Cramer lube sizer

[tward]

Finally finished rebuilding my Cramer and SAECO lubesizers, love these guys86081860828608386084 Tim

[captaint]

They look good to me. Going to have to get custom size dies for the Cramer.?? I never knew they made sizers !! Mike

[tward]

Captiant, no, the standard SAECO dies fit, thank goodness! That was the first thing I checked when I got the machine. It also takes the same solid stick lube that the SAECO takes, it is just a little shorter and the base casting looks about 7/8-3/4 size. All in all a solid machine that does a great job. Tim

[MtGun44]

So, I presume that Cramer was bought out by SAECO. Those are so identical, it can't
be a coincidence. Do you have the real story?

Both seem extremely similar to the Ideal #1 lubrisizer.

Bill

[tward]

Yes Bill, Cramer was acquired by the Santa Ana Engineering COmpany(SAECO). Then they were acquired by Redding. Dies are the same but the base castings are slightly smaller on the Cramer. The Cramer also has an integral clamp, both nice machines! Tim

[LUBEDUDE]

Nice looking old machines.

Thanks for the pics.

[HeavyMetal]

The Lyman number One was a very similar design on a much smaller scale, I had one and sold it because it wasn't up to the Saeco standards.

I now see each maker decided to enlarge the casting to add more support to the sizer, that was my fear with the Lyman #1 I was gonna break it! In the end Saeco got it right and has it's own following among caster's.

I have no idea how the Cramer stacks up against the Saeco, never seen one until now, Saeco's use a screw in nose punch that centers well on every boolit I've sized with it. a very common fault with the Lyman sizer's I've used is alignment between nose punch and die.

Saw a Lyman 45 in an old article in an early Handloader and the author was really working hard to fix that issue, nice upside down picture of the sizer waiting for glues to dry while holding everything "straight".

Major reason I went for a Star when I got the cash, besides speed of course!, was the ability to nose size with no fear of misaligned sizing.

The Saeco is a back up sizer for "strange" boolits like 429303 44's!

I am sure other designs have come and gone over the years, and I really like this site for exposing us all to things we may not have seen yet such as this Cramer lube sizer, I have also seen other and can hardly wait for the next unseen tool to pop up for us to wonder about.

[Pressman]

Tward, I am no expert here. I have a Cramer, possible older than yours as it has no metal name plate. The only marking is the Cramer name on the gas check seater. It came with no dies either. I have one Saeco die that will fit but it is not long enough to use the bottom nut, the only retention is with the top screw.
I do not have a Saeco sizer but do have the Herter's equivalent. The Saeco and Herter's dies seem to be interchangeable in that application and both seem to fit equally well in the Cramer.

Can you add any information regarding die fit and interchangeability?
Ken

[tward]

Pressman, the modern SAECO die I have fits very well, no leaks when lubing with pressure. Mine also has a top screw that holds the die in place. The die does extend out the bottom but I think there would be very little engagement for a nut on the bottom. Mine has no gas check seater but otherwise just needed the top screw a little cleaning and a new piston seal( the SAECO seal fits fine). I put in some BAC from LeStuff, heated a little with a 100 watt bulb and lubed up some Boolits. It works great, best $40 I ever spent. Tim