Lee plastic sizing die case

[gasboffer]

This might be in the wrong sub-forum, but it might save someone some touble.
I was using the Lee sizer in .45. The LLA, of course, got all over the plastic die case. I tried wiping it off with just a rag, no luck. Then got the bright idea to use gasoline on the wiping rag. Didn't get much of the LLA off. Gave up and put the sizer back in the plastic case and set it aside. Several days later I needed to size more .45 boolits and reached for the die case. It was glued together and no amount of pulling, twisting, and cussing would get it apart. "I will get the heat gun and soften the lube." Bad Idea! Now I have a wrinkled and mis-shapened die case that looks really funny. Do you think Lee would send me a free die case, since they didn't warn me about mixing gasoline and LLA?
Clyde

[Longwood]

This might be in the wrong sub-forum, but it might save someone some touble.
I was using the Lee sizer in .45. The LLA, of course, got all over the plastic die case. I tried wiping it off with just a rag, no luck. Then got the bright idea to use gasoline on the wiping rag. Didn't get much of the LLA off. Gave up and put the sizer back in the plastic case and set it aside. Several days later I needed to size more .45 boolits and reached for the die case. It was glued together and no amount of pulling, twisting, and cussing would get it apart. "I will get the heat gun and soften the lube." Bad Idea! Now I have a wrinkled and mis-shapened die case that looks really funny. Do you think Lee would send me a free die case, since they didn't warn me about mixing gasoline and LLA?
Clyde
If they do, instead of mucking up the cap, why not use plastic soft drink bottles that are free? They slip right down over the sizer and they will weigh even more when you recycle finally recycle them. ;-)
If I am going to use the bullets right away, I use one with the bottom cut off and if I am going to store the bullets I leave the bottom on and screw the lid on the bottle then cut the bottle when I want to use them. Cutting the top off of the bottle makes it much easier to get the bullets out.

[bruce drake]

Longwood, that's a good tip!

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

I prefer to invert the press.
http://i640.photobucket.com/albums/uu127/JonB_in_Glencoe/100_1364.jpg

[Maven]

Ingenious solution, Jon B. Creative thinking at its best!

[Doby45]

Even though they probably would. I would say they do not "owe" you anything. I am sure they also did not warn you that you should not mix gasoline and LLA put a match to it while you are in your house, but if you do that are you gonna ask them to replace your house after it burns to the ground?

[ubetcha]

JB Good idea.Never would have thought of that.I only have lee sizer in 432,but your idea will work
Gasboffer.Like many things in life,others are not responsible for YOUR actions.Being good or bad.only person responsible is you
try calling Lee and explain the situation.They may send you a free one

[mooman76]

I quickly saw the mess coming when I first started. I have quite a few sizers so I just use the came case for all the sizing even though I rarely size any more. Just shoot as cast. To make reoom I put all my sizers in one case that I bought. The kind that holds craft supplies.

[onondaga]

What in the world did you expect would happen from putting gasoline on plastic? You are blaming Lee for not warning you that gasoline will damage plastic, That is pretty far fetched. When you buy gasoline in small containers or other petroleum distillates they generally have a warning not to put them on plastics.

Gasoline is a fuel for combustion engines, and not recommended as a solvent at all because of flammability. If Lee sends you a free die case, please let me know. I have some that I would like replaced and I will put gasoline on them.

When I was a kid I remember telling a bully to go and gargle peanut butter. His mother tried to sew the peanut butter company. Do you see any similarities there?

Gary

[Firebricker]

I think I would just spend the few bucks for a new one and call it good. If you call to buy one and they replace it free consider it gift and thank them by placing an order with them down the road sometime. FB

[onondaga]

Forgive me Lord.

Gasboffer, I gotta tell you this one too. The summer after I retired was boring so I went and worked at a friend's gourmet cheesecake bakery. That very day he was served with a law suit. A woman complained that she became violently ill after eating his cheesecake. I went to court with my friend. The woman was questioned after her statement. The judge said," You really sat and ate an entire 4 pound cheesecake in one sitting and expected not to get ill? Get out of my courtroom !!"

Gary

[quilbilly]

What you have experienced is how bass and salmon fishing plug manufacturers glue the two halves of a plug together after putting in the rattle. gasoline and especially lacquer thinner work better than glue to keep out water if you are trolling deep. Just another piece of useless information I need to get rid of.

[Charlie Two Tracks]

I do not lube my boolits before sizing them with the LEE sizer. I know the instructions say to and that you may get leading in the die but I have sized thousands of boolits through one without any problems. No leading of the die what so ever. I'm sizing them down a couple of thousandths.

