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Posted: 8/24/2014 4:11:29 PM EDT
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I am getting some deviation on trim to length on brass that is measuring only .001+/- with my Hornady Headspace kit.
I am running the brass until it bottoms out, but I am getting large differences in trim length. In one case, I had one measure over 0.015" long. It has got to be me, but what is going wrong? |
Yeah, you should have seen the faces .
However, I think OIF may be on to something. I had been using the WFT vertically in my drill press and today I was using it laying on its side. I was getting a good spray of brass, but I can see how a piece could get hung up. I actually like it on its side better, but... At least I hope this is it!! Quoted:
Man I hate when that happens I finally realized I was holding my mouth wrong. Good Luck - you will figure it out. |
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Quoted:
Yeah, you should have seen the faces .
However, I think OIF may be on to something. I had been using the WFT vertically in my drill press and today I was using it laying on its side. I was getting a good spray of brass, but I can see how a piece could get hung up. I actually like it on its side better, but... At least I hope this is it!! Quoted:
Yeah, you should have seen the faces .
However, I think OIF may be on to something. I had been using the WFT vertically in my drill press and today I was using it laying on its side. I was getting a good spray of brass, but I can see how a piece could get hung up. I actually like it on its side better, but... At least I hope this is it!! Quoted:
Man I hate when that happens I finally realized I was holding my mouth wrong. Good Luck - you will figure it out. I cover the holes on mine with blue painters tape to keep the brass from going all over the place. I dump it out every 20 or 30 so cases when trimming new 300blk brass and dump it after 50 or so 223 cases. |
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Quoted:
I cover the holes on mine with blue painters tape to keep the brass from going all over the place. I dump it out every 20 or 30 so cases when trimming new 300blk brass and dump it after 50 or so 223 cases. A better solution IMHO is to cut the top off of a soft drink bottle and chuck it up behind the WFT. Vince |
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Yea, I wouldn't hold onto shavings inside the trimmer, they will affect the trim length.
If the comparator length is only a thousandth either way, the first two details I would check would be whether the cutter has shifted position, and whether the force applied to the cutter is uniform from case to case, although I would be surprised at 0.015 unless the cutter is being used in a drill press. I don't use a WFT, I use a Possum Hollow trimmer, and I reset the trim length for every batch of brass sized after the sizer die was reset, otherwise the trimmed length will be out of whack. |
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How are you controlling the load on the quill?
If you are using the quill stop on the press, check to see if it rock solid with no play or wobble. Also double check the lock nut in case the adjustment changed. The stop on my press won't begin to hold the quill to the precision needed for trimming. Even though these trimmers index off the case shoulder, the shoulder is springy and can't hold a drill press quill without moving. |
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Quoted:
How are you controlling the load on the quill? If you are using the quill stop on the press, check to see if it rock solid with no play or wobble. Also double check the lock nut in case the adjustment changed. The stop on my press won't begin to hold the quill to the precision needed for trimming. Even though these trimmers index off the case shoulder, the shoulder is springy and can't hold a drill press quill without moving. I was going to say if you're not using the DP stop then you may very well be having a lot of force delivered to the shoulder via the DP arm lever power. It would be very easy to do. My Grizzly drill press stop has some flex in it too. I haven't tried the PH in it yet although it's been on my mind to try it. My normal culprit is sizing variance on where the shoulder is set, bent rims from the garand, etc. You really can't go from trimming off one datum (shoulder) and then measuring off the head, especially when it's got some tweaks. I also learned when you accidentally mix once fired with unannealed 4x fired you'll never get a consistent shoulder set back. M2 ball brass from LC and HXP both get real springy after a few loads. |
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Quoted:
I am merely using the drill press as a means to turn the WFT. I am inserting the brass by hand to the stop point made into the shoulder insert of the WFT. All of my brass is once fire PMC .223. All I can suggest is don't press too hard once the WFT hits the shoulder to avoid inducing more variance. |
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Quoted:
Yea, I wouldn't hold onto shavings inside the trimmer, they will affect the trim length. If the comparator length is only a thousandth either way, the first two details I would check would be whether the cutter has shifted position, and whether the force applied to the cutter is uniform from case to case, although I would be surprised at 0.015 unless the cutter is being used in a drill press. I don't use a WFT, I use a Possum Hollow trimmer, and I reset the trim length for every batch of brass sized after the sizer die was reset, otherwise the trimmed length will be out of whack. I just don't have that happening when I trim. I use the WTF in a cord less drill and point the WTF up. When I stick a case in the neck is pointed down. Yesterday I trimmed a bunch of converted LC 223 into 1.360" long 300blk brass. I had a spread of 0.002" in over 100 cases, yes I check every third or fourth case because I am OCD about it. The trick is to dump it out once in a while and keep it pointed up. Edit because I miss read the OPs post. |
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The most consistent results from any power trimmer requires that you "spin" the case 360 degrees after the blades seem to stop cutting. I simply allow the case to spin under power while applying light pressure. This lets the cutter get to any high spots on the case mouth. The reason this technique is needed is because of the coarseness of the adjustment threads allow for slight misalignment of the case mouth to the tool head.
.015" differences between cases is always caused by debris, sometimes between the case holder and the case itself, not allowing full seating depth of the case to occur. |
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Quoted:
The most consistent results from any power trimmer requires that you "spin" the case 360 degrees after the blades seem to stop cutting. I simply allow the case to spin under power while applying light pressure. This lets the cutter get to any high spots on the case mouth. The reason this technique is needed is because of the coarseness of the adjustment threads allow for slight misalignment of the case mouth to the tool head. .015" differences between cases is always caused by debris, sometimes between the case holder and the case itself, not allowing full seating depth of the case to occur. Yes, like sharpening a pencil; I use the same "spin" technique. |
| i spin my cases also. I also blow out the trimmer with compressed air from time to time and clean the case inlet side with some cotton swabs from time to time to clear any shavings that stick. I have decided that cleaning lube from sizing off of the cases before trimming makes it better, as the lube seems to kinda get brass shavings "stuck" to it. |
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Quoted:
The most consistent results from any power trimmer requires that you "spin" the case 360 degrees after the blades seem to stop cutting. I simply allow the case to spin under power while applying light pressure. This lets the cutter get to any high spots on the case mouth. The reason this technique is needed is because of the coarseness of the adjustment threads allow for slight misalignment of the case mouth to the tool head. .015" differences between cases is always caused by debris, sometimes between the case holder and the case itself, not allowing full seating depth of the case to occur. For me .. 180 degrees (1/2 turn) or there abouts will get you the same output and save some wear and tear on the fingers. |
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Fellas, ya'll are all doing what I do when operating the WFT.
On diagnosing this, I think I figured out the problem. I must have got a shaving in the WFT nearly immediately after starting a fresh set of sized brass. When I noticed I was long, I adjusted the cutter. Then, the shaving came loose and it started cutting short. So, now I have some brass that needs trimming again and probably some that will never need trimming ever again. For some reason, the brass that is long is the one so far out of spec while the short ones are likely still usable, except for the few very short ones. Thanks for the insight and help. |
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All these replys are excellent tips but .001 is not really measurable with all but over 200 dollar micrometers.
I loaded benchrest competition and .001 would be a welcome deviation on most measurements with some calipers. Sometimes our equipment is not capable of very,very fine measurements and may tell us things are spot on,when really they are close enough.. Only with expensive micrometers we can measure .0003 plus or minus accuracy. If your rifle shoots tiny groups you are good to go. Later John |
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