Lyman 450 problem

[dodgyrog]

My Lube sizer has a major problem and Lyman aren't helping!
The bushing (plug) at the bottom of the pressurizing spindle has come loose and leaks profusely.
Lyman will sell a new plug and 'O' rings but have failed to advise me how to secure the plug in the Lube sizer body.
Can anybody help me with this problem, please?
This looks like it could be a common problem.
On the other side of the coin, I have just emailed RCBS and asked to buy a new piston and 'O' rings for my Lube sizer 2 and they said they will ship the parts to me free of charge under warranty. Now that's what I call good service. Maybe that's why I just bought one of their Pro Melt furnaces.
Good service and respect for your customer ALWAYS pays off.

[Reload3006]

if it has O rings it should seal. Pressure from the Pressure screw and the pressure nut will keep it in place when lubing when backing out the bench top should keep it in there. You could (I wouldn't) after you get the bushing in take a center punch and tick it around the OD of the bushing and the ID of the socket. That will for the most part keep it in there. Your experiences with Lyman and RCBS echo mine ... why most of my reloading casting gear is turning green.

[ronbo]

If it like the 450's I have had it is not a plug but the bottom of the threaded pressure screw that is at the bottom of the Lyman.

Added the bottom plug on all the 450's are not staked in some are and some are just held in by the bench top. I put a flat washer under the non staked 450's to keep the rod from backing out.

[Iowa Fox]

The plug in the bottom of the 450 casting is staked in. You will have to stake the new one in with a small punch.

I started with Lyman equipment over 40 years ago and it was a fine product that gave me excellent service. Now I am finding that if I need a few parts, which I don't mind paying for, are no longer serviced. I have kept all the parts manuals that came with their products and if you call or email needing a part all I seem to get anymore is a non caring "that part is no longer serviced". Or they sell you a combination of parts that will not work.

When I call RCBS they seem to carry every little nut, bolt, screw or odd ball part they ever used to assemble their products reguardless of age. If for some reason they do get into a discontinued situation they just give you the new entire product.

Someone at the top in the Lyman organization is going in the incorrect direction.

[canyon-ghost]

I've heard of guys cutting out a circle of gasket material and placing it under the press to stop the leak. Also heard of them using other materials which I can't remember.

[Maven]

"The bushing (plug) at the bottom of the pressurizing spindle has come loose and leaks profusely. Lyman will sell a new plug and 'O' rings but have failed to advise me how to secure the plug in the Lube sizer body. Can anybody help me with this problem, please?"

dodgyrog, The fix is easier than you think. You'll need a piece of writing tablet cardboard/backing and a sharp utility knife. First remove the #450 from your bench (clean the base of the #450) and the sit it on the cardboard backing and trace its base. Poke holes in the cardboard so that you can rebolt it to your bench, then do so. Lastly, once tightened, use the utility knife to cut away the excess cardboard. Btw, this is Ken Mollohan's (Molly here) solution and it works perfectly.

[stubert]

I put a few peices of black electrical tape under the plug, leak solved on mine, my 450 does not use o-rings on the bottom. It's really old 35 yrs +

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

dodgyrog, The fix is easier than you think. You'll need a piece of writing tablet cardboard/backing and a sharp utility knife. First remove the #450 from your bench (clean the base of the #450) and the sit it on the cardboard backing and trace its base. Poke holes in the cardboard so that you can rebolt it to your bench, then do so. Lastly, once tightened, use the utility knife to cut away the excess cardboard. Btw, this is Ken Mollohan's (Molly here) solution and it works perfectly.

I do something similar to this with one of my 450s
but I cut the cardboard to the size of the machined
area of the plug...I use two thicknesses.
It seems to seal it well.
Jon

[dodgyrog]

Thanks for your help all of you.
Nice bunch of people on here.:drinks:

[Net_Ranger101]

i used a couple pieces of paper towel and bolted the unit to my heater plate it at least stopped the leek until i could run all the lube out of the press.....

i took apart the 450 and the bottom o ring had worn out

I'm planing on replacing the o-ring with one at the hardware store :) in the meantime i thought it would be a good opportunity to boil out all the old mixed lube and paint the lubersizer body

[fcvan]

I have had similar problems with my 450 during the past 25 years. The plug on mine came staked in only a few places, not evenly around. When I blew the first ring I put in another, which also blew. Then I went to the hardware store to try and get a replacement O-ring. Finding the right size was a chore. The O-rings from the hardware store did not hold up to heat, pressure, or the lube itself which being petrolium based to some degree, broke down the O-ring. I saw where one fellow machined a new base with a different plug/O-ring setup but I think he was just showing off (That repair was a work of art!)

I thought of welding it. So I did. JB Weld with no O-ring. After that the only from the threaded center pressure screw. I took a tip from above and put a piece of cardboard (think cereal box) slightly larger than the bottom plug and about the same size as the recessed area. Voila! It hasn't leaked since, not with heated hard lube or my new home-made soft boolit lube. Frank

[dodgyrog]

I suppose a braze or silver solder might work? Makes a mess of the paint though. LOL
I wonder if an epoxy would do it - I might give that a go.

[thos]

A quick comment on Lyman. I have one of their loading manuals from around 1950. Can't give the exact year because there is no copyright notice in it, it was from the day when men were men and they rolled their own dice and took their own chances. I consult with it from time to time. In those days, a max load meant it, it would damage some 50% of the guns out there so you stayed below and worked up. People didn't sue over such things. Lyman used to do all kinds of cool stuff. If you were interested in a mold, you wrote them and they sent you 100 boolits from the mold for test. It's obvious that the people that worked there were genuine fiends. Now, I'm sure, it's bean counting and bottom line. In a very real sense, living standards have lost a lot of ground.

[dodgyrog]

I just received an email from their help desk telling me that their replacement base plug screws in!!!!
Are they for real, or what?
I have lost all confidence in them and their products.

[Alchemist]

I've heard of guys cutting out a circle of gasket material and placing it under the press to stop the leak. Also heard of them using other materials which I can't remember.

I made a gasket out of 1/8" red rubber gasket material from the hardware store. I got a piece about 6" square for a few bucks...works good.

[dodgyrog]

Latest reply from Lyman - any comments?
'The pressure screw is screwed but you'll need to tap out the pressure part from the staked oring part.'

[Net_Ranger101]

still trying to find the right o ring
i went out and bought a few however during assembly i realized
i had bought the wrong gasket

450 after boiling and a new paint job
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/imagehosting/thum_220224f14d51761423.jpg (http://castboolits.gunloads.com/vbimghost.php?do=displayimg&imgid=3480)