Press display?

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richhodg66

Well-Known Member
Been thinking for a while about retiring the Rockchucker my Dad gave me when I got back from Desert Storm. I have a bunch of presses, a few of which are really better tools than the RC (C&H CHapion).

I will eventually build a nice reloading room inside the shop, was thinking of hanging the old RC u just to look at it, nit to use, something like post #17 in this thread. Pacific C press display

Anybody done something like this?
 
JonB

JonB

Halcyon member
Looks like I have to create an account to see your link?
But anyway, I know what you are talking about. If Pressman see's this thread, maybe he will post, he has quite the display shelf (or shelves?) loaded with many presses and Lube Sizers. Myself, my press storage area/display is under the kitchen table, LOL.
 
RicinYakima

RicinYakima

High Steppes of Eastern Washington
Since I collect old tools, every year or so I put new ones out and retire the others to the shop storage. These are this years in the computer room.
safe.jpg

On the left is a post war Jordan press by Bill Masters. Next to it is a pre-war Potter Duplex. In front is a early 1930's Schmidt Model 24. All too big and heavy for a book shelf.
 
RicinYakima

RicinYakima

High Steppes of Eastern Washington
Some you can just set on the shelf, or if light clamp on the shelf even with books.
bookcase shelf.jpg

Top is a 1948 Johnson Red Head clamped on the shelf. Below is a Model 26 Belding and Mull with bullet sizer and seater.

Just takes some thought about how you want it to appear. Good Luck.
 
Brad

Brad

Benevolent Overlord and site owner
Staff member
I have 2 presses besides the Dillon. One on the bench, one on the floor. I should get rid of the one on the floor, it just takes up space.

I am fully a user of these tools, not a collector. if I don’t use it then it has no reason for being in my home.

As usual, a lack of nostalgia drives some of this. I just don’t get excited about stuff just because it existed when I was younger.
 
Brad

Brad

Benevolent Overlord and site owner
Staff member
I am fascinated by machines as well. I particularly like seeing them work, just not in my home.
Might be partially due to cleaning up the home of a couple who loved to collect stuff. I don’t want to do that to my daughter.
I have the curiosity, I lack the desire to collect.
 
L

LEC Guy

Active Member
Ric, You have some nice vintage tools. I have one of the CC Johnson or Red Head presses like yours but I don't have the clamp. Looks similar in design to the early Ideal Lubricator Clamp. Were they all the Johnson/Red head presses sold with the clamp?

Bruce
 
R

richhodg66

Well-Known Member
By the way, I have a Pacific C press exactly like that one. Neat little press.

The Rockchucker in question has done 95% or better of the reloading I've done in the past 32 years. I grew up around reloading and shooting a lot, but had gotten away from in and never did it on my own. Dad and I wrote letters to each other pretty much every day while I was in Saudi Arabia and Iraq in '90-'91. I wanted to get a rifle and start loading for it and we talked a lot. He and Mom came out to Bliss a few weeks after I got back and he brought that brand new Rockchucker along with a scale and a big old Saeco powder measure which is still set up on the bench and my favorite for rifle reloading. I'm losing my sense of nostalgia too, but that press means a lot to me.
 
RicinYakima

RicinYakima

High Steppes of Eastern Washington
LEC Guy said:
Ric, You have some nice vintage tools. I have one of the CC Johnson or Red Head presses like yours but I don't have the clamp. Looks similar in design to the early Ideal Lubricator Clamp. Were they all the Johnson/Red head presses sold with the clamp?

Bruce
Click to expand...
None were sold with a clamp, but made to be screwed to a bench. That clamp is a Redding clamp, size large, that is still available!
 
R

richhodg66

Well-Known Member
Ric, how wide is the opening on that Redding clamp? Redding says it will open up to a 2 1/2" bench thickness, but I'm wondering about how wide a press it will go around and they seem to have left that dimension out of their product description.
Sure looks a lot better than using conventional C clamps.
 
RicinYakima

RicinYakima

High Steppes of Eastern Washington
richhodg66 said:
Ric, how wide is the opening on that Redding clamp? Redding says it will open up to a 2 1/2" bench thickness, but I'm wondering about how wide a press it will go around and they seem to have left that dimension out of their product description.
Sure looks a lot better than using conventional C clamps.
Click to expand...
The small one is 1 3/4" and the large one is 2 1/4".
Both of mine are about 10 years old, as I bought the small one first and it was too small.
 
R

richhodg66

Well-Known Member
My brother got Dad's Rockchucker from the early 70s. Dad's reloading setup was on a screen porch in humid S.C., John stripped it all down, de rusted it and it's still running like a champ.
 
R

richhodg66

Well-Known Member
This one will be with me til I die unless I pass it on to one of my sons. Niether of them are likely to be in a situation anytime soon to have a real reloading set up.
 
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