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to shorten hulls for roll crimping?

Member Joined: 27 Jun 2005 Posts: 1545 Location: Michigan

This is the best tool I have found.
Use the screw in the end, to adjust your cut depth.

Guest

You have a lovely vice! Smile

Hello

I use either the Lyman or Thalson tools or a custom tool that I have

Enjoy the day
Mike

Member Joined: 08 Nov 2005 Posts: 3438 Location: Illinois

Dave I believe will follow your setup but am worried about patent infringments Laughing

Joined: 28 Mar 2008 Posts: 1460 Location: Eagle, Nebraska

I have the BPI and Precision Reloading hull trimmers. Precision is better tool. Had trouble with good even cut with bpi and you had to unscrew the thing to get the plastic ring off before you could cut another, thus losing your place where to cut. very slow.

Precision product pretty clean and simple, and once you have the "stud" set at desired length, just start cutting.

I made one of the cutters Dave Miles pictured above.

Enough materials - dowel and blades - for 5 of them cost $5. The screw came out of my junk fastener collection.

I can't imagine any tool being better or faster than this $1 homemade cutter.

Joined: 23 Jun 2005 Posts: 185 Location: Boulder,Colorado

So Dave, (I'm not at all mechanical)... just HOW does the tool work ? do you put a de-primed hull over the end and then tighten the screw, causing the hull to spin around the fixed blade ? Any enlightenment is greatly appreciated!

Guest

So thunderstick what year did you graduate from CU or are you on the faculty?

Member Joined: 27 Jun 2005 Posts: 1545 Location: Michigan

Additional info to Dave's instructions.

The shell cutter is made exactly as it appears. The part that doesn't show very clearly in the photo is that the cutting blade is at a slight angle so that as you turn the shell it is actually pulled into the cut as you turn it. Then when the inside base wad makes contact with the screw that shortens or lengthens the final cut length the cut stops cleanly.

Absolute, utter, simplistic perfection - for about $1.

As we say down here in the south - it don't get no better'n this.

I have also made and used a tool like Dave's.

Another way I have cut down hulls is to put one of those little bitty saw blade attachments made for a Dremel Tool in my drill press. It is not quite as fast as the dowel cutter but it is super accurate. I sometimes get a small amount of variation in length with the dowel cutter, maybe I push a little harder on one hull then the other? Maybe the base wads vary slightly in height?

Joined: 23 Jun 2005 Posts: 185 Location: Boulder,Colorado

Twice Barrel, I may have been kicked out of every school I attended, but I guarantee you my wife is prettier than yours.

BTW, I fingered it out meself while thinking 'bout on my drive home yesterday. Dave and Flychamp: thanks for the extra help!

Guest

[quote="thunderstick"]Twice Barrel, I may have been kicked out of every school I attended, but I guarantee you my wife is prettier than yours. /quote]

You are going to have to be the one that tells her that. Please remember I have lots and lots of guns and she knows how to use them and quite well I might add.

I forgot to mention my wife does sometime reasd these posts.

Guest

Dave or Flychamps,

How do you get the blade placed and seated into the dowel?

Thanks!