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Old December 6, 2009, 02:53 PM   #1
Doc Hoy
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Revision to Loading Press design

I am sure you all remember that I was so terribly proud of the loading press that I made a couple weeks ago, that I just had to report my "success" with some photos on this forum. You all were so kind to compliment the build in spite of the fact that the press is about twice as big as it should be.

So I went to work designing a new press. I established three criteria:

1. It has to work well at loading everything from .31 to .45 and accept every revolver we might encounter.

2. It has to give good compression with 25 grains in a ROA

3. It has to be small enough to fit inside my shooting box.

It meets the second requirement with room to spare. (The business part of the plunger is plenty long enough.)

The third requirement meant that the press almost has to fold up.

The photos are of the result of the work.

It is a little finnicky until the ball starts down the chamber. Hard to keep the long link (which substitutes for the upright member on a standard loading press) in proper alignment. It takes a little caution but once I got used to it I found that I can load reliably with it. (.457 ball in an 1860 Colt from ASP.)

You will notice that there is no spindle to hold the cylinder in place. I have not found that this is a problem. The harder I bear down on the lever, the more the cylinder wants to stay right where it sits. I eliminated the spindle because I did not want to have to unscrew the spindle to take the thing apart for storage. I also did not want to have to worry about a spindle for Colts and a spindle for Remington or Rugers.

The first photo shows the three parts separate. The second shows the lever in place pressing against a .375 ball on an old spare cylinder I had laying around. The third photo shows the three parts in a bite size package. (Length is just under 9 inches.) I am thinking about making a cloth bag to put it in.
Attached Images
File Type: jpg press parts.jpg (248.7 KB, 290 views)
File Type: jpg Press working.jpg (244.1 KB, 289 views)
File Type: jpg press package.jpg (234.0 KB, 263 views)
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Last edited by Doc Hoy; December 6, 2009 at 03:14 PM.
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Old December 6, 2009, 03:00 PM   #2
long rider
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IM like you doc i built my owen press, but it is not
as hi tec as yous is, but haveing said that it is still
going strong after all these years of pressing down
led balls, i made mine out of wood and a 1851 loading
lever simple but it works good, keep up the good work.
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Old December 6, 2009, 03:09 PM   #3
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Looks simple, portable and effective. Good job!

What material is the cylinder support of?
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Old December 6, 2009, 04:53 PM   #4
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It's interesting how you mated the pivot point for the lever, and also how the blue plastic plate eliminates the need for a spindle.

I think that it should be called the "Portapress"!

Last edited by arcticap; December 6, 2009 at 05:00 PM.
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Old December 6, 2009, 05:50 PM   #5
Doc Hoy
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Three in one

To Long Rider,

Never thought of using a loading lever for a loading lever. How ingenius is that!?

To Grymster,

The support pad is made of a very dense grade of ABS plastic.

The Articap,

As regards the pivot point, the force vectors in this press or any press for that matter, are simpler than people seem to realize. At the lever's pivot point the only force is directly up. It is a tension on the part I call the link. No need to design the lever to absorb downward force. There is none.

When I go for the patent, it'll be called "Portapress" in your honor. We can talk about royalties after I make my first million.

Tnx,
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Old December 6, 2009, 08:48 PM   #6
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Uh, I count 4 parts...
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Old December 7, 2009, 04:14 AM   #7
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As Ronald Reagan alway said, "Well...."

Mykeal,

I am looking at the base and link as one part since they don't have to come apart for storage. So you have the base with the link permanently attached, the lever, and the cylinder support pad.

In individual parts the count is 14, unless you count the link as two since it started as 1/2 inch flat stock and 1/4 inch round stock.
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Old December 7, 2009, 07:31 AM   #8
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Ok, thanks. I didn't understand the link and base as staying attached.
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Old December 7, 2009, 10:48 AM   #9
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Dang Doc, that's really cool. Very portable and looks very easy to use. I think you should market that.
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Old December 7, 2009, 11:46 AM   #10
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I'm thinkin about it.

MCB,

I am thinking I will make about three more and put them on eBay just to get an idea what folks will pay for them.

I have about ten hours of work in it and probably about a buck's worth of materials at retail prices

I guess I need to talk to someone who knows about patents.

I don't.
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Old December 8, 2009, 01:35 AM   #11
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Build them, get some out for testing then build- if it works for the beta testers as it has for you then I am in on it.
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Old December 8, 2009, 10:10 AM   #12
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Quote:
I guess I need to talk to someone who knows about patents.
I'm no patent attorney and hold no patents myself, but I've seen enough people go through the process to know it's expensive, time consuming and will not necessarily protect you from knock-offs of your intellectual property. To justify the risk, most usually conduct a market study to determine how the product will be received, how many might be sold and to whom, at what price point. Meanwhile, they're investigating various materials and manufacturing strategies, to determine costs.

