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January 20, 2023
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It is indeed sturdy and was designed to withstand the specific loads and angular torque to which loading benches are subjected. You can’t see the skirts and blocks that are mutually reinforcing but the legs absolutely won’t twist or rack.
No, I did not carry either end of the top. I paid my young helper fifty bucks so I didn’t have to. For the price, he also carried a number of heavy boxes downstairs. Worth very penny.
- Bill
WACA # 65205; life member, NRA; member, TGCA; member, TSRA; amateur preservationist
"I have seen wicked men and fools, a great many of both, and I believe they both get paid in the end, but the fools first." -- David Balfour, narrator and protagonist of the novel, Kidnapped, by Robert Louis Stevenson.
September 19, 2014
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Zeb, GOOD! Altho I do feel for the fellow carrying an 80 lb table top upstairs by himself. Maybe that is why I now have significant spinal stenosis? Tim
January 20, 2023
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This is a 20 year-old weight lifter, who didn’t even breath hard afterward.
We got the rest of the gifted equipment moved yesterday, including a Star bullet sizer. This one was used to make 45ACP ammo and so has the appropriate die and top punch. Does anybody know whether compatible die sets are still available?
- Bill
WACA # 65205; life member, NRA; member, TGCA; member, TSRA; amateur preservationist
"I have seen wicked men and fools, a great many of both, and I believe they both get paid in the end, but the fools first." -- David Balfour, narrator and protagonist of the novel, Kidnapped, by Robert Louis Stevenson.
November 7, 2015
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Bill-
I only have experience with the Lyman (H&I) Lubrisizer and the Lee push-thru sizer systems. Both are excellent systems, I use the Lyman sizers for BP and smokeless rifle bullets (one for each) and the Lee for tumble lube pistol bullets. I know the Star is unique and some small suppliers were making dies but have no experience with them. I’d keep an eye out for additional sizing dies as you familiarize yourself with your new gear but I’d advise adding a Lyman sizer and dies for any bullets you don’t have a die for if you feel like you’ll need more than a few. I’ll be firing up my casting furnace soon, if I know you’re coming I’ll put on the big coffee pot. I found a bag full of naked 38-55 bullets yesterday that need lube, sizing and in some cases a gas check. I don’t have a .338(.339?) mould, sizing die or gas checks but I’d be glad to show you how the process works.
Mike
January 20, 2023
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Mike, I’ll take you up on it as soon as I get a tax return and aa 2025 pro forma return done. I’ll start it Monday and hope to finish by Wednesday but…
- Bill
WACA # 65205; life member, NRA; member, TGCA; member, TSRA; amateur preservationist
"I have seen wicked men and fools, a great many of both, and I believe they both get paid in the end, but the fools first." -- David Balfour, narrator and protagonist of the novel, Kidnapped, by Robert Louis Stevenson.
November 7, 2015
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Zebulon said
Mike, I’ll take you up on it as soon as I get a tax return and aa 2025 pro forma return done. I’ll start it Monday and hope to finish by Wednesday but…
That will give me an opportunity to complete and mail my quarterly state sales tax return.
Mike
January 20, 2023
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No rest for the Wicked and the Righteous don’t need it.
- Bill
WACA # 65205; life member, NRA; member, TGCA; member, TSRA; amateur preservationist
"I have seen wicked men and fools, a great many of both, and I believe they both get paid in the end, but the fools first." -- David Balfour, narrator and protagonist of the novel, Kidnapped, by Robert Louis Stevenson.
November 7, 2015
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Zebulon said
No rest for the Wicked and the Righteous don’t need it.
Jeremy and I slipped out to the club today while things were quiet and shot a round of Skeet. Then we ventured over to the 50 yard range and shot his latest 75 Target; it shoots every bit as good as the one he scored from JWA. So much for keeping the best one, they’re both keepers!
Mike
January 20, 2023
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Outstanding!
- Bill
WACA # 65205; life member, NRA; member, TGCA; member, TSRA; amateur preservationist
"I have seen wicked men and fools, a great many of both, and I believe they both get paid in the end, but the fools first." -- David Balfour, narrator and protagonist of the novel, Kidnapped, by Robert Louis Stevenson.
November 7, 2015
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Zebulon said
Outstanding!
My tax job only takes a half hour or so, printing the report and making copies takes almost as long as filling out the forms. Tough part is writing the check but I’ll get through it. I’ll probably need some range time after I drop it in the mail so I’ll be looking forward to hearing from you.
Mike
January 7, 2017
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Zebulon said
This is a 20 year-old weight lifter, who didn’t even breath hard afterward.
We got the rest of the gifted equipment moved yesterday, including a Star bullet sizer. This one was used to make 45ACP ammo and so has the appropriate die and top punch. Does anybody know whether compatible die sets are still available?
There are a few fellas that still make them. Up in the metroplex, I’m sure a good machinist is available to do a few for you. If not, here’s a discussion link on the Cast Boolit Forum:
Technically, the glass is always full; half liquid, half air....
WACA #10293
November 7, 2015
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rwsem said
Zebulon said
This is a 20 year-old weight lifter, who didn’t even breath hard afterward.
We got the rest of the gifted equipment moved yesterday, including a Star bullet sizer. This one was used to make 45ACP ammo and so has the appropriate die and top punch. Does anybody know whether compatible die sets are still available?
