1-1/8" Ratcheting wrench for the dies

[Beiruty]

Where do I get a good quality 1-1/8" reversible ratcheting wrench to secure the dies on the turret?

[lfinsr]

With more than one die installed I don't think a racheting wrench will fit between them. I just tried it on my Lee and a regular box end barely fits. I'd double-check before I ponied up $50 for the wrench linked to in the previous post. YMMV

Larry

[Beiruty]

Finally, I found this set:


Source:http://www.grizzly.com/products/G8055

[Beiruty]

I screw dies in finger-tight - what am I missing here that you're trying to achieve?

I am getting older. I noticed that if I need to remove a die, I needed a tool to loosen the nut.

[txnative1951]

On my progressive and turret presses, I do not believe that there is room for a ratcheting wrench to fit if I have the other positions filled with dies. It would work on my single stage press, but then again, ANY wrench would work on it. :)

Upon reflection, I have to wonder if the reason space is so tight on my progressive and turret presses is because they are both 4-hole presses. Maybe a 3-hole press would have enough room that a closed end or ratcheting wrench would actually fit on them? Doesn't matter, I guess, since I use all 4 holes on the presses.

I just use a normal open end wrench to initially loosen the nut and then use my fingers to unscrew the die from the press.

Also, with some dies, you might not even be able to fit a closed end wrench over the top of the dies even if there is room for it to fit around the nut without interference from the nuts on the other dies.

I have also seen people alternate the nuts between the top and bottom of the dies so that there was more room to put a closed end wrench around the nut on the top and bottom nuts. Of course, that only works if your dies are long enough for that. I use Lee dies and with my Lee and Dillon presses, I don't think there is enough room to do that. I am satisfied with the Lee dies, but I wish that they were a bit taller and had more of their bodies threaded.

[Jumping Frog]

On my progressive and turret presses, I do not believe that there is room for a ratcheting wrench to fit if I have the other positions filled with dies. It would work on my single stage press, but then again, ANY wrench would work on it. :)
...
Also, with some dies, you might not even be able to fit a closed end wrench over the top of the dies even if there is room for it to fit around the nut without interference from the nuts on the other dies.

True.

For my progressive press, I'll usually use the RCBS die wrench if I need anything beyond fingers. It is 1 3/16, but it will still get the lock rings tightened or loosened on my 1 1/4 die rings.

[txnative1951]

True.

For my progressive press, I'll usually use the RCBS die wrench if I need anything beyond fingers. It is 1 3/16, but it will still get the lock rings tightened or loosened on my 1 1/4 die rings.

Yeah, we really don't need to be putting a lot of ft-lbs of torque on the nuts. We just need them maybe a bit more snug than we can get with just our fingers. The type of wrench that you posted a photo of would not allow you to put a lot of torque on the nut since it is fairly thin walled and as such would just strip out / deform. But we don't need to be putting that much torque on it, so that's perfectly acceptable.

Another thing that you can do is take a normal closed end wrench and reduce the side wall thickness a bit on a grinder. Just don't heat it up too much and affect the temper of the steel.

[Jumping Frog]

Yep, I've seen guys put a box wrench on a grinder. Keep an oil bath close by to keep cooling it.

Agree 100% on no need to torque them down with major ft-lbs.