Holding Brass when using a prep station

[jamesey]

I am using a lyman brass prep station and finding its knackering holding the brass whilst trimming the cartridges

Anyone got a holder / solution to holding the brass whilst trimming that doesn’t involve gripping the brass itself

I did 24 cases before and my hand started cramping up.

 

[Greenmist]

Lee shell holder (that comes with the length gauge) fitted into a multi head screwdriver handle

 

[jamesey]

Ah… the chuck end I Just found in the box
Yep - that’s useful to know

Thank you

 

[jonny.c]

You can get a Lee cutter holding tool for the lyman machine just chuck the brass and away you go I’m sure they have two sizes

 

[jamesey]

Yep- that’s the badger
I’ve got the chuck and holder
I am sorted now

Thanks for your help chaps

 

[jamesey]

hmmmm so not quite there on this as I thought

The Chuck goes into the driver handle
You then screw it tight to grip the case
But this prevents the Lee case length gauge from poking through the primer flash hole

I can now hold the case comfortably but cannot trim to length - I can’t see how else to do this with the gauge and chuck holder I have unless I’m really missing something

If unclear let me know and I’ll post pics

 

[jonny.c]

hmmmm so not quite there on this as I thought

The Chuck goes into the driver handle
You then screw it tight to grip the case
But this prevents the Lee case length gauge from poking through the primer flash hole

I can now hold the case comfortably but cannot trim to length - I can’t see how else to do this with the gauge and chuck holder I have unless I’m really missing something

If unclear let me know and I’ll post pics

What are they trimming to I have one or to which I have done up so tight they are still slightly long. Make sure they are as tight as they can go if still long slightly drill out centre of chuck or file the pin down

 

[jamesey]

Yeah - they don’t even touch the cutter blade
due to face of chuck which puts pressure on the base of cartridge blocking the pin on top of the cutter gauge from coming through the flash hole

If I drill the Chuck this will allow the pin into the flash hole and let the brass sit on the shoulders of the gauge again

Cheers - good suggestion

 

[paul o']

The Lee speed chuck is how I hold the buggers tight.

 

[jthyttin]

Yeah - they don’t even touch the cutter blade
due to face of chuck which puts pressure on the base of cartridge blocking the pin on top of the cutter gauge from coming through the flash hole

I much doubt you could deform the base of cartridge in such a way that length gauge wouldn't go through flash hole.

You haven't adequately described what tools you have and what you are doing with them, to make a guess other than you have brass with smaller flash hole than length guide pin (easy to check by trying to insert the gauge w/o chuck).

Lee is currently selling 3 different trimming apparatus, and at least two of them has "chuck" of some kind.

 

[kenbro]

If this is what you have, then the pin is meant to gauge the case length when it hits the solid base in the shell holder.
Ken.
Ps. Shell holder fits into leccy screw driver.
PPs. If your cutter doesn’t reach the case mouth, either the case is too short, or the mandrel with pin is the wrong one.

 

[jamesey]

I much doubt you could deform the base of cartridge in such a way that length gauge wouldn't go through flash hole.

You haven't adequately described what tools you have and what you are doing with them, to make a guess other than you have brass with smaller flash hole than length guide pin (easy to check by trying to insert the gauge w/o chuck).

Lee is currently selling 3 different trimming apparatus, and at least two of them has "chuck" of some kind.

Hi

So I have the Lyman express with a cutting tool by Lee screwed into the Lyman

The length gauge screws into the cutter
And is a steel pin with a fine end that goes through the flash hole

The brass sits on the shoulders of the cutter
And this is the “stop end” that trims only as far as the shoulders can feed into the cases

When holding brass by hand no issue
When using a chuck holder
Photo attached now

The holder has a flat base that restrains the cartridge and stops it spinning when you offer case to cutter

The flat base that puts pressure on the base of the brass is stopping the pin coming through the flash hole and thus the cutter teeth get no where near the brass

Hope this is clearer

 

[jamesey]

If this is what you have, then the pin is meant to gauge the case length when it hits the solid base in the shell holder.
Ken.
Ps. Shell holder fits into leccy screw driver.
PPs. If your cutter doesn’t reach the case mouth, either the case is too short, or the mandrel with pin is the wrong one.

So - may be that my brass just doesn’t need cutting - If the pin is supposed to hit the flat base of the chuck holder and that face is the limit to stop the pin projecting any further than my brass doesn’t engage the cutting teeth and so must not yet need trimming - does this make sense that would be the case

 

[kenbro]

So - may be that my brass just doesn’t need cutting - If the pin is supposed to hit the flat base of the chuck holder and that face is the limit to stop the pin projecting any further than my brass doesn’t engage the cutting teeth and so must not yet need trimming - does this make sense that would be the case

Absolutely.
Ken.
Ps. The one I pictured is 222 and the cutter did remove some material before the pin stopped its travel.
Google case lengths for whichever cases you’re working with.
Make sure the calibre stamped on the mandrel/ pin part is correct for job.

 

[jamesey]

Thanks mate
I have trimmed my first batch 36 cases
Assuming (here’s the mistake) that the pin passes through flash fully and the shoulder contacts the inner base of cartridge
The uniform trim length whilst all the same
Is not the correct length

I didn’t realise the pin needs to bottom out on the face of the chuck

Good news - no cutting needed yet
I’ll start over

Thanks guys - all makes sense now

 

[Bavarianbrit]

It is an end stop gauge, simple engineering really. Use a vernier caliper to measure your case lengths if they are less than the loading manuals state then there is some case stretch still available before trimming will be needed.

 

[jamesey]

Thanks
I had just been using it wrong
Now I’ve got this chuck installed in my screw driver handle / bit holder it’s correct and my brass is within tolerance

I had made an assumption and cut brass to length in error - my assumption was based on how I believe the gauge was to be used and so when it started cutting brass I thought I had a lot to trim

Turns out there is nothing to trim yet

Thanks all. I am sorted now
All the best and appreciate your time to help me out here

 

[Bavarianbrit]

 

[Mike 01]

I've had the same issue with holding the brass tight when using a case preparation tool, i.e. your fingers get sore and blistered quite quickly. I now use "Brass Grippers", which are superb. They are case-specific.