so waht ya doin today?

Winelover

North Central Arkansas
Just went on their website. No accessory micrometer drum for the Uniflow. I got mine from my wife's cousin when he passed. Have no idea how long ago he bought it. I would think at least 20 years ago and probably more like 30. Different arrangement than the current model. On mine the threaded piston screws into a bushing that screws into the drum. You adjust by turning the threaded stem on the piston. Stem has a knurled lockring to hold the setting. My guess is the micrometer barrel is an assembly that screws into the same 7/16" thread in the drum that the bushing screws into. The new drum is also drilled and tapped on the side for a locking screw. I'd have to go back and look. But I think the stem on mine has a flat that is graduated. So, knowing the pitch I can make a few measurements for one full turn. Knowing that, I can calibrate the drum markings to give me tenths of a grain. The RCBS stem is a much finer thread than the Redding. It looks like the micrometer barrel is fixed in place and when you turn it, it moves the piston stem in and out of the drum. I prefer mine design and I'll make the micrometer barrel to move with the stem and read on a fixed barrel that will be part of what screws into the drum.

Not sure why I'm getting all wrapped around this. The Uniflow served me well. The Redding added a bit more precision which is kinda nice to have. No reason the Uniflow cannot provide the same or even better precision.

Oh, and the current uniflow only needs on drum.
The part your looking for is the optional micrometer adjusting stem............it's all black with white graduations. The one your describing is the standard graduated stem of the Uniflow.

DSCN2197.jpg

In contrast, here's a picture of the micrometer adjustment on a Hollywood measure.

DSCN2199.jpg
 

JonB

Halcyon member
I have been checking and the HF has very favorable reviews! Hundreds actually! I posted on a knife area of a popular forum single complaint was no variable dpeed. Yes there was better but not with out doubling plus on Costs.

I have looked at other brands.
Don't by HF belt sander. JUNK. Ryobi is not bad for the money. I have one. I use it a lot. Another option is check ads for a used industrial one.
While I am not sure if Today's HF 1x30 belt sander is better or worse than the 20 yr old HF 1x30 I bought 2 decades ago...But mine is a great little light duty belt sander for the homeowner and his DIY projects. I use it all the time. The 1x30 belts are cheap too. Obviously if you need a powerful sander for a specific tasks that lean toward metal-shop duty, another option would be a wise choice.
 

462

California's Central Coast Amid The Insanity
The part your looking for is the optional micrometer adjusting stem............it's all black with white graduations. The one your describing is the standard graduated stem of the Uniflow.

View attachment 32092

In contrast, here's a picture of the micrometer adjustment on a Hollywood measure.

View attachment 32093
Yep, replaced my Uniflow's large drum factory metering stem with RCBS's micrometer setup. It has worked perfectly from charges as low as 3.4-grains of Bullseye up to 56-grains of IMR 4831. I keep a list of settings for the most often used powders and their amounts, so switching from one to another is simple and quick.
 

Snakeoil

Well-Known Member
While I am not sure if Today's HF 1x30 belt sander is better or worse than the 20 yr old HF 1x30 I bought 2 decades ago...But mine is a great little light duty belt sander for the homeowner and his DIY projects.
Well, could be I was between the two good models. I bought one, brought it home, set it up and was not impressed. Belts could not be made to stay put. No matter how hard tried to adjust and center the belts, as soon as I started to put a load on the belt with work, it would start to walk off the rollers. I gave up and brought it back.

YMMV, CW. Good news is if you do find that it sucks for you too, you can bring it back for a refund.
 

Snakeoil

Well-Known Member
Following up on the powder measure discussion, went to Charlies this morning and my shooting partner Steve brought the other Redding powder measure he said he was going to give me for parts. Well, it is a bit older than the one I bought from him, but otherwise the same. Unfortunately, the thimble for the micrometer adjustment and the screw that holds it to the threaded stem is missing. Steve said he looked for it. But knowing his basement, I would not expect him to find it. But I'm sure it is down there. You could lose a Winnebago down there.

