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Just got my Lee APP press in the mail yesterday and I'm getting ready to mount it to my bench. I'm wondering, for those of you who mounted yours directly to the bench top, how much clearance do you need for the catch bottle?
Mine didn't come with one so I can't just install it and check, but it looks to me that if I mount it to the bench with the press shoved all the way against the lip of my bench top, the 2x4 skirting around the edge will get in the way of attaching the bottle
Mine is stuck on a steel LEE benchplate. I've come to really like that concept and LEE's system is cheap, effective and readily available. Using that, it utilized the same holes as the Challenger press. It fits nice and flush to the bench. The primer bottle is close but its easy to deal with anyway.
Mount it as close to the edge as you can . The front edge of the bolster the mounting bolt goes through at the edge of the bench. The lid on the bottle is large and the bottle is bigger.
On mine the two bolts close to the edge are 1/2 inch from the edge.
This gives me room for the bottle. I mounted it once with it pushed back to the edge, then couldn't use the bottle.
The bottle is the same diameter as the bottle adapter. Which is made with two sizes of threads. These two sizes of threads fit most 1 lb. powder bottles. I like this. I use an old power bottle to catch primers.
When I'm not depriming I can unscrew the powder bottle and put the lid on. This way no primers get spilled. When the powder bottles get full just chuck it. and use another.
Just want to label the powder bottle so you know it's spent primers.
If you can't mount the APP to you bench with the front holes that close you can mount it to a 6 inch square of 3/4 inch plywood and mount that to the bench.
A plate like Lee sells is not bad but getting 1/4 inch steel plates locally might be cheaper. Some one on here uses steel plates he gets from Lowe's I think it was. He mounts his tools on the plates then bolts the plates to the bench.
The squares of steel he gets have holes in each corner, they all match so swapping around is easy. You can have just one set of hole in the bench and swap tools as you need them. Tee nuts underneath so you can drop bolts down through and tighten down. When not loading you can pull the tools off the bench and have a flat smooth surface to work on.
We can't all have a nice big area for a loading bench and another as a work bench.
Leo
An aluminum plate is a lot easier for most of us to work with they can be cut with wood working tools 1/4 to 3/8 should be plenty thick. Cut slowly.
Thanks for the replies guys. I managed to get it mounted up and my automation kit came in the mail yesterday. Got everything all set up and started decapping some .223. I'm really impressed with this setup, once I got everything setup I was really cranking through the brass...until I broke the pin on my universal decap die.
Got a hardened replacement on the way, but I'm super happy with this press
Which replacement did you get?
Lee has the standard rod and pin and a more caliber specific rod and pin.
The new rods are larger in diameter so as it enters the case it tend to align the case with the pin.
They come in 8 sizes.
If your case isn't one of those sizes using the one that comes closest will be an improvement over the standard rod.
I don't have the universal decapping die yet. When I do I'll get some of the new rods for the calibers I load. Perhaps they will soon start to sell them as a kit, like they do shell holders.
Leo
I actually got a third party pin. Hardened steel, came in a pack of three. I think the company was called Squirrel Daddy or something similarly silly. They were described as being specifically for the universal decapper
Can someone help me by telling me the size of the bolt needed to mount the Lee APP press to the bench? Would also appreciate knowing the drill bit size. Thanks.
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I used 1/4".
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NW77TDhes10
Thank you [emoji106]Quote:
Originally Posted by jmorris
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I used 1/4”. Just make sure you have the primer catch bottle attached when marking for mounting.
I really like Lee's bench plate system. I have found that it makes a nice mount for the Frankford Arsenal Pile driver using a couple scrap 2x4s made into a bracket. Also it allows the Load all II to occasionally find a space on the bench.Quote:
Originally Posted by Mytmousemalibu
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yzNTuQuebvs
Personally, I find the Inline Fabrication quick-change plate options the bees knees for press mounting. They even have a flush-mount system if you desire such.
I have my Lee APP and case feeder setup on a riser mount. Works very well this way.
Not "cheap", but dang it sure makes things easy to swap presses between riser stands if needed.
-Dan
My APP is attached to a length of 2”x3” that has pre drilled bolt holes, allowing me to clamp or bolt it to a bench top wherever I want to use it.
I haven’t ever used the catch bottle: I process brass or size bullets in enough volume that I just let them drop into a bucket sitting on a stool under the press.
My first setup was to mount on a 3/8ths plate mounted to the bench that has several sets of threaded holes for different tools. I now have a dillon xl mounted there permanently so have a 2" square tube mounted on an old truck brake drum with tubing that fits over the 2" square like a trailer receiver. I have several different presses and sizers that I change out that have a 1/2" setscrew to stabilize them. My loading area is kind of tight and can move this setup around as needed. I have a vise and other items that go on there as well. I can roll it under the bench by removing whatever I have on it at the time.