Make a reloading press?
- Thread starter mwjones
- Start date
Well, i'm torn atm. Tryign to decide between materials.
If I make the c frame like I was hoping, i would have to use aluminum (need a 2"x4" x10" block to mill the body out of, and steel that size is not available. I'm not sure exactly, but if memory serves it would be either 6061 or 6063 aluminum, so it could be heat treated. Might have to rethink as an o-frame, in which case i would probably need 2"x8"x10" block. Figure this stuff will be strong enough?
If i make a kinda turret style single stage, i could use the steel i think. It's all (again, i think) 1018 cold rolled steel, rounds and flats. biggest available is 1"x6" flat bar, which would make a decent top and floorplate, with 3 or 4 5/8rods for support.
There is no stainless available for the rods or the ram. i was thinking that 3/4 or 1 inch 1018 would work ok if kept greased/oiled. There might be some useable brass or bronze to make a bushing for the ram, have to search through the pile
If I make the c frame like I was hoping, i would have to use aluminum (need a 2"x4" x10" block to mill the body out of, and steel that size is not available. I'm not sure exactly, but if memory serves it would be either 6061 or 6063 aluminum, so it could be heat treated. Might have to rethink as an o-frame, in which case i would probably need 2"x8"x10" block. Figure this stuff will be strong enough?
If i make a kinda turret style single stage, i could use the steel i think. It's all (again, i think) 1018 cold rolled steel, rounds and flats. biggest available is 1"x6" flat bar, which would make a decent top and floorplate, with 3 or 4 5/8rods for support.
There is no stainless available for the rods or the ram. i was thinking that 3/4 or 1 inch 1018 would work ok if kept greased/oiled. There might be some useable brass or bronze to make a bushing for the ram, have to search through the pile
Well, i'm torn atm. Tryign to decide between materials.
If I make the c frame like I was hoping, i would have to use aluminum (need a 2"x4" x10" block to mill the body out of, and steel that size is not available. I'm not sure exactly, but if memory serves it would be either 6061 or 6063 aluminum, so it could be heat treated. Might have to rethink as an o-frame, in which case i would probably need 2"x8"x10" block. Figure this stuff will be strong enough?
If i make a kinda turret style single stage, i could use the steel i think. It's all (again, i think) 1018 cold rolled steel, rounds and flats. biggest available is 1"x6" flat bar, which would make a decent top and floorplate, with 3 or 4 5/8rods for support.
There is no stainless available for the rods or the ram. i was thinking that 3/4 or 1 inch 1018 would work ok if kept greased/oiled. There might be some useable brass or bronze to make a bushing for the ram, have to search through the pile
1) You could use round bar steel for your 2x4x10 block if you want to go that route. I would say that the turret style is easier for a home built unit, due to the smaller individual pieces involved.
2) My Lee Classic Turret press has 3 x 0.623" rods to hold the top plate in position. The ram is 1.120" OD and magnetic, so probably carbon steel and not stainless. I previously said that the top plate was cast aluminum, but it is magnetic, so it must be a cast iron or steel of some sort. Definitely cast, though, probably die cast from the surface finish and details.
3) I wouldn't recommend stainless for the ram, it is a difficult material to machine, even harder to get a good surface finish on and galls easily. A finish ground carbon steel rod running in a brass bushing would work very well for the ram. My Lee press has the ram running directly in the cast iron base, with no bushing used.
Mark
Well, I've settled on 6061 aluminum for the main body of the press, and probably for the base that attaches to the bench as well. All the smaller parts (arm, ram, all the little finicky fieces that connect the two) will probably end up being cold rolled 1000-1100 series cold rolled steel unless i can find a cheap/free source otherwise. There's no brass at school, but there,s some decent looking bronze pipes that would probably work for a bushing
I've got my teacher looking at the drawings that i have, though they're for a pistol press that only sticks abotu 6 inches above the table, with a 2 3/4 inch gap to fit the cartridges into. I think i'll have to increase this gap to at LEAST 4 inches, probably 5 would be better to load rifle rounds in the 30-06 or 45-70 range. Out comes the calculator....
I've got my teacher looking at the drawings that i have, though they're for a pistol press that only sticks abotu 6 inches above the table, with a 2 3/4 inch gap to fit the cartridges into. I think i'll have to increase this gap to at LEAST 4 inches, probably 5 would be better to load rifle rounds in the 30-06 or 45-70 range. Out comes the calculator....
