How Do You Store Your Turrets?

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Olympus

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How does everyone store their turrets that already have the dies mounted? I have three different Lee turrets with dies in them and I'd like to try to find an idea of some kind of stand or something to put them on to keep them from just laying on my bench. Any ideas?
 
I have about a dozen loaded turrets, they just lay in the bottom drawer of my toolbox. I've thought about using the right size hole saw and boring holes in a board to set them in, and making a rack of some sort. But the holes would have to be a precise size, there's not much of a lip on the turrets to keep them from falling through. I'm open to suggestions too.
 
I bought some of the Stanley bins at Lowe's and mounted them up on a piece of plywood on my wall just behind the bench. They are just right width to hold the Turrets for my Lee Classic Turret Press upright.

Damian
 
I bought some of the Stanley bins at Lowe's and mounted them up on a piece of plywood on my wall just behind the bench. They are just right width to hold the Turrets for my Lee Classic Turret Press upright.

I'd like to see a picture of that. It's hard for me to visualize what you mean about Stanley bins.

My thought was that the Lee turrets have an indented circle on the bottom of the turret. I haven't measure it yet, but I was thinking about trying to find a piece of PVC pipe that would fit in the hole. Then I would make a base out of wood and drill holes and fit the pieces of PVC pipe into. Then you could just drop your turrents onto each of the vertical pipes. I haven't put a lot of detailed research into yet though, so I don't know if it's feasible.
 
They fit fine in the round Lee die boxes, turret, dies and all. I store them in the boxes on a shelf.
 
Here's my answer.

P2150128.jpg

Just bore some 7/8 holes in a board. Use an empty turret to mark the 4 holes, then bore the hole with a 7/8 spade type wood bit. Mine go clear through, but you may not need them to. That one has one of the spaces on the far right so you can see the pattern. It's full now, so I made another of wider wood, it has 19 spaces. (No pic yet)

I'll take a pic of the new one later, put it up on another post.
 
Here's a picture of Wrench's idea (I use it too):

sn850707.jpg


The round plastic die boxes do a great job of keeping them clean and readily available.

http://www.midwayusa.com/viewproduct/?productnumber=294649
 
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I also use the red round plastic boxes, but that is a good idea to label them, I have to open the box to figure out what die is inside.
 
I bought my dies and turrets seperate. All of my dies came in flat plastic boxes with clear lids. I don't have the red cylinders to put them in.
 
Mine get a spray of silicone lube, are wrapped in a rag, and then placed in a 50-cal ammo can until I need them again.
 
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Plastic containers from the dollar store--some stored over 2 years--
no rust.If the turrets with dies will be stored for a long time ---I use a little Barricade sprayed on dies.
 
I have a plastic toolbox, approximately 15"x7" outside dimensions. Seven of the round plastic storage boxes from Lee fit nicely in the box with no room to shift around. The turrets with dies fit snugly.

If you don't have the round storage boxes, get a sheet or plank of plywood or plastic (like kitchen cutting board material or Corian counter tops) or aluminum .375" thick.

Cut holes 2.875" in diameter and 8 notches around the circumference to match the notches around your press' turret ring. If you really want to get fancy, install a ball detent just like the one in your press' turret ring. Or make the hole you cut to be a friction fit to make sure your turrets don't rotate to the unlock position. Or figure out some other way to keep them in their "nests".

The sheet/plank should have support (posts or some such) under it to keep it at least 3/4" off the bottom of the toolbox you are storing the assemblage in. Or shelf or whatever.


Just brainstorming here. So another, simpler thought came to mind.

1" thick plank (or plywood or plastic or whatever) with 3" holes in it. The turrets will drop right through, so you have to apply a 1/2" or narrower strip to the underside of the plank. That will keep the dies from falling through and 1/2" will fit between the dies that protrude below the turret.

But you don't want the decapping pin to hit the bottom of wherever you are storing the turrets, so be sure to support the plank high enough. As above, I recommend about 3/4" or more.

In any event, something to keep the turrets from lifting out of the 3" holes would be nice. A piece of upholstery foam would do if there are no powder measures mounted and the turrets are inside a box. Foam, then close the lid.

Latches, like those used to keep screens in your windows would work, but some are a little delicate. If tight enough, a bungee cord going straight across the middle of the turrets, between the dies would also work, or just another straight, solid bar like the one across the bottom. If you are not jostling the assembly around (like, have it mounted to your wall instead of in a toolbox like I do), simple gravity will do.

You could also just secure a row of 3" inner diameter pieces of PVC pipe (with something to keep the turrets from dropping through. Essentially making your own round storage boxes instead of buying them from Lee. Lee's boxes have lids, though.

So much for my rambling thoughts. I hope they are coherent, if not orderly. Good Luck

Lost Sheep
 
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I found that the die holders for my Dillon 550 fit in those rectangular, fru fru instant coffee cans. (My wife likes that stuff...)
Those are some smart and simple solutions for holding the Lee turrets.
 
RustyFN - Love that idea! I don't have a back to my bench but I may try another way to use that design. Very cool!
 
RustyFN - Love that idea! I don't have a back to my bench but I may try another way to use that design. Very cool!

If you go with something like this you want to use 3/8" fittings. The square part of the plug fits in the square hole in the turret perfect. You can get by with less fittings, the store didn't have what I needed so I had to get extra parts.
 
Rusty, are you using the iron pipe plugs in the end of the elbows, and if so, are they the ones with the square "nut" on the end, and do they fit in the bottom square hole of the turret? That would be almost too convienent!

Also, Ridgway, did all those containers come with dies, or did you buy them somewhere else? I suppose I could check Lee's site, I know they sell the flat die boxes by themselves...

Edit: nevermind, I opened my eyes and found them. They can be found here"
http://www.leeprecision.com/cgi/catalog/browse.cgi?1292249961.4069=/html/catalog/dies-overview.html
 
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Rusty, are you using the iron pipe plugs in the end of the elbows, and if so, are they the ones with the square "nut" on the end, and do they fit in the bottom square hole of the turret? That would be almost too convienent!

Yes that is what I used.

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