What homemade tool are you using (pictures)

[trapper9260]

I made a wooden scoop for add small amount of powder when use the balance beam ,I made it out of a wooden dowel , and also made one for adding powder to when I reload my primers to add the BP . But it is smaller .

[kfd518]

Home made copy of an annealeez case annealer

[Chill Wills]

Shhhhh. We won't tell 'em that we start with McMaster #98957A407 9/16-18 allthread. Makes it look too easy.

Sorry. You lost me this time. Are you saying I make them from this McMaster allthread product?
I start with 9/16th hex, or 1/2" in the case of a Redding die.
See the picture.

[uscra112]

That's how I make them. Saves the time and trouble of threading. I figured you did, too.

[Chill Wills]

That's how I make them. Saves the time and trouble of threading. I figured you did, too.

I single point the threads. I'm fast enough to knock out the threads in a few minutes. I like the hex stock to be able to put a wrench on the top. Factory knurled tops will end up with pliers marks on them sooner or later, so I make them wrench friendly.

[Landy88]

Factory knurled tops will end up with pliers marks on them sooner or later, so I make them wrench friendly.

That's the way! Fingers work as well or better on the hex as on the knurled; but only hex like yours is wrench ready, when (not if) needed.

[Baltimoreed]

Just put this together to expand my .309 lead bullets to .314 for my .303 British. It uses a 366 top punch, an old lee seater die with a 5/8x 18 bolt in the top [the aluminum lee top piece would probably strip out], a new lee .314 steel sizer die and a plate that I had welded to a shell holder that slides onto my press ram. The lee die centers itself in the press’s 7/8x14 threaded hole. The top punch also centers itself in the lee die mouth. The new lee die has a big end and a small end so I set the bullet in it with the gas ck in the small end. Put the top punch on top and pull my press arm with a piece of aluminum tube for a cheater pipe. Then I use my 45 sizer on the wall and the push piece that comes with the die to push the boolit out of the die. Turn the die over and do it again. My .309 is now .314. When I get 25 done I’ll reload them and see if they work. While I downloaded them in order it mixed up my photos-sorry.

[Tar Heel]

I make what is basically "M" dies to replace the factory expander in any custom size wanted for friends or whoever.
It is a hobby that makes me a little shooting money.

You think you can turn out an M-Die expander plug for a Lyman 38-55 Die?

See here: https://castboolits.gunloads.com/sho...=1#post5215712

Attachment 285263

[uscra112]

Sure, but it'll look like the ones in Chill Wills' post. That skinny thread that Lyman used has always been weak.

Or you can forget the M-die altogether, buy a Lee "Universal Expander" (which it's not) Die, and buy proper expander plugs from NOE to use with the die body.

https://noebulletmolds.com/site/prod...ory/expanders/

[guy_with_boolits]

Home made copy of an annealeez case annealer

I like that thing. Any vids or more pics of it in action?

[kfd518]

I like that thing. Any vids or more pics of it in action?

https://youtu.be/91Hjq91nEdA
There you go sir.
Have to play with the timing on the smaller feed roller to ensure it doesn’t double feed or miss a case but once it is set up you can pretty much walk away except for keeping it fed.

[Chill Wills]

Here are two examples of custom diameters on expanders I recently made.
One is actually a step expander used to convert cases for other calibers.

The other is my standard expander.
Often the factory expander that comes in the die-set designed for jacketed bullets is not large enough for best accuracy using cast bullets. They tend to squeeze the cast bullet out of shape or deform them during the seating operation.

In general, it is an advantage to be able to re-expand the case neck to a diameter that does not deform the carefully cast and sized bullet. 0.001 or 0.002" under bullet diameter is about right. One exception might be using very hard cast bullets and very heavy neck grip wanted for slow, hard to light powders where accuracy is not the prime objective.

[Traffer]

A few of my home made stuff in this video:

[Baltimoreed]

Did a rebuild of my bullet squisher. Got rid of the large square plate. Added a couple pieces of aluminum tubing around a shell holder to hold the lee sizer. The lee .314 bullet sizer bottoms out on the reloading die in the press while the top punch pushes the bullet into the die until it bottoms out against the 5/8x18 bolt in the top die. Works good.

[cummins05]

Home made copy of an annealeez case annealer

I need to get off my butt and make one of these. Did you make the delrin small wheel piece? That's really the only thing that needs machining. The rest can be hacksaw and file work

[kfd518]

I need to get off my butt and make one of these. Did you make the delrin small wheel piece? That's really the only thing that needs machining. The rest can be hacksaw and file work

I had someone on another forum I am a member of make the smaller wheel for me.

[gsdelong]

I need to get off my butt and make one of these. Did you make the delrin small wheel piece? That's really the only thing that needs machining. The rest can be hacksaw and file work

I made mine using a table top drill press and a Forstner bit vey easily.

[kfd518]

I imagine it can be done quite easily I just didn’t have the material on hand at the time...

[Butzbach]

Thanks for this thread! Fascinating.

[Tar Heel]

Here are two examples of custom diameters on expanders I recently made.
One is actually a step expander used to convert cases for other calibers.

The other is my standard expander.
Often the factory expander that comes in the die-set designed for jacketed bullets is not large enough for best accuracy using cast bullets. They tend to squeeze the cast bullet out of shape or deform them during the seating operation.

In general, it is an advantage to be able to re-expand the case neck to a diameter that does not deform the carefully cast and sized bullet. 0.001 or 0.002" under bullet diameter is about right. One exception might be using very hard cast bullets and very heavy neck grip wanted for slow, hard to light powders where accuracy is not the prime objective.

I have one of these on order. Can’t wait to try it.