Hollywood Senior Restoration

[BlackRat]

Hello, my name is Sebastian and this is my first post.
I have been reading this forum since the past couple of years but I never had anything worthy to post that would be up to the high standards of what I've been reading here so here's my first attempt!

DISCLAIMER: Get a cup of coffee because I attached a lot of pics!

For work reasons I had to move from my country to the Bay area so all my guns and reloading gear had to be left behind so I one line, I'm starting all over again so one day I was thinking... "I want to start with a press that I can be proud of". Several weeks after instead of one I scored 2 Hollywoods!

http://i1255.photobucket.com/albums/hh629/ssiniscalchi/20160714_125854_zpspwni9xac.jpg

The Universal looks quite good at first glance but the Senior was neglected for a VERY long time so it was an easy choice to start giving it some care. The seller said that the press was stiff to move but a little WD40 sprayed over the ram showed that it was only dried grease.
A generous spraying and things were going pretty smoothly:

http://i1255.photobucket.com/albums/hh629/ssiniscalchi/20160714_125905_zpsytxefxqg.jpg

With some peace of mind knowing that the ram was intact I started to disassemble it to the last screw.
First of all I removed both C clips from the long shaft that secures the linkage arms and the handle. Then I sprayed lots of penetrating oil and left it soak for a few minutes and then I tapped it VERY gently with a long socket hex wrench:

http://i1255.photobucket.com/albums/hh629/ssiniscalchi/20160714_144824_zpsxzjkr6r4.jpg
http://i1255.photobucket.com/albums/hh629/ssiniscalchi/20160714_144907_zpsfgreyuuz.jpg

[BlackRat]

To my surprise, just a VERY VERY gentle tap and it moved! I was SO relieved... I know that this is one of the most difficult parts of tearing a Hollywood Senior apart.

http://i1255.photobucket.com/albums/hh629/ssiniscalchi/20160714_144930_zpszs9q7ob2.jpg

More oil, a couple of taps, and I was almost there:

http://i1255.photobucket.com/albums/hh629/ssiniscalchi/20160714_145002_zpswa7j6nz5.jpg

Finally!

http://i1255.photobucket.com/albums/hh629/ssiniscalchi/20160714_145026_zpstvwpvesp.jpg

Despite the fact that the old oil turned into varnish there was no corrosion to care about so now it was time to take care of the link arms. I just removed one C clip from the pivots and they got out pretty easily:

http://i1255.photobucket.com/albums/hh629/ssiniscalchi/20160714_150433_zpspws63v2u.jpg

Now it was time to remove the 2nd cross bar. This time I removed just one of the C clips and using the same long hex socket, oil and a few soft taps I was able to get it out:

http://i1255.photobucket.com/albums/hh629/ssiniscalchi/20160714_150745_zpswi2lfuid.jpg
http://i1255.photobucket.com/albums/hh629/ssiniscalchi/20160714_151019_zpszsoifn8h.jpg


Now the carrier, just removing 4 Allen screws and that was pretty much it!

http://i1255.photobucket.com/albums/hh629/ssiniscalchi/20160714_151300_zps3hsdzczk.jpg
http://i1255.photobucket.com/albums/hh629/ssiniscalchi/20160714_151503_zpsxsxy70da.jpg

At this point in time I was in awe. I couldn't believe it! The machining is SO tight! It was if I was looking at a portion of the crankshaft of a WW2 era marine engine.

Now back to the link arms that were still soaking in penetrating oil. I just used a long 7/16 socket, a few hammer taps and they were out pretty easily.

http://i1255.photobucket.com/albums/hh629/ssiniscalchi/20160714_151658_zpsgot8ep19.jpg
http://i1255.photobucket.com/albums/hh629/ssiniscalchi/20160714_151724_zpsnvc5bdhl.jpg

[BlackRat]

A lot of gunk but no corrosion so far:

http://i1255.photobucket.com/albums/hh629/ssiniscalchi/20160714_151804_zpsbbopd5zj.jpg

All this effort got me to have a fully disassembled press:

http://i1255.photobucket.com/albums/hh629/ssiniscalchi/20160714_170303_zpssq4anowz.jpg


A close up of the cam rod. This thing is massive and it looks like it is made of hardened steel.

http://i1255.photobucket.com/albums/hh629/ssiniscalchi/20160714_170333_zpsjnlvq9se.jpg
http://i1255.photobucket.com/albums/hh629/ssiniscalchi/20160714_170355_zpshl6j09ws.jpg

Now it was time to get my hands quite dirty, get some purple scotchbrite and start cleaing the shaft!
Fast forward and here's what I got:


http://i1255.photobucket.com/albums/hh629/ssiniscalchi/20160715_113740_zpsqitnqpdr.jpg
http://i1255.photobucket.com/albums/hh629/ssiniscalchi/20160715_113745_zpsprqgfftw.jpg
http://i1255.photobucket.com/albums/hh629/ssiniscalchi/20160715_113753_zpsdfirvl17.jpg

