With out dropping $1K on Corbin press and dies does anyone out there make their own slugs?
George
George
Swaging slugs
- Thread starter griddle01
- Start date
What level of DIY are you equipped to perform? One way to get into it is make your own squirt die and swage slugs with an inexpensive bench top arbor press.
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Could you provide any link on making your own squirt dies? I tried the search on this site, but, it looks like it isn't currently working.
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I don’t recall seeing more than a passing mention on this forum. Maybe try a general search engine and look for discussions on Benchrest Central, Castboolits, etc.
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Corbin site says its an older term for a core swage die.
http://www.corbins.com/terms.htm
The core swage die has bleed holes that let you "squirt" surplus lead through them. (In the "old days" of swaging, some people called this a "squirt die".)
http://www.corbins.com/terms.htm
The core swage die has bleed holes that let you "squirt" surplus lead through them. (In the "old days" of swaging, some people called this a "squirt die".)
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Found these from a company in India. Less expensive, but, not cheap. They specify a 2TON pressure. Making your own dies doesn't seem like a DIY project unless your an experienced machinist with access to the required equipment.
https://www.gmiestore.com/product-page/SOC-6-kit
https://www.gmiestore.com/product-page/SOC-6-kit
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Agreed, that is why I was asking. The only certain way to significantly decrease the cost would be to DIY. Arbor presses are mass produced and cheap so that part is easy, whereas the dies are small volume boutique items so that’s where DIY comes in if you do your own machining or have a close friend who would be willing to do it.
Otherwise the potential for cutting cost will be more modest like sourcing through overseas channels, accepting whatever risk is associated with it. Or you could search and search and maybe find someone wanting to sell their used setup for cheap.
Hopefully someone else will chime in.
Otherwise the potential for cutting cost will be more modest like sourcing through overseas channels, accepting whatever risk is associated with it. Or you could search and search and maybe find someone wanting to sell their used setup for cheap.
Hopefully someone else will chime in.
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Another possibility would be a "soft tooling" approach, not using carbide steel. You would be able to make a die cheap an quickly to test out a slug designs. Then get the die made from tool steel for the final design.
Epoxy inside a steel tube, lost wax approach for slug cavity? Not wax but another material that could handle the heat from the epoxy setting but still be easily removed once the epoxy is set.
Just thinking out loud
Epoxy inside a steel tube, lost wax approach for slug cavity? Not wax but another material that could handle the heat from the epoxy setting but still be easily removed once the epoxy is set.
Just thinking out loud
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Thanks to all replies, very good conversation. I am not a machinist and at this time know of no one. I did come across a a discussion that was able to use an RCBS reloading press with their dies. Now desperately trying to relocate this.
Now how to collect/reuse pellets/lead to feed the dies..
This air life is going to cost me dearly but wow what a blast to shoot.
George
Now how to collect/reuse pellets/lead to feed the dies..
This air life is going to cost me dearly but wow what a blast to shoot.
George
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