Every time I reread this post I find more ?s Hope I can answer them for you all. If I miss one post it again for me.
Warf73, love your signature! chocolats vs. jalapenos
The video is how it goes when everything works the way it is supposed to. Let me say that make a bullet from a brass jacket has been an adventure for me. It has been a very challenging task with nights of extreem frustration, some blood, and plenty of choice words but when it worked out the way it is supposed to I have stood up and cheered too. Felt like every time the bullet pops out of the die it is like opening a pressent, that is when it worked. Funny thing is that a night when nothing seemed to work I could take a short break and come back using same tools and then everything worked fine. I really learned in this hobby when things are not going well you need to stand up leave and take a break before you break somthing. I have got my thumb caught between the punch and bottom of die when my press handel decided to cycle sending the ram and punch upword. Have also brooke 3 presses and 2 dies so there can be many challenges to this hobby (the presses where cheep alunimum that I had in my colection) I'll post the pics.
luober,
Yes and no with the presses. I total broke a cheaper yet good RCBS cast alunimum press by using a biger handel and trying to make 44s. The reloading press has week spots. First it was the junction of the handel and the conection it makes to the ram. Then the frame on my RCBS. The support rods that hold the handel to the press will bend the bolts used to hold it together. The rockchucker is a better design for this. My Redding Big Boss is a cast iron press yet the ram itself has to be made from some of the softest metal I have ever used, a step up from tin I think so swagign with extreem PSI has stressed the spot where you insert the shell holder. Don't know about the steel used in the RCBS or Lee clasic cast but has to be better then the Redding. All those cut outs for primmer arms and dispenscers weekens the ram as you can imagine.
As far as warping or bendign the cast iron press I think the die will blow before that happens.
I did make a custom arm for my press and stronger larger bolts to conect everything with but it was only because of the design of the press. I think the rockchucker and Lee clasic cast has a better set up.
Brian