[mooman76]

You can also prelube them with some other kind of lube like the spray case lube or whatever and then coat with alox. Less messy that way.

[nwellons]

I prelube with dishwashing soap because I don't want Alox on my black powder cartridge boolits. I use a BP lube instead. The soap cleans off the boolits and die very easily with water.

[fryboy]

mineral spirits that we use to cut the LLA with originally works just dampen a rag and wipe it out , like a few folks i set aside just one container out of many to use for this , then decided i needed another one for non-LLA'd boolits ( ie; regular lube ) i do like jon's stand and approach tho , another possible candidate is the tubes from the lee's case/bullet feeder, these tubes fit right in there and if using the bullet feeder ( which i dont ) they are set up ready to go , any similar tube that fits would work , as a plus if one doesnt use the case feeder they can drop them one at a time ( sunny side up if desired ) into a cheap plastic ammo tray that comes with loaded shells or in line in some other box

[exile]

I can't be sure, but I think gasboffer was just kidding? Still useful information was provided as always. Love this forum.

exile

[Von Gruff]

I do not lube my boolits before sizing them with the LEE sizer. I know the instructions say to and that you may get leading in the die but I have sized thousands of boolits through one without any problems. No leading of the die what so ever. I'm sizing them down a couple of thousandths.

Neither do I. I use my Lee dies as a pre GC seater for a couple of the harder boolits I cast. Have run thousands of 44 cal boolits through un lubed and TL afterwards when I was CAS shooting.

Von Gruff.

[gasboffer]

Even though they probably would. I would say they do not "owe" you anything. I am sure they also did not warn you that you should not mix gasoline and LLA put a match to it while you are in your house, but if you do that are you gonna ask them to replace your house after it burns to the ground?

What match? What kind of heat gun do you use with a match. Mine's electric.
I can see that I need to label posts with a little more information.

[gasboffer]

What in the world did you expect would happen from putting gasoline on plastic? You are blaming Lee for not warning you that gasoline will damage plastic, That is pretty far fetched. When you buy gasoline in small containers or other petroleum distillates they generally have a warning not to put them on plastics.

Gasoline is a fuel for combustion engines, and not recommended as a solvent at all because of flammability. If Lee sends you a free die case, please let me know. I have some that I would like replaced and I will put gasoline on them.

When I was a kid I remember telling a bully to go and gargle peanut butter. His mother tried to sew the peanut butter company. Do you see any similarities there?

Gary

Gary, I don't know what kind of plastic you are referring to. I have several gas cans that I think are plastic. Some have had gas in them for a year or two. I think the damage was caused by some reaction between the LLA and gasoline.
Some great suggestions here, I like the soda pop bottle idea, I'll try it. Thanks.

[geargnasher]

Gary, I don't know what kind of plastic you are referring to. I have several gas cans that I think are plastic. Some have had gas in them for a year or two. I think the damage was caused by some reaction between the LLA and gasoline.
Some great suggestions here, I like the soda pop bottle idea, I'll try it. Thanks.

I don't know your line of thinking, here, but you DO know that there's more than one kind of "Plastic", don't you? Most fuel tanks and cans are made from HDPE, Lee's boolit catchers are probably made from acrylic plastic, which is easily dissolved with some aromatic solvents. Spray some carb cleaner on one, instant white haze.

Gaer

[onondaga]

Are you serious? You gotta be playing with us. I see Gear already gave the answer I had for your gas can.

gary

[cabezaverde]

Gear, good call on the gas cans.

I would bet the lee cases are made from styrene.

[Skipper488]

The first job I ever had was rebuilding carburateurs on lawn mowers in my uncles lawn mower shop, I was 12-14 something like that. The first week I was there my uncle told me to take a styrofoam cup and get him a little bit of gasoline. The gasoline ate that cup before I could finish pouring. My uncle got a laugh and I got a lesson. Gasoline dissolves things.

[whisler]

Yes gasoline (or mineral spirits) dissolves things, that why they are "solvents". Styrene of which styrofoam is made is very soluble in hydrocarbon solvents. Since LLA has a solvent similar to mineral spirits in it I doubt that Lee uses Styrene for their cases but it is possible. I think what happened is that you thinned the LLA with the gasoline but did not remove it all and then you clued the lid on with what LLA was left. Remember how every one says LLA is "sticky"

[10x]

I prefer to invert the press.

That is classic! I was looking for an excuse to purchase a lee press and that is one of the most creative uses I have seen.
Gotta do it.
Maybe with a turret press with three different sizers?

[hiram]

NAPA sells QD Electronic Cleaner. It is an aerosol to clean metal but does not attack plastic. The plastic I sprayed was fine, but read the label.

[stubshaft]

:popcorn: