|
Forum Rules | Firearms Safety | Firearms Photos | Links | Library | Lost Password | Email Changes |
Register | FAQ | Calendar | Today's Posts | Search |
|
Thread Tools | Search this Thread |
June 16, 2011, 08:36 PM | #1 |
Senior Member
Join Date: January 30, 2011
Location: Columbia, SC
Posts: 121
|
Finally found dads press
Alright, so my dad let me have his old reloading equipment that has been sitting in the barn for years. Included is a RCBS single stage press, that I have no idea the model, as well as a extremely nice (and he said expensive) tumbler.
I'm pretty excited but since it's been in a barn the stuff is pretty weathered. So how should I clean this thing, and remove the surface rust? The press also has the primer arm, but it's rusty and I don't know if it works, can I put this piece in the tumbler to remove rust or is there something else I should do? Or just replace it? I'm sure there's some of you that have bought used and neglected presses that know how to restore them so can you give me advice please? Also if anyone has a cheap .40 S&W die set they want to sell, pm me |
June 16, 2011, 08:37 PM | #2 |
Senior Member
Join Date: February 9, 2005
Location: Owego, NY
Posts: 2,000
|
Pictures?
__________________
,,, stupidity comes to some people very easily. 8/22/2017 my wife in a discussion about Liberals. Are you ready for civil war? |
June 16, 2011, 08:41 PM | #3 |
Senior Member
Join Date: January 30, 2011
Location: Columbia, SC
Posts: 121
|
Let me see what I can do
|
June 16, 2011, 09:07 PM | #4 |
Senior Member
Join Date: January 30, 2011
Location: Columbia, SC
Posts: 121
|
Primer part Top Underside Overview Sorry about the pic quality but I had to use my phone and a flashlight, it's not the best. |
June 16, 2011, 10:32 PM | #5 |
Senior Member
Join Date: October 28, 2006
Location: South Central Michigan...near
Posts: 6,501
|
It is an RCBS Jr. press. You have a couple of RCBS primer tubes for the priming device. Does the ram on the press move when you work the handle? If so, it is not frozen with rust. There are a few different ways to get the rust off if you can get the ram out of the press. If you are very lucky the part of the ram that is covered by the press is not covered with rust. You can use Navel Jelly to remove the rust on the ram. Or, if you know how, and have a large plastic bucket, you can use electrolysis to remove the rust from the ram and other steel parts.
|
June 16, 2011, 10:40 PM | #6 |
Senior Member
Join Date: April 12, 2010
Location: Lake Martin, AL
Posts: 3,311
|
Here is another method of easily removing rust. Make up a very-very stong batch of tea. I buy the cheapest tea bags I can find in the grocery store and throw a bunch of them in boiling water. Put the item in the tea brew (after taking it off the heat) and let sit over night. Remove it, wipe it off and add a light application of oil.
Warning: Don't drink the left over tea. |
June 16, 2011, 11:17 PM | #7 |
Senior Member
Join Date: January 30, 2011
Location: Columbia, SC
Posts: 121
|
Yes, it moves up and down and isn't frozen, but I have no idea how far up it's supposed to go. Where it sits in the picture, it goes up maybe another half an inch? Is it supposed to go up further? Should I remove the rust on the outside/underside/handle and try to remove the rust on the ram?
What about the primer device? Is it to corroded? It doesn't seem to seat very well in the metal piece at the back of the press unless I move it in there. |
June 16, 2011, 11:26 PM | #8 |
Senior Member
Join Date: October 25, 2001
Location: Alabama
Posts: 18,541
|
I'd take it apart and remove the rust - I like Evaporust available at the auto parts store, but Naval Jelly or electrolysis in washing soda (not baking soda) will work too. Haven't heard about the strong tea treatment, though.
Then polish up the ram a bit so it moved smoothly, study a good handloading manual, and start turning out ammo. I don't know about the primer feed, I don't prime on the press. There are inexpensive hand tools that will do a better job. |
June 16, 2011, 11:28 PM | #9 |
Junior member
Join Date: October 6, 2010
Location: Michigan
Posts: 1,080
|
Hello, Shootin Chef. Your lucky it moves ok. You could disassemble everything & use either Naval Jelly like dahermit said. You could clamp round parts in padded vise & use wetor dry paper in a "shoe shine" fashon to polish up..there will probably be pitting with that amount of rust. You could take it to a shop & have it bead blasted with fine glass "balls" this will give metal a fine matt finish & pits will be less noticiable. If you really are ambitious, plug up all holes in casting, & have it sandblasted & repaint with a crinkle type automotive paint..I did this with an old C-H 0 frame & let it set in hot sun after painting..turned out like new. Good luck!
|
June 17, 2011, 08:02 AM | #10 |
Senior Member
Join Date: June 17, 2010
Location: Virginia
Posts: 6,894
|
Fine press. Not a thing funtionally wrong w/ it.
Disassemble the whole things (a couple of bolts/circlips, etc) and soak in strong tea for a week as suggested for gentle de-rusting. (Let the tea stay at room temp or better.) Better yet, you can also go the classic molasses route so it doesn't discolor the surface metal. http://www.antiqueautoranch.com/mont...rian/rust.html BEST is go get some "EvapoRust" which the best I've ever seen for leaving spotlessly-clean/pristine metal. (I use it on everything.) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X56tb...eature=related http://thefiringline.com/forums/show...ighlight=evapo I recommend discarding the primer arm/setup just on general principles. (I'd do this in even a brand new press). Use a separate [Lee] Hand Autoprimer thereafter. It's just as fast and gives you better feel. I wouldn't repaint anything. Wear`n Tear is like a man's face. It tells a story. Last edited by mehavey; June 17, 2011 at 08:10 AM. |
June 17, 2011, 08:07 AM | #11 | ||
Senior Member
Join Date: October 28, 2006
Location: South Central Michigan...near
Posts: 6,501
|
Quote:
Quote:
|
||
June 17, 2011, 08:12 AM | #12 |
Senior Member
Join Date: June 20, 2007
Location: Rainbow City, Alabama
Posts: 7,167
|
If you want to really remove the rust by converting it back to good metal instead of just sanding it off, you have to use electrolosis. Go to Youtube and search on Cast Iron Electrolisis to see people restoring cast iron cookware. All it takes is a big plastic tub, water, Sodium Carbonate (Arm and Hammer Washing Soda - not baking soda), some scrap metal, and a battery charger.
|
June 17, 2011, 08:45 AM | #13 |
Senior Member
Join Date: October 24, 2008
Location: GATOR COUNTRY HA HA HA!
