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I work at a plastic manufacturing shop with cnc and mill tooling. Is there a reason that you need to use aluminum? Could you use other materials?? Maybe I can help if so. I have access to very stable and high temp plastics...

I have a tabletop CNC router -- aluminum is about the toughest stuff it can cut, and even that is at 1/10 of a mm per layer running about 100 mm/minute. Even that excruciatingly slow cut rate is sort of at the edge of my machine's abilities. Doing it with steel would be far superior, I just don't have the equipment. I might be able to use brass -- haven't tried that yet but I'd want to check if it has better hardness before I bother.

That said, the only part that has been an issue in aluminum is the base plate on which I stack the cup grate and the compound grate. I'm not sure how long it's going to last (or maybe I'm using too much pressure -- 60 ft pounds when compressing the compound). It was originally flat, now it is dimpled:

compressionDimples.png

For the priming compound grate, the aluminum works fine but it isn't subjected to any force, just scraping. The first test I used a plastic strip cut from a yogurt cup to do the squeegee process. Last time I used a single edge razor but I think I'll go to an art store and get a small plastic oil painting knife for the next try.
 
I have a tabletop CNC router -- aluminum is about the toughest stuff it can cut, and even that is at 1/10 of a mm per layer running about 100 mm/minute. Even that excruciatingly slow cut rate is sort of at the edge of my machine's abilities. Doing it with steel would be far superior, I just don't have the equipment. I might be able to use brass -- haven't tried that yet but I'd want to check if it has better hardness before I bother.

That said, the only part that has been an issue in aluminum is the base plate on which I stack the cup grate and the compound grate. I'm not sure how long it's going to last (or maybe I'm using too much pressure -- 60 ft pounds when compressing the compound). It was originally flat, now it is dimpled:

View attachment 814795

For the priming compound grate, the aluminum works fine but it isn't subjected to any force, just scraping. The first test I used a plastic strip cut from a yogurt cup to do the squeegee process. Last time I used a single edge razor but I think I'll go to an art store and get a small plastic oil painting knife for the next try.

if you find yourself wanting something other than metal for loading prepping your primer charges I would recommend using something other than aluminum.. not saying it would react but it's a substance I wouldn't want in my charge. Ever hear of a plastic called ULTEM? it's as strong as aluminum and lighter too. Some serious stuff. Easy to machine too...
 
if you find yourself wanting something other than metal for loading prepping your primer charges I would recommend using something other than aluminum.. not saying it would react but it's a substance I wouldn't want in my charge. Ever hear of a plastic called ULTEM? it's as strong as aluminum and lighter too. Some serious stuff. Easy to machine too...

Here's something interesting though -- by all accounts (from random people on the internet so you know it must be true) the 22Reloader stuff is the H-48 compound and aluminum (very finely powdered) can be used in H-48 to increase the effectiveness with slow burning powders and/or magnum primers.

I'm basically working with the info from here: http://aardvarkreloading.com/primers.html The PDF "Homemade Primer Course" discusses aluminum with the H-48 compound.

That said -- I've never tried ULTEM and if I can cut it faster than aluminum, I need to try it. Thank you for the tip.
 
Here's something interesting though -- by all accounts (from random people on the internet so you know it must be true) the 22Reloader stuff is the H-48 compound and aluminum (very finely powdered) can be used in H-48 to increase the effectiveness with slow burning powders and/or magnum primers.

I'm basically working with the info from here: http://aardvarkreloading.com/primers.html The PDF "Homemade Primer Course" discusses aluminum with the H-48 compound.

That said -- I've never tried ULTEM and if I can cut it faster than aluminum, I need to try it. Thank you for the tip.

I cant even get the 22LR Powder crap to go off. Won't even spark
 
Weird. Basic stuff things to try -- double check measurements and mixing. I will also say this -- in one of the 22Reloader vids the guy puts a little pile on a vice and hits it with a hammer. I tried that with my stuff and it didn't work. But when I put it in a primer cup and put an anvil in there, it's worked every time, on the vice, and in the ammo I've been able to load. Maybe try making a reprimer and see if it pops.
 
Weird. Basic stuff things to try -- double check measurements and mixing. I will also say this -- in one of the 22Reloader vids the guy puts a little pile on a vice and hits it with a hammer. I tried that with my stuff and it didn't work. But when I put it in a primer cup and put an anvil in there, it's worked every time, on the vice, and in the ammo I've been able to load. Maybe try making a reprimer and see if it pops.
Will do gunna try in 5 mins ill report back
 
Aye i got one to go off! woooop

Compress the compound as hard as you can before putting in the anvil. the blunt end of a drill bit if you can find one almost as wide as the inside diameter of the cup is good. Narrower things will not compress as well as one thing as wide as will fit. In my reading, without actual understanding it mind you, I read that primer compounds work because there is inherent instability between the mixed materials (they don't dissolve together, they are just next to each other, at least in the H48 type). The closer they are I think (the more compressed) the more this instability should exist.
 
Compress the compound as hard as you can before putting in the anvil. the blunt end of a drill bit if you can find one almost as wide as the inside diameter of the cup is good. Narrower things will not compress as well as one thing as wide as will fit. In my reading, without actual understanding it mind you, I read that primer compounds work because there is inherent instability between the mixed materials (they don't dissolve together, they are just next to each other, at least in the H48 type). The closer they are I think (the more compressed) the more this instability should exist.

Doing this now, I have found that a 3.5MM Drill bit is the perfect size for "SRP,SPP,SMP" When compressing the H-48 Powder into the Cup. A 3.5MM Steel Rod would be perfect as a bench press modification for "resizing the primer cups into original form." Something I am working on now instead of having to use a hammer. The modification will be used for compressing powder and resizing cup.
 
Doing this now, I have found that a 3.5MM Drill bit is the perfect size for "SRP,SPP,SMP" When compressing the H-48 Powder into the Cup. A 3.5MM Steel Rod would be perfect as a bench press modification for "resizing the primer cups into original form." Something I am working on now instead of having to use a hammer. The modification will be used for compressing powder and resizing cup.

I just measured the pin I use for pressing out the firing pin dimple -- it's 3.6mm (I made it from a 4mm pin with file/sandpaper and a handheld power drill doing lathe duty).
 
I'm going to design a printable desktop bench press that will allow the user to just add in his 3.5 mm drill bit and use it to resize and compress.

That would be cool -- but will hold up if printed? What are you thinking it looks like?

I wonder if you could 3D print threads to fit the top hole on a single stage press, but make it a thin walled hollow cylinder so that it is mostly metal, but just the threads and a little extra are plastic, and then epoxy into the void a section of steel rod. Then make a part that attaches to the ram like a shell holder and holds a pin. Then you could place a cup upside down on the pin, and press it against the steel insert screwed into the top of the press. This would save you the trouble of making a press.

EDIT:
For the compound, you could make a part that screws into the top like mentioned above, that holds the drill bit shank and a flat topped metal shell holder. Then as you raise the ram, it would compress the compound. Actually, you can do it like this for both the cup reshaping and compound compression, though I find it easier to do cup reshaping by placing the cup on the pin upside down, rather than trying to find the cup mouth with the pin while the cup is oriented open part up.
 
...I wonder if you could 3D print threads to fit the top hole on a single stage press...

I have code that will print standard die threads. I made a digital counter with a sensor that threads into a die location. I can provide the code or modify my design and make you one for whatever size metal insert you would need.

20210129_211607.jpg
 

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