‘Tips and Tricks’ . . . Could a magnet help a handloader?
Back in the day…
Back when I was contracting in the industrial field I used to use magnets to hold my control diagrams to the side of a machine or its control cabinet when I was troubleshooting or modifying something…there was nowhere to place things in a working industrial environment as you need to stay out of the way as you did your job.
Since retirement, I’ve brought magnets in to the shop…here on the bandsaw I can keep cards or whatever I don’t want to lose until I get around to needing it…
That idea spread to the drill press where the ‘chuck key’ tends to get lost…
From there I use a bar style magnet on the pole that goes through the bench and holds the automatic powder throw and scales…it holds all the tools I use daily. These allen wrenches and the calipers used to always get lost in the clutter…
From here I placed a magnet on the ‘upside-down sizer’…it’ll hold that micrometer still as I roll a sized cast around with the left hand and operate the caliper with the right…
Next, I use the little 1 x 2 x 1/2″ magnets beside the press to hold my cartridge checker…this is a good way to keep it handy to constantly check those cartridges as they come off the press at any interval you choose…
Here I use the cartridge checker magnet to hold this little allen wrench that I use to adjust the variable volume insert on the ‘lil Dandy’ powder throw…behind the press you’ll see other magnets holding tools in place, tools that used to migrate around where you have to stop and look for them instead of just reaching for it where it oughta be…
Here by the Chucker a magnet holds the Imperial Sizing Wax container so I won’t knock it off the bench again where it used to always land upside down getting junk stuck to the wax…
Now at this point after using magnets for several decades to help me…I think I’ve thought of everything. HaaaHaa….not quite! This morning I found this video over at Full30 showing the use of magnets…again, helping the gun enthusiast!
How about that one…right when you have thought to yourself…”I’ve got it figured out!” Some other fella comes along and invents a new use for them…I think the gun enthusiast/handloader community is one of the most inventive group of guys I ever hung around with!
c h a r l i e
Born in 1950…HS grad, some college, no degrees, served in the US Marine Corps, educated there by the Navy in Electronics. Worked as an Electrician all my life and Contracted Heavy Industrial Control & Power Distribution for 20 years before retirement. Drive a black Chevy 4×4 and a Harley V-Rod. Married 40+ years, 3 great kids all 45 & older. Love my shop & do it all right there…
