Author Topic: polishing sizing die (Read 567 times)

Kragman71 · « **on:** February 02, 2004, 04:03:50 PM »

Hello,
My old RCBS sizing die is a little scratchy.I would like to polish it.
Can someone give me some advise. I do have a drill press.
Frank

Duffy · « **Reply #1 on:** February 02, 2004, 04:57:38 PM »

What caliber and how scratchy?
I've cleaned them up by splitting a rod and using a sandpaper roll in a drill press then polishing with felt or cloth and mothers mag polish. BUT you have to be careful not to bell the mouth and make sure the felt bob is even or you will end up with an uneven bore. It's much easier and more accurate to just send it back to RCBS and they will send you a new one.

Ryan

Kragman71 · « **Reply #2 on:** February 03, 2004, 06:17:28 AM »

Thanks,Duffy
It's a 300 Savage die,and not nearly bad enough to reject it.
Could a wooden dowel be used as a rod?
Would it be better to put the die in a vise and move the sandpaper into it with the drill press handle?
Frank

bigdaddytacp · « **Reply #3 on:** February 03, 2004, 07:21:56 AM »

Quote from: Kragman71

Thanks,Duffy
It's a 300 Savage die,and not nearly bad enough to reject it.
Could a wooden dowel be used as a rod?
Would it be better to put the die in a vise and move the sandpaper into it with the drill press handle?
Frank

...............I have used a hardwood dowel for the mandrel to hold the sandpaper and the felt when polishing dies......I prefer that the die or the drill be able to "float" and let the mandrel find its own center with guideance from me..........the paper seldom is centered on the mandrel as it spins and that keeps from just finding center by measurement and it works for the few dies that I have had to polish....I use a light oil on the sandpaper and then a good solvent to clean and use a heavy cloth and polish for the finish and then another good cleaning and flush then a coat of sizing lube to sit a while in the die and then a wipe clean........hth..good luck and good shooting-loading!!

Yotecallr · « **Reply #4 on:** February 03, 2004, 09:31:33 AM »

I just send them back to the manufacturer and they will polish them free.

Duffy · « **Reply #5 on:** February 03, 2004, 10:02:21 PM »

Frank, yes
Bigdaddy pretty much summed it up. Biggest thing like he said is to let the die float in your hand and find it's own center. Otherwise you will hone it oval. Also they are pretty darn hard so it takes a little bit but go slow and check progress often. The sand paper doesnt have to fit tight just a little snug and keep it moving. Make sure to get it cleaned out too!

Ryan

ra · « **Reply #6 on:** February 04, 2004, 05:15:38 AM »

Here is what worked for me. I was making some brass for a 22-250 from 30-06 brass, so I bought a Lee 250 Savage FL die to use after a 300 Savage die. The 250 Savage die wrinkled the neck and shoulder so bad you couldn't use them.
I took 1500 grit wet-n-dry sandpaper and rolled it up about the size of a pencil and by hand spun the die on it, also spun the neck and also sometimes ran the sandpaper in and out to polish the shoulder area. After that I uses 2000 grit and done the same thing. I would do this while I was watching TV, so I probably worked on it for a couple of hours.
It now works great, or as we say in Tennessee "Its slicker than snot".
Thanks and have a nice day.

Moe · « **Reply #7 on:** February 04, 2004, 08:44:32 AM »

Flitz and a q-tip on your hand drill does a nice job.

Kragman71 · « **Reply #8 on:** February 04, 2004, 09:09:41 AM »

Thanks,everyone,for the alternate methods.
But the drill press is doing just fine.The 300 Savage die does'nt leave any mark,at all.
Now,I'm glassing the rest of my dies,and found that almost all of my older ones need a little TLC.
Frank