Soon to offer blank Lee type sizing dies

[Ian]

Well....there's also the opposite, which is analysis paralysis.

Look, the concept is an affordable blank die, right? If a person has the tooling to finish it out, they also have the ability to make a reducing insert. These aren't airplane parts, I think most of us are frugal and would be ok with a dab of epoxy to hold in a sleeve, or even bushing a scrap brass/plastic whatever tube with masking tape to reduce the diameter of the back-bored hole in the few cases where that would even be necessary. If we have lathes, make a piece with a small interference fit, or drill and tap for a set screw. No big deal..

Back-boring .500 about halfway theough the length of the die would take care of most needs. I would also like to see a smooth shank about .375 long at the bottom of the die so that a steady rest could be used for boring operations. I envision a lot of other uses for these blanks such as custom seating dies, expanding dies, etc.

 

[Brad]

I agree with Ian, keep it simple.
I had not considered an area for a steady rest but it makes sense.
I can easily back bore mine, made enough to be pretty good at it by now.
A 3/16” pilot hole is a good idea, gives follow on drilling operation a hole to follow.
Just having the outside profiling and threading done saves a ton of time and work.

 

[Ian]

The Lee dies have a smooth shank on both ends, I just wanted to point out that it could be handy. My lathe chucks will not accept anything larger than about .800 through them, so a die like this would only be supported by the ends of the jaws in the chuck, which isn't enough support for threading or boring. Having s smooth shank on each end would let me support in a steady for single-pointing internal threads in the top of the die, boring chamfers, boring the inside, and other operations that require the part be fulllly supported.

 

[Brad]

Makes complete sense to me. Looks ahead is always a good thing when working on the lathe.
I have a simple Al tube I threaded 7/8-14. Thread in die, use lock ring to keep it from turning, and put in chuck. No damage to threads. Runs true enough for back boring and cleaning up the top of the die.

 

[KeithB]

Okay, I think I have decided what to do. The sample die is 2.920" long. The smooth end below the threads is about .3" long. I want to make the die 3.000" long, with the smooth lower end increased to .4" long. Losing .040" at the top end shouldn't matter, there is a quite a long smooth section there.

As to the holes. I plan to drill the bottom hole to 3/16" diameter x 1.5" deep, and on the top end the hole will be 1/4" diameter x 1.5" deep. A 1/4" relief hole is fine for .22 caliber, and if someone goes larger in caliber they can backdrill to any size or depth they want. If Ian wants 2" of sizing section to work with he can have it for anything over .25 caliber. If someone else wants a shorter sizing section they can backdrill deeper.

This is the KISS principle - one part only to stock, most of the heavier work done, still have plenty of flexibility. How does this sound?

 

[Brad]

Sounds like a well thought out plan.
I assume they will be in the mail Monday?

 

[KeithB]

Did you already mail me a check? LOL

 

[Brad]

PayPal man, PayPal.

I appreciate you taking this on Keith. Once you have them in stock I will be placing an order.

Is a video of one being made in the plans? I love that stuff.

 

[KeithB]

Sure enough, I will try to get a vid or two of the processes to post. We will be running them this week after we finish up a run of Star dies. They both use the same size and type of material and some of the same tools so it should be a smooth changeover.

 

[Ian]

Sounds good to me, Keith.

 

[fiver]

these are blank star dies?

 

[RBHarter]

Just a freckle to add/ask .........
I know there's not a lot of demand for 17 cal anything ...... I have this Benjamin single stroke and some days it's amazing and others it amazing it hits paper . So at some point I will be working it out with a real bullet vs hit and miss pellets . .187 is too big to start with 5/32 maybe ....11/64 would do maybe a short add at the end of a run 2-3/100 ?

 

[RBHarter]

I had read it as blank Lee style ...... If not disregard my comments .

 

[Brad]

these are blank star dies?

Blank Lee sizer dies.
Keith already make Star blanks and they are very nice.

 

[Brad]

A 17cal would be earn tough to work with. Polishing it to size would take some effort as my split rod is too big, it barely can handle a 22. Also tough to find a boring bar long enough to make a decent hole that small.
Not saying it can’t be done, just that it won’t be fun or easy.

 

[fiver]

I thought he done the star dies I just couldn't remember if they were blanks or drilled with a pilot hole like you guy's are talking about here.
I could almost talk myself into a HF bench top type 110 unit that I could set up for just making holes bigger in stuff.
I think that's about as much lathe stuff as I want to get into.

 

[Brad]

I think everything Keith makes like that has a pilot hole. All I have gotten from him had one.

 

[RBHarter]

A 17cal would be earn tough to work with. Polishing it to size would take some effort as my split rod is too big, it barely can handle a 22. Also tough to find a boring bar long enough to make a decent hole that small.
Not saying it can’t be done, just that it won’t be fun or easy.

I expect it to be . Buckshot told me he could do one ......well actually he said "how small a hole do you want if there's a drill bit it can happen " . Braggery I'm sure it was at the NCBS after the Roolz meeting and dinner ........
I'd buy 3 .
1 to screw up for sure .
1 to practice on .
1 for perfect .
If I really screw up 2 I'm pretty sure that they could be saved in one of the other 17-18 sub 50 cal others I shoot . I do need a .267 .

 

[Brad]

I made a couple of .226-.227 sizers for a Lyman. Actually easier than I expected. A .177 would be another story.
With the right setup for lapping/polishing to size it is very workable.

 

[Ian]

Wouldn't be hard to turn an insert for a .452" die.