Another Project for the Reloading Bench

[Zrexxer]

I have an instrument I use in precision reloading for sorting cases by neck thickness. However, the indicator stand cannot stand on its own due to the angle of the base, so it's got to be screwed down to something. I didn't like having it anchored to the bench all the time, and I toyed with the idea of putting threaded inserts in the bench top where I could remove it and leave a flush surface when I wanted to, but... then there are all the little bushings and extra parts to keep up with, too.

So today I spend an unseasonably warm and humid December day out in the shop and made myself a little solution. It's cut and milled out of 5/8" thick 6061 aluminum, so it's heavy and sturdy. Four little adhesive vinyl feet keep it from moving on the bench. I milled a slot for the extra rod, and places to put all five of the bushings I currently have. There's space to include more bushings if I should need another size in the future. When I get a chance to pick up some stainless capscrews I'll replace the ugly slotted screws holding the base on right now, they were all I had handy in a #10-24.

Best of all, it's one of a kind...

 

[BWS]

Very nice work,am sure its going to help out.

Am curious though,wouldn't a .0001 tube mic held in say,a panavise(or any cheap adj vise)be more accurate than a dial gage?

 

[Zrexxer]

"More accurate," yes, but it isn't necessary for this process. I have a tube mic, but this tool makes faster work of culling cases that have significant differences in neck thickness, either in one case (some necks are as much as 0.008" thicker on one side than the other!) or between cases in a batch.

It's like everything in the shop, there's usually more than one way to do things - sometimes you choose a specific tool based on what you're doing and what your intended outcome is.

 

[BWS]

Cool,just wondering.

Whatcha loading for?Hows your loaded runout?Tight chamber?

I shoot cast bullets in a single shot.308,700VS.10 shot groups....gettin into the .3's enough to keep it real.

 

[Shadowdog500]

That looks great!!! What mill do you have? Photo?

Chris

 

[Zrexxer]

That looks great!!! What mill do you have? Photo?Chris

I hate to admit it, but all I have at the moment is a Homier Mini-Mill Drill from the traveling tool gypsies. You can accomplish a good bit with it, but you have to be aware of its limitations and be willing to be patient with tiny depths of cut and multiple passes.

I'm loading for a .338 Lapua, but this thread was more about the number of tools it takes to make even a simple project sometimes... in this case, milling machine, end mills, collets, drill press, bits, scales, layout dye, center punch, files, squares, vises, wrenches, bandsaw, tap, tap handle, countersink, and the list goes on...

It's taken me longer to clean and put up all the tools I've dragged out than it did to make the thing I started out on... lol.

 

[Krokodil]

Nice job!