Seater stem/s
- Thread starter Intheshop
- Start date
JonB
Halcyon member
I first discovered runout troubles on the 50gr Bater in some 22 hornet ammo from using a Lee Seater die, some years back. I learned of the problems with Lee seater and then I learned of the Forster BR seater...then learned that Bonanza made them first.
Since then, I have been slowly replacing all my rifle caliber seating dies with them. I've seen the Bonanza BR dies at gunshows priced low, like $10 to $25 range...You just have to keep looking.
I found a 7mm STW die set real cheap (rare and unusual dies never sell well at gunshows) and I modified the seater for 257Rx6.5 by installing a 'press fit' brass insert, inside the die's steel sleeve. That wasn't any special machined brass insert, it was a redneck style thingy I cut from a brass cartridge that snuggly fit into the steel sleeve (I don't recall the caliber?), then polished the inside to fit my wildcat cases. I had planned on gluing it in place, but after the first 'dry fit', I couldn't remove it, to glue it in, LOL...so I called it good
Since then, I have been slowly replacing all my rifle caliber seating dies with them. I've seen the Bonanza BR dies at gunshows priced low, like $10 to $25 range...You just have to keep looking.
I found a 7mm STW die set real cheap (rare and unusual dies never sell well at gunshows) and I modified the seater for 257Rx6.5 by installing a 'press fit' brass insert, inside the die's steel sleeve. That wasn't any special machined brass insert, it was a redneck style thingy I cut from a brass cartridge that snuggly fit into the steel sleeve (I don't recall the caliber?), then polished the inside to fit my wildcat cases. I had planned on gluing it in place, but after the first 'dry fit', I couldn't remove it, to glue it in, LOL...so I called it good
Gotta say the stem's business end profile on the RCBS/AB seater,fits better than the "factory" stuff by a country mile. It's one of those tools that,everytime you use it.... you grin.
If ya'll ever get a chance to use a really nice,big honkin edge sander for instance.... it's like that. There's several pcs or tools that elicit this reaction. "Dang,that's nice"
If ya'll ever get a chance to use a really nice,big honkin edge sander for instance.... it's like that. There's several pcs or tools that elicit this reaction. "Dang,that's nice"
Get the dust extraction "tuned" with adj port opening...... in paint spraygun world it's expressed as transfer rate. How much paint on the floor vs what gets glued to the product?
By having adj ports on the dust pickup,effecting the rooster tail coming off the part, we get past 1st base and are in with a standup dbl. Now,air injection.... it's like a supercharger on the shoptruck,haha. Seriously, injecting shop air inline with belt does wonders on abrasive grinding. It cools the belt,which cools the part.... but it forces the rooster tail towards the D.C. port.
For instance,try cutting a mitre to a tenth of a degree with your ____ brand sliding mitre box. With abrasive grinding,you can do it while carrying on a conversation with your girlfriend.....
By having adj ports on the dust pickup,effecting the rooster tail coming off the part, we get past 1st base and are in with a standup dbl. Now,air injection.... it's like a supercharger on the shoptruck,haha. Seriously, injecting shop air inline with belt does wonders on abrasive grinding. It cools the belt,which cools the part.... but it forces the rooster tail towards the D.C. port.
For instance,try cutting a mitre to a tenth of a degree with your ____ brand sliding mitre box. With abrasive grinding,you can do it while carrying on a conversation with your girlfriend.....
Ian
Notorious member
Hijack alert here. Never pass an opportunity to geek-out over shop tools.
Hand planes. I have seven and know how to use them, good ones too except for the old Stanley block plane that flexes way too much. I watched pretty much every stock making video on utoob at one time or another and everyone wants to use a plane for truing the blank. BS. Ain't got time for that. I can do in ten seconds what takes them an hour and do it more accurately, with zero chipping or tearout on a ba belt sander.
I get what you mean by the feeling of using a tool that really, really works just perfectly for the task. Don't you wish more were like that?
Couple more.....a DeWilt (sic on purpose) 18V impact driver, AKA "screwgun" that will sink a 3" Phillips-head deck screw to the hilt every time with one hand, wrist bent 90 degrees, arm straight, while clinging to a ladder 30' in the air and not strip the head. The sliding sleeve screw guide is also indespensible. Another one, most people don't even know exists, is the Blue Point hose clamp pliers for those constant-tension radiator and heater spring clamps that so many mechanics cuss. Gotta be Blue Point, though, several similar designs by other brands are total flops.
Hand planes. I have seven and know how to use them, good ones too except for the old Stanley block plane that flexes way too much. I watched pretty much every stock making video on utoob at one time or another and everyone wants to use a plane for truing the blank. BS. Ain't got time for that. I can do in ten seconds what takes them an hour and do it more accurately, with zero chipping or tearout on a ba belt sander.
I get what you mean by the feeling of using a tool that really, really works just perfectly for the task. Don't you wish more were like that?
Couple more.....a DeWilt (sic on purpose) 18V impact driver, AKA "screwgun" that will sink a 3" Phillips-head deck screw to the hilt every time with one hand, wrist bent 90 degrees, arm straight, while clinging to a ladder 30' in the air and not strip the head. The sliding sleeve screw guide is also indespensible. Another one, most people don't even know exists, is the Blue Point hose clamp pliers for those constant-tension radiator and heater spring clamps that so many mechanics cuss. Gotta be Blue Point, though, several similar designs by other brands are total flops.
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Josey Wales: Are you gonna pull those pistols or whistle Dixie.
The thing that woodpeckers MISS,which starts a whole nuther discussion,one that isn't limited to wood by any stretch..... tool designers miss it too.... is a "sense of scale".
A pictorial example. Look at the first pic.This is the book the P.O. mangled awhile back. Interesting craftsman,Mr Gould.While the photos are outstanding the text is retarded,and using that term correctly. They rushed it to printing,yaddayadda. Sorry,back to the point.....
Look at the 1st pic and tell me (rhetoricaly) how big this book is.
Then look at the 2nd pic. Now the book looks bigger..... which it is,folio sized actually.Its fooling the eye.And one of a cpl reasons I study gun stocks.Sure we have and use a pickup truck load of them..... but it's the scale on stocks that folks don't get.... or struggle with. Fascinating.
The thing that woodpeckers MISS,which starts a whole nuther discussion,one that isn't limited to wood by any stretch..... tool designers miss it too.... is a "sense of scale".
A pictorial example. Look at the first pic.This is the book the P.O. mangled awhile back. Interesting craftsman,Mr Gould.While the photos are outstanding the text is retarded,and using that term correctly. They rushed it to printing,yaddayadda. Sorry,back to the point.....
Look at the 1st pic and tell me (rhetoricaly) how big this book is.
Then look at the 2nd pic. Now the book looks bigger..... which it is,folio sized actually.Its fooling the eye.And one of a cpl reasons I study gun stocks.Sure we have and use a pickup truck load of them..... but it's the scale on stocks that folks don't get.... or struggle with. Fascinating.
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