Drilling hole in RCBS press?

[Kerf]

Has anyone drilled a hole in the base of their RCBS press? I'd like to provide a direct escape route for decapping primers. What I'm not certain of, is the type of cast iron used for the press. Some cast iron drills easily and other types just eat bits. Any experience or suggestions?

thanks,
kerf

 

[Andrew Leigh]

Can't say but your idea interests me. Have you a sketch you can post?

 

[Catpop]

Machining cast iron is usually difficult due to the casting sand imbedded or fused into the very surface of the casting. In lathe cutting it can be overcome with a fairly heavy first cut to get under the surface. Surface grinding the spot to be drilled will probably over come your drilling difficulties.

 

[Paddy]

All the cast I've ever drilled has been like butter. Go for it.

 

[JimKirk]

I'd prefer a little more information on which press and how the primers would travel out ... then I would say ya or nay .... like some one above said a pencil sketch or software drawing ...

 

[fguffey]

Has anyone drilled a hole in the base of their RCBS press? I'd like to provide a direct escape route for decapping primers. What I'm not certain of, is the type of cast iron used for the press. Some cast iron drills easily and other types just eat bits. Any experience or

Yes I have and no I would not. I have installed detent springs and detents on presses that had a problem keeping their handles up. And then there is the minimum coverage provided by a tool box and the shop skill of the reoader.

First there is duck tape; if it moves and shouldn’t use duck tape.
Second there is WD-40; If it doesn’t move and should use WD-40.

I have Rock Chuckers, I do not chase primers, I started with black electrical tape around the primer catcher to secure it to the press. And then my wife found 3M green electrical tape. The green electrical tape makes it look like the colors are coordinated. The advantage to using tape when securing the primer catcher is the gap between the press and primer catcher can be eliminated. The gap can also be reduced/eliminated with a filler like thin foam daps.

F. Guffey

 

[Kerf]

Grinding the surface, breaking the surface, was the part I was trying to "remember". Thanks, that should work.

I reversed the ram on my press so that the slot for the primers is to the rear. I had a piece of wood to divert the spent primers to a cigar box. Having to relocate the press, I want to make new arrangements for the primers. Easiest thing is, drill a hole centered behind the ram and insert clear, flexible tubing with some sort of collector for the primers; clear tubing runs to a bottle with a screw-off lid. Clean, direct, and more elegant than a cigar box.

thanks,
kerf

 

[Ole Joe Clark]

You gotta remember: If they can machine it, so can you. It's probably ductile iron, which will machine good with at sharp drill bit.

Have a blessed remainder of the day.

 

[jmorris]

I bet it drills with no problems. Don't use any cutting oil just drill dry.

I have had some castings that were difficult to machine, even found the porcelin part of a spark plug in a cast part once.

All of them messed up an area in the machining process and were thrown into the scrap bin long before getting to the customer.

You have a finished product not a raw casting, thus my bet of it drilling with no problems.

 

[Kerf]

Drilling cast iron DRY is another good tip to keep in mind. Otherwise, the shavings mix with the oil and form a barrier that prevents the drill bit from cutting at full efficiency.

thanks all,

kerf

 

[Nature Boy]

Cutting cast-iron is a lot easier than trying to weld it back together.

 

[Shaq]

Yes I have and no I would not. I have installed detent springs and detents on presses that had a problem keeping their handles up. And then there is the minimum coverage provided by a tool box and the shop skill of the reoader.

First there is duck tape; if it moves and shouldn’t use duck tape.
Second there is WD-40; If it doesn’t move and should use WD-40.

I have Rock Chuckers, I do not chase primers, I started with black electrical tape around the primer catcher to secure it to the press. And then my wife found 3M green electrical tape. The green electrical tape makes it look like the colors are coordinated. The advantage to using tape when securing the primer catcher is the gap between the press and primer catcher can be eliminated. The gap can also be reduced/eliminated with a filler like thin foam daps.

