Removeable Turret Press - Drill or Clamp or Freeze

lambic

Well-Known Member
Bumbling my way through starting reloading. Decided to get a well engineered turret press, mainly so all my dies are in one place.

All cleaning, priming and trimming will be done in the comfort of my study. However having a bit of a dilemna over where to put the press (of unknown make as of yet, put an in the classifieds).

I have three choices:

1) drill my garage workbench and install a press there. No issues with damage, but no heating and will get very nippy when it is -10.

2) drill my study desk and install a press there. Permanent damage to reclaimed wood expensive furniture. Not funny at all, but press will be secure and warm.

3) Secure press to wooden boards and hold in place via carpenters clamps on study desk. No damage to desk but possibly more movement when full length resizing.

What is the wisest option? Probably do a maximum of 200 rounds per year.
 
No3, works for me.
decent clamps like proper G clamps work a treat and if you are only making 200 a year you can tuck it out of the way for the 99% of the time that you don't need it.
I screwed a piece square section timber on the front edge underside of the timber base to provide a nice solid contact point at the front edge of the desk/kitchen table and put clamp at rear of press. I put the press near the right hand edge of the desk so the clamp comes in from the side.
 
As you are not loading a large number of rounds per annum, why go to the expense of a turret press?. A single stage press is much cheaper and, if you buy quality, more accurate. Changing dies is no big problem.
However, to answer your post, I'd like to add to the options outlined above, so may I suggest that you consider bolting the press, of whatever flavour, to a suitable lump of wood and use one of those portable workbenches to clamp it. B&D Workmate springs to mind. The press plus its lump of wood can be kept somewhere dry and warm, to prevent rust, and the Workmate folded and kept in your garage. Easy-peasy.
A few other points:
The amount of effort required for resizing can sometimes be high and you might wish to consider whether your desk can withstand such forces.
Not a good idea to have steel/cast iron equipment in unheated places, rust will soon set in. It is recommended that workshops housing precision and steel/cast iron equipment should be kept at about 13-15C in order to keep rust at bay. I would not recommend Option 1.
You could buy a Wamadet, if you can find one. This is a single stage press on a flat wooden base and only needs a flat table, cramps are not needed. I've had mine since the early '70's and it's still going strong.
Hope that this may be of interest
Peter
 
cant find an image of mine but I have a press mounted in a MDF box,,, bit like this

attachment.php
 
not the best picture but gives you an idea
sits under a worktop out the way
means I can reload on any table or counter or workbench in any room or shed

 
Thanks for tips Gents. Should explain my desks are large, maybe 1.8m long, 90cm deep and the timber is 70mm thick on top. Very heavy and stable, but means I could only clamp on the forward left or right corner. The rear edge of the board would always be unclamped, if you follow my drift.

PeteL: You are right, a precision engineering instrument in a garage 10 miles from a ski centre is bad idea. Therefore option 1 is gone.
I have just googled wadamet. It looks a feasible solution and a single action would be fine for me really, just wondering how it compares in terms of engineering and quality to the RCBS Summit?

Druid: Could you recommend some decent C clamps? I assume don't use the proper cast iron ones due to marking?

Bewsher: Do you get any movement in your MDF box when you give the lever a good pull? It is a good idea, just assumed that you would need to clamp down as well or have some form of lashing?

I am glad there are 3 decent decisions that do not involve drilling my desk.
 
I could only clamp on the forward left or right corner. The rear edge of the board would always be unclamped, if you follow my drift.

This would not be good. When resizing, on downstroke the rear of the board would have a tendency to go up, it'd be best to clamp the rear part. On upstroke, the force is much less. Maybe you can make the board full 90+ cm and clamp in forward and rear part, would your desk allow this?

Myself I'd be tempted to go for separate table/bench. It's funny how small and light the bench can be, if design is right. My friend has a bench like this and some years ago we used it a lot while processing a few thousand brass at a time (kind of serial work).

Frankford Arsenal Portable Reloading Stand
 
Bewsher: Do you get any movement in your MDF box when you give the lever a good pull? It is a good idea, just assumed that you would need to clamp down as well or have some form of lashing?

