Ideal No.2 Lubricating & Sizing Press

This Ideal No.2 Lubricating & Sizing Press, one of only two currently known to exist, came up for sale on one of the auction sites within the last couple of weeks. Not expecting to win, I placed a bid for it anyway about a day before the auction was to end (to that point, I was the sole bidder), and waited. The day the auction was to end I received notification that I had been out-bid (by $50) and on a whim I increased my bid to the new amount + $100... still not expecting to win, but wanting to be "in the race", fully expecting someone to jump in at the last seconds to place their winning bid. So, when the auction came to a close, I was somewhat shocked to find that I was, for the time-being at least, to be the latest caretaker of this rarity from reloading's past.

Attachment 277507

Description from Ideal Handbook No.17 (1906):
"No.2 Lubricator is designed especially for continuous hard work. It is heave, strong and powerful. It will stand hard usage and should last a lifetime. Weight is 25 lbs. Tools, dies and punches for No.1 Lubricator are interchangeable with those for Lubricating Press No.2."

Original price was $20.00, complete with one sizing/lubricating die and one top punch. Compare this with the No.1, which the Handbook stated weighed in at about 4 lbs., and cost but $5.00 complete with sizing die and top punch.

Weighing in at 25 lbs., and sharing a basic frame with Ideal's "Armory Press", the No.2 was introduced in the Ideal Mfg. Co.'s Handbook No.17 (1906). It remained in the Handbooks through Marlin's ownership of Ideal (1910-1916), presumably through Phineas Talcott's ownership (1916-1926), and into the Lyman Gun Sight Co. days. The last Handbook to mention the No.2 was Lyman's No.30 (1931).

My apologies to the ARTCA. As I understand it, the other bidder is a member of that body and was hoping to acquire this for their collection.

Jim

That is too cool for words !!! I am thrilled just to see a real picture of one as I have only previously seen the drawing in an old Ideal book . Congratulations . Those were just mentioned in the thread on the #1 that Froggie just won . You should add this picture to that thread also .

Jim, you are officially notified that I have removed you from my Christmas Card list. :kidding:

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Originally Posted by Pressman

Jim, you are officially notified that I have removed you from my Christmas Card list. :kidding:

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Permanently!


Thanks for sharing that. I'd like to see more pictures.

I’m just glad it went to someone who can and will appreciate this rare tool and give it the preservation it deserves. I had visions of some Philistine buying it and breaking it up for parts to resell or some other such indignity. My sincere congratulations, sir.

BTW, I’m sure Ken the pressman would swallow some of his rancor if you were to submit an article (with lots of good pictures) describing this press, it’s history and function. The ARTCA Journal and its readers would benefit greatly, right Ken?

Green Frog

10 minutes to go and I checked the bidding, I was still ahead, but... I started to increase my bid and that still, small voice in the back of my head said don't. So I listened this time.

Yes, a well illustrated article would be great for the Journal and my current project, a book describing these old Ideal/Lyman presses.

all I can say is HOLY COW!!!!! :holysheep in the flesh!!!

Congrats to jrmartin and sympathies to Pressman.

Jim, never be intimidated by your writing skills. You write it and I can fix it. Same with pictures, I can talk you through getting them correct. Digital is wonderful, you can take a hundred and not be out anything. It's a mistake too commonly made, not taking enough pictures.

Ken

I see we have drooling jowls here.

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Originally Posted by Pressman

Jim, never be intimidated by your writing skills. You write it and I can fix it. Same with pictures, I can talk you through getting them correct. Digital is wonderful, you can take a hundred and not be out anything. It's a mistake too commonly made, not taking enough pictures.

Ken

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I spent a decade of my USAF career as a photographer before digital cameras became common. The method of making sure you got enough adequate photos back then was called the "Shotgun" method. Take lots of photos. It could, indeed, get expensive. Now, good quality digital cameras can be had for under $100, though you can still spend kilobucks for one that will take interchangeable lens and such.

Bill

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Originally Posted by jrmartin1964

Over the next several days I will be eyeballs deep into the Ideal Handbooks and several other sources that line my bookshelves to see what info I can dig out of them. I am reluctant to say that I'll create an article suitable for publication... my writing skills are, in my opinion, severely lacking... but I'll certainly share whatever I learn with any who are interested. My camera skills I have an equally unfavorable opinion of, but I also understand the importance of the No.2 Lubricator enough to put some effort into that as well.

I promise, everything will be shared.

Also, to everyone in general... and Ken the Pressman in particular... I promise, on a stack of Ideal Handbooks, if another No.2 shows up I won't bid on it.

Jim

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Jim, would you mind making drawings of the parts? Or at least caliper measurements noted on the photos? That looks like just exactly the press I want. I have this little machine shop building in my back room, and I'd love to take a shot at making a copy of that press. Looks from the photos like someone mounted it on a couple of sets of 1-2-3 blocks to get some clearance from the work surface. I'm going to have to remember that, too.

Bill

Bill, if you can locate an Ideal Armory press you can convert it to a #2 lubricating press as they use the same frame.

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Originally Posted by Pressman

Bill, if you can locate an Ideal Armory press you can convert it to a #2 lubricating press as they use the same frame.

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Thanks, Ken. I'll Keep an eye out for one.

Bill