F. Guffey

I pushed the primer arm forward & wedged a Q-Tip to keep it in place. I also folded a piece of cardboard into a triangle shape & put it where the primers drop into the bin. That directs the primers to either side of the bin & also cushion the fall so they don't bounce out onto the floor.

 

[DEADEYE307]

Primer removal

Go to inline fabrication they have a primer cather for a rcbs rockchucker press check them out

 

[KansasSasquatch]

Cutting cast-iron is a lot easier than trying to weld it back together.

Nah. Just need to pre-heat and and use the right rod.

 

[Catpop]

In my old sawmilling days, we always brazed broken cast iron parts. And there were lots of them in a sawmill. The bigger the part, the more preheating required to get a good brass adherence and smooth flow. Good thing about cast iron is it is very dimensionally stable. We even put the whole part into a wood burning stove to preheat it.
Ah the good old days!

 

[jmorris]

Nah. Just need to pre-heat and and use the right rod.

I find it easier to TIG using silicon bronze rod vs stick weld with nickel, pre-heat and cool down don't seem as critical.

In either case Nature boy is correct, its easier and faster to cut it than put it back together. Thats not just cast iron though lots of things are like that, people for example...

 

[fotheringill]

Rock Chucker Supreme idea which I will be trying over the weekend.

Plastic catcher is horrible and the only negative with the press. I noticed that if leaned too far back, it won't catch. If too far forward, it won't catch and interferes with my fingers when putting in a new casing. I was going to use duct tape in the area at the top of the catcher, affixed to the frame of the press to prevent it from going too far back.

I will post here after trying and if it works, it is a lot simpler than drilling a hole in a machine.

 

[Andrew Leigh]

Or a 1/4" hex bolt 3/4" long works a treat.

 

[Ole Joe Clark]

There are some cast irons that are hard to machine, but the nature of the beast is that a reloading press should be machined as easily and quickly as possible, because of profit margins.

Old chilled cast iron is bad news from the word go.

 

[mpssrh]

@ Andrew Leigh
Interesting solution to a common problem.
Question: do you allow the plastic primer catcher to touch the ram?
Thanks and best wishes.

 

[hdwhit]

I use a rubber band to hold my primer catch tray in place.

 

[Kerf]

I drilled my press...

So, I drilled the 3/8” hole I wanted without any problem. It took awhile, but went easily without incident. I think the neat way to go about collecting spent primers is a clear plastic tube connected to a bottle for easy disposal. The primer catcher that’s supplied with the press drives me nuts (more of a short putt than a drive.) Either the primers miss the catcher all together, or once it’s full, they spill all over while trying to empty it; which is even more of a mess.

In moving my press, I wiped it down and oiled the moving parts. I noticed a dark, dime sized area behind the ram, which I tried to wipe off. It wouldn’t wipe off. Finally dawned on me that’s where the primers are falling and have peened the finish off the press. That would be a good place to drill a hole. But, you can’t get to the center of that spot because the vertical flange underneath is located there. So, I got as close as I could. Now all I have to figure out is how to get the primers from the chute in the ram to the hole I drilled (a little over an inch or so away.) I could fashion something in wood or adapt something already being sold. I’m thinking too of using Brownell glass bedding compound to mould a fixture to catch and transport the primers. Haven’t figured that part out yet; I’m working on it. There have been some excellent suggestions given here and I appreciate everyone taking the time.

I did go on the Inline Fabrication website. I ordered their raised mount device; similar to the one I have for my blue press. I also ordered their case kicker kit, which works wonderfully. Both items are first rate, and highly recommended, in case anyone is interested. It bears repeating: there’s a big difference between first rate and second rate; there isn’t much difference between second rate and nineteenth rate. Now my press looks somewhat professional rather than gerry-rigged by a gerbil. I wish I had a picture; before and after.

Thanks again for everyone’s concern and advice; you’ve given me a lot of ideas to research.

kerf