I am glad there are 3 decent decisions that do not involve drilling my desk.

the front lower lip extends right out to the handle at full drop.
means there is little or no lift.
its heavy but I just hold the back edge or top of the press if I get a sticky case
 
There is no comparison between a Wamadet and the usual presses. The Wamadet was invented and built by a top-class Engineer in the UK and is a quality piece of kit. The mere fact that I've had my Wamadet almost 40 years and loaded goodness knows how many rounds and it's still as precise as it was when new, demonstrates its quality.I dare say that there are presses from America, say, which may be as good but they cost a very great deal of money.
The Summit press is over $200 in US so that will be, I guess, £250 in UK. How much a used Wamadet goes for these days, I have no idea.
The point is, do you wish to lay out what is likely to be a large sum for a new precision press for just 200 rounds?.
Peter
 
This would not be good. When resizing, on downstroke the rear of the board would have a tendency to go up, it'd be best to clamp the rear part. On upstroke, the force is much less. Maybe you can make the board full 90+ cm and clamp in forward and rear part, would your desk allow this?

Very good point - board would need to be fully depth of desk.


That Frankford Stand is interesting, is it stable ?
 
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The Summit press is over $200 in US so that will be, I guess, £250 in UK. How much a used Wamadet goes for these days, I have no idea.
The point is, do you wish to lay out what is likely to be a large sum for a new precision press for just 200 rounds?.
Peter

I believe the Wadamet is 145 from the shop in Cornwall, whereas a Summit is around 240 in the UK if available. The press would be a gift, so easier to spend other peoples money.

My only concern with the Wadamet would be spare parts etc
 
Thanks Stonecutter.

Gunstar is blocked by works computer so could be a few days before I can access that.

More research on forum has shown I definitly do not need a turret press.
 
That Frankford Stand is interesting, is it stable ?

I don't remember it giving any problems, I think it was not Frankford since maybe that brand didn't exist 10y ago? I think maybe Frankford is knock-off of the previous product?

I had a similar setup back then, a smallish (17x25cm) piece of 10mm aluminum bolted into a height adjustable stand with wheels. The footprint of the stand compared to upper part was similar to the Frankford (i.e. wide enough). It was OK also. Loaded mainly 357 and 308.

I can recommend Lee Classic Cast press if you find them at reasonable price. Currently I have two of them and very satisfied. Friends have lots of them also, haven't heard any complaints.
 
My old mate Norman who worked in metal fabrication made this stand for my press back in the early 70s. Easy to move, solid as a rock andfolds up so it can lean against a wall . The stand and my old spartan press still going strong.
 
Druid: Could you recommend some decent C clamps? I assume don't use the proper cast iron ones due to marking?.

I have been using an irwin bar clamp which has rubber jaws but it does limit how tight you can make it, nothing wrong with the cast G clamp as long as you put something as a shim between the jaw and desk.
 
not the best picture but gives you an idea
sits under a worktop out the way
means I can reload on any table or counter or workbench in any room or shed


Is / was that a real pool ball?

I am going to attempt to build something like this with another couple of voids, one either side of press void, for storage (like wings). Guessing extra weight is a good thing. But also try to incorporate a couple of clamping points on the base.

I'm guessing a trip to B&Q is in order.
 
I have my girlfriends Dillon bolted to a piece of 1" plywood that is move and clamped as needed.
I have been trying to figure out how to utilize Lee's quick lock device for a press but it leaves the locking brackets proud on the bench and that seems to defeat the purpose for me.~Muir
 
Is / was that a real pool ball?

I am going to attempt to build something like this with another couple of voids, one either side of press void, for storage (like wings). Guessing extra weight is a good thing. But also try to incorporate a couple of clamping points on the base.

I'm guessing a trip to B&Q is in order.

yes it is a pool ball here's mine.
bob
 
Is / was that a real pool ball?

I am going to attempt to build something like this with another couple of voids, one either side of press void, for storage (like wings). Guessing extra weight is a good thing. But also try to incorporate a couple of clamping points on the base.

I'm guessing a trip to B&Q is in order.

Yep
Am using the white at the moment, have an orange one sitting on my desk right here tapped for a RCBS press

For Sale: Big Balls! - Replacement Reloading Press Handles
 
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