Help with neck turning

[Mark Johnson]

I just got the 21st century lathe setup and had a couple questions. I decided to go with PMA carbide dies and after using the expanding mandrel, there is a little play between the case and the neck turning mandrel. Is this to be expected? Concentricity gauge says my first piece turned out pretty good, but I went too far into the shoulder.

Edit: I was just thinking, this was fired, resized brass that I used the redding expander ball on, maybe this is sizing larger than the expanding mandrel?


Also, any recommendations on drills or motors for this lathe? Something with a base that I don't have to hold? Thanks.

 

[Lapua40X]

Also, any recommendations on drills or motors for this lathe? Something with a base that I don't have to hold?

You'll need to find some method for feeding the case into the cutter ...

https://www.zoro.com/dayton-ac-gear...gclid=CPPM0tu9zM4CFYdcfgod0coJLA&gclsrc=aw.ds

http://www.esslinger.com/polishing-...chment-5-16/?gclid=CPGq8YS-zM4CFRZqfgodIYMF6g

 

[Chfcemerson]

The best neck turners usually come as a matched set...expander die and Cutter..Don Neilson pretty much is the go to guy for these sets.. They are commonly referred to as Pumkin turners..There are others that are very similar, but his is the best IMHO.

 

[Mozella]

I have a 21st Century lathe and I don't detect any play on the turning mandrel. Here's how I do it. I anneal the entire batch of brass. The idea is to reduce the spring back during the next two steps. I neck size the brass to an ID just slightly smaller than the expanding mandrel using a bushing size which depends on the existing neck thickness. Then I run the brass through the expanding mandrel process and I find the neck ID just right to fit on the turning mandrel.

I use a cheap cordless drill (because it has a relatively low speed) to drive the lathe which I raise on a little box which is just the right height to match the drill chuck. I slide the lathe back and forth rather than move the drill because that gives me better control over the feed speed.

 

[Deleted old_dood]

Edit: I was just thinking, this was fired, resized brass that I used the redding expander ball on, maybe this is sizing larger than the expanding mandrel?

that sounds likely. I've got the PMA tool. I size the brass with no expander in the die and then use the same manufacturers expander mandrel. the fit on the turning mandrel is perfect.

 

[Killick]

I haven't used an expander ball in any of my dies for decades. My advice, toss the ball, get a matched set of PMA neck turner/expander mandrel and "go to town.".

 

[P1ZombieKiller]

Also, any recommendations on drills or motors for this lathe? Something with a base that I don't have to hold? Thanks.

I use a Dewalt 18volt cordless drill. It free stands, and the batteries last a long time. I turn thousands of cases a year, so I have one that is dedicated to this task, however it could double as a drill/driver for household chores.