Collective effort for a possible new sticky?

[Recluse]

Got a call from a guy this evening that I'm helping teach how to cast. His Lyman 4500 came in today and he was asking me how to use it.

Damned if I know.

Told him it was quite a bit different from the Lyman45 I use, but only slightly different from my tumble-lube processes. [smilie=1:

It got me to thinking. We have stickies for Lyman45 manual, non-Star dies in a Star sizer and alignment issues with RCBS/Lyman sizers.

But nothing on how to actually set up and USE a lubesizer. Maybe it might be a good topic since one way or another, you gotta lube your boolits before you load them and shoot them. And there is a learning curve that could probably be lessened a bit courtesy of the collective wisdom of many folks here.

A for instance: The guy calls me and tells me he has lube going everywhere. Tells me he cranked the lube tube handle down and lube started spitting out all over the place. I started laughing (couldn't help it--been there myself) and he got a little miffed. Told him to pull the handle down, then make a very small turn on the lube tube handle, then sizer handle up. It worked pretty well for him.

Seems simple to most of us, but for a newcomer to the mystical art, it can be one more degree of frustration. We've seen the numerous discussions on "Can I tumble lube non-TL boolits?" and "How do I think Lee Liquid Alox?" etc etc. We even see posts about lubesizers, but a lot of the questions/problems could probably have been avoided with proper setup and adjustment of the sizer.

Adding to difficulty is many first-time casters buy their sizers used and have no manual--so it is groping around in the darkness.

Anyhow, just a thought.

:coffee:

[RayinNH]

Recluse, if he got it new, did it not occur to him to check the manual that came with it :roll:...Ray

[45nut]

Maybe not Ray,, but the reason forums like this thrive is due to how much the manuals leave out.

[Dean D.]

Great idea Recluse!

I cannot contribute anything on the 4500 as I have only used a Lyman 45 or Lee sizer. I can say that finding that manual for the 45 here on this site helped me greatly, I got the lubrisizer from my uncle with no written instructions, just some OJT with him years ago.

[Recluse]

Recluse, if he got it new, did it not occur to him to check the manual that came with it :roll:...Ray

I've been reloading for over 30 years, and MY biggest gripe is how poorly instruction/help manuals are written by the reloading companies. Yes, most have great customer service, but most folks don't reload from 8 - 5. When they reload on evenings and weekends and run into a question, nobody to call at most places.

Besides, look at how many of us have picked up extremely useful "tricks" and techniques and tips here on various stuff NOT included in instruction manuals. . .

I give you Lee-menting as but one example. You'll never find that in a Lee instruction sheet.

Or how about the using epoxy or JB Weld to customize your top punches?

And finally, how many times have any of us followed the instructions, and it worked out just okay? But when someone gave us a tip based upon experience, it often times works out far better.

Doesn't really matter to me, but since lubing and sizing is an essential part of boolit casting, just thought that maybe some collective experience could come together in setting up the Lyman, RCBS, Saeco and Star lubesizers. I've been doing this for a whilie myself, but I'm ALWAYS looking for better and easier ways to do things.

:coffee:

[Triggerhappy]

Just got a Lyman 4500 myself, without a manual. Here it is online. FWIW

TH
http://www.lymanproducts.com/lyman/bullet-casting/pdf/LyC_BC_LS_4500.pdf

[Recluse]

If I ever read the instructions or asked for directions, my wife might faint dead away.

:coffee:

[montana_charlie]

I think the modern 'consumer' is on the verge of becoming illiterate.
How many companies have dropped their 'instruction manuals' in favor of 'videos' because show-and-tell is the only way they can transfer knowledge to the current crop of electronically-educated customers?
If new information isn't available on a CD, Blackberry, or through a Googled video...it might as well be drawn in hieroglyphics because 'reading with comprehension' is becoming another ancient form of communication.

Add to that the blinding of 'the minds eye'.
People are losing the capability of reading a description...then visualizing how it would appear in actuality. Without the displayed 'picture' they are at a loss to understand.
While it's true that a picture can replace a thousand (written) words, pictures are about to replace ALL written words.

Along with the loss of the ability to visualize something described...imagination is also fading away. Instead of imagining what will happen if you apply pressure in a lubrisizer with no bullet in it...they have to go ask somebody why they ended up with a lapful of beeswax.

And then there is...
(Never mind, I'll just stop here...some say I'm too impatient with newbys.)

CM

[ozzy1038]

I just got a lyman 4500 yesterday and learned a few things.

First, put some grease on the o-rings on the piston. There is some in the reservoir, but in my case it was not evenly distributed. After greasing, the o-rings went in nice and easy without wanting to "roll out" of the grooves when the piston was screwed in the reservoir.

Also lube the first bullet GOOD before you put it in the sizing die. I did not and had to beat the bullet out. Lesson learned. :-D

Make sure and adjust the depth that the bullet goes in so you do not get lube on the top of the bullet and in the top punch.

If you don't get even lube coverage in the groove then run it through the die again. If that doesn't work, then rotate bullet 1/4 turn and size again.

Make sure to always have a steady amount of pressure on the lube. A little nudge on the wrench every 5-10 bullets seems to do the trick.

You can lube TL bullets and they look good! I kind of wish I hadn't sold my mold now.

That's all I can come up with for now. I spent about an hour setting it up and 20-30 minutes sizing about 300 bullets. Near the end when I was getting familiar with everything I was in a good rythym. I know the star is faster, but I bet you could knock out a thousand + an hour no problem.

[ozzy1038]

I think the modern 'consumer' is on the verge of becoming illiterate.
How many companies have dropped their 'instruction manuals' in favor of 'videos' because show-and-tell is the only way they can transfer knowledge to the current crop of electronically-educated customers?
If new information isn't available on a CD, Blackberry, or through a Googled video...it might as well be drawn in hieroglyphics because 'reading with comprehension' is becoming another ancient form of communication.

Add to that the blinding of 'the minds eye'.
People are losing the capability of reading a description...then visualizing how it would appear in actuality. Without the displayed 'picture' they are at a loss to understand.
While it's true that a picture can replace a thousand (written) words, pictures are about to replace ALL written words.

Along with the loss of the ability to visualize something described...imagination is also fading away. Instead of imagining what will happen if you apply pressure in a lubrisizer with no bullet in it...they have to go ask somebody why they ended up with a lapful of beeswax.

And then there is...
(Never mind, I'll just stop here...some say I'm too impatient with newbys.)

CM


Amen brother!!

I work in a sporting goods store and we'll get calls about the stupidest things and the first thing I ask is did you read the owners manual. Most of the time is no. We had one guy that bought a safe and couldn't figure out how to get it off the pallet. It took us multiple times and about 10 minutes explaining that it was held on with bolts, and where they were at. He didn't even believe us for awhile!!

What really gets my goat is when people ask a question, and I answer it. Then they ask, "are you sure"? Or they'll ask "do you have such and such", I'll respond "no" and then they will follow up with "so you don't have it"?

Lately though it has to be... "Why are you out of ammo, reloading supplies, and guns"? Hmmm I wonder.....................................

Sorry I have a few pet peeves and stupidity is one of them. Retail can make you jaded. :roll: