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Thread: Gas check makers

  1. #41
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    Quote Originally Posted by Petander View Post
    Hey thanks for this - which Lee press exactly? Lee hand press seems to work with aluminum... I already bought a Big Boss ll to replace my CH. No difference but colour. Aluminum cuts ok.

    My right hand palm still hurts after "slapping" 20 checks with a Rock Chucker , six hours ago.

    Up here we use a cheater par (unscrew the knob on the RC handles and slide a 3 foot piece of pipe on it. That will save on your hand


  2. #42
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    You has a to be careful of the Lee c press. It is hollow and breaks very easy. I snapped one sizing a 308win.

    Dima is right about having the punch sharp. I worked in a metal forging and extrusion factory. Lots of things had to be punched out for a hole. We ad a fixture to sharpen the punches on a surface grinder. You could hear the press making louder noises when it was getting dull. And when using aluminum it should be able to be sharpened sometimes. Aluminum is very abrasive.

  3. #43
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    That will work, thanks Conditor.

    But still with all these strong presses, I feel the checkmaker design should be re-worked so that we could actually use the press power.

    Now we are working on the low power spectrum of the ram movement.

  4. #44
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    is the copper your using "dead soft" or "99% pure"?

  5. #45
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    Quote Originally Posted by slide View Post
    Okay, almost been one month since I sent the gas check maker back. Have received no word on the status. I sent e-mail today and if the pattern holds true I will get a return e-mail saying my check maker is ready to ship. Then it will be another week before it ships with no notice of shipping. I have been more than patient on this deal. This time I will ask for my money back. I don't care if it is ready or not. With this kind of customer service the workmanship can't be that great. This guy needs to get out of the gas check maker business. I hear some people praise him and his work and some have come to depise him. Too hit and miss for me.
    If your referring to the guy on book face stay clear. The first one I got wouldn't slide into the ram on the press. Was told "it worked before it was sent" sure what ever the second one had to be tapped to get in the ram sent them both back hopefully it doesn't take three months for a refund.

  6. #46
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    Quote Originally Posted by hollywood63 View Post
    If your referring to the guy on book face stay clear. The first one I got wouldn't slide into the ram on the press. Was told "it worked before it was sent" sure what ever the second one had to be tapped to get in the ram sent them both back hopefully it doesn't take three months for a refund.
    Not so sound like a fanboy of the guy you reference. But on one of the ones I got from him the bottom part works on my old (Lyman i think) turret press, but won't slide into my lee press. So what he told you could very well be true, just sayin

  7. #47
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    Quote Originally Posted by Conditor22 View Post
    is the copper your using "dead soft" or "99% pure"?
    It was advertised as such.

    I got a roll from China and sheets from Finland, no difference.

    Now waiting for 0.30 mm...

  8. #48
    Boolit Buddy dimaprok's Avatar
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    Lee Breach lock reloading press p/n 90045
    Watch my video, it doesn't take a lot of effort to punch but I am punching .014" which is all you need for 30 cal gas checks. Lucky for us in USA this comes in common roofing aluminum rolls sold in hardware stores and online. Copper is nicer no argument but its so much more expensive!

    https://youtu.be/B1ySMaRk8y4



    Sent from my SM-G950U1 using Tapatalk

  9. #49
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    Quote Originally Posted by dimaprok View Post
    Lee Breach lock reloading press p/n 90045
    Watch my video, it doesn't take a lot of effort to punch but I am punching .014" which is all you need for 30 cal gas checks. Lucky for us in USA this comes in common roofing aluminum rolls sold in hardware stores and online. Copper is nicer no argument but its so much more expensive!

    https://youtu.be/B1ySMaRk8y4



    Sent from my SM-G950U1 using Tapatalk
    Thank you for this. Looks right and easy.

    My right shoulder rotator cuff has been burning all day from a couple of dozen checks I made yesterday. One might think this is easy with a Rock Chucker or Big Boss II. It is not.

    Also, these expensive presses will fail quickly because of the crazy force used with longer handles. I broke a CH 205 already.

    I just can't find this particular Lee now, a couple of other breech lock presses are available.

  10. #50
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    Quote Originally Posted by Petander View Post
    Thank you for this. Looks right and easy.

    My right shoulder rotator cuff has been burning all day from a couple of dozen checks I made yesterday. One might think this is easy with a Rock Chucker or Big Boss II. It is not.

    Also, these expensive presses will fail quickly because of the crazy force used with longer handles. I broke a CH 205 already.

    I just can't find this particular Lee now, a couple of other breech lock presses are available.
    Been using the cast iron Lee 50BMG press ("O" Frame). Works well, so far the handle is the weak link, but still took me putting all my 275# on it and then some

  11. #51
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    Momentum is what you need. Not pure brute force. You do not run the ram up and stop to make sure everything is perfect. You do that first then in one motion yank the handle to go through the whole cycle. Doing it by stopping is a sure way to break everything on your press.

