Question about Lee 4 hole press

ocracokenc · March 7, 2013, 11:56 AM

I have the Lee 4 hole deluxe turret press and I do not use the auto indexing feature because it is useless IMO and I have broken both of the plastic nuts that goes on the shaft. My question is how tight do you tighten the retaining nut on the dies? I notice that when you index by hand and when putting powder in the powder disc measure they tend to turn easy. The manual says hand tight.

ScottRiqui · March 7, 2013, 12:03 PM

"Hand tight" might work fine on a single-station press, but with the dies installed on the turret, everything's so close together that I can't get a good enough grip on the nut to tighten it adequately. So I'll do what I can with my fingers, and then use a wrench for another 1/4 turn or so.

As an aside, if you're frequently stripping out the plastic ratchet on the indexing rod, you're doing something wrong.

Brian Pfleuger · March 7, 2013, 12:05 PM

Hand tight is all you need to tighten the lock rings.

If you're breaking those plastic nuts that frequently/easily, something is dramatically wrong. I have had my Classic turret for over 4 years, loaded many hundreds of rounds in auto-indexing mode and am still on the original plastic nut.

eldermike · March 7, 2013, 12:37 PM

I leave dies in those turrets so I do crank them down tight.

I have no idea what you are doing to break those plastic nuts. I have filled the primer catch tube several times and still on the first nut. I am not even sure I could find the other one.

lamarw · March 7, 2013, 12:37 PM

I also pass on the auto-indexing feature. I just prefer to do it by hand especially when you have the Safety Primer installed and the Pro-Auto Disk Powder measurer. I use two of the auto-disk risers and a swivel adapter to ensure the powder measurer clears the safety primer.

I have just found I can do it faster by hand and skip all the hassle of the plastic donuts and adjustments. I tighten the dies slightly tighter by using a wrench. I have never found anything negative about doing it this way.

You and I are not the only ones who prefer to by-pass the auto-indexing feature.

To each his own.

Brian Pfleuger · March 7, 2013, 12:54 PM

I load rifle rounds manually, but I can't see how loading handgun rounds with manual indexing would be faster/easier. Regardless, choosing is one thing, breaking the parts that often indicates a problem of some sort.

leadchucker · March 7, 2013, 01:51 PM

Plenty of users of the Lee turret press around here who have never broken a ratchet. All you have to do is learn to use it correctly. When the ram is on the down stroke, like it's at the bottom, and the lever is all the way up, the ratchet is engaged. If you turn the turret when the ratchet is engaged, you will break the little square plastic thingy (the ratchet). But, if you simply pull the ram up slightly, (pull the lever down some,) the ratchet will be disengaged, and it won't break. Contact Lee, and they will send you some replacement ratchet pieces, at little or no charge.

It seems that Lee could save itself and lots of its customers some grief if they made the operation of this ratchet clearer.

ocracokenc · March 7, 2013, 02:00 PM

when the ram is on the down stroke it takes alot of pressure to get it down and if I manually index it slightly it helps it alot. I even put light oil on the metal shaft but I feel like the case that holds the nut will break off

mikld · March 7, 2013, 03:24 PM

If you use a wrench, carefully just snug the nut down. I've seen 3 die sets that were owned by a gorilla that reloaded and the die body threads were ruined on 5 of the dies by overtightening. On lock rings with the set screw lock, the rings were worthless after the screws distorted the threads and stripped out some. If you have to use pliers, please do so carefully. It's sickening to see a quality tool ruined by some ham fisted Hulk making sure "it's gott be tight enough"

. I'm a lifelong machinist/mechanic...

ScottRiqui · March 7, 2013, 03:40 PM

Quote:

It's sickening to see a quality tool ruined by some ham fisted Hulk making sure "it's gott be tight enough" . I'm a lifelong machinist/mechanic...

Agreed. I only use a wrench for the final 1/4 turn or so because with all of the dies installed on the turret, I can't get a good enough grip on the rings to manage "hand tight"; "finger tight" would be a better description. On my single-stage press where there's more clearance, I don't use the wrench.

wild willy · March 7, 2013, 06:59 PM

A old trick for the set screws is to put a piece of lead shot in the set screw hole.Protects the threads on the die.

DaveandHisFireArm · March 9, 2013, 04:46 PM

Lube that shaft!

I had the same trouble with my indexing. Graphite worked into the plastic and shaft made it all run SMOOOTH!

