Floating Die Tool Head?

[Powder Finger]

I guess I am too dense to figure this out for myself, but how could a die that is screwed into the toolhead "float". I can see the roll pin that is inserted into the toolhead, and the relived cut on the locking ring, but for the life of me I can not get my brain around how the die itself could move around, unless the toolhead threads are cut larger than the actual diameter of the die body, and allow it to "scoot" one way or the other under pressure from the case coming up when the shellplate is raised.

They only move a little, just the slop in the treads. Plus they don't just move lateraly but will tilt with this type system.

The home made floaters operate the same way except you put a 7/8" oring under the lock ring with light tension on it and let it float.

Both do the same thing I could just never get past not having the die slightly pre-loaded.

[98sr20ve]

I don't see how this is any different then just using the Lee Lock Rings with the O-Rings underneath. Clearly this is cooler but I don't get it compared to the Lee Lock rings.

[Powder Finger]

No difference except that the lock ring/die can't turn unless you re-adjust it, so it's a little more set it and forget it.

Not sure if this part was in this thread: there is a pin going through the lock ring into the toolhead and the pin is fairly loose so the die can tilt/move a little, but can't turn.

Edited March 24, 2011 by Powder Finger

[Flexmoney]

I ordered their precision machine tool head (TH), for my 650.

No joy.

I mostly run Lee dies, and the thought of better positioning of the dies appealed to me. However, if you take a close look at some of the pictures, the thickness (height) of the TH is less than that of the Dillon TH. More specifically, the thickness/height of the TH below the mounting flange is less.

For my Lee dies, I usually need to run the locking ring on the bottom of the TH. With the lack of depth, my locking ring would contact the press before it would get a chance to butt against the bottom of the tool head. (This wouldn't happen with the Dillon TH, as it was think enough that it allowed clearance.)

I tried a couple different mounting methods, flipping the TH over, etc. I couldn't figure out a way to get it to work with my rings and dies. Maybe I need to look at it with the light of a new day.

[98sr20ve]

I ordered their precision machine tool head (TH), for my 650.

No joy.

I mostly run Lee dies, and the thought of better positioning of the dies appealed to me. However, if you take a close look at some of the pictures, the thickness (height) of the TH is less than that of the Dillon TH. More specifically, the thickness/height of the TH below the mounting flange is less.

For my Lee dies, I usually need to run the locking ring on the bottom of the TH. With the lack of depth, my locking ring would contact the press before it would get a chance to butt against the bottom of the tool head. (This wouldn't happen with the Dillon TH, as it was think enough that it allowed clearance.)

I tried a couple different mounting methods, flipping the TH over, etc. I couldn't figure out a way to get it to work with my rings and dies. Maybe I need to look at it with the light of a new day.

What lock rings are you using. Maybe the 1 inch Dillon would work better?

[Flexmoney]

What lock rings are you using. Maybe the 1 inch Dillon would work better?

I think I had Lee rings (with the rubber O-ring).

I'll have to dig around. I may have some Dillon rings around...or I might have sent them along with a press I sold.

My current fix was to put the Whidden TH back in the box and tear down my 38 Super setup to cannibalize the Dillon TH from it.

[Flexmoney]

Here you can see the difference, compared to a Dillon TH.

And, in this pic, you can see the shiny part of the Dillon press under the TH...which would be covered by the taller bottom of the Dillon TH. The Dillon TH stands proud of the press in this bottom area, allow for clearance for the lee locking nuts to go on the bottom.

(see for the out of focus picture)

[Edit to add]

It may work great with other setups. My Lee dies (probably old, I understand they make them taller now) screw down far enough that there is little in the way of threads on top of the TH to get the locking rings onto. They easy fix for this (with the Dillon TH's) was to simply put the locking rings on from the bottom. Not an option with the Lee rings and the Whidden TH.

[Powder Finger]

How much clearance is there between the Whidden TH and the shell plate ?(or what ever hits first, as I've never messed with 650's)

[Flexmoney]

How much clearance is there between the Whidden TH and the shell plate ?(or what ever hits first, as I've never messed with 650's)

Plenty of room there. That isn't the issue. (I probably didn't explain it well.) The issue is that, when I go to put the locking ring onto the die from the bottom of the shell plate...the locking ring will hit the press body and not ever contact the shell plate.

The part I've circled in red does not stick down far enough to allow a nut to go on the bottom of a die. When you go to screw the Lee nut onto the bottom of the die, it hits the press body first and never gets to the TH like it should.

[Powder Finger]

How much clearance is there between the Whidden TH and the shell plate ?(or what ever hits first, as I've never messed with 650's)

Plenty of room there. That isn't the issue. (I probably didn't explain it well.) The issue is that, when I go to put the locking ring onto the die from the bottom of the shell plate...the locking ring will hit the press body and not ever contact the shell plate.

The part I've circled in red does not stick down far enough to allow a nut to go on the bottom of a die. When you go to screw the Lee nut onto the bottom of the die, it hits the press body first and never gets to the TH like it should.

I see now. And you still don't clear the press body with the TH upside down correct?

Also what clearance around the die hole before it hits the press body?

I have a bunch of Redding lock rings that have a side screw to lock the ring and they are pretty small diameter rings.

[Scott Steele]

I just discovered this item by Whidden and searched here and found this thread. Has anyone been able to use a Lee u-die (.40) with it. My concern is not enough thread for the lock nut to work. I also see that Flexmoney tried to use lock nut from the bottom but would hit tool head before seating.

Kyle, any chance of seating lock screw on the bottom to tool head after getting it fitted then filing the nut down to fit/clear toolhead?

Did you find another way to get the toolhead to work?

[Flexmoney]

I thought I ended up with just enough threads to get the nut on top, but not really. I found the nut would back off and loosen after a good amount of use.

I recently moved and haven't set my press back up yet. When I do, I am going to want to fix this...one way or another. I think I have an out-of-spec TH from Dillon (my Lee 9mm dies down't run in it well, even after squaring them, etc.). The lee 9mm dies run well on the Whidden TH, but...

[Steve RA]

Why could you not use the Dillon tool head, put the pins in it like the other head and use the lock rings supplied with it or file a notch for the pin in any lock ring you prefer ???

[kmc]

Did anyone ever get this figured out? I have a Lee 9mm U die I want to use on a Whidden floating TH. As described above the Lee is too short and doesn't leave threads above the TH. The only two things I can think of now (short of going back to my Dillon TH) is to 1) install the TH upside down and use regular locking nuts (I'm guessing this will lower it enough to get a couple of threads exposed) or 2) make a custom spacer that allows the nut to tighten onto the die from below while tightening only onto the TH and not the frame. I'm actually not even sure I can install the TH upside down--I'll have to look at it more closely.