or soft benchtop, bolts can pull through or the top break. I like to use bolts that fill the bolt holes, mainly for a neater look. Has anybody tried to (been able to) stretch a 1/4" soft steel bolt apart? Not gonna happen with any home shop tools. I think a #10 or #12 machine screw with fender washers would hold a press solid, but that's kinda extreme. SS and higher grade bolts are stronger...
Last edited by mdi; 04-16-2020 at 11:24 AM.
My Anchor is holding fast!
Dudes. I don't know what you are resizing. But my bench is lightly built, on casters, and portable.
I use a Lee turret press, fastened by 1/4 inch bolts through a 1/2 inch plywood top, into a pine 2x4 under the bench top. I regularly reload 30.06 cartridges.
I have never even heard my bench creak.
( I do use carbide dies, no case lube).
It may let go someday, I'll grant you, in which case I'll probably step up to 5/16ths, but mainly to reuse the existing holes in the top.
Sent from my XT1635-01 using Tapatalk
I have broken several 1/4x20 bolts usning a 7/16 wrench no more than 6 inches long. They seemed just barely no more than snug. They were not grade 8, have never bought grade 8s that small. A 5/16" bolt is much stronger.
The possible problem of filling the hole or slot on each piece of equipment is ending up using different sizes and not being able to replace one press with another. Using base plates, you could fill the slot on each piece and then use a single size bolt for attaching the base plates, the base plates all having a standardized bolt pattern. That pattern, drilled through the bench top and with t-nuts on the bottom will allow switching tools easily. For example, if all the base plates had 2 holes 7 inches apart and six inches behind the desired position for the front edge of the bench, a row of holes spaced 7 inches apart along the whole length of the bench and 6 inches from the edge would allow mounting of any of your tools anywhere along the bench. Spacing the holes 3 1/2" apart would allow spacing tools a little closer/further apart.
Spell check doesn't work in Chrome, so if something is spelled wrong, it's just a typo that I missed.
I used what I had on hand at the time when I mounted my RC-II. I had some 3/8" threaded rod, two large washers (one on top and bottom) and two nuts to hold it all together. Just cut it to length. There is no way I can break that free....If I went out and bought something...I'd likely use 5/16" bolts washer and a nut.
redhawk
The only stupid question...is the unasked one.
Not all who wander....are lost.
"Common Sense" is like a flower. It doesn't grow in everyone's garden.
If more government is the answer, then it was a really stupid question. - Ronald Reagan
I worked in a large city Heavy Construction Equipment Repair Shop. I was helping another mechanic install a turret ring gear on a large hydro crane using 48, 1 1/4"x 4", Grade 8 bolts. We were using a hydraulic "torque wrench" (very accurate and repeatable). All 48 were installed and we were torquing them down to spec. when one broke. The bolt separated at the top of the thread portion. My coworker mentioned that in 30+ years of wrenching heavy cranes, that was the first large ring bolt he broke. The bolt was sent back to the vendor for lab inspection. It was a one in a million breakage, so I can say "I broke a 1 1/4" bolt" (but I installed a few thousand that didn't)...I have broken several 1/4x20 bolts usning a 7/16 wrench no more than 6 inches long.
My Anchor is holding fast!
Clarence "Kelly" Johnson was the chief engineer for Lockheed and later senior vice president of Lockheed. He was a principle engineer on projects such as the SR-71 and U-2, along with dozens of other aircraft. One of my favorite Kelly Johnson quotes was related to the U-2 spy plane. That aircraft required almost insane amounts of weight reduction to achieve the high altitudes necessary. He said, "Anyone can make an aircraft strong enough. The trick is to make one JUST strong enough".
Now, since we are NOT making a U-2 spy plane and weight is NOT a factor. And we are only buying a couple of bolts, nuts and washers; so cost isn't a big factor. Why are we concerned amount using the smallest possible hardware?
A little over kill in hardware will cost you pennies and then you'll never even think about that setup again. While the largest grade 8 bolt that will fit the hole in the press base is clearly far more strength than you need in that application - What's the harm? That over-kill will cost you almost nothing and then you move on.
Last edited by Petrol & Powder; 04-18-2020 at 11:28 AM.
BP | Bronze Point | IMR | Improved Military Rifle | PTD | Pointed |
BR | Bench Rest | M | Magnum | RN | Round Nose |
BT | Boat Tail | PL | Power-Lokt | SP | Soft Point |
C | Compressed Charge | PR | Primer | SPCL | Soft Point "Core-Lokt" |
HP | Hollow Point | PSPCL | Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" | C.O.L. | Cartridge Overall Length |
PSP | Pointed Soft Point | Spz | Spitzer Point | SBT | Spitzer Boat Tail |
LRN | Lead Round Nose | LWC | Lead Wad Cutter | LSWC | Lead Semi Wad Cutter |
GC | Gas Check |