Lost Sheep · March 9, 2013, 05:00 PM

Simplest ways to ensure not breaking the square ratchet is to

a) grab the indexing rod between thumb and forefinger, lift and drop down. This disengages the square ratchet from the notches

b) never move the turret opposite to its normal direction of motion.

c) never move the turret if the most recent movement of the ram was downward.

d) remove the auto-indexing rod

Quote:

Originally Posted by ocracokenc

My question is how tight do you tighten the retaining nut on the dies? I notice that when you index by hand and when putting powder in the powder disc measure they tend to turn easy. The manual says hand tight.

The Lee "Locking" rings depend on friction and the shock absorbing nature of the rubber "O" rings inset in the rings to keep from losing the dies' adjustment. Finger tight is good enough, in my experience.

Getting a wrench on the locking ring/nut on a 4-hole turret is pretty difficult. Maybe a REALLY deep and thin-walled socket (like a faucet wrench) could do it, but I have not found it necessary.

I do get the locking ring/nut as tight as I can with bare fingers, though. When I do that, they don't move. But, I index automatically. However, manipulating the auto-disk has never made that die get looser for me.

A little graphite, spray silicone (like Dri-Lube) or lithium grease or other light grease on the turret ring makes the turret turn easier.
Lost Sheep

shootniron · March 10, 2013, 02:14 AM

Buy a better turret...

I have the Lee and if I buy another, it will not be a Lee. Mine has never indexed as it should. I have loaded many rounds and have always manually indexed due to the cheap crap plastic and poor design that will not consistently index rounds in the progressive mode.

Lost Sheep · March 10, 2013, 02:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shootniron

Buy a better turret...

I have the Lee and if I buy another, it will not be a Lee. Mine has never indexed as it should. I have loaded many rounds and have always manually indexed due to the cheap crap plastic and poor design that will not consistently index rounds in the progressive mode.

Sorry to hear of your troubles. Have you called Lee Precision? They always answer my emails within one working day (though sometimes it takes a couple of cycles of mailing to make my questions clear). They will work with you, I am sure.

My Lee Classic Turret worked perfectly from day one. If yours is improperly set up it is a fairly easy fix. I wish you were closer so I could help out.

PM me if you like.

Lost Sheep

dacaur · March 10, 2013, 02:59 AM

check the manual shootniron, if it doesnt index all the way to where it should there is an adjustment you can make. When I first got mine, I had to move it the last 1/8" by hand when using the auto index, I checked the manual, adjusted what it told me to adjust, and ever since, it works great.

I only auto index on pistol rounds, but there is no possible way indexing by had could be easier or faster.....

My deluxe turret is too short to auto index on any of my rifle rounds, but it would not help as much anyway since I have to take it out of the press to charge the case....

For the lock rings, grab the die in one hand and twist the ring with the other.... I had one that kept wanting to come loose, but I just tighten it down on a day I felt particularly strong, and it hasn't budged since. It was the powder through expander with my auto disk, of course, I cannot imagine any other die coming loose even if one of my daughters tightened it....

March 7, 2013, 11:56 AM	#1
ocracokenc Member Join Date: February 18, 2013 Posts: 19	Question about Lee 4 hole press I have the Lee 4 hole deluxe turret press and I do not use the auto indexing feature because it is useless IMO and I have broken both of the plastic nuts that goes on the shaft. My question is how tight do you tighten the retaining nut on the dies? I notice that when you index by hand and when putting powder in the powder disc measure they tend to turn easy. The manual says hand tight.

March 7, 2013, 12:05 PM	#3
Brian Pfleuger Moderator Emeritus Join Date: June 25, 2008 Location: Austin, CO Posts: 19,578	Hand tight is all you need to tighten the lock rings. If you're breaking those plastic nuts that frequently/easily, something is dramatically wrong. I have had my Classic turret for over 4 years, loaded many hundreds of rounds in auto-indexing mode and am still on the original plastic nut. __________________ Nobody plans to screw up their lives... ...they just don't plan not to. -Andy Stanley

March 7, 2013, 12:54 PM	#6
Brian Pfleuger Moderator Emeritus Join Date: June 25, 2008 Location: Austin, CO Posts: 19,578	I load rifle rounds manually, but I can't see how loading handgun rounds with manual indexing would be faster/easier. Regardless, choosing is one thing, breaking the parts that often indicates a problem of some sort. __________________ Nobody plans to screw up their lives... ...they just don't plan not to. -Andy Stanley

March 7, 2013, 01:51 PM	#7
leadchucker Senior Member Join Date: March 5, 2011 Location: NC Posts: 252	Plenty of users of the Lee turret press around here who have never broken a ratchet. All you have to do is learn to use it correctly. When the ram is on the down stroke, like it's at the bottom, and the lever is all the way up, the ratchet is engaged. If you turn the turret when the ratchet is engaged, you will break the little square plastic thingy (the ratchet). But, if you simply pull the ram up slightly, (pull the lever down some,) the ratchet will be disengaged, and it won't break. Contact Lee, and they will send you some replacement ratchet pieces, at little or no charge. It seems that Lee could save itself and lots of its customers some grief if they made the operation of this ratchet clearer. __________________ JOIN THE NRA!

