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You Have to Have the Right Tools

M

M8owner

Well-Known Member
I built this and tried it out today. I thought a small sissors jack would be the perfect device to get inside larger shell casings. It is not perfect, but it did help reduce the size of several dings on my 3 inch shell casing. I will continue to refine it. This size tool is good for 57mm - 100mm.

I also needed a very strong adjustable pin wrench to get fuses off shells. Instead of building one from scratch, I was able to modify an old style adjustable wrench I had as surplus to my needs.

Mini sissor jack and custom pin wrench.jpgMini Sissor Jack.jpg
 
KwK 43 neck expansion.jpgView attachment 105912How do you get your KWK 43 88mm PzGr 39 to fit properly in its shell casing? You have to have a great big shop press and a 90mm projectile to use as an neck expansion tool. Now the projectile sits properly and removes easily.
 
M8owner said:
I built this and tried it out today. I thought a small sissors jack would be the perfect device to get inside larger shell casings. It is not perfect, but it did help reduce the size of several dings on my 3 inch shell casing. I will continue to refine it. This size tool is good for 57mm - 100mm.
Click to expand...

Great idea - did you use a little heat as well? (or just straight "cold press")
 
Hello Dronic. I did not try heat as the bottom seat is plastic. Plastic was used in an effort to keep from damaging the casing opposite the ding.
 
Hey Rick,

You are my neighbor. Arkansas is right next door to Texas. What is 400 miles between friends? You can come on over and play anytime.

Steve
 
I did have that thought. I did have a disaster take place when "fixing" one of my German rounds last year. However, it is one of my known deficiencies that I cannot just leave well enough alone.
 
Since you are into making tools, there is one safer for opening up case mouths. About 2 or 3 years ago, one of our member posted info about a tool called a tube expander, that is normally used to expand the cooling tubes on boilers. He had purchased one that worked on 30mm 0r 35mm cases. You could build one that would work on larger cases. It rotates rollers as it moves around the case mouth. I would think you could make one that irons the steel between three rollers.
 
How Do You Hold a Large Projectile in Place to Work on It?

I have needed a clamp to hold down large projectiles and cases, but never got around to making one. I just got this Russian 122mm AP and needed (wanted) to take the bottom off. This device held it in place even though I put a 3 foot long (1 meter) bar on the tool to get the base plate off - well over 800 ft x pounds (you may not calculate my weight from that). The rubber material is old conveyor belt material.
 

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