Neck turning speed

[Larry Koch]

What the best speed for turning necks? For a perfect neck? Using a PMA or Pumpkin neck turner???
For me 150 rpm is about perfect not to fast and not slow.

 

[Chris Edmondson]

What the best speed for turning necks? For a perfect neck? Using a PMA or Pumpkin neck turner???
For me 150 rpm is about perfect not to fast and not slow.

Using a lathe with an indexable cutter, I've settled on 200rpm, we're pretty close.

 

[Larry Koch]

Thanks, Im looking for as much input on this as I can gather, so I can make a better stand alone unit.

 

[fisherman987]

Don't forget, feed rate also matters and is dependent on speed.

 

[jepp2]

feed rate also matters and is dependent on speed.

I would expect diameter as well. These were turned at 450 RPM.

 

[Larry Koch]

Good intel, I would think expiernce, and lube too. I'm kind of zero in on 6mm PPC 220 Lapua 220 Russian as a base Line, with 6 and 30 BR also.

 

[Chris Edmondson]

Don't forget, feed rate also matters and is dependent on speed.

Excellent point!

I turn the first pass at a feed rate of about 0.0063 inches/second, a typical 0.3" 6.5 Creedmoor neck distance takes about 50 seconds. I run the cutter back out (a spring pass), at 4 times the speed; it takes about 12 seconds. I like to change speeds going in and out so that the cutter's tendency to leave the surface with a spiral pattern is less evident. I don't think conventional turning cutters are as susceptible to leaving spiral patterns as it is with single-point lathe cutters.

It took a lot of tries and some epic failures to finally achieve an acceptable surface finish, and excellent cylindricity, my guess is a conventional turning tool will converge much faster.

 

[Paul's Black Rifles]

Excellent point!
I don't think conventional turning cutters are as susceptible to leaving spiral patterns as it is with single-point lathe cutters.

As far as I know it has a lot to due with the radius of the cutter nose. If the nose radius is greater than the feed rate you should have less spiral.

 

[Chris Edmondson]

As far as I know it has a lot to due with the radius of the cutter nose. If the nose radius is greater than the feed rate you should have less spiral.

That's correct. The problem I've found though is a larger nose radius requires more depth of cut in order to achieve a particular level of surface finish. At some point, the depth of cut exceeds the desired amount of neck wall reduction. This is why traditional lathe turning relationships and formulas run into the weeds when it comes to neck turning.

I have a profiling cutter on the bench I need to try out, it more closely resembles conventional turning tool cutters, as soon as my end-of-summer, honey-do list gets shorter, I'll know more .

 

[D Coots]

Thanks, Im looking for as must input on this as I can gather, so I can make a better stand alone unit.

Here's a stand alone unit I made. Looks a lot like a Craftsman 1/2" hammer drill Variable speed, turn 48 cases, change batteries. Much easier and cheaper than the fancy motorized turner I sold after using this.

 

[Link]

Here's a stand alone unit I made. Looks a lot like a Craftsman 1/2" hammer drill Variable speed, turn 48 cases, change batteries. Much easier and cheaper than the fancy motorized turner I sold after using this.

View attachment 1473852

Exactly like mine. I have DJ do mine now. Great results, quick n easy :}

 

[Larry Koch]

Never had good results with one of those, but I wasn't using a Craftman. One of those cheap Bosch imports.

 

[D Coots]

Many hundreds turned with no downside. And it's dual purpose.

 

[Straightshooter1]

Never had good results with one of those, but I wasn't using a Craftman. One of those cheap Bosch imports.

My old Makita works very well for me.

 

[D Coots]

My old Makita works very well for me.

View attachment 1473954

Drill looks good. I did not have good results with the sinclair case holder. That's one thing I really like about the Craftsman...no wonky shellholder to tighten. I started turning brass in the late 80's for my PD rifles with the hard to adjust turners, marquart, ect....not very smart on that one.....

 

[LHSmith]

Here's a stand alone unit I made. Looks a lot like a Craftsman 1/2" hammer drill Variable speed, turn 48 cases, change batteries. Much easier and cheaper than the fancy motorized turner I sold after using this.

View attachment 1473852

Ingenious ! Will she eliminate spirals in hammer mode?

 

[Straightshooter1]

Drill looks good. I did not have good results with the sinclair case holder. That's one thing I really like about the Craftsman...no wonky shellholder to tighten. I started turning brass in the late 80's for my PD rifles with the hard to adjust turners, marquart, ect....not very smart on that one.....

I know what you mean about the case holder. I tried a couple others that were just didn't work well and/or was too much work to get them to hold on. This 21st Century case holder works incredibly well and fast and easy to get the cases in and out:

 

[D Coots]

Mine came with the hammer drill....