Roll Crimping

[edgarspencer]

Originally Posted by Ben Safryn

Anyone using a “portable drill press” or “drill guide” versus a dedicated drill press? Ie one that you use a hand held drill in? Like one of these? How is your experience with them?

https://www.amazon.com/Milescraft-13...s%2C146&sr=8-3

https://www.amazon.com/BEAMNOVA-Benc...%2C146&sr=8-17

Honestly, I've thought of those devices also. One good thing about them, is that a corded hand drill has more low speed torque than one of the inexpensive mini bench drill presses. You can slow the hand drill down to a desired speed, whereas the mini drill presses only go down to about 800-1000rpm, and don't have the torque when rolling the larger, i.e. 8,10 and even 12ga hulls. A friend bought a mini to roll 10ga and it stalls it or the belt slips (can't remember which he said).
Another good thing about the devices that hold your hand drill aside from the low entry cost, is they take up very little space on the loading bench. In fact, I think I just talked myself into one.

[Fishrising (Ben)]

Originally Posted by edgarspencer

In fact, I think I just talked myself into one.

Think you talked me into one as well.

And PS…I see you are in Bloomfield. I work in Bloomfield, live in West Hartford. Maybe I’ll see you around at the local clubs!

[Milton C Starr]

Originally Posted by edgarspencer

Honestly, I've thought of those devices also. One good thing about them, is that a corded hand drill has more low speed torque than one of the inexpensive mini bench drill presses. You can slow the hand drill down to a desired speed, whereas the mini drill presses only go down to about 800-1000rpm, and don't have the torque when rolling the larger, i.e. 8,10 and even 12ga hulls. A friend bought a mini to roll 10ga and it stalls it or the belt slips (can't remember which he said).
Another good thing about the devices that hold your hand drill aside from the low entry cost, is they take up very little space on the loading bench. In fact, I think I just talked myself into one.

I have seen this too about the mini press not having the torque, I watched a video of a guy using one to roll crimp and it would keep stopping the motor or the belt would slip.

The problem I could see with that particular guide is its 3/8"s. My PR roll crimper is 3/8s so when I tried to use it in a hand drill the chuck had no room to actually tighten down on it so it would just spin, having a 1/2" press fixed that though.

My idea was to get one of those guides and attach a old style hand crank drill to it like one of these https://www.amazon.com/hand-crank-dr...nd+crank+drill seems like you would basically have something that works like a old school roll crimper but vertically and you could change out crimp heads and do any gauge.

[Mike of the Mountain]

The press I have from Tractor Supply will run at 760 RPM on the low speed. I haven’t had it bog down/stall on my 10 or 12g hulls.

[Cory Rams]

Third time trying my four pin roll crimper last night. Loaded up four to try with 1 5/8oz #5 shot, a nitro card, and a 100 grains of FG. Left the hulls longer this time. Figured I’d leave some extra hull length in case I have any cracking around the crimp area after the shot I have some extra to work with. I’ll seal them up with a little clear nail polish and try them out next week.



Sealed and numbered….

[Mike of the Mountain]

So that is clear nail polish inside your hull that looks like wad protruding above your OS card?

[Cory Rams]

No wad used. My roll crimp is folded all thr way down to the OS card.


I just lightly brush the outer edge where the OS card and roll crimp meet to waterproof them. Then I brush an extremely light coat over the center of the OS card to completely seal it. Figure it will help keeping moisture and rain out if the weather doesn’t cooperate out in the turkey woods. Never tested it in wet conditions yet but used my #6 loads brushed the same way to collect a double bearded Gobbler last year. I didn’t seal them all the way to the top of hull if that’s what you were asking. I think the flash of my camera made the inside of my hull crimps look shiny. Photo without the flash still looks a bit shiny….



I used a little vaseline in roll pin crimper. Could be shiny yet from the lube even though I wiped it out, and, or, the hull might have shined up from the friction from the crimp process im guessing.

[Fishrising (Ben)]

Originally Posted by Cory Rams

I just lightly brush the outer edge where the OS card and roll crimp meet to waterproof them. Then I brush an extremely light coat over the center of the OS card to completely seal it. Figure it will help keeping moisture and rain out if the weather doesn’t cooperate out in the turkey woods. Never tested it in wet conditions yet but used my #6 loads brushed the same way to collect a double bearded Gobbler last year. I didn’t seal them all the way to the top of hull if that’s what you were asking. I think the flash of my camera made the inside of my hull crimps look shiny. Photo without the flash still looks a bit shiny….



I used a little vaseline in roll pin crimper. Could be shiny yet from the lube even though I wiped it out, and, or, the hull might have shined up from the friction from the crimp process im guessing.

This is by no means a critique, but rather an honest question(s): how much distance is between the finished top of your hull wall where the crimp rolls to the OS card? And is that much of a gap OK? Any performance issue? Or does that mean rather you should be adding filler to minimizes that gap? Again, honest question, because of that gap is OK, then why would I bother with a filler?

[Cory Rams]

I don’t have the shells with me to measure but I would say there is a little less than a half inch of Measurement on the fold crimp. I was pondering the same question on how much is too much. I’m guessing it makes no difference in patterning. I can tell you it makes zero difference in fitting into my SxS. My loaded shell is still over a half inch short of my 2 & 7/8” chamber length. I could have trimmed my shell down further to have less so my Extra hull length would be closer to the lead shot payload but figured I’d try it like this and give it a try. I would guess if loading in something other than a SxS or single shot there could be cycling issues because the crimp is out far enough that it’s not supported by the payload of lead shot. I’m curious myself so that’s a good question. I have seen slugs with a lot deeper roll crimps then my loads. I would say it might increase the pressure a little? My powder charge is less than than a square load and loaded with FG so I’m not worried about a pressure spike. Hopefully someone will chime in and let me know if I did something wrong.

[Keith Doty]

Ben, I tried a couple of the mini drill presses, both now reside in a scrap metal bin. I went with a hand drill and ended up making a drill guide with a 1/2" Jacobs chuck and stops on both rails. Got the consistent finished length and pressure on OSC I wanted as well as the crimp consistently "square" to the hull. Finished shells are very uniform and look correct. My power tool is a 1/2" drill/driver and I run it on the driver setting. Tons of torque and doesn't want to burn or melt the hulls. I think all that are successful with this has gotten there by trial and error! If it works good it IS good.