So, Charlie needs me to look into some business stuff for the club and after giving me my assignment, he looks at the Redding measure and says he thinks he has the missing part in the shop. He disappears into the attic and comes down with a nice shotgun butt stock for the Low Wall another member is building in the shop and a Uniflow with a micrometer adjusting mechanism. But this is not the assembly shown above in Winelover's post. It is either aftermarket or homemade. It is a thimble, barrel and stem from a Mitutoyo micrometer and the necessary threaded fitting and piston to use it in the RCBS drum. I asked Charlie what he needed for it and he smiled and said, "Don't worry about it.".

So, after coming home from another dismal day of load testing the .38-55 highwall, I dove into those measures.

It would appear that the Uniflow may have changed feature-wise over the years, but the drum and body have not. So after some disassembly and diligent cleaning and general sprucing up, I put the micrometer assembly and drum from Charlie's into my Uniflow. I used Charlie's drum because it was a much snugger fit in my body. I set it up and dropped some charges. Had to figure out how many thousandths on the micrometer represented how many tenths of a grain of powder. Roughly 20 thousandths on the mic is 1 grain. So every thousandth about 1/2 of 1/10 of a grain or 0.05 gr. I adjusted until I had it throwing 17 gr of 2400 consistently. Then I spun the thimble a couple of revs and dropped a charge to see where it was. I dropped an 18.4 gr charge. I then returned the mic to the same reading that dropped 17 gr and damn if it did not drop exactly 17.0 gr on the first and every subsequent drop. So, I would say that the Uniflow is now on par with a Harrel's for repeatability.

Unfortunately, the other Redding has a rifle adapter. And it turns out that the stem thread is a 5/16-20, which is not a standard thread. So, making a replacement thimble is not as easy as drilling and running a tap into a piece of steel. I think I'll watch fleabay for Redding parts or maybe a fugly powder measure and see if I cannot get a replacement thimble. Might get lucky and get the pistol adapter in the deal. Might call Redding, too.

Here's pics of the Uniflow with the Mitutoyo mic adjusting assembly. If it is home made, the guy knew what he was doing. 20230125_160632.jpg20230125_160649.jpg
 
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KeithB

Resident Half Fast Machinist
You guys know you can buy micrometer movements online don't ya? Search for micrometer heads


 
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Snakeoil

Well-Known Member
You guys know you can buy micrometer movements online don't ya? Search for micrometer heads


Never thought to look. Prices are all over the place, but some very inexpensive ones listed. Thanks!
 
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JWFilips

Well-Known Member
Well the Second "Storm -A-Geddon" hit today! We got about 1 1/2 inches!!! What hype!
I will not have to clean this either because temperatures are rising right through the night with some rain on it's way!
Weighed out the 165 grain Ranch Dog .30 calibers that I powder coated yesterday and they are stored away. Just need to get good enough weather to open up the basement again and Cast a whole bunch more!
 

Bret4207

At the casting bench in the sky. RIP Bret.
Well, not mixed together Bret. I nibble at a couple of those Halloween size Hershey bars and sip Evan Williams on the rocks.
Back in the days before I figured out that booze just lowered all my barriers as regards good judgement, manners, not saying anything at all if it wasn't nice, etc., I fond out almost immediately that there are 3 or 4 kinds of people in the world as regards alcohol. There are the bourbon drinkers, (which tastes like paint thinner with chewing tobbaco and maybe some hog crap mixed in), Vodka/Gin drinkers, (gasoline), beer drinkers ( I understand everything except the concept of "light" beer, that's NOT beer!) and then there were Scotch drinkers, sippers actually. The mass of woody/smoky flavor and the utter lack of hangover sold me in a heartbeat. Still opened my obnoxious jerk spigot, but at least it tasted nice!

ETA- And then there's Schnapps! Schnapps loves me, and I love Schnapps. But sadly Miss Schnapps turns me into a happy, loudmouthed, obnoxious jerk, so we had to part and go our separate ways. Miss Scotch turns me into a somewhat morose, contemplative, kinda sad jerk. She had to go too.
 