None of this is meant to discourage you Doc, but rather to give you some insight to the process based on my many observations. I really like your design and think it warrants further investigation on your part. I wish you all the luck and who knows, I might even buy one.
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Old December 8, 2009, 12:37 PM   #13
Doc Hoy
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You two.....

To OFG,

Thanks for the positive comments. I should be able to get three of these built before Christmas is out.

I hope to get about 3,000.00 each for them. I promise you guys that if I do, I'll be in the market from some of what Fingers is collecting. (Reference his other post with photos of those magnificent pistols.)

To Grymster,

I am happy for your info. I think I would be inclined to move forward with the patent project but as you say, I need a good bit more advice and info before I make a move on it. I have a friend in Arizona who is a patent lawyer. I have not spoke to him for years and would not do so even now just to ask him for a bunch of favors. (He's too good of a guy for that). But I remember him telling me that the process does not have to be expensive if one is willing to do a lot of personal legwork and tolerate it taking a longer time. I am not a patient person and lawyering is not my thing.
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Old December 26, 2009, 09:47 PM   #14
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The press is on eBay

I made two of these things and have one for sale on eBay. Started it at 7.99 plus shipping.

I am going to wait to see what the market reaction is on eBay. Then I will put the other one on the Gunbroker.

Tnx,
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Old December 27, 2009, 10:41 AM   #15
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Pretty cool Doc, I'll be able to say I knew you before you were a millionaire. I'd buy one if I didn't already have two.
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Old December 27, 2009, 11:42 AM   #16
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As Ronald Reagan alway said, "Well...."

MCB,

It would take a heck of a lot more than me being a millionaire to convince most folks to say they are proud to know me.

When I was a kid, my mom had to tie a porkchop around my neck, just to get the dogs to play with me.
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Old May 6, 2010, 10:10 AM   #17
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Here is the old Loading Press thread

I posted to bring this back for those who may not have seen it previously.

This design works okay but it is a little scarey to use. A fourth part which would be a removable arbor to hold the cylinder steady would be a worthwhile addition.

Tnx,
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Old May 6, 2010, 12:51 PM   #18
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resurrected press

Doc, nice work. Simple, straightforward.

Thanks for dusting this thread off. As we look at new ideas reflecting on the old ones is just as important.
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Old November 26, 2012, 08:35 AM   #19
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Ball press

Doc,

I'm new here and have a question for you.

I saw pictures on another site, a ball press you were credited with. It was built with a pipe clamp and would press in 6 balls at a time. Beautiful design! How well did that one work for you?

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Old November 26, 2012, 09:37 AM   #20
Doc Hoy
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Terrible!

I could never get enough mechanical advantage to overcome the force needed to start six balls at a time and I could never make the press stout enough that I was confident in using it without breaking it.

The two ball design works better for me but you must understand that it can't be used for five shot revolvers since the geometry of the cylinder is wrong.

If you have not seen photos of that press here they are.

Here is the press in action using a junk cylinder



Here are some of the jigs I made. Colt, Remington, Walker, and Ruger



And here is the shooting box mount

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Old November 26, 2012, 10:03 AM   #21
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So, what happened with the first one?
Did you ever patent it or get enough takers to continue?
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Old November 26, 2012, 10:23 AM   #22
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As I recall....

....I could not get enough interest to warrant going any further with it.

The design of the press with the oak base was sort of unstable. It worked but not as well as the Triple P.

I was trying to develop a press that was small enough to fit inside of my shooting box. That one did but performance was not great.
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Old November 27, 2012, 05:44 PM   #23
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WOW!!!

I can see how it would take quite a bit of pressure to press 6 balls at once. I would have thought a pipe clamp would do the trick no problem! That's why I was so interested in how well it worked. Man... a pipe clamp will generate pressure big time! I still think the idea is great, maybe more threads per inch on the screw handle?

Birch
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Old November 27, 2012, 06:17 PM   #24
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More threads would help....

...but that would require remachining the clamp. I wouldn't go to that much trouble unless I were going to completely revamp the design.

I had thought about a design which is a good bit like a miniature caulking gun where the cylinder goes where the caulk tube would go. Obviously the geometry is all wrong but the concept might work.

I also thought of making a single chamber press using something like a specially shaped channel lock pliers.
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Old November 27, 2012, 07:09 PM   #25
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Hmmmm...

Maybe a "C" clamp design? One ball at a time but small, quick, and more threads per inch. The ball would be seated at exactly the same depth every time. You've got me thinking here....
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