The purple scotchbrite made wonders. A lot of elbow grease and a final pass by the buffing wheel turned all the steel pieces into this:

http://i1255.photobucket.com/albums/hh629/ssiniscalchi/20160715_113818_zpsk1krrlzu.jpg

[BlackRat]

Now it was time to get to work on the paint. I spent a couple of hours masking and cutting the excess of masking tape then I sprayed everything with rustoleum rust inhibitor primer and after a few minutes I started to coat the whole press with Rustoleum hammered black.
Unfortunately I wasn't able to take shots during the paint job and reassembly but here's the final result:

http://i1255.photobucket.com/albums/hh629/ssiniscalchi/20160716_222909_zpscd32ecrp.jpg
http://i1255.photobucket.com/albums/hh629/ssiniscalchi/20160716_222811_zps3csmlfcf.jpg
http://i1255.photobucket.com/albums/hh629/ssiniscalchi/20160716_222834_zpsxy0zcuyi.jpg
http://i1255.photobucket.com/albums/hh629/ssiniscalchi/20160716_222918_zpscwcdngfc.jpg


I am very happy with how the press looks but even more with how it works. Is smooth as glass and I am sure that properly cared it will last several generations.

Just a final comments:

The hardest part of the reassembly process is to align all the holes inside the cam shaft. This can be very tricky and the fact that the cross bar is machined so tightly doesn't help. So I got it spinning in a power drill and sanded it down a little bit to make it smooth and remove any burrs. I was EXTRA careful about now removing more metal than needed. The last thing I want is a sloppy press! Now the crossbar can be easily taken out for maintenance. I did the same with the handle which was almost press fitted!

About lubrication. What I learnt from my maintaining salt water fishing reels is that no grease lasts forever. So I picked a white lithium grease that is light and can be wiped off without much hassle. The idea is that the press will be stripped apart every couple of years for a deep cleaning and lubrication.

I hope you enjoyed my post and I am open to any feedback.
I am sure that there are things that I could have done a lot better but being my first press restoration I'm quite happy.

Cheers!

[skeettx]

YES!!!
I enjoyed your post,
And
Welcome on your first posts :)
Well done, well done
Mike

[ReloaderFred]

Very nice job, on a very nice press. I started reloading in 1963 with that exact same model press, which I purchased used from one of my college professors. It cost me the grand sum of $25.00, but included a set of Hollywood .30-06 dies, a .30-06 shell holder and large primer post. Of course, $25.00 was a lot of money to a college student working part time jobs in 1963, when most part time jobs paid $1.25 an hour.

I still have my Hollywood Senior press, and still use it on occasion. It will outlast me, my kids and probably my grandson.

Thanks for sharing, and welcome to the forum.

Fred

[Bent Ramrod]

Blackrat,

Not only a great job on the press but your first post is a genuine "Thread of Record," a veritable instruction manual for anyone else who gets a neglected Hollywood and wonders how to get it right again. Very well done!

Excellent photos, too. I wish mine were that nice and sharp.

[PaulG67]

Nicely done.

[Walter Laich]

well done. Always like to see them brought back from near death

[SSGOldfart]

Welcome pull up a stump and stay awhile, very nice job, she's a pretty press you'll fit right in around here just stay out of the pit ,unless you're really thick skinned[smilie=s:

[Fishman]

A doozy of a first post and as already mentioned, very instructional. Thank you for taking the time to do it.

[Ole Joe Clarke]

Great thread, you and Seagiant will get along just fine. :-)

[Kevin Rohrer]

Don't forget about me.

172580

[blackbike]

Great post.
I got one just like her.
I think you will find that hole in the back of the head is a good place to mount your powder dispenser and other stuff.

Nice job.

bb

[M-Tecs]

Never seen a Hollywood Senior Turret in person. Does anyone know of a video of one in use? Nice post.

[BlackRat]

Thank you all for the kind words, I really appreciate it!
It was a learning experience, I took all these pics to make sure that I captured all the details to put the press back in one piece and not forget any small details.

@Kevin: Your work on the Dunbars and the Lyman All American has set the gold standard for me and inspired me to bring back the Hollywood Senior back from the dead.

I also bought a Hollywood powder measure that I plan to overhaul but that will be part of the next post.

Cheers!

[bedbugbilly]

Excellent post!

At first, I "mis-read" your post Hollywood Senior Restoration" . . .

I got all excited thinking that since I am a "Senior", I could go Hollywood and get "Restored" . . . guess that's not where the "Fountain of Youth" is located? :-)

Excellent job! Looks great and you can be proud of your hard work!

[Echo]

Yo, Blackrat!
Super post - I am envious! . . . But not energetic enough to emulate...
But still SUPER!

[bbqncigars]

Dang, son. You just put the bar for first posts pretty high up. Someone fifty years or so from now will be grateful for your work on that press.

[yenningComity]

Beautiful work. How heavy is the cam rod by itself though? That thing is massive.

[r1kk1]

Never seen a Hollywood Senior Turret in person. Does anyone know of a video of one in use? Nice post.

I will try to make one.

take care

r1kk1