Case Prep Center vs drill press with attachments

[dpilot83]

The "Reloading 101" thread recommends getting a drill press and various accessories. We have a floor drill press but it will be nowhere near my reloading area. My experience with that drill press is not extremely good. My main complaint with it is that I cannot control the speed very easily (have to change pulleys) and the lowest speed is frequently higher than I would like to use.

I suspect (and my suspicions are somewhat verified by some Snipers Hide threads that I've searched for and read) that for reloading stuff it would be nice to have a pretty slow speed available.

I would expect that you can't get a bench drill press that runs very slow without laying down a fair amount of cash.

Anyway, I like the idea of a bench mounted drill press but I don't want to spend 100 dollars for a cheap one and decided I don't like it and then have no other use for it (because I've already got a floor mounted drill press).

For those of you who successfully use a bench mounted drill press, what RPM do you have yours set at? Do you like it or are there other setups you've seen that you would prefer? Thanks.

 

[Genius.]

I love my Lyman Case Prep Center.

It has 5 different things spinning at the same time. So the case in my hand can get multiple prep work done to it, so when it leaves my hand it is debured inside, outside, primer pocket cleaned and primer pocket uniformed.
If I had a drill press I would have to handle that piece of brass 4x

 

[BC 6.8]

I have the Lyman case prep center also. It is some of the best reloading money I've spend. As mentioned, you can take care of multiple brass prep steps at the same time.

 

[Easy_E]

The problem with the cheap drill presses is the run out is terrible. I picked up a china drill press and it was no good but the Delta brand was serviceable. Here's a video of my setup chopping down 300 whisper brass. I couldn't get the speed figured out so it wouldn't chatter and haven't messed with it since. Sorry for the Kid rock in the background.
blackoutwhisper.mp4 - YouTube

 

[Iamironman]

I use mine for reaming primer pockets and neck turning, and well as putting holes in stuff. I use the slowest speed, but I forget what rpm that is.

 

[oldfatguy]

I have a bench drill press next to the RCBS Trim Mate case prep center on the bench. The drill press doesn't get used at all for case prep.

OFG

 

[Danley]

Case Prep all the way .... It was my first "add on" to my basic reloading kit. I can't imagine prepping without one.

 

[ChrisGarrett]

I have a bench drill press next to the RCBS Trim Mate case prep center on the bench. The drill press doesn't get used at all for case prep.

OFG

I've got a TrimMate that I use to campher, deburr, neck brush, flash hole deburr and finally primer pocket cleaning, or decrimping (Hornady bits).

For primer pocket uniforming and trimming, I use a power drill, since it seems to go a bit faster. Some tasks are ideally suited for higher RPMs and for trimming and primer pocket uniforming, I find the TM a tad too slow.

Right tool for the right job.

Chris

 

[427Cobra]

My advice is save up for a Giraud Trimmer, avoid any trimmer that uses a collet or mandrel such as Easy E setup the reason why is any scoring inside the neck WILL impact accuracy, and do everything else with a Cordless Drill of some sort(which you probably already have.

 

[msiebert]

I have both and really like the case prep center. But, like anything it was one hell of an upgrade going from a little hand crank trimmer and then a hand deburring tool for each case. The case prep center was way faster. But then after a year or so I wanted even faster. The Giraud seems like the answer but like the old saying goes..."ride big, pay big." Biggest problem with drill presses of any type {floor vs. benchtop} for me is the depth stop. I haven't found any smaller quiet drill presses with a good foolproof positive depth stop yet. If I am going to use a drill press I want it to be relatively not too expensive, quiet to operate and have a dead on balls accurate depth stop that is easy to adjust and will positively stay where I put it. So far, that has been too much to ask. There are expensive drill presses that have it all, but then if I am going to pay that much...just like someone on here once said about the Giraud trimmer, it gets to the point where you might as well just pay someone else to do it for you!!!

 

[Easy_E]

Biggest problem with drill presses of any type {floor vs. benchtop} for me is the depth stop. I haven't found any smaller quiet drill presses with a good foolproof positive depth stop yet. If I am going to use a drill press I want it to be relatively not too expensive, quiet to operate and have a dead on balls accurate depth stop that is easy to adjust and will positively stay where I put it. So far, that has been too much to ask. There are expensive drill presses that have it all, but then if I am going to pay that much...just like someone on here once said about the Giraud trimmer, it gets to the point where you might as well just pay someone else to do it for you!!!

Like 427 and I pointed out cheaper drill presses have a lot of runout. The only way I could use the press above to chop down .223 brass to .300 whisper was to use the .22 pilot in a 30 cal hole. If yoy try to use the right size pilot it wobbles in the neck. I've used the lathe type trimmers with a drill and they work but nothing works like a Giraud. I borrow a friends to do big batches of brass and each time I wished I had one.

 

[rdinak]

You wanna come over and help prep brass, you are welcome to use the Giraud while you are here.

 

[YukonRob]

My $.02...
I have a bench drill press right next to my RCBS case prep center and I never use the drill press. Ever.

 

[Landon]

Dillon makes an electric case trimmer that you mount in your press. I have it mounted in a station on my 1050 and it works like a champ.

Dillon's Rapid Trim 1200B Case Trimmer: Case Preparation Equipment

 

[elfster1234]

Lyman case prep center all the way

The "Reloading 101" thread recommends getting a drill press and various accessories. We have a floor drill press but it will be nowhere near my reloading area. My experience with that drill press is not extremely good. My main complaint with it is that I cannot control the speed very easily (have to change pulleys) and the lowest speed is frequently higher than I would like to use.

I suspect (and my suspicions are somewhat verified by some Snipers Hide threads that I've searched for and read) that for reloading stuff it would be nice to have a pretty slow speed available.

I would expect that you can't get a bench drill press that runs very slow without laying down a fair amount of cash.

Anyway, I like the idea of a bench mounted drill press but I don't want to spend 100 dollars for a cheap one and decided I don't like it and then have no other use for it (because I've already got a floor mounted drill press).

For those of you who successfully use a bench mounted drill press, what RPM do you have yours set at? Do you like it or are there other setups you've seen that you would prefer? Thanks.