My new brass turning setup.

[Erik Cortina]

Every time I had to turn 500 pcs of brass to get ready for the upcoming shooting season, I would sit there thinking "There has to be a better way".

Well, I finally decided to do something about it and this is what I came up with.
I bought a HF 7x10 mini lathe, I modified a Sinclair case holder by drilling a 1/4" hole on the side and turning a small handle and tig welded the handle to the case holder. I use a Nielson pumpkin neck turner held by the 3 jaw chuck. I just removed the back piece on the turner with the graduations on it and hold the turner straight to the mandrel.

I can now turn 100's of pieces of brass in one evening with little fatigue. Also, I'm holding very tight tolerances. The random pieces I have measured all measure exactly .012" neck walls, I'm at worst I'm holding +-.0002 tolerance.

I can post more pictures if it helps to answer some questions.

Click image to see Video:

 

[Erik Cortina]

Video added

 

[BoydAllen]

Slick!

 

[284driver]

Nice. Does the mandrel heat up too much at those speeds

 

[Erik Cortina]

Nice. Does the mandrel heat up too much at those speeds

It's only running about 180-200 RPM. I heats up some but I expand and turn 25 at a time. I can run it slower but this way gives a really nice finish on the necks.

 

[A j shooter]

What does a lath like that cost. And where you get one.

 

[Erik Cortina]

What does a lath like that cost. And where you get one.

I bought it from Harbor Freight on sale for $399.00

 

[Steve Blair]

Nice. Does the mandrel heat up too much at those speeds

[br]
A carbide mandrel will not expand enough to cause a dimensional problem.

 

[Immike]

Question : what lubricant are you using?

 

[Erik Cortina]

Question : what lubricant are you using?

It the Lucas oil motor oil additive. It's really thick and stays on the brass.

 

[Immike]

Question : what lubricant are you using?

It the Lucas oil motor oil additive. It's really thick and stays on the brass.

How are you applying it? I have been using mobile 1 and not altogether sold on it. It's runny and still have heat. I have to dip a Qtip and apply as I turn and generally have a mess.

 

[Erik Cortina]

Question : what lubricant are you using?

It the Lucas oil motor oil additive. It's really thick and stays on the brass.

How are you applying it?

I keep it ok a small container about 1/4" deep (powder container cap). All I do is dip the necks in it and it does the inside and outside at the same time.

 

[memilanuk]

Hello Erik,

Very cool setup. I'd thought about one of those a couple years ago, but at the time folks didn't seem to think that the little import machines could hold that tight of tolerances. Good to see you having success with yours; one day I'd like to get one of the 7x14 or 8x12 models for the basement shop.

Monte

 

[FroggyOne2]

Monte,

It depends on the company that you order it from. Each one specifys different tolerances.. Prob the best ones are from Little Machine Shop.

Randy

 

[Erik Cortina]

Hello Erik,

Very cool setup. I'd thought about one of those a couple years ago, but at the time folks didn't seem to think that the little import machines could hold that tight of tolerances. Good to see you having success with yours; one day I'd like to get one of the 7x14 or 8x12 models for the basement shop.

Monte

Monte, the brass will follow the mandrel. If you notice on the video, I guide the brass into the mandrel before I tighten the brass holder. This keeps everything in line.

 

[DanConzo]

Erik--Heres mine I also start the case on the mandrel before I completly tighten the closer and I use the dial indicator kinda like a feed gauge to advance, then stop then advance (.010") until it zeros out on the shoulder. I really like it I have different cutters for different cases. Thanks again for post, it's outstanding.

 

[ReedG]

Erik, I've always wondered if it wasn't good to have a little "wiggle room" when turning brass and for that reason have shied away from using the set-up you have. I use a K&M caseholder in the chuck and hold the K&M cutter in my hand. Not sure it makes any difference, but I do note there is considerable wobble in the cases and apparently in your set-up the mandrel controls it.

For lube, I use good old die wax on the mandrel and have no heat problems.

 

[BoydAllen]

Because 6PPC cases are generally made by expanding up .220 Russian, what starts out as .002 runout at the end of the neck, will end up as .004 at a minimum, often more, after expanding. For that reason, for my small number of cases, I like having my tool and case supported to allow things to wiggle. But different situations often dictate different solutions. I have enjoyed watching this thread.

 

[Erik Cortina]

Boyd, I'm actually turning brass on my 7WSM wildcat. I start with 270 WSM brass, I then push shoulder down .100", I then expand up to 7mm and finally turn. Brass has runout, but it still turns very true.

 

[Lapua40X]

Erik, I doubt that you bought that lathe just to turn necks on brass cases. What other uses do you put it to and, now that you've had it a while, what can you expect from it in terms of tolerances and if you had to improve it what would you change?
I just relocated to a very small house with an equally small work shop area so a full size lathe won't work for me but I've heard a lot of "not so good" things about some of the import mini lathes so I'm collecting data from those with experience. :-\