A New Lyman 45 Lubesizer stuck?

[GOPHER SLAYER]

Don I currently have three Lyman 45 sizers but I have had many more in the past. I did discover something you may not know. The sizing dies for the 45 are smaller in diameter than those for other sizers, at least the lower half. I didn't know that until I forced a new Lyman die into the sizer. I had to take the 45 apart and drive the die out with a punch.

[pjames32]

I have a 450 so my answer may not apply....Sounds to me like the rubber gasket on the piston is not grabbling the wall of the lube tube. Is the rubber ring on the piston present and does it fit tight again the wall of the lube reservoir?

[DonMountain]

I had to take time off from working on this 45 to attend a funeral for an uncle out-or-state. But when I got back I did heat up the base of the sizer with a hair dryer and turned out the lube reservoir with the Harbor Freight rubber strap wrenches. So now I have the entire 45 apart. Does anybody have recommendations on cleaning it up without damaging the nice original paint. I see recommendations on the 45 restoration line above to use boiling water or mineral spirits. Will either one damage the paint? Is there a better solution? I need to clean all the old lube out of the interior and the threads for the lube tube also.

[Mitch]

I have put several 450s in a pot of boiling water and they came out great.

I bioled the body and screw after i took the luber apart

First i slowly heated it with a torch to get the worst of the old lube out.Put alot of the heat on the bottom of the base so not to damage the paint.
2nd Boil the luber.

one time i just pulled the luber out of the pot with bid pliers.anther time when i had more lube on top of the water i boiled it 2x.another time i left it cool a bit and added cold water.

any way you do it takes some time but works well.and water will not damage the paint.

Hope this helps a bit




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[Mk42gunner]

I've cleaned three lubrisizers of old lube, without harming the factory paint. The RCBS Lubamatic was the first, I boiled it.

Not being too happy with the boiling method, I used a propane torch to gently heat the next one, a gray Lyman 450. That worked well enough that I used the same method on the orange one that I bought later.

Using a low flame, really just enough to get the old congealed lube softened and flowing, I don't think I heated either 450 up to 200 degrees.

The absolute best method might be putting it in a warm oven, if Momma won't find out. If you do this, I would use one of the disposable turkey roasting pans, not something the boss of the kitchen will ever possibly use again.

Robert

[Jal5]

I’d heat it up using a heat gun low setting over a cardboard box. Just enough to get that lube loose and flowing out.

[Pressman]

Everyone has their own story and experiences and that's great.

With more than a dozen lubricating presses, yes that is what they were originally called, in the collection I have cleaned all of them by boiling a disassembled press. It works though there is a little wax residue on the pieces when taking them out of hot water. Letting the pot cool and the floating lube harden lessens this problem.

I would think paint removing heat guns could get too hot if not careful and damage original and non-repairable paint. I have not tried baking in the oven, but with no SWMBO it is an option. After melting out old lube putting the major parts in the dishwasher gets them really clean.

Ken

[Mitch]

Ken
Now there is an idea to get us all in hot water with the other half.