Herter's Super Model 9 press

[richhodg66]

Found this while perusing a gun store today, looks a lot like the Dunbar press I hear about now and then..Quite a bit of rust and it's frozen up, but is complete and came with a set of (I think) Lachmiller dies for 12 gauge shotgun shells. The press is set up with an insert that handles regular 7/8 dies and you remove it to screw in the shot shell dies. The shotshell dies seem to be in real good shape, ust have been stored somewhere seperate from the press.

I only payed $40 for the whole set up, so I figure even if I can't get it up and running, I'll have the dies and an expensive door stop. It's gonna take a while of working to get it apart and get the rust cleaned off, but I may have a nice old tool when I'm done. Got it in the barn now with a bunch of liquid wrench soaking on any parts that are supposed to move. I'll have to get out my bench grinder with wire wheels when I get it apart.

Any advice on fixing her up? Wife had a can of some good rustoleum metal paint in what appears to be pretty close to the gray shade of paint the ones I've seen in google images are. This thing sure is stout and heavy. Doesn't look like it has the clearance to do so, but if it does, I'm guessing loading .50 BMG would be no problem.

[LUBEDUDE]

Rich- sounds like you got a smokin' deal. Of course it sure sounds like you have your work cut out for you. Lachmiller shotshell dies have really brung high prices in the past. And hard to find a full set.

Please post pics when possible

Good Luck

[richhodg66]

I'm thinking this will be one of those "do a little at a time when you have five or ten minutes" kind of projects. I got it mostly broken down last night, the rust wasn't as bad as it looked. I still can't figure out how the pins or whatever they are holding the linkages on either side come out. I'm trying to be careful not to damage anything on it.

I wish I could find some better pictures of a new one. I'm not real sure what parts were painted, blued, left bare???? I'm gonna start with the big cast iron base, pretty sure I can make that look nice pretty easily and it was obviously painted gray. I'll figure the rest out as I go along.

The 12 gauge dies had two dies and one other piece. The dies look like a huge set of two die rifle dies, one is obviously a sizer/decapper and the other looks to be a crimper, resembles a big seating die. The other piece is some kind of stem, I presume it was for seating new primers. When I got the press apart, half a dozen spen shotgun primers were down in nooks and crannys and fell out, no telling how old they are.

[Kevin Rohrer]

I'd be interested in seeing a pic of it.

To unfreeze the parts, try Breakfree or other penetrating oil. If you can find a can, try PB Blaster. After getting the press unfrozen and dissasembled, it needs to be degreased, then the rust removed (without grinding or sanding, if possible). There are chemicals that will do the job.

As for getting it in working order, use this as a basis:

http://www.thefirearmsforum.com/showthread.php?t=81541

I can better advise you as to what to do if I can see a few pics of it.

[richhodg66]

I thought I had taken some pictures of it before when I first saw it in that shop, but can't find them now and it's dissassembled (the rust wasn't as advanced as I had thought). It looks very much like your Dunbar, but the linkages on either end are not as robust. Here is a link to an article on the Dunbars that has a picture of the Herters at the bottom of the page, so far, it's the only image on the web I've found.

http://shootingwithhobie.blogspot.com/2011/09/dunbar-press.html

[richhodg66]

What kind of chemicals would you recommend to remove rust? All the parts are pretty much drenched in liquid wrench right now. I have some bronze wool, I was thinking just Kroil, bronze wool and elbow grease may be the way to go.

[williamwaco]

What kind of chemicals would you recommend to remove rust? All the parts are pretty much drenched in liquid wrench right now. I have some bronze wool, I was thinking just Kroil, bronze wool and elbow grease may be the way to go.

Nope.

CLR is the way to go.

CLR and a toothbrush.

[richhodg66]

I have some CLR too. I'll definitely do that.

Turns out I found a pic I took of it, thought I had saved one. There's a picture of the Lachmiller dies too.

57014

57015

[Kevin Rohrer]

I need to see a pic of the bolts that are holding the arms to the cylinder.

The easiest way to get rid of the rust is to sandblast it. The caveat is that it shouldn't be used on critical tolerance parts. You can sandbalst the handle and all the flat parts, as long as the holes for the two vertical columns are taped off. Refer to my article about using Black Beauty.

The vertical columns can be cleaned with a buffing wheel (being careful not to take off any metal). You can also get a purple Scotchbright pad soaked in CLP and buff-off any rust. The pads can be found on Amazon.com.

I can PM my cell number if you need help.

[Valley Forge]

Try using "Evap-o-rust". I started with it on this redding turret press;
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?78804-new-life-for-a-Redding-25-Turret-press&highlight=

[Pressman]

To take the links off first remove the bolts that hold them to the main shaft. They will slide off the large pin on the ends of the shellholder carrier - with difficulty. The end of the pins has a slight rivet edge that you will have to work past. They will come off, just take your time.

I was wondering how they fitted shotgun dies to that press, now I see it has a replacement, homemade top bar.
As for colors, most were black though some, mine included, are red. Everything is painted, handle, links, bars and frame. Mine has grease zerks rather than oil points for the main shaft probably making it older than the black painted models.

Ken

[LUBEDUDE]

Rich - I have the same Lachmiller set. I thought it was just incomplete , because Herters, Hollywood, and Lyman Shotshell dies have a lot of tools. The long spindle (wad seater) did not come with my Lachmiller. I have some from my Herters sets.

What is that tiny tool between the dies in your photo?

[LUBEDUDE]

Try using "Evap-o-rust". I started with it on this redding turret press;
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?78804-new-life-for-a-Redding-25-Turret-press&highlight=

+1 Evap-o-rust

[richhodg66]

Well, had the son take some pictures and then he left his memory card at the other house, so posting more will have to wait.

I got those linkages off the press, but there's still the joint in the middle. Loos like some kind of big pin that is pushed therough and peened down a bit. I did get some pictures, will just have to post in a few days.

Turns out after scrubbing the big base of thise with a plastic brush and some hot water and dish soap, it is brown. Someone told me that was Herter's standard color. Any recommendations as to paint type I should use?

I spent a little time today scrubbing the shell holder carrier with some CLR and some naval jelly and a soft brush. Got it cleaned up considerable, but stll more to do and it is pitted, so I doubt I'll get it looking new, but it should work fine.

The biggest thing that concerns me is the two vertical columns. The bottom two inches look good, but there is enough rust above that that I think they may be pitted to the point that they'll cause undue wear to the bronze bushings they ride in and may have some slop in their up and down travel. Looking at them, they appear to be simple one inch round stock with a hole in each end threaded to hold everything together. I'm not a machinist, but it doesn't look to me like it would be very dificult or expensive for a metal shop to make a new pair and nobody could tell the difference. I'll try to clean them up first and then look into that if they don't seem to work.

Also, the big main shaft/cylinder was ridning in some bronze shims, almost paper thin sheets of it that got buggered when I removed it. Where can I get this kind of shim stock for when I reassemble it? That main shaft/cylinder looks pretty good, apparently the rust missed it for the most part, I think it'll clean up nicely.