Wilson case trimmer - dull

[dig]

Have a Wilson case trimmer been using it for a few years but certainly not high volume 3-500 rounds a year. The cutter seems to be dull and more difficult to cut with. Are the new coated models worth the extra price, any other suggestions. Thanks.

 

[FearNoWind]

I'd stick with the HSS cutters
Spending 30% more for the titanium nitride coated version doesn't seem worth the additional expense..
Just my opinion.

 

[Trickymissfit]

Have a Wilson case trimmer been using it for a few years but certainly not high volume 3-500 rounds a year. The cutter seems to be dull and more difficult to cut with. Are the new coated models worth the extra price, any other suggestions. Thanks.

the Wilson cutter is essentially and end mill with a pilot ground on the tip. The grind they use is for steel, and is kind of generic at that. What your after is less tool pressure, and you won't get there with the same grind, but Tin coated. It will last longer, but not cut as well as uncoated cutters. I took mine and had it sharpened for pure brass or bronze. Cut better than new, and left even less of a burr. The idea is to create less tool pressure, and slice the metal off instead of pushing it off like carbide. The other issue with most of them is the lack of surface speed in the cutter face. Brass is soft and wants a higher surface speed. Something in the area of four hundred rpm for the cutter diameter at the minimum. Of course we can't get there.
gary

 

[dig]

Thanks TM, you nailed it. Are you hand craking or using a drill? It does seem to shave large coils off. Who would I get to sharpen this?

 

[Pdvdh]

Brownells / Sinclair sell a carbide cutter upgrade kit for the Wilson case trimmer for $69.00

http://www.brownells.com/reloading/...-trimmer-cutter-sku749010492-38505-73271.aspx

I've used one for several years. Stays sharp for a long, long time.

 

[Trickymissfit]

Thanks TM, you nailed it. Are you hand craking or using a drill? It does seem to shave large coils off. Who would I get to sharpen this?

,

I made a hex adapter to drive the cutter, and use an electric screw driver. Works well, but as I said a little on the slow side (rpm). I had the guys that sharpen cutters at work do mine, and the guy looked at it and simply said it was ground all wrong from the factory. Wish I'd bought a couple new cutters and had them reground before I retired.

As for who would I get to resharpen the cutter; I'd look in the yellow pages for someone who does that kind of work. It's about a fifteen minute job because the have to change the relief (otw two cuts instead of one).

By the way, the Wilson trimmer is very easy to rebuild. Most work could be done in a drill press, but easier in a lathe. I rebuilt mine, and used a hard steel bushing for the cutter to ride in. The small round rails can be replaced with a piece of drill rod (better than what Wilson used as well). The other end has a micrometer head, but really isn't needed. I just happened to have four or five new micrometer heads laying around (the 1/2-20 threaded ones). All told, I had about two and a half hours work in mine to rebuild it.
gary

 

[Trickymissfit]

by the way my burrs left after cutting are so light, that I clean them up with a piece of brown Scotch Brite pad. I don't use a regular chamfer tool to cut the I.D., I use a well worn taper pin reamer that I've intentionally stoned to make it dull.
gary

 

[scottishkat]

I have the wilson sinclair trimmer and really like it. I purchased the carbide cutter upgrade when I purchased it because I had some bad experience with the redding 2400 that I had. I have never used the carbide cutter upgrade and have trimmed 1000's with the unit.

I think I would call sinclair. Are you trimming alot of nickle plated cases? The carbide cutter upgrade does look better than the cutter that came with the unit I purchased from sinclair about 5 years ago.

Good luck and shoot straight

Bob