Anybody ever modify a sizer heater ?

[30calpal]

I have an old lube-sizer, Ideal 45. I had my S.I.L. make some modern improvements, new piston with O-rings instead of the brass collar and a base plate also with a large O-ring to prevent leakage. I recently ordered a heater plate but the mounting holes don't line up and the frame prevents the luber from really getting into the center of the plate. I knew that when I ordered it. If all else fails I'll just clamp them together somehow. But here's the question, have any of you ever modified a Lyman heater plate by milling, cutting or otherwise removing some metal without harmful affect? I talking about milling a strip about 1/2" deep and 3 1/2" long along one side. I called Lyman to ask just where the heater element ran in the plate, of course the lady would not tell me and disclaimed any alterations to the heater. Do any of you know? Do any of you have a burned out heater that you might experiment with a saw and inform the rest of us where the heat element runs? I thought about xray and iron particles but the first is too expensive and the other just wont work unless the element is in a coil. Thanks for any help in this matter. I need to get on it soon as I can.

[44Vaquero]

Since you have access to a mill, you may want to try this instead.
You can fabricate your own heat sink and attach an oil pan heater to it. $12.00 on amazon!


I know this does not answer your question, but does give you an alternative. A member built one like this several years ago.

[30calpal]

Thanks for your thought 44. I'm hoping there is someone out there with a faulty heater who will sacrifice it for the sake of information for the rest of us. Yes, there are several ways to heat the luber and I'll get it done sooner or later. Prob use a yard sale iron and an aluminum plate. ByPass the safety cut-off on the iron so it'll continue to heat when left on the 'flat'. Thermostat will come in handy too.

[km101]

No faulty heater(I threw it away) and built a heater for my Lyman 450's with a

4"X5"X .750" aluminum plate
200 watt cartridge heater (.250" X .800")
50 degree Centigrade normally closed thermostat
toggle switch
electrical switch box and blank cover plate (Home Depot)
old extension cord for electrical connection (at home)

You can mount a monitor light (on/off) if you wish, to tell when the unit is on.

I bought all the parts on Fleabay, except for the switch box and extension cord, for less than $20 total. Assembly only requires a soldering iron and some shrink tubing, and a hand drill to drill the holes for the toggle switch and on/off light.

Mount the thermostat on the plate with screws, and drill a hole on the 5" edge of the plate to hold the cartridge heater, about 2 - 2.5" deep. Use heat transfer paste to mount the heater in the hole. Use a higher temp. thermostat if your lube has a higher working temp. Drill holes to mount the luber to the plate and then mount the plate to the bench.

Much easier/safer to use than an old iron, and kinda fun to build. And it works better than the Lyman unit and can be repaired if necessary.

[lxk308]

As luck would have it, I ended up with two PID controllers. I used one PID for my Lee melting pot. The other PID I connected to my heater on my Lyman 450 heater. I drilled into the heater's base for the PID's sensor. I found that 45 degrees C on the PID (the PID only reads in degrees C) is just right for the lube that I'm using. I'm using a 40 watt heater on my Lyman sizer. The PID works good, although I doubt that I need so much control of the sizer's heater temperature.

[Duckiller]

Use a heat gun or hair drier, cheapest version of either one. 10-15 minute start up then take 5 min heat breaks every 1/2 hour or so.

[Cane_man]

200w catridge heater, $5 off evilbay:

[375RUGER]

Since you have access to a mill, you may want to try this instead.
You can fabricate your own heat sink and attach an oil pan heater to it. $12.00 on amazon!


I know this does not answer your question, but does give you an alternative. A member built one like this several years ago.

Is that thing flexible or rigid?

[Whiterabbit]

flexible. Like bicycle innertube flexible. shouldnt stretch them, they will break. But VERY flexible.

[44Vaquero]

What Whiterabbit said + I will add within reason ie: no 90 degree bends etc. Mild contours only.

[Whiterabbit]

can't fold em, but you can turn them around a 1/2" pipe easy. no compound corners for sure though.

[375RUGER]

Great. Sounds like the perfect fit for a SAECO.