  12. #52
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    Quote Originally Posted by tomme boy View Post
    Momentum is what you need. Not pure brute force. You do not run the ram up and stop to make sure everything is perfect. You do that first then in one motion yank the handle to go through the whole cycle. Doing it by stopping is a sure way to break everything on your press.
    don't forget lube! (I know, "That's what she said")
    I noticed on mine, when I run them across a stick of string wax on both sides of the flashing it feels like the effort is cut by at least half. The one side effect though is that the wax creates a seal and they tend to shoot out the top and if no container to catch them, they fly all over

  13. #53
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    Quote Originally Posted by tomme boy View Post
    Momentum is what you need. Not pure brute force. You do not run the ram up and stop to make sure everything is perfect. You do that first then in one motion yank the handle to go through the whole cycle. Doing it by stopping is a sure way to break everything on your press.
    I can't speak for other GC makers but with mine I strongly advise against slam punching the reason is if you misalign and crush the punch, you'll ruin the die. Unless you got a way to really lock down the bottom portion to the ram like Lyman American that has a set screw than it's alright, otherwise no. I actually bevel the bottom portion of the die for this reason to avoid this happening, so it can help self center.

  14. #54
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    Quote Originally Posted by Petander View Post
    Thank you for this. Looks right and easy.

    My right shoulder rotator cuff has been burning all day from a couple of dozen checks I made yesterday. One might think this is easy with a Rock Chucker or Big Boss II. It is not.

    Also, these expensive presses will fail quickly because of the crazy force used with longer handles. I broke a CH 205 already.

    I just can't find this particular Lee now, a couple of other breech lock presses are available.
    What you need is air cylinder puncher )) Its been on my plate to do for a long time. You press a button and it does all the work for you! You just need air compressor. I need to get this off the ground, it will be especially useful for thick cuts. I need to build prototype asap!

  15. #55
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    Quote Originally Posted by dimaprok View Post
    I can't speak for other GC makers but with mine I strongly advise against slam punching the reason is if you misalign and crush the punch, you'll ruin the die. Unless you got a way to really lock down the bottom portion to the ram like Lyman American that has a set screw than it's alright, otherwise no. I actually bevel the bottom portion of the die for this reason to avoid this happening, so it can help self center.
    The maker instructed me to let the cutter rest on the sheet metal, then slap.

    This way it's always centered because the upper part is already inside before you apply force.

    But yes,it would be better if the ram could go higher / handle lower. A custom built, 1" shorter ram would help tremendously.
    Last edited by Petander; 03-09-2021 at 04:00 AM.

  16. #56
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    0.30 mm (0.012") is much easier to cut than 0.40 mm. Half the pain. Still need thick,soft gloves.

    Might dedicate a press for this, cut 1" off the ram.

    The next question is fit, how do these thinner material checks fit?


    I don't even have a bullet for this check yet, this .30 came as a 44 checkmaker by-product.



  17. #57
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    Has anyone tried to put a slight taper on the face of the punch ? Would not need much , just enough so the punch does not engage the full face at once .

  18. #58
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    Quote Originally Posted by Petander View Post
    0.30 mm (0.012") is much easier to cut than 0.40 mm. Half the pain. Still need thick,soft gloves.

    Might dedicate a press for this, cut 1" off the ram.

    The next question is fit, how do these thinner material checks fit?


    I don't even have a bullet for this check yet, this .30 came as a 44 checkmaker by-product.

    I found that I waste less material If I punch around the copper then cut off the punched area with a paper guillotine type cutter.
    if your strips were a little wider you could get GC's on both sides of the strips

    "Has anyone tried to put a slight taper on the face of the punch ? Would not need much , just enough so the punch does not engage the full face at once ."

    check out dimaprok's video, looks like he does

  19. #59
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    The way to do this right is how i explained. I did the forging and extrusion gig for about 15 years. You also want a square 90* punch and interface. I seen how some are cutting the slot or the strips at a angle. That is a sure way to jam up the die set.

    We were punching up to a 1" diameter hole through a 1" thick parts. Sometimes the parts were heated in an induction heater and some were done cold. And there were no lubes used to do this.

  20. #60
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    Quote Originally Posted by tomme boy View Post
    The way to do this right is how i explained. I did the forging and extrusion gig for about 15 years. You also want a square 90* punch and interface. I seen how some are cutting the slot or the strips at a angle. That is a sure way to jam up the die set.

    We were punching up to a 1" diameter hole through a 1" thick parts. Sometimes the parts were heated in an induction heater and some were done cold. And there were no lubes used to do this.
    Yes, it makes sense with hydraulic power the punch will be stronger, doing this by hand we need all the advantage you can gain. I definitely saw the difference. It was easier to punch.

    Sent from my SM-G950U1 using Tapatalk
    Last edited by dimaprok; 03-10-2021 at 12:30 AM.

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Abbreviations used in Reloading

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