March 7, 2013, 03:24 PM	#9
mikld Senior Member Join Date: February 7, 2009 Location: Southern Oregon! Posts: 2,891	If you use a wrench, carefully just snug the nut down. I've seen 3 die sets that were owned by a gorilla that reloaded and the die body threads were ruined on 5 of the dies by overtightening. On lock rings with the set screw lock, the rings were worthless after the screws distorted the threads and stripped out some. If you have to use pliers, please do so carefully. It's sickening to see a quality tool ruined by some ham fisted Hulk making sure "it's gott be tight enough" . I'm a lifelong machinist/mechanic... __________________ My Anchor is holding fast! I've learned how to stand on my own two knees...

March 7, 2013, 12:03 PM	#2
ScottRiqui Senior Member Join Date: January 27, 2010 Location: Norfolk, VA Posts: 2,905	"Hand tight" might work fine on a single-station press, but with the dies installed on the turret, everything's so close together that I can't get a good enough grip on the nut to tighten it adequately. So I'll do what I can with my fingers, and then use a wrench for another 1/4 turn or so. As an aside, if you're frequently stripping out the plastic ratchet on the indexing rod, you're doing something wrong.

March 7, 2013, 12:37 PM	#4
eldermike Senior Member Join Date: January 24, 2013 Location: NC Posts: 545	I leave dies in those turrets so I do crank them down tight. I have no idea what you are doing to break those plastic nuts. I have filled the primer catch tube several times and still on the first nut. I am not even sure I could find the other one.

March 7, 2013, 12:37 PM	#5
lamarw Senior Member Join Date: April 12, 2010 Location: Lake Martin, AL Posts: 3,311	I also pass on the auto-indexing feature. I just prefer to do it by hand especially when you have the Safety Primer installed and the Pro-Auto Disk Powder measurer. I use two of the auto-disk risers and a swivel adapter to ensure the powder measurer clears the safety primer. I have just found I can do it faster by hand and skip all the hassle of the plastic donuts and adjustments. I tighten the dies slightly tighter by using a wrench. I have never found anything negative about doing it this way. You and I are not the only ones who prefer to by-pass the auto-indexing feature. To each his own.

March 7, 2013, 02:00 PM	#8
ocracokenc Member Join Date: February 18, 2013 Posts: 19	when the ram is on the down stroke it takes alot of pressure to get it down and if I manually index it slightly it helps it alot. I even put light oil on the metal shaft but I feel like the case that holds the nut will break off

March 7, 2013, 06:59 PM	#11
wild willy Senior Member Join Date: March 8, 2006 Posts: 404	A old trick for the set screws is to put a piece of lead shot in the set screw hole.Protects the threads on the die.

March 9, 2013, 04:46 PM	#12
DaveandHisFireArm Junior Member Join Date: August 18, 2011 Location: Nevada Posts: 5	Lube that shaft! I had the same trouble with my indexing. Graphite worked into the plastic and shaft made it all run SMOOOTH!

March 10, 2013, 02:14 AM	#14
shootniron Senior Member Join Date: April 16, 2011 Location: Georgia Posts: 1,599	Buy a better turret... I have the Lee and if I buy another, it will not be a Lee. Mine has never indexed as it should. I have loaded many rounds and have always manually indexed due to the cheap crap plastic and poor design that will not consistently index rounds in the progressive mode.

March 10, 2013, 02:59 AM	#16
dacaur Senior Member Join Date: March 16, 2010 Posts: 733	check the manual shootniron, if it doesnt index all the way to where it should there is an adjustment you can make. When I first got mine, I had to move it the last 1/8" by hand when using the auto index, I checked the manual, adjusted what it told me to adjust, and ever since, it works great. I only auto index on pistol rounds, but there is no possible way indexing by had could be easier or faster..... My deluxe turret is too short to auto index on any of my rifle rounds, but it would not help as much anyway since I have to take it out of the press to charge the case.... For the lock rings, grab the die in one hand and twist the ring with the other.... I had one that kept wanting to come loose, but I just tighten it down on a day I felt particularly strong, and it hasn't budged since. It was the powder through expander with my auto disk, of course, I cannot imagine any other die coming loose even if one of my daughters tightened it....