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Electric Screwdriver/Neck turning

I recently bought a Harbor Freight Bauer screwdriver for primer pocket reaming/uniforming/cleaning and it's well built and has performed well. Only 180rpm but seems to have good torque and holds a charge a long time. The handle rotates for pistol grip or straight use. I'd guess it would work fine for neck turning with a handheld unit like PMA etc. At $19.95 it's not much of a risk. https://www.harborfreight.com/4v-14-in-cordless-screwdriver-kit-64313.html
 
Replaceable/swap-able batteries is a nice to have so you don't have to stop what you are doing while charging. I considered the Bauer that Sieg recommended but I already had other power tools. The Bauer has a convertible handle which I like.

I'm using what I had on hand, Makita 12V drill with lithium batteries. I find it is easier to hold than a screwdriver and the RPMs are variable based on trigger pressure. Works well for me.

Whatever you decide to get, know that some are impact drivers and may not be ideal
 
I do not use an electric drill because I have an electric neck turning motor that we built. I suppose the proper screwdriver with the proper speed control and proper torque will do the trick. I would think you should do something to secure the driver to a bench or solid base of some type. It’s impossible to hold the driver and the neck turner and have any control of what you are doing.
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RPM might be a little slow, but it should work if you take it slow and easy. I use a cheap electric drill (A/C) with a 4' flex-shaft (Dewalt) clamped under my bench with the trigger locked to around 700 rpm for turning and 300 rpm or so for trimming with my old Lyman trimmer/turner (bench mounted). Switch next to the trimmer turns it on or off. Nothing fancy, but it works and with the higher speed fed slowly, it turns necks with no ridges or marks.
 
I've always used a variable speed drill. Too much speed produces heat. I use a K&M turner and by hand holding, my wrist bends to correct any alignment instead of forcing the tool to cut off center. I have an electric screwdriver but have never tried it.
 
Thekaiser said:
Anyone turning necks using an electric screwdriver? Any suggestions what model your're using would be appreciated.
Click to expand...

I’ve looked at various “electric screwdrivers” and tried my own, but I decided to just use my Makita variable cordless drill, which has much more battery capacity to last longer between charging times (with 2 extra batteries so one can finish charging while running down the next). This Makita drill has a max RPM of 700 and that’s what I turn my necks at using Sinclair’s neck turning tool.
 
As to the subject of heat buildup, one of the merits of a Pumpkin neck turner is that its mass absorbs much of the heat built up while turning. This same mass makes the turner easier to hold and you are less likely to get hand and wrist fatigue. To that end we have and can still make this adaptor for an K&M neck turner. It serves a couple purposes.

Uthink And K&M and then Pumpkin
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Black and Decker handheld straight (not angled) replaceable battery type. It has the perfect speed for neck turning and has a good run time. I prefer to hold the driver in-line with the turning mandrel. less canted drag on the brass to the mandrel. It IS possible to have control of the driver and the neck turning tool at the same time. I'm up to about 1000 pcs turned so far, no problem. I have not seen any mention of cutting oil here. I hope it is already self implied.
 
Sieg said:
I recently bought a Harbor Freight Bauer screwdriver for primer pocket reaming/uniforming/cleaning and it's well built and has performed well. Only 180rpm but seems to have good torque and holds a charge a long time. The handle rotates for pistol grip or straight use. I'd guess it would work fine for neck turning with a handheld unit like PMA etc. At $19.95 it's not much of a risk. https://www.harborfreight.com/4v-14-in-cordless-screwdriver-kit-64313.html
Click to expand...


Me too. I also found a small chuck on the interweb and use it to hold a standard RCBS brush.
 
1/2" variable speed drill with the speed control on the trigger gets RPM down to a crawl. Lee Sizing wax on the mandrel works best that I have found. I just leave the drill running, the speed is locked. I feed the case on and off the neck turner's mandrel, dob on some lee sizing wax with a q tip, touch the inside of the neck with the q tip. Slick as a hounds tooth.

Drill motor is held in a large bench vise with leather jaw protectors, don't want to scar up my $29 drill! Hee Hee!

I use a K&M neck turner, drill chuck grips the back of the mandrel.

The lathe will grip the back of the mandrel well, but it is less stress standing up to the bench top than bending over the lathe.
 
Last edited:
I adapted my neck turner to my lathe. I now have a 10HP neck turner. Turned 100 cases with a vibrating DC drillmoter and said never again.
 
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