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Bret4207

At the casting bench in the sky. RIP Bret.
While I am not sure if Today's HF 1x30 belt sander is better or worse than the 20 yr old HF 1x30 I bought 2 decades ago...But mine is a great little light duty belt sander for the homeowner and his DIY projects. I use it all the time. The 1x30 belts are cheap too. Obviously if you need a powerful sander for a specific tasks that lean toward metal-shop duty, another option would be a wise choice.
I agree, HF's belt sander ain't bad. The Ryobi stuff I've owned on the other hand has been absolute junk. That was 10-15 years back, maybe they improved.
 

Bret4207

At the casting bench in the sky. RIP Bret.
Oh yeah! Anyone want to guess who actually DID SOMETHING TODAY?!!!!!! Not saying I felt like a million bucks, but was out and about in town without barfing, (good thing too as an 87 year old neighbor was broke down just outside town!), and then came home and went to the woods with Matt. We got a few trees cut and pulled out and cleaned up the small stuff around the wood pile so it wouldn't get buried under the 10" of forecast snow and got it all in the basement. In total honesty I have to say I was actually really happy just to be able to bend over and pick up wood without going nauseous. having cramps in my gut and not being able to breathe! I call today a win!!!:)
 
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CWLONGSHOT

Well-Known Member
Well I picked up the 1x30 Belt sander today..
No its not the best, but hopefully, workable...

I trued the wheels and adjusted them up some along with a casting issue with belt tune/adjustments I found. Also the tension spring is too light, as more tension and it smooths right out. It also came with tension adjustment locked down tight.
I got it running smoother and the belt tracking true.

Better belts and angle guide should be here tomorrow.
CW
 

Ian

Notorious member
You guys know you can buy micrometer movements online don't ya? Search for micrometer heads

Like Rob, it never occurred to me to look. I did pick up a mic thimble/anvil assembly at a junk store for a couple bucks a while back with intent to make a carriage stop with it. Thanks for the tip.

Being intolerant of drinking alcohol, I am VERY choosey. Islay single-malt, preferably cask strength for me. Neat only. Nothing with it but would consider an Oscuro or Double Maduro cigar to compliment the drink.
 

JonB

Halcyon member
I prefer red Wine, But will sip some Jack Daniels or maybe some "flavored" Brandy.
I've found that most alcoholic drinks flare up my Diabetic symptoms...just like when I consume food with too much simple carbs.
So like many of you, I am choosy about what I drink.
 

hporter

Active Member
Life's too short to drink cheap booze.
I agree with this - and certainly keep a bottle or two of the good stuff in the pantry.

But after spending an hour and a half in Houston traffic coming home after work, an "affordable" Bourbon for a resuscitating the mind and spirit is a fine thing too.

I sure miss Evan Williams Green Label Bourbon. It was a decent everyday sipping whiskey. But they stopped making that - so the Evan Williams Bottled in Bond became the every day stuff. And life goes on.

Funny enough - I am craving a cigar now that I cracked the cork on some Laphroaig.
 

Snakeoil

Well-Known Member
A good red wine is my standard. I really like beer, good beer, not the fruit juice IPAs or other designer junk. Stouts, porters and lagers work just fine. My problem is one is never enough. Although $8 pints have helped with that. No liquor for me. Changes my personality in a bad way, or at least it used to. Will sip a high end tequila. Not many know it exists. At least $50 for a bottle. Better than Cognac. My Dad loved Scotch. To me it was licking a piece of burnt wood.

I have several single malts in the cabinet that were presents. Come'on over.

Some like 'em fat, some skinny.

Don't smoke. Used to. Hate the smell now. Never understood cigars and I have sampled the best, hand rolled muthas. Have friends that make a big deal about cigars. Just don't get it.
 
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462

California's Central Coast Amid The Insanity
A long-time lady friend of my wife had a cancerous kidney removed Monday, and was able to come home this afternoon. She is a widow so my wife is tending to her and staying overnight. Consequently, Duke and I will be out of sorts till sometime tomorrow.