Using feeler gauges to set up teck turner?

[mao0720]

I just recently (very recently) started turning necks on my brass. At first it was going to be for one rifle, then two, now three! I have an older Sinclair neck turner that does not have a micrometer cutter adjustment. My thought is that I could use feeler gauges to set up my cutter for each different rifle. I did a quick google search and I could not find a feeler gauge small enough to work. The smallest I found was .0015, and then I found one .0004, but nothing in between. Something like .0010-.0015 would be perfect. Anyone know where I could find something like this or have any better ideas for easing the setup of a neck turner for a few different rifles? Thanks,
Mason

 

[Lapua40X]

You might see if you can find some shim stock. I doubt that you could purchase a small enough lot to make it cost effective but you may find a local machine shop that has some they'd part with.

 

[jonbearman]

A set of feeler gages can be bought for cheap at any auto parts store that sells tools.

 

[expiper]

OP,,,are your numbers right,,,is the decimal point in the right place,,,,I have turned a bunch of em and cant see how a .0015 or a .0004 feeler guage could be of any possible use,,,,is there some trick to it that I havent seen???....maby I need to learn how to measure,,,



Roger

 

[Erik Cortina]

Stack the blades together to get the thickness desired. I use one I bought at an auto parts store.

 

[BoydAllen]

For may purposes, I do not think that the method that you propose would be useful for making the final adjustment, but it could be used to get you close. I keep a collection of brass that I have collected at the range just for the purpose of setting turning tools, that is, before I got a neck thickness micrometer that read in increments of .0001". The caliber does not have to be the same as the one that you are setting up for, but if you are not expanding test necks up, it is better to use brass that you have a FL die for. For instance, for all. 22 caliber setups, I would use .222 brass, size it, expand it with the proper expander mandrel for my turner, and then sneak up on the setting that I was looking for a little at a time. I would check neck thickness by seating a bullet that I had carefully measured with a 1" mic. that can be read to .0001", measured the diameter of the loaded neck, subtracted the bullet diameter, and divided the answer by two to get the neck thickness. It would take a little time to do it this way, but it worked. Once I had a neck micrometer, it all went a lot faster.

 

[savagedasher]

I find when neck turning . Full length size the brass .Then use a internal expander die. Then turn the neck. Larry

 

[mao0720]

OP,,,are your numbers right,,,is the decimal point in the right place,,,,I have turned a bunch of em and cant see how a .0015 or a .0004 feeler guage could be of any possible use,,,,is there some trick to it that I havent seen???....maby I need to learn how to measure,,,



Roger

My numbers on those two gauges were correct but my thinking of my neck wall thickness was of by a decimal place, Im still getting used to reading a vernier scale. What I need is feeler gauges in the .0100-.0150 or .0200, which should be pretty easy to find.

 

[joshua43214]

Don't waste your time trying to find individual feelers, buy a set from an auto parts store.

If you are worried that the auto parts store will not sell machinist quality stuff, keep your eyes open for a SnapOn (or Mac) tool truck when you are driving around. You can ask your garage what day the SnapOn dealer comes, they usually arrive about the same time every week and you can just hang out and wait.

My SnapOn gauge set has .001, .0015, .002, etc gauges up to something pretty big. I also have a set in metric that probably splits some of the differences. With a metric and imperial set, you should be able to set up well enough.

If you have good hands, you can scrap brass shim stock to size. But I would not put brass against a cutter and expect it to set it at .0005 consistently.

 

[spclark]

Don't waste your time trying to find individual feelers, buy a set from an auto parts store.

Or Harbor Freight or Grainger, even a True Value or Ace Hardware oughta have a set for under $20.

http://m.harborfreight.com/catalogsearch/result?q=feeler+gauge

http://www.acehardware.com/product/index.jsp?productId=1292854

If you're so taken with neck turning (I am!) you'll soon find buying a more easily 'tuned' neck trimming device worthwhile. I started with a Sinclair but out of frustration sought better-engineered products pretty quick.

I do have one of their neck-thickness gauge set-ups though, Santa brought me one a few years ago....

 

[Erik Cortina]

My numbers on those two gauges were correct but my thinking of my neck wall thickness was of by a decimal place, Im still getting used to reading a vernier scale. What I need is feeler gauges in the .0100-.0150 or .0200, which should be pretty easy to find.

Stack the blades together to get the thickness desired.

Read my previous post, that's how it's done.
There are many to choose from here.
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=feeler+gauge

 

[Joe R]

Erik Cortina

Stack the blades together to get the thickness desired. I use one I bought at an auto parts store.

+1 - I bought one at Auto Zone for less than $8 including tax. It didn't have a .014 so I did what Erik says.

 

[savagedasher]

I just checked a 243 w Winchester case it was.0.01435 Why wouldn't a case work as well as a feeler gauge? Larry

 

[Erik Cortina]

I just checked a 243 w Winchester case it was.0.01435 Why wouldn't a case work as well as a feeler gauge? Larry

5 decimal places? Put the beer down and turn the computer off.

 

[searcher]

I'm with Boydallen - only use a (oversized) feeler guage to get you in the ballpark then make adjustments as dictated by a turned test piece. Relying on a feeler guage will at some point cause grief as not all brass turns the same.

 

[Erik Cortina]

I'm with Boydallen - only use a (oversized) feeler guage to get you in the ballpark then make adjustments as dictated by a turned test piece. Relying on a feeler guage will at some point cause grief as not all brass turns the same.

This is true. I turn my brass down to .012", so I use a .013" feeler gauge to make my first pass and then I adjust from there.

 

[gilcarleton]

I am not sure about your numbers. Feeler gauges are only in thousands of an inch not 10,000ths. I have a Craftsman that you can buy at Sears that has a .002, .003, .004, .006,.007, .008, .009, .010, .012, .013, .014, .015 and many more. Hope this helps.

Wishing you the best,

Gil

 

[savagedasher]

I just checked a 243 w Winchester case it was.0.01435 Why wouldn't a case work as well as a feeler gauge? Larry

5 decimal places? Put the beer down and turn the computer off.

No turn the light on. and then turn the mm off. Thanks Don't drink also. Larry

 

[ericbc7]

Hey Erik, this seems like a valuable topic for your video series, namely how do you use feeler gauges to set neck turning depth.

 

[Erik Cortina]

Hey Erik, this seems like a valuable topic for your video series, namely how do you use feeler gauges to set neck turning depth.

True, I'll keep that in mine when I start the neck turning series.