Lee classic cast constipation

[abunaitoo]

Really happy with my Lee Classic Cast press. Best press I've owned. Funny thing happened the other day. It came down with a case of constipation.
I was re-sizing/de-priming some cases and the de-caping pin poped up (Lee die). I tried to pull the shell out, but it was stuck in the holder. Tried to pull the holder out, and it to was stuck. Pulled out the all purpose tool (hammer), and knocked out the holder. Good thing this press is made strong.
Once I got the holder out I noticed old primers in the ram piston. Tried to push it down, but it was stuck. I pulled the primer catch tube off the bottom of the ram and noticed that there were no old primers in it. Got a brazing rod and stuck it up the hole. Primers started falling out.
Took me about half an hour to get all the primers out. Push the rod up, few primers fall out, push rod, primer out.... Stuck really good.
So for those of you that have one of the great presses, make sure the old primers are falling down into the tube. If not your Lee Classic Cast press will also get a case of constipation. :mrgreen:

[Bret4207]

Sounds like the tube might need a little abrasive on a cleaning rod type work, followed by a good cleaner.

[Kraschenbirn]

Yep...and the Lee Hand Press will do exactly the same thing if you don't remove the shellholder and dump the primers out of the "catcher" cavity inside the ram every 25 rounds or so.

[DaveInFloweryBranchGA]

Yep, it pays to pay attention to all aspects of anything going on with any press you're working with. I agree with TP Bret that you'd do well to hit it with an old cleaning rod, old brush and some polishing compound of some sort to help the primers fall down without hanging up.

Regards,

Dave

[RayinNH]

Same thing happened to me early on. I used the same procedure except that I used a coat hanger that I straightened out. I also left out the hammer part:roll:. Now every 20 or so cases I glance down at the plastic tube to see if they're still dropping...Ray

[hpdrifter]

There is no end to my pleasure watching the primers fall thru the ram tube!

I was oh so tired of primers everywhere nor any primer to prime.

[monadnock#5]

That's another thing I like about my Bonanza Co-Ax. Spent primers fall through a steel drop tube into a plastic jar with an audible "tap". WhenI don't hear the primer hit bottom. I know it's time to fix it while the fixin' is easy.

Ken

[454PB]

I have the Classic Turret. I don't know if the non-turret is designed the same way, but the top of the ram where the shell holder sits can be unscrewed from the rest of the ram. That's easier than trying to remove a stuck shell holder while it's still on the ram.

[DaveInFloweryBranchGA]

454PB,

Both Classics are exactly alike in that respect. I have both.

Dave

[abunaitoo]

Didn't even know the top could come off. I'll take it off and give it a good cleaning.
"Instructions???? real men don't needs instructions!!!"[smilie=1:

[454PB]

On mine, I just use the priming arm as a lever to break the threads loose. If your's is tighter, a light tap with a brass hammer may be required. Remember, righty tighty, lefty loosy.

[Navahojoe]

My plastic primer drop tube on my Lee Classic kept bending and curling and the primers didnt want to drop, sorta backed up as was mentioned. I took the plastic tube off and put a Flogers 3# coffee can under the press. When the primers drop out I hear a satisfying "CLANG"! No clang, no primer, something is wrong.

regards,
NavahoJoe

:castmine: so I can :Fire:

[snuffy]

That's another thing I like about my Bonanza Co-Ax. Spent primers fall through a steel drop tube into a plastic jar with an audible "tap". WhenI don't hear the primer hit bottom. I know it's time to fix it while the fixin' is easy.

Ken

Yup, my co-ax gets constipated like that now and again! The bottle kept dropping off, I replaced it with a chunk of plastic hose that would slip over the end, directed into a trashcan under the bench.

[DLCTEX]

I think the culprit is oil in the path through the ram accumulating gunk. A good blast of brake cleaner takes care of it. That vinyl hose tends to kink in one spot. On mine the kink was close to the end, so I cut it off and eliminated the kink. DALE

[DaveInFloweryBranchGA]

I have one with a kink and my single stage has a kink. You'd think they'd pack them so they don't get kinks, but they don't.

Dave

[Rod B]

Mine had the kink when I unpacked it.

I solved the problem by placing the tubing in a pan of very hot water & letting it soak for a few minutes. The kink was eliminated after this treatment.

I have found that it is a good idea to place a small hose clamp on the end of the tube where it connects to the bottom of the ram. The tube kept sliding off on my Classic Turret press, however I didn't encounter this problem on my Classic Cast.

[454PB]

I put a hose clamp on mine before I ever even tried it out. I also cut the supplied tubing off just above the kink. It still holds 250 large primers before dumping is required.