450 luber/sizer leaking delima

[catman81056]

I bought a used 450 off of fleabay. Upon examination of it I noticed the rubber O ring on the seal plug was leaking. I ordered a few O-rings and that seemed to fix the lube leaking. I trie using a harder lube (with out a heater) and ended up pulling the pressure screw thru the seal plug. So I ordered a pressure screw assembly and in stalled it. I also bought a heater. Now when the lube gets up to temp it leaks around the seal plug again. Is this a common problem? It seems there isn't enough pressure to keep the seal plug imbedded in the casting. I'm to the point of inverting the casting in a vice on my mill and milling the bottom of the mounting base perfectly flat. Then add a steel plate to the base by way of tapping screw holes thru the base and counter sinking the steel plate so everything would be nice and flat to mount on top of the heater. The steel plate when, tightened up, should keep the seal plug inbeded in the casting.
Thoughts or suggestions?
Send it to Lyman?
Thanks for any help.

[Dan Cash]

I would clean up the base and fitment and apply an epoxy like JB weld or PC 7 and see if that would plug the leak. If that does not work, then go to your plan with the milling machine. While I was doing the machine work, I would cut a ring groove about 1" in diameter in the added steel base to accept an "O" ring and let it be compressed when assembled.

[catman81056]

That's a good idea on the ring groove in the plate, Thanks Dan

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

I had a 450 that was leaky.
I don't the the equipment nor machining skills to do what you mention.

I have one steel plate with portable heater with several D&T'd holes to mount numerous brands of lubesizers. So, for the leaky 450, I made a Gasket from a couple thicknesses of breakfast cereal box, the size of the gap in the casting around the sealing ring, then bolted it tightly to the steel plate ...no more leaking.

[lancem]

That's what I did with mine, milled the bottom flat then a small amount of sealer around the edge and attached it to the heater, no more leak.

[catman81056]

update, I milled the mounting surface flat. I'm thinking around .060. The seal plug sticks up a good bit so I'm thinking a plate made to the contour of the base, drill & tap 4 holes around the outer edge of the casting. I'll degrease it good and use High Temp Red RTV as a sealer around the outside of seal plug ( leaving the O-ring on). After it sets up I'll put the torque on the screws and hope that fixs it.

[runfiverun]

in the old day's the guys used to just use apiece of inner tube under the press to act as a gasket and stop the leakage.

[catman81056]

The casting had a high center. I tried the rubber gasket but even tightening the mounting bolts to the point of stripping the lube would leak out at the front. Just couldn't get equal compression of the rubber.

[Walter Laich]

Mine will leak if I use too much heat. I've found there is a fine line between too hot and leaking and just right temp for lube to flow.
Trial and error got me to the correct temp. I did make a PID out of a fish aquarium heater that does the job. Doesn't have to get as hot as a lead pot so this heater does the trick. Got it off ebay--search for 'fish aquarium heater'

[tja6435]

I use a piece of 2" 1/8" angle aluminum. The corner is sharp and fits right under the pressure screw hole. Just run your screws through the aluminum angle when putting the sizer on your bench. Works and will not leak if you line it up correctly and tighten it down enough. Cheap, easy solution. I recently sold a Lyman 45 and included the piece of angle aluminum for the next guy to keep his bench clean with

[rush1886]

Mine will leak if I use too much heat. I've found there is a fine line between too hot and leaking and just right temp for lube to flow.
Trial and error got me to the correct temp. I did make a PID out of a fish aquarium heater that does the job. Doesn't have to get as hot as a lead pot so this heater does the trick. Got it off ebay--search for 'fish aquarium heater'

A simple Dimmer switch, inline, ahead of the heater power cord plug, works just as effective and at considerable less cost. Most standard 600 watt dimmers are more than adequate for most cartridge type heater elements.