Can you make a custom die using your chamber reamer?

Vern

Vern

Morethan1waytoskinacat
Can you use the same reamer you use for chambering to make a sizing die?

As I remember there is a difference needed for the chamber and the actual sizing die.
 
Vern

You can make a custom neck bushing and shoulder bump die using the chamber reamer. You can make it from one of the Carstensen blanks, or make your own from a barrel scrap. But, if you want any body sizing, you'll need another reamer. When you order the chamber reamer ask for a re-size reamer also. The re-size can be used for both a body size die and a rougher.

Ray
 
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Jim Carstensen of JLC precision can. He shrinks it into a body which reduces its size. I am not sure it makes any difference though.
 
I had heard but only heard that you had to heat the die body and then do the final reaming.
I just can conceive being able to do all the centering and all fast enough to ream the die body to make a die from it.
The other was to order a reamer ground to be the correct size for the die.
Thus having to have to reamers.
 
Vern

Two reamers is not a bad investment. A re-size makes a good rougher, saving wear and tear on the finisher, and it can always be used for making size dies. After you ruin your finisher trying to make one of those heat-shrink sizers, you'll probably wish you had taken the easy route to begin with. What's the old saying, "Cry once . . ."

Or, you can make a bushing/bump die with the finisher and buy a body die from Redding. But, who wants to buy a die when they have a $25,000 lathe that can do the job for nothing.:cool:
 
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Butch Lambert said:
Al is correct. I wouldn't even consider chromium.
Click to expand...

May I ask why? Hard chrome, or chemical nickel plating, looks good on the paper (to me). You could use an old worn out barrel and turn it into a usable sizing die. Just polish the top part a little, and then apply the finish. The finish is really hard and slick, if I remember correctly it´s in the 70Rc range.

I agree compleatly that if you are going to chamber a newlon blank etc., it´s way better to use an undersized reamer.

//Peter
 
I've looked into platings for years and have yet to find one that deposits uniformly enough for use in a die.

al
 
Have you tried chemical nickel? They apply it without electricity, and claim that it will form a very uniform layer, and stick well to corners without buildup.

I haven´t tried eighter! :)

//Peter
 
I have never done this but was told it will work.

Make the die with 12L14 then heat treat. It will shrink during the heat treating process.

I would suppose you would thread it with carbide after heat treating.
Nat Lambeth
 
Rustystud said:
I have never done this but was told it will work.

Make the die with 12L14 then heat treat. It will shrink during the heat treating process.

I would suppose you would thread it with carbide after heat treating.
Nat Lambeth
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I've had it done,

twice.


Call me stupid.............

It didn't take the first time because I was guided by experts, but by the second time I realized, "IT DOESN'T WORK!!"

go ahead and try it, then you'll know :)

al
 
alinwa said:
"IT DOESN'T WORK!!"

al
Click to expand...

I'll second Al's experience on this, I've done it too. There is virtually no dimensional change after heat treating (case hardening) a sizing die made out of 12L14, at least not enough to get anywhere near the sizing you need.
If there was any gain it was gone after polishing the interior of the die.
 
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