Lyman 45 sizer question

[n.h.schmidt]

Hi
I just got a Lyman 45 sizer. It's in tough shape but,I believe repairable. I have it partway broken down. The pressure screw comes out from the bottom . It has a round steel ball braised to the bottom of the screw. This then fits to a tapered pocket in the luber's bottom. Is this ball on the screw supposed to be like that? It's badly done .Looks like they over strained the screw and broke it off maybe. I think this is a older model as the the pressure nut doesn't use the O rings ,just depends on a close fit. The screw is a 3/8" X 20 thread. This isn't a standard thread and would be hard to come up if I had to make something. I could go ahead and fix this up and use this existing screw but ,I thinking it may brake off or leak badly. Any of you guys know about this one?
thanks
n.h.schmidt

[Duckiller]

I would call Lyman customer service. They won't give you free stuff like RCBS, but they will provide good information. They probably will give you a service manual for a 45. May be a XEROX , but wil be a readable copy.

[220swiftfn]

IIRC, you can swap out the screw and piston for the newer o-ringed version......


Dan

[fatelk]

Parts are available from Lyman, and not that bad for price either. They sell parts for the 4500, but some will still fit the old 45. I rebuilt one a couple years ago, and if I remember right it was less than $20 for everything I needed.
http://www.lymanproducts.com/lyman/bullet-casting/pdf/LyC_BC_LS_4500.pdf
http://www.lymanproducts.com/store/page150.html


IIRC, you can swap out the screw and piston for the newer o-ringed version......
Yes, you can. Been there done that! I just looked at the link above and it looks like the pressure screw is only $6, pressure nut with O-rings $5. Surprisingly affordable. Hopefully whoever modified your unit didn't damage the body itself. You might look closely at the bottom where the screw goes in to see if the steel ball thing hasn't damaged anything.

[n.h.schmidt]

Thanks everyone
I will have to give Lyman a call . Maybe it will turn out good afterall.
n.h.schmidt

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

The first time I seen a pressure screw with the bottom "RING" brazed on shoudily, I thought the same as you. I have since seen a second one brazed just as shoudy. The one in the link below is brazed but looks like the brazing was done by a professional. So I do believe they were brazed at the factory... some better , some worse. OR there have been alot of them that have broken and then repaired.
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=166565

here is a sticky for the manual
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=34525

[n.h.schmidt]

Thanks for all the advice. I'm going to try the old screrw and piston first. If it isn't good ,I'll get the new stuff. I was in the process of getting the grunge off of this clunk. I discoverd that spray carb cleaner will remove the old orange paint almost like a sand blaster. A three dollar can will just about do the whole thing.
I have already boiled the old lube out . Lots of that old black lyman ideal lube came out. I used that stuff 35 years ago.I had hoped to never see it again.
n.h.schmidt

[Pooch]

Thanks for all the advice. I'm going to try the old screrw and piston first. If it isn't good ,I'll get the new stuff. I was in the process of getting the grunge off of this clunk. I discoverd that spray carb cleaner will remove the old orange paint almost like a sand blaster. A three dollar can will just about do the whole thing.
I have already boiled the old lube out . Lots of that old black lyman ideal lube came out. I used that stuff 35 years ago.I had hoped to never see it again.
n.h.schmidt

I recently melted down a bunch of bullets with the old black lube on them. Whew!! Like to make me vomit!! Nasty! I have two of the old #45's & I love 'em! I bought them from ebay & one had the old black lube in it & the other had Orange Magic. Didn't like either of those lubes. Now I have SPG in one & my homemade lube in the other. I don't know whether I like those #45's because they work well or whether I just like to see 'em sitting there. LOL They look so . . . mechanical you know.
I did find this though. All but one of the #45's that I've seen have the push rod positioned opposite of the #450. Meaning that the flat disc shaped end was pointed down. With it positioned that way it is very hard to get the die out . . . allmost impossible! So I turned my push rods over so that the disc shaped end hits the die. Now it's just a matter of backing out the set screw & lifting up on the handle, like on the #450. The die pops right up! Also I've found that when using the newer dies with the "O" Ring on the #45 it is wise to lubricate the "O" ring prior to installing it. I have some Hornaday case lube (in the tub) that I use.

[n.h.schmidt]

Hi pooch
The flat disk on my pushrod was on the up position when I got it. I have it all apart anyway.I'l be sure to put it back together that way too. I also have a lyman 450. It had the lyman ideal black lube in it when I bought it. I made the mistake of just switching to the alox/beeswax sticks without trying to get the old stuff out. 35 years later I still have black streeks in my bullet lube . It will never go away.
n.h.schmidt

[n.h.schmidt]

I'm begining to beleive that this sizer will never be right. Im' suspecting that the tube has been shortened. It dosn't look right. Measuring from the top of the main casting to the top of the tube ,it's 3.5" long. Could one of you guys please measure yours to see if I have still another problem?.
Thanks
n.h.schmidt

[GOPHER SLAYER]

I measured one of my 45 sizers and it mearsures 4.5 inches from the top of the casting to the top of the resivoir. I can't see that it would effect the operation of the sizer. It wil simply hold less lube. Have you actually put lube in the sizer and tried to size a bullet with it.?

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

...Measuring from the top of the main casting to the top of the tube ,it's 3.5" long. Could one of you guys please measure yours to see if I have still another problem?. Thanks n.h.schmidt
two of mine measure 4.25"
and the other two are 4.375"

I agree with GOPHER SLAYER, that shouldn't effect the operation of the sizer.
But that's too bad, it's obviously been shortened.
Jon

[n.h.schmidt]

It may not be apparent at first but, a shortened tube will be a problem.
#1 The screw is now too long. The cap stops at the thread and isn't even touching the tube top.
#2 When I shorten the screw thread so the cap will set on the tube,the top casting will bang into the cap . That will be constantly pushing the cap off the tube unless I do something to restrict how high the travel goes.
#3 Shortening the allowable travel will make it more difficult to change dies. I think I can still get it done if I remove the top punch first. It will still be close.
Thanks for the offer about the spring but,that is one thing that is good.
This is quite a challange . It would be hard to come up with a more messed up sizer.
n.h.schmidt

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

The cap isn't really needed, though when the pressure nut is near the bottom of the reservoir, it's easy to stress the pressure screw with the wrench turning it. the newer caps (for the 450 and 4500) ride inside the tube and have a lip over the top so it won't fall in...one of those wounldn't obstruct with the top casting.
I wouldn't shorten the travel.

btw, the spring offer is in my signature line...it shows up on everypost to everyone :)
Jon