cracked lube size dies

[farmbif]

in the S&S section someone was offering cracked lube size dies. how do you crack a lube size die?
ive probably not treated my equipment the best at times, wanting to finish up a load of bullets, I'm tired, my backs bothering me, I want to get them all done, and cram them through the lube sizer real quick like. but I've never broken anything or cracked a die. has anyone else had problem with cracked dies?

[kywoodwrkr]

Maybe user found out you can't use the die to swage a large jacketed bullet down, who knows.

[Bazoo]

Why not ask the fella bout it?

[Harter66]

I'll let you know how bad it is in about a week .

[ReloaderFred]

Why not ask the fella bout it?

You could ask via PM, but discussion isn't allowed in S&S. We have numerous members who report "discussion", plus the moderators are looking, so any discussion posts are deleted.

Hope this helps.

Fred

[dale2242]

Enquiring minds want to know.
When you find out please post here.
I can`t imagine cracking a sizer die with normal use....

[smithnframe]

Another question is.......who would buy cracked lube size dies?

[beagle]

Yeah, an inquiring mind wants to know the answer to this one too. If it was a very large die, maybe a .458" and they were doing something strange...maybe. About 50% of the dies are heat treated. RCBS dies have a surface hardening on them. The ones we made from scratch (and not many of them) weren't heat treated at all. I've been in this business/hobby since about 1958 and have yet to see the first cracked sizing die./beagle

[Bazoo]

Interesting, in the ad, is several sizes listed as cracked.

[Stockcarver]

Yea it bothered me when I read the ad. How in the heck do you crack a size die?

I lube a lot of 458 and 510 bullets, never had problems with dies.

My only guess is improper removal of the die from the sizer. Hmm. Next time remove the die after the lube heater has been on for a couple of hours, they come right out.

I make dies from 8620, it case hardens nicely.

[imashooter2]

“Cracked on top.” My guess is the thin section above the O ring cut, and someone tried to pry it out of the press with a screwdriver.

[Bazoo]

Removing dies is no problem. I figured out a way that works well all by my lonesome. Remove the top punch, remove the die retaining nut, lower the ram, put the top punch between the stirrup piece and the plunger piece, raise handle. Die comes out hot or cold.

To insert dies I put the nut and die together then insert the die best I can. Then I lower the ram (no top punch) onto the nut and push it the rest of the way in. With slight pressure on the handle I turn the nut. The ram forces the nut to stay square and thus, doesn't cross thread. Been doing it this way for several years.

[slam45]

i have had a Lyman die crack the top when used in a rcbs lam 2... they do not fit or tighten as well as rcbs dies... not from removing them, just not fitting right... i figured it was just me... a broke down old logger known for the ability to break ball bearings in a hay field with a rubber hammer...

[stubshaft]

I've had an RCBS .510" die split right down the side, I called their CS and they replaced it. The first and only one in over 45+ years of casting.

[Harter66]

It's .454 . My sizer has a set screw .

I'm the dolt that would pay $10 for a servicable but dinged die from an old guy selling stuff off . I expect it to be little more than cosmetic . If not I still got the .452 for about $6 less than new . This gives me 6 dies for 3 cal in a Herters branded Lyman 45 .

I've put off buying a buying a lubesizer for 12 years , I learned paper patch to get out of buying gas checks for beans sake .
I looked around and I have 14 push through Lee and that style from Buckshot and I've been thumb lubing .
I get burned on a $10 sizer die , I'm out $10 . I figure I have to get burned 3x to lose money vs 1 brand new die . I "only" need 15-18 more although I could get by with just 10 .

Stuff gets dinged in all sorts ways . I can't count the tools that have failed under normal as intended use or the busted knuckles resulting . I blew out the side of a butterfly impact wrench on a regulated 80 psi line . I've had 5 water pump fan blades come apart , stuck 1 in a battery , 2 through the top tank of the radiator , 1 through the hood , and 1 cut the lower hose and a transmission cooler line . Weird stuff happens .

I'll be too happy to share my discoveries with you in just a couple of more days .

[Bazoo]

My uncle was into hotrodding back in the 70s-80s and he either saw, or knew of, a guy that was leaning over the engine revving it, and had a fan blade come off and take part of his head and his eye off.

Also heard of the flywheel busting and slinging through the bell housing and the starter ring sawing a guys foot off.

Off subject but made me think of it.

[Harter66]

Heard about the flywheels , my Dad raced a little . It was more about the unlikely doing unlikely stuff .

[Lloyd Smale]

happened to me once with a star die. I had a 457 die i wanted hogged out to 512. Drill bit would barely touch it so i heated it up to take the temper out of it. It drilled fine like that and we got in honed out to a perfect 512. Heated it back up and dropped it in water to quench it and noticed about a month later that it was cracked. What did i find out. opening up a die is alot of work and its probably smarter to just buy a new one.

[Mk42gunner]

My uncle was into hotrodding back in the 70s-80s and he either saw, or knew of, a guy that was leaning over the engine revving it, and had a fan blade come off and take part of his head and his eye off.

Also heard of the flywheel busting and slinging through the bell housing and the starter ring sawing a guys foot off.

Off subject but made me think of it.
Not a flywheel, but I had a pressure plate come apart and go through the cast iron bell housing and the floor board of a 57 Ford F100. I had a piece of the pressure plate about 5½" long ricocheting around the cab with my dad and I in the truck.

Not a real fun experience. And no I wasn't getting on it when it happened.

That was the last time I replaced just the clutch plate and not the pressure plate too.

Robert

[Daver7]

I have some insight.
I bought these sizer dies used from a friend. I asked how the top got cracked, he said he was having trouble getting them out. I showed him how to use the ram to push them up. He looked at me with a look I won't forget and said "well I never thought of that". FYI they are cracked at the top going down to the o-ring. I have used them all and they work fine.

[Daver7]

It's .454 . My sizer has a set screw .
from an old guy selling stuff off .

Old heck I only got one foot in the grave, ya young wipper snapper.


:bigsmyl2:

[Yogi]

Harter66 I did the opposite bought an RCBS lube sizer about 5 years ago, put it away then I moved. Just got it out and started to look for some dies for it. It's something new to me.

[Harter66]

Benefit of doubt Dave .

[samari46]

Speaking about happenings with vehicles, buddy had the hood open,air cleaner cover off. Grabs the throttle linkage and opens it up all the way. Lets go of the linkage and it back fired out of the carb and he got burns from the flame coming out of the carb. Not exactly one of his brighter moves. Frank