ideal #1 questions and mount recommendations

[bdecker9]

i just got a ideal #1. I've been reading about them on here. i see what you all have meant by it being "chincy" or weak. wow its light and tiny. it will only be used to lube 9mm. i don't really size so much as just knock the base flashing off of some bullets with a lee P-Thru. but still need lube... anyway it is missing one of the southern most bolts, bottom bracket on the "guide" rods. any ideas on what i could replace that with?

so no one has the clamp that these came with. OK, a few of you do, but who has solved this problem the best/easiest way? i kind of like the idea of drilling the tabs, or welding a plate to it.

dummy question, this is the first time i have held/seen a lube sizer, but the lube cap on top is "open," like no seal is there. I'm thinking its right though, i just assumed the screw pushed lube in from the top.??? does it not? EDIT: i was looking at this wrong. it just a cover/screw "guide"



as always thanks all you beautiful casting legends,
Decker

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

I really like the #1, especially for tiny boolits like 22 cal, there is just more room for fingers. I dislike the term like chincy, but surely, by today's standards, it is 'light duty", and as you can see in my photo's these two sizers have several repairs. There is something about using a tool that has already had about 100 years of use, that was designed in the late 1800s.

http://i640.photobucket.com/albums/uu127/JonB_in_Glencoe/bothSizers1_zps55d1816f.jpg (http://s640.photobucket.com/user/JonB_in_Glencoe/media/bothSizers1_zps55d1816f.jpg.html)

http://i640.photobucket.com/albums/uu127/JonB_in_Glencoe/idealwunsizedbatorfingers_zps4ee193e7.jpg (http://s640.photobucket.com/user/JonB_in_Glencoe/media/idealwunsizedbatorfingers_zps4ee193e7.jpg.html)

When I bought my first #1, it didn't come with a mounting clamp. I searched a bit and found one on gunbroker? or fleabay?, I DIDN"T buy it, it was expensive ! So I had the same thoughts as you, but I worried about drilling holes in the tabs, they just don't look strong enough, You know, apply some torque to the sizer while it's bolted down through a drilled hole in the tab, then the tab/cast iron base cracks...then you got junk. I didn't think of welding a plate to the cast iron base, I suppose that could be brazed with a torch? ANYWAY, I made a crude looking plate that I screwed down to the bench "over" the tabs and around the reservior...that worked pretty good til I found a reasonably priced clamp about a year later.

ALSO, I considered ordering a Redding trimmer clamp, which looks similar, but for $25 or so, it too, is expensive for something that'll probably have to be modified to work.
http://ads.midwayusa.com/product/208164/redding-clamp-for-bench-stand-and-trimmer?srccode=cii_17588969&cpncode=26-375632601-2&ads=&cm_mmc=pf_ci_google-_-pf_ci_google-_-pf_ci_google-_-pf_ci_google
http://i640.photobucket.com/albums/uu127/JonB_in_Glencoe/Sizer1plate_zps4e7edb58.jpg (http://s640.photobucket.com/user/JonB_in_Glencoe/media/Sizer1plate_zps4e7edb58.jpg.html)

http://i640.photobucket.com/albums/uu127/JonB_in_Glencoe/Sizer1plateII_zps7b4ece4d.jpg (http://s640.photobucket.com/user/JonB_in_Glencoe/media/Sizer1plateII_zps7b4ece4d.jpg.html)

the "southern most bolts" you are missing, is that the depth adjustment screw ? If so, I think it's the same threads as the Lyman 45.
Also, the first #1 I bought had a very crude "bottom bracket on the guide rods", as you can see, I made one with some 1/2" bar stock.
http://i640.photobucket.com/albums/uu127/JonB_in_Glencoe/Sizer1_zpsc0a0c979.jpg (http://s640.photobucket.com/user/JonB_in_Glencoe/media/Sizer1_zpsc0a0c979.jpg.html)

you can use a 1/4" open end wrench to turn the pressure screw, But I find that a fine click ratchet is the most pleasant to use. I was told that a 4 pt socket works, I couldn't find one that size, I welded some "formed 1/4" tube on some random 1/4 drive sockets for just this use (see bottom photo) and sold them here, I think I still have a spare. PM me, if you are interested. and yeah, as you can see here, I prefer to have it mounted at a 90º angle to the bench, so it strokes with a similar motion as the lyman 45.
http://i640.photobucket.com/albums/uu127/JonB_in_Glencoe/sideviewmounted_zpsc5d9fce8.jpg (http://s640.photobucket.com/user/JonB_in_Glencoe/media/sideviewmounted_zpsc5d9fce8.jpg.html)

Lastly, if you haven't already figured it out, the Lube is pushed down through the reservoir by the pressure nut, which rides on the pressure screw, which you need to turn. Just like the Lyman 45, 450, and 4500...so you can read those instructions to familiarize yourself with how a ideal/lyman lubesizer functions.
ALSO Yeah, the reservoir cap is basically there to hold the pressure screw centered in the reservoir, If you don't 'lean' on the pressure screw, you can get by without one.

[bdecker9]

the screw I am missing is the one of the thumb screws. there are 5 of them on the front. anyway is the spring standard or did you add that, as mine has none?

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

The spring is NOT standard. Those are my own designs.
It's much more user friendly if the handle returns to the "up" position and stays there.

I generally inspect each bullet as I lube and size them...generally using both hands to do so, when I let go of the handle, if there is no spring, it drops down...I like it to stay up.
Jon

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

also, the thumbscrew that acts as a setscrew for the Depth adjustment screw has a felt type of insert to protect the threads...at least they do on the Lyman 45. So if you remove them all for cleaning your press, take note if one of them has this or typically the felt piece is missing and you have a hollow point so to speak, if so, I'd recommend inserting a piece of Lead shot to ride against the threads.

[bdecker9]

good to know thanks again. I am loving the spring idea. any idea where to look for one of those?
does your steel plate mount work good? is it like 1/4" or 5/16" thick?

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

Yep, the steel plate worked very well, I just used wood screws to mount it to the bench. Also, I made it large like that so I could put a heater on it, but it surely could be made smaller. It is fairly thin mild steel, 14 gauge (0.075") that came from sub-panels in Electrical enclosures.

Springs for the #1? I used what I had laying around.

[Beagle333]

I love my #1, but it came with the mounting clamp. I like it for my rifle boolits. Mine doesn't need to be as strong as my Star because I don't stress the machine at all when lubing. I size my boolits when I seat my gas checks in my Lee push-thru sizer, then I use a .001 larger die in the #1 and the boolit slides down and back up lubed, with just a minimum of pressure. And with only .0005 clearance on each side, it does not leak any lube by using a larger die, as you can see.
http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt214/shutupandjump/cast%20boolits/jan28015_zps68869112.jpg

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt214/shutupandjump/cast%20boolits/jan28013_zps44034b00.jpg

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt214/shutupandjump/cast%20boolits/ideal-sizer023a_zps6ef2fb35.jpg

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt214/shutupandjump/cast%20boolits/Dec8008_zps985ebd8c.jpg

[bdecker9]

awesome thanks beagle. hmm. i really feel(think) like i should go with the same sizer size, but you ol' timers are almost always spot on. I am thinking tho that my 358 doesn't touch all the way around every boolit. i only push thru now to knock off the base flashing. well got time to think about this cause i am broke at least till payday... thanks Beagle.

wow JonB, two weeks ago i took a piece of steel like that out and hung it up as a target lol. hope i have another 'round here. i'm thinking the right kind of c-clamps could work too, but they'd have to be just right to not get in the way.