Making a Lee sizer

smokeywolf

smokeywolf

Well-Known Member
Nice video Brad. Great camera angle and mount. Best angle and little or no detectable vibration.

Between helping the older teen with college applications and giving driving lessons, I'm going to try and start a new mould project soon. Just generated an order with Speedy Metals a couple of days ago.
 
Brad

Brad

Benevolent Overlord and site owner
Staff member
The magnetic base hangs on the side of the headstock quite nicely. Doesn't get in way of chuck guard either.
I really like the GoPro camera for stuff like this.
 
smokeywolf

smokeywolf

Well-Known Member
Not planning on uploading anything to youtube, so will postpone a GoPro for now. Am planning on taking stills of this upcoming project. Will probably use son's Canon SureShot for that.

Will say, you took to machining, like a duck to water.
 
Brad

Brad

Benevolent Overlord and site owner
Staff member
If I put my mind to it I can do almost anything. I find it to be very logical. Plan out what you need and be sure to think of order of operations. I have machined myself into a corner more than once.
A creative, visual mind helps.
 
Ian

Ian

Notorious member
Brad said:
Plan out what you need and be sure to think of order of operations.
Click to expand...

SO true. Years of turning wrenches taught me to pay close attention to assembly/disassembly order because sometimes a part of the thing you just put back together is in the way of something else that had to be taken off to do the job. The difference between assembly and lathe work is once you box yourself into a corner making a part, there's no going back. The "Six 'P's" definitely apply. Actually seven Ps the way I say it.;)
 
F

freebullet

Guest
That really is outstanding video.

7p, I like that too. Always go by the old adage" the devils in the details". They will bite.
 
Gary

Gary

SE Kansas
What technique or method do you use to get that satin smooth finish on the inside of the die?
 
Gary

Gary

SE Kansas
Pins and needles right here asbcowner. I look forward to the enlightenment; kinda hope it's a aha moment.
 
Brad

Brad

Benevolent Overlord and site owner
Staff member

I use a split rod, emery, and oil. I start the polish with 240 grit to remove rough scratches and get most of the metal gone. I then finish with 400 grit and lots of polish, clean, check. I will sometimes give a final quick polish with 600 grit to smooth over the finish but I don't think it is really helpful.
Part of the key is getting a smooth infeed taper that meets the final diameter smoothly. This requires lots of polishing at the transition point between the straight section and taper.
I use a fair bit of pressure when doing this, my thumb is often a bit sore when done. The oil helps keep the emery from clogging as fast.
Experience has taught me that when a .356 pin enters but a .357 doesn't I am closer to .357 than to .356. Sounds logical but it is easy to overshoot and get a larger fianl size than intended. I can guarantee that polishing until a .357 pin enters will give closer to .3575 than expected.
In this case a .356 pin enters snugly but a .357 pin won't quite go thru. A bullet pushed thru the sizer measured .3569.
 
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Ian

Ian

Notorious member
I gotta get that chainjerk emoticon on speed-dial.

Yep, sore fingers, metal craftsmen all know that well. At least it puts hair on yer bac.......errr...chest.
 
Brad

Brad

Benevolent Overlord and site owner
Staff member

This is the drill bit I mentioned. Notice the flute design, these parabolic drills let chips flow really well from a deep hole. I don't own many of them but they get a bunch of use when making things like a Lee sizer.
 
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Ian

Ian

Notorious member
Hmm. I have a fractional set of those and always hated them because I only used them for wood, and they pack up like crazy right behind the point due to the aggressive starting curve. Been rethinking their purpose since you mentioned it earlier in the thread.

ETA: That's weird, I clicked the link and it takes me to the video manager page for MY channel. Whassup?
 
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