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Ahh, I see! Sounds good!!

You certainly have skills! Wish I knew where to begin (a lather or mill might be a start!)

TattooedGun wrote:Ahh, I see! Sounds good!!

You certainly have skills! Wish I knew where to begin (a lather or mill might be a start!)

Been in engineering for 28 years - so by now should know a little!
I'm not a tool maker which really are the skills needed for making dies etc.
Reality is my first set of dies came from Corbin 25 years ago, only recently with the rip off prices we pay over here for bullets plus
Corbins crazy prices and the 2 year wait for delivery catalysed my thoughts and spurred me on....!

It is somewhat more involved than having access to a lathe and mill, dimensions strived for are in tenths of thou - 3 microns 0.003mm.
You need good metrology for that and a constant temperature (heat from you hand as well as the work piece will affect measurement).
One also needs to know how to make reamers and laps and how a bore is lapped.
So do not feel too down hearted it is areal PITA specially when you crack a die heat treating it after achieving a good result
Throwing 4 hours work in the scrap bin is not nice.....

Sounds like the voice of experience :(

My dad was in engineering for a good chunk of his life (he was a toolmaker from what i understand) - I wish I could spend some quality time with him and glean some of this information...

I've been tempted to get into it as a career, but 6 years into working in Web, I'm a little past apprenticeships and the pay cut I'd incur would not be a friendly one :(

Interesting the variables that have to go into it, but it makes sense, especially knowing what little I know about the properties of certain metals... stands to reason the head from your hand could make the metal expand/contract, especially when talking about those kinds of measurements!

Have decided to take on commission work, so if anyone is interested contact me through the turvey stalking website!

Carrying on from the de-rim die posted earlier a quick'n'dirty extractor arrangement for the same commission.
I knew the Lee hand press would be useful for something...

well done, superb thread!!

Completed Core Swage Die.
(Press - Lee classic cast with extended handle)



Onwards...Core Seat Next!

Hats off to you sir - Excellent work.

A question for all;

How many of you would be interested in a complete swaging set up along the lines of the corbin csp-1 system?
That would be a swaging press and dies.

I'm not sure I shoot enough to warrant it depending on how much its likely to cost... but I'm interested!