Dillon 550 toolhead with Whidden floating lock rings

[whiskeysierra762]

Im considering getting a few of the Whidden Floating Tool Heads with the lock rings.
However, I see that I can buy just the lock rings for about $10 each.
My question is can I take my Dillon 550 toolhead and drill holes in it for a roll pin and just get lock rings and have basically the same thing?
Has anyone tried this? Or should I just buy the whole new floating toolhead?

 

[Dai Bando]

Would be easy.

 

[Stpilot12]

Or just save yourself some $$ and skip it. Buy some rubber o rings to put under the dies, done. I have one buddy that got the Whidden tool head with the lock rings set up for his 550, on mine I just use the O rings. There is no difference. My press turns out rounds with an avg .0015 runout.

 

[Sheldon N]

I'm in the "rubber o-ring" camp as well with my Dillon 550. I use whidden toolheads but just the plain CNC ones because they have a nice flat top surface that the o-rings can press into. The normal Dillon toolheads also work okay too. I do a FL die with no expander ball plus a expander mandrel die and get runout that is <0.001.

One nice thing about the o-rings is the ability to tweak the position of the die based on how much you squish the o-ring. The die stays put but you've got a window where you can easily adjust shoulder bump by 0.002 or 0.003" with just a twist. The locking rings would require you to loosen the clamp and turn the die in the ring against a reference mark then reclamp, etc.

 

[High Desert duck]

I have both the whidden floating tool heads and dillon toolheads with rubber O rings. I think the runout is actually a little better with the dillon toolheads and O rings. (Dillon about .001, whidden .0015) Also as stared above the prints are easier to adjust.
Also the way I use them I only end up using the floating toolheads only one of the two floating positions.
I’d suggest 3/4 inch O rings, the 7/8 sometimes deform under the lock ring and “squish” out.

 

[whiskeysierra762]

I have always used garden hose O rings (the flat red ones) under my lock rings on my dies. I guess I will just keep doing that and use the factory tool heads.

 

[Dai Bando]

I guess I need tips on how to use the orings.

I've had nothing but problems with them not holding the die good and loosening up.

Must be running them too loose, but that's where the runout is best.

What am I missing?

Please tell me it doesn't require calculus...

 

[Sheldon N]

I crank mine down pretty good, think high effort but just using thumb and forefinger. If I try to push the die laterally in the toolhead it's still floated and able to move around but not easily. Maybe 1/8 turn beyond where I first feel resistance from the o-ring.

I haven't noticed any difference in runout based on how tight/loose they are.

 

[ZY100]

Im considering getting a few of the Whidden Floating Tool Heads with the lock rings.
However, I see that I can buy just the lock rings for about $10 each.
My question is can I take my Dillon 550 toolhead and drill holes in it for a roll pin and just get lock rings and have basically the same thing?
Has anyone tried this? Or should I just buy the whole new floating toolhead?

Yes, just like you said.

I drilled a hole in the lock ring, ran it down on a die in the toolhead, center punched it (with a finishing nail) then drilled the toolhead. Did it to five toolheads for about $3.00....or whatever a dozen roll pins cost. It can be done with steel lock rings, but I mostly used amuminum ones I had around...just make sure they have enough width to drill the hole in. I guess even a notch would work.

ZY

 

[nexusfire]

Dumb question. Where do you get the o rings?

Also I dont understand how the whidden set up works as compared to using o rings?

 

[TimK]

I've done it. Works fine.

 

[Rmas308]

Dumb question. Where do you get the o rings?

Also I dont understand how the whidden set up works as compared to using o rings?

In lowes/home depot/hardware store in the plumbing section they're #10 rubber orings. usually come in pack of about 25

 

[nexusfire]

do the roll pins just keep the die from rotating?

 

[FishDr]

I used to use Lee, but started using a locking ring with the O-ring under it to hold better position. I guess it doesn’t matter if you leave it set in the head … I do same on the 650 and the single stage. Just mark the lock ring and align with index mark on press or head to repeat setting.

 

[ZY100]

do the roll pins just keep the die from rotating?

 

[whiskeysierra762]

So, my Redding 6.5saum sizing die is too short to use on the 550 with an O-ring under the lock nut.
I guess Im going to try the Whidden floating lock rings and drill a hole for the pin in my toolhead.
Does anyone know if I order just the lock rings do they come with the roll pins too?

 

[Skunkworx]

Have you tried using the stock lock ring under the standard tool head? I’ve done it before with shorter dies.

 

[whiskeysierra762]

Yes the stock lock rings works, but I can not fit an O-ring under it to float the die in the tool head.