There are a few fellas that still make them. Up in the metroplex, I’m sure a good machinist is available to do a few for you. If not, here’s a discussion link on the Cast Boolit Forum:
Now that Lathesmith and Magma are gone
Ronald-
Haven’t been to the CB site much lately. I was wondering about Lathesmith. I was surprised to hear Al was retiring, any word on if he will sell his business?
Mike
January 7, 2017
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I have several Lathesmith dies but haven’t had to have any made lately so no first-hand experience with the other folks. As far as Al’s business, I haven’t seen anything about selling but I only frequent CB when doing load lookups, primarily.
Technically, the glass is always full; half liquid, half air....
WACA #10293
March 8, 2022
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Zebulon said
Tim, Will do. I’m engaged right now in moving a friend’s entire Star loading outfit, including the heavy bench he built for it, into my upstairs office/mancave. He is moving to assisted living and wants me to have it. An engineer, he built this bench for strength, not lightness. I had to hire another friend ‘s 20 year old bodybuilding son to get the 80 pound.top upstairs.
This particular Star has been modified to use a Dillon motorized case feeder and comes with three toolheads and die sets for 44 magnum, 45 ACP, 9mm Para, .380 ACP, .38/357, and 5.56 NATO. A very generous gift. Its donor has loaded all my handgun ammunition for materials cost, for years and I’m enormously grateful for getting equipped to replicate the task. I don’t cast bullets (yet) but a Star lubrisizer is included in the gift. Not sure what dies but will guess 45 ACP because the donor was an avid Bullseye and practical competitor.
There is a steel plate reinforced part of the bench drilled for a Rockchucker, where mine can be installed and remain. That’s where the 33 WCF ammo will be built.
As an old retired engineer, I appreciate a well made bench. Attached a picture of my bench. The top is made of salvaged laminated hardwood 2×4 lumber. The top weighs over 100 lb. Probable overkill, yes, it does not move.
January 20, 2023
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That looks like it could have been designed and built by my late father, who apprenticed in the machine shops of a railroad, in his youth. He could not tolerate “flimsy” work benches in his own garage shop. His bench surfaces were made of some laminated, vaguely rubbery material that originally had been marine bumper panels on a harbor tugboat in the Houston Ship Channel. When some gigantic oceangoing tanker needed docking assistance, Dad’s bench tops were the contact surfaces pushing the 150,000 metric ton Hiroshima Maru into Shell Oil or Exxon’s loading docks.
This material had the added advantage of dampening machine vibrations. I remember being able to clamp a scroll saw to a bench and immediately hear and feel it quieten.
The only thing I have of it is his enormous old Wilton vise. I remember him using it to fabricate an L-shaped bumper for his lawn tractor so he could mount a towing ball. He cut off a panel of 1″ cold rolled steel with a cutting torch, took it to his drill mill and bored a line of 1-inch holes where he wanted to make the bend, clamped the panel in his vise and bent it with a heavy maul along the perforated line. When he had a good 90 degree bend along the full width of the work, he pulled out some suitable alloy welding rods and welded up the line of holes. After some finish work and several coats of Rustoleum, he installed a towing ball and mounted the assembly on his tractor. He used it thereafter to pull a large utility trailer around his acreage to move equipment and project materials. He was in his late Eighties when he did this.
What I remember most about it was the bench never twitched while he was swinging the sledge at that chunk of steel. And the vise never loosened or moved.
- Bill
WACA # 65205; life member, NRA; member, TGCA; member, TSRA; amateur preservationist
"I have seen wicked men and fools, a great many of both, and I believe they both get paid in the end, but the fools first." -- David Balfour, narrator and protagonist of the novel, Kidnapped, by Robert Louis Stevenson.
September 19, 2014
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You can never have a large enough vise! Tim
March 8, 2022
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Zebulon said
That looks like it could have been designed and built by my late father, who apprenticed in the machine shops of a railroad, in his youth. He could not tolerate “flimsy” work benches in his own garage shop. His bench surfaces were made of some laminated, vaguely rubbery material that originally had been marine bumper panels on a harbor tugboat in the Houston Ship Channel. When some gigantic oceangoing tanker needed docking assistance, Dad’s bench tops were the contact surfaces pushing the 150,000 metric ton Hiroshima Maru into Shell Oil or Exxon’s loading docks.
This material had the added advantage of dampening machine vibrations. I remember being able to clamp a scroll saw to a bench and immediately hear and feel it quieten.
The only thing I have of it is his enormous old Wilton vise. I remember him using it to fabricate an L-shaped bumper for his lawn tractor so he could mount a towing ball. He cut off a panel of 1″ cold rolled steel with a cutting torch, took it to his drill mill and bored a line of 1-inch holes where he wanted to make the bend, clamped the panel in his vise and bent it with a heavy maul along the perforated line. When he had a good 90 degree bend along the full width of the work, he pulled out some suitable alloy welding rods and welded up the line of holes. After some finish work and several coats of Rustoleum, he installed a towing ball and mounted the assembly on his tractor. He used it thereafter to pull a large utility trailer around his acreage to move equipment and project materials. He was in his late Eighties when he did this.
What I remember most about it was the bench never twitched while he was swinging the sledge at that chunk of steel. And the vise never loosened or moved.
Ah yes, taxes. Wrote checks and mailed property taxes today. Appraisals in Gillespie County, Texas are absolutely insane. Yes, the bigger the vise, the better the clamp.
Thanks for the post, enjoyed reading it.
Stuart Fredericksburg, Texas
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