Stuck Lyman Top Punch.........holy cr$p!!

[Fish_N_Russ]

:groner: Who was the retard that decided to make lyman top punches round on the upper radius!?!?! was it so I could try and pry one out with pliers for an hour since there is no other way to get a grip on it! sheeeeesh! I just got a 450 recently and cleaned it all up, put it all together and put the top punch in the little hole, set the allen screw plug and when came time to change calibers, took the little screw plug out and the top punch just stayed there.....mocking me :twisted:, it was in reeeeeal tight apparently (strangely it had went right in easily).........and then I proceeded to use every type of pliers and vise grips known to man to try and get a grip on it (of course there is bullet lube all over everything after a couple tries so that makes matters MUCH more fun)........ugh. Why they didnt put a tap out hole through the ram or a square or hex head on the top of the top punches......nooooo that would make life too easy :mrgreen:

so for anyone else that has had this problem, I really....i mean really....feel your pain :killingpc :-P

so now I have a 452 top punch that looks like richard kiel chewed on it for a while....great

[The Dove]

LMAO!!! This is a sad post but funnier than hell with all your phrases and icons! Thanks for the lilft today amigo!

The Dove

[RayinNH]

Fish, if it went easily you've applied way too much torque on that tiny little set screw that holds it in. Contact with the set screw and top punch is about all that is needed. Don't put a pipe on that allen wrench next time, that is once you get that one out and you should be all set...Ray

[montana_charlie]

Did you set the allen screw pretty tight? Do you think it was enough to raise a burr?
Since the allen screw is only there to keep the top punch from falling out...and some guys just use bullet lube for that...I only snug it down enough so the screw is securely stored and unlikely to get lost.

If you are fighting a burr raised by the allen screw, turning it round and round may loosen things up. But, more likely, you will have to use something wedge-like to get some downward movement.
I hate to abuse knives, but you may need to tap the edge of a blade in between the press and top punch 'rim' to start it moving down. Tap it in on one side, then the other. Reseat the top punch and do both sides again. Try to get a bit of up and down 'free play' going.
Now, maybe there's room to start something thicker than a knife blade.

Let 'wedge action' do all of the moving until you get enough room to get a pair of stouter tools in ... one on both sides. Then you can try a little 'levering' to get more movement.

If you can get it moving downward, I wouldn't turn it any more until it's out.

CM

[uncle joe]

my lyman 45 has the top of the top punch exposed, just drive it out with a pin punch.
you may have to clean up the gouge you put in it when it comes out but it will be easier to get out the set screw with the punch out of the way.

[Recluse]

my lyman 45 has the top of the top punch exposed, just drive it out with a pin punch.

Gotta love the old Lyman quality and thought process. Can't say the same about the new Lyman stuff.

:coffee:

[OLPDon]

Fish n R:
I agree with the allen screw bured the punch. As for how to get it out Hmmm nothing to add there but what I can tell you and has work great for me is this. I don't use the allen screw to hold the top punch in place,, are you ready for this? I use the real sticky Boolit lube to hold the punch in place. Why you may ask? The first and most important is alightment the punch floats to match the sizing die, and second (but for you the first) it won't get stuck. The set screw pushes the punch to one side which leads to missalighment from the gitgo causing the Boolite to start off track from the start.
Since I have made that change I have notice quite a differance with ease of sizing.
Don

[RayinNH]

Fish, if you haven't removed the top punch yet, remove the ram from the sizer machine. Clamp the top punch in a bench vice between two pieces of wood and twist the ram back and forth. It will come out...Ray

[nvbirdman]

Get yourself a real small hose clamp. Yes they do make then that small. Tighten the hose clamp around the top punch. Now with a little twisting and down pressure it will come right out.

[jforwel]

I had the same trouble when I started using a new 4500. I chucked the top punch body in my drill and polished the upper stem. Makes life much easier. It's also good to know not to put too much force on the set screw. I think I did that:roll:

[Newtire]

I must be lucky as I just put the vise grips on the round part in the center of the punch & lift up on the handle. The vice grips stop the punch and the ram keeps on going up-out it comes.

[Dale53]

Read OLPdon's post carefully. He has the answer for "in the future". I have been doing it this way for many years. As he states, it allows the nose punch to self center and you get a much better product.

Dale53

[Shuz]

Why doesn't this happen on my 3 Lyman 45's?---Sorry, just couldn't help myself! Once again, a case of older is more better!

[jonk]

How in the heck did you manage that? I've never had one that wouldn't slip out in my fingers! :O

[38-55]

Hey Ya'll,
I had one stick like that in my 'pre I got's me a lathe days'.. I just filled the set screw hole with grease and screwed the set screw back in... Thing damned near shot out !
What I do now when I set things up is run the top punch down on a boolit and THEN apply LIGHT pressure in the set screw.. But then again I also polish my top punches ( some hoe that doesn't sound kosher???? ! ) now...
Hope that helps some one a bit
Calvin

[38-55]

Hey Ya'll,
I had one stick like that in my 'pre I got's me a lathe days'.. I just filled the set screw hole with grease and screwed the set screw back in... Thing damned near shot out !
What I do now when I set things up is run the top punch down on a boolit and THEN apply LIGHT pressure in the set screw.. But then again I also polish my top punches ( some hoe that doesn't sound kosher???? ! ) now...
Hope that helps some one a bit
Calvin