Panic in the casting/reloading room

[FISH4BUGS]

I was merrily buzzing along sizing/lubing/gaschecking my H&G # 237's (a fabulous 200gr swc 44 bullet - you can hot rod this bullet without breaking your wrists ) when the plug in the bottom of my Star sizer blew out. Not sure why, but it did.
I dutifully tried to screw it back in but may well have cross threaded it.
With Magma gone, i have no idea what to do.
Actually I know what SHOULD be done - chase the threads in the body of the Star and the plug itself.
I can't even boil water so I am afraid to try it myself.
Is there anyone out there that knows what the thread pitch is and could do this?
I'd be happy to pay you to do it.
HELP!
Donald
a/k/a fish4bugs

[rancher1913]

if the plug blew out your threads may be to far gone and the best bet would be to drill them out and use a helicoil, never used one for that but they should work

[FISH4BUGS]

if the plug blew out your threads may be to far gone and the best bet would be to drill them out and use a helicoil, never used one for that but they should work

OK....I'll bite.....what is a helicoil?
Don't forget....I have virtually NO mechanical ability.
Computers I can help you with but mechanical.......?????

[racepres]

Find the nearest Independent Harley Mechanic...Preferably Grey Bearded...He can definitely Fix That!!!
If I was Closer...a No Brainer

[Bill M]

I will caution that all the metal chips need to be removed. I used my Star for years, until it quit making pressure, I disassembled, cleaned, and found grooves worn in the housing. My best guess is it had metal chips from the machining process. (I can't imagine the lube was contaminated!) Fortunately Magma sold me another body, and I've been using it for years now.

[Harter66]

A heli coil is a coil pitched to match a particular thread that threads into a hole tapped oversized . If you have a 1/-20 for example the kit has like a 29/64" drill ,5/16-20 tap and 6 to 10 coils with a tool to install them .

Drill over size , thread , screw in the coil with the appropriate loc tite give it 30 min screw the new 1/4-20 screw or bolt .

If it is a straight thread often its just as easy to tap the next larger thread . If it is a tapered pipe thread 1/8" to 1/4" isn't bad but from there up there are a lot of bolt threads in between.

[FISH4BUGS]

This thing is truly screwed. I have done hundreds of thousands of cast bullets in the 30+ years I have owned it.
I know, in my head, that this is repairable but I don't want to try it.
How about a master machinist? It is full of lube (I had just put a stick in).
This just makes me sick....I can't size/lube any bullets now and Magma no longer exists.
I don't know what I did to deserve this.

[rancher1913]

if you get it cleaned up( all the lube out) any auto mechanic can heli coil it provide that idea would work. i dont have a star sizer so not sure what all the bolt does, a photo of the bottom and inside would help. just unbolt it from bench and turn it upside down over a heat source and let all the lube drip out, maybe some breakclean spray might help with the last traces, once clean you can see what your up against. anything can be repaired. if you cant find a local, i will give it a try, you would need to ship it to me and release me from any damage that may accidently occur in attempting to fix it. in the meen time place a want to buy in s&s for another one, remember the saying--2 is 1 and 1 is none.

[Winger Ed.]

Anybody that works on Aluminum engines can probably do it for ya.
Fixing a stripped out spark plug hole with a heli-coil is a pretty common project for them.

[rancher1913]

sometimes crap happens to good people, and i have a whopper of a story to tell if i make it through my trials and tribulations

[M-Tecs]

I was merrily buzzing along sizing/lubing/gaschecking my H&G # 237's (a fabulous 200gr swc 44 bullet - you can hot rod this bullet without breaking your wrists ) when the plug in the bottom of my Star sizer blew out. Not sure why, but it did.
I dutifully tried to screw it back in but may well have cross threaded it.
With Magma gone, i have no idea what to do.
Actually I know what SHOULD be done - chase the threads in the body of the Star and the plug itself.
I can't even boil water so I am afraid to try it myself.
Is there anyone out there that knows what the thread pitch is and could do this?
I'd be happy to pay you to do it.
HELP!
Donald
a/k/a fish4bugs

It's a simple repair if you have the knowledge and tools. Shipping both ways will be close to $50. Some options for different types of inserts here. https://www.mcmaster.com/products/th...ed-inserts-2~/

I would first look for a small machine shop in the area. If it was a couple of months from now I would do it for you, but my shop is currently being moved around due to new machines being added.

Is the inspection screw damage also? #126 here http://pdf.textfiles.com/manuals/FIR...er_partsom.pdf

[country gent]

A lot of the fix will depend on how bad the housing is? The length of the threads, How far they go in to the housing? The pitch of the threads? and last how much "room there is to work with. Im not familiar with the star, so .... If the housing has room a new plug could be turned and and the housing rethreaded to the new size. Or a threaded sleeve made and installed.
Heli coil recommends at least 1 thread dia of length.


If the plug blew out there is a good chance that both threads are bad and will need replaced. Not a big job to do both and you have a little room to work making both as a different thread pitch can be used if needed.

Pictures of the unit and plug when cleaned up would be helpful to offering help.

[dtknowles]

Three options, DIY, send out for repair, or sell and replace. I am thinking you might need to sell and replace; you don't seem to understand what is required to repair.
Tim

[Barry54]

I know nothing about a star. But it might be as easy as drilling and tapping to the next larger bolt size.

Pictures please...

[M-Tecs]

I know nothing about a star. But it might be as easy as drilling and tapping to the next larger bolt size.

Pictures please...

http://pdf.textfiles.com/manuals/FIR...er_partsom.pdf

[Rockindaddy]

take a photo of what part stripped out and post it. I have 5 Star lubricator-sizers. Have two machine shops. Should be able to figure it out.

[Barry54]

http://pdf.textfiles.com/manuals/FIR...er_partsom.pdf

Thanks. I love exploded views!
I wonder if the OP is talking about 126? The inspection plug on the side of the bottom. If so, I bet that could be repaired in a few different ways. A couple of wraps of Teflon tape might get it up and running again.

Would still like to see pictures.

[Bill M]

I can't look at mine until Monday, but I suspect the plug is pipe thread. I've never removed mine, I think it is intended to bleed the air out. Wouldn't make sense to have straight threads trying to seal pressure.

[Barry54]

I thought the same thing. That’s what made me think about Teflon tape. Plus I didn’t see an o-ring in the exploded view.

[Rockindaddy]

The brass plug at the base of the Star/Magma luber-sizer is a 26 TPI x .560" dia cleanout plug. When you remove a plug like that you must rotate the plug counter clockwise until you feel a "click" or hear it. That position is the lead of the thread. Then rotate the plug clockwise and the plug will engage the thread. This technique works most of the time. The plug seems to be an odd ball. My suggestion would be to inspect the plug and the aluminum base and see if the threads are damaged. If they are the easiest fix is a steel plug with a slight taper and a chased 26 thread per inch pitch. This steel plug if carefully screwed into the threads in the base should straighten up the cross thread and allow you to start the brass plug into the base. I could make up a 26 TPI tap for you.