Posts: 721
|
Naval Jelly
+1 Great Stuff ; ) Y/D
__________________
There's a GATOR in the bushes & She's Callin my name >Molly Hatchett< |
June 17, 2011, 10:20 AM | #14 |
Senior Member
Join Date: June 21, 2009
Location: West Central Missouri
Posts: 2,592
|
Doyle said it before I could. I set up a small unit to run in my garage (Detached from the house). I used an old cell phone charger and an ugly purple tote my wife had laying around.
I did not believe it would really work, but was amazed at the pair of pliers I pulled out after just 24 hours. Heavier rust requires more time. Once you pull the equipment out of the solution wash it off, dry it and oil it. WARNING: This can be fun and pretty soon you will be trying to either remove rust from everything or taking the next step and trying to plate everything.
__________________
Inside Every Bright Idea Is The 50% Probability Of A Disaster Waiting To Happen. |
June 17, 2011, 11:27 AM | #15 |
Senior Member
Join Date: January 30, 2011
Location: Columbia, SC
Posts: 121
|
The girlfriend is going to kill each and every one of you for giving me ideas for projects like this.
I will have to look into this electrolysis you speak of, once I figure out how to disassemble this thing. Is there any danger to speak of in the process of electrolysis? Will it take off the paint to? |
June 17, 2011, 11:47 AM | #16 |
Senior Member
Join Date: November 19, 2002
Location: Mississippi
Posts: 963
|
I wish they still used the Jr. Press linkage design. Hell, I wish they had made a larger opening
And called it a Sr. You absolutely can't beat the feel. I still use mine a lot for load developing and small stuff. And for swaging primer pockets, You can feel the brass as is moves using the RCBS swage. Great press. |
June 17, 2011, 01:27 PM | #17 | |
Senior Member
Join Date: October 28, 2006
Location: South Central Michigan...near
Posts: 6,501
|
Quote:
|
|
June 17, 2011, 01:37 PM | #18 |
Senior Member
Join Date: June 20, 2007
Location: Rainbow City, Alabama
Posts: 7,167
|
Thanks Dahermit. Chemistry isn't my strong suit.
|
June 17, 2011, 01:38 PM | #19 |
Senior Member
Join Date: February 9, 2005
Location: Owego, NY
Posts: 2,000
|
You guys are making this way harder than needed. Disassemble the press, brush the rust off the body (you can treat it with a rust inhibitor if you like), mask the ram opening and die opening and paint the press body. Toss the primer arm. Buff the linkage and the handle and oil it lightly. Use 0000 steel wool on the ram to remove the bulk of the rust and oil it with gun oil. Let the ram sit overnight and repeat the process on the ram. You may want to use white grease on the ram. Put it back together and get years of service out of it.
__________________
,,, stupidity comes to some people very easily. 8/22/2017 my wife in a discussion about Liberals. Are you ready for civil war? |
June 17, 2011, 01:50 PM | #20 |
Senior Member
Join Date: February 28, 2008
Location: Michigan
Posts: 2,620
|
Rustolium makes a great hammertone green in a spray can. Do what Flashhole said and give it a coat of paint.
Last edited by jaguarxk120; June 17, 2011 at 06:26 PM. |
June 17, 2011, 05:02 PM | #21 | |
Senior Member
Join Date: June 17, 2010
Location: Virginia
Posts: 6,894
|
Quote:
|
|
June 17, 2011, 07:40 PM | #22 | |
Senior Member
Join Date: October 28, 2006
Location: South Central Michigan...near
Posts: 6,501
|
Quote:
|
|
June 17, 2011, 08:04 PM | #23 |
Senior Member
Join Date: December 4, 1999
Location: WA, the ever blue state
Posts: 4,678
|
I enjoy taking things apart, removing the rust, oiling and getting back together again.
Painting, not so much.
__________________
The word 'forum" does not mean "not criticizing books." "Ad hominem fallacy" is not the same as point by point criticism of books. If you bought the book, and believe it all, it may FEEL like an ad hominem attack, but you might strive to accept other points of view may exist. Are we a nation of competing ideas, or a nation of forced conformity of thought? |
June 17, 2011, 08:36 PM | #24 |
Senior Member
Join Date: August 1, 2007
Location: Tabor City , NC.
Posts: 1,969
|
Hi my name is GP100man & I`m addicted to shooting, reloading ,& casting !!
Just keep telling SWMBO think of all the money your saving on ammo !!! Nuttin wrong with the JR press , I use 1 dedicated to Lee autoprime II . & it`ll do anything ya can get to fit !!! Just clean it up good enuff so it does`nt destory itself , it`s probably titer & truer than anything ya can buy now !!! Good Luck on your endeavors & Be Safe !!!
__________________
GP100man |
June 18, 2011, 08:34 AM | #25 | |
Senior Member
Join Date: October 28, 2006
Location: South Central Michigan...near
Posts: 6,501
|
Quote:
|
|
|
|