Another press in the Covid-zone re-build pipeline.

Believe it or not, when this was stored away it was in pristine condition.

Like so much of my reloading equipment, it got stored due to my line on cheap ammo and restructured priorities.

They were all safely in hoppers on the floor below benches in the shop.

Then - we get a "once in a century" flood delivering a bit over 10 inches of water flooding for two days.

I figure, *fine*, that stuff's all in plastic hoppers.

Water recedes and I see it go in the hoppers.

I figure, *fine* it's Arizona, very dry so I'll take the tops off and contend with higher post-flood priorities.

Damn but the hoppers had cracks and the water was allowed in but the silt suspended in the water re-sealed the cracks to not allow it to drain!

By the time I got to these things - perfect items looked like this and worse.

Fortunately, the quality of components in so many of these vintage pieces were such that the vast majority of damage is aesthetic in nature. Truth be told, it is in MUCH better shape than it looks.

I don't recall if this one is CH, Hollywood, Schissel or Dunbar, etc... Absolutely no raised logos like those usually have and the original decal is of course, long gone. Sure was pretty at one time.



Todd.

adcoch1 said:

The "like" button isn't right for this. More like a "sad" button thing... At least it'll still work once cleaned up...

Click to expand...

Of all the things damaged (NOT counting destroyed) in that flood, this press is solidly in the top five for bumming me out. Number one was a showroom quality Sears/Atlas 6 inch lathe for fine detail work. Fortunately, I had two so the flood damaged one became in-house spares.

Todd.

forty_caliber said:

Hmmmm....bead blaster and cera-kote?

.40

Click to expand...

I did a long electrolysis soak and now I'll disassemble, polish & paint but hell, I hadn't though about coating it. I like that idea for all 4 of the presses I'm re-doing. Thanks!

Todd.

Down to the *one-thing*.

For as sad as it looked, it came apart beautifully. Gotta love caring enough to have the thing built with socket-head cap-screws.

Now to strip it and prep.

I'm thinking John Deere green or canary yellow. Red and blue presses bore me.

Todd.

Virginia Jim said:

I saw one of those presses at a gun show recently. C&H?

Click to expand...

Some of the H presses - maybe most are CH but I always see a raised logo lettering on them.

Still could be CH though. That or any others I noted earlier - maybe more. I wish I could remember what was on the decal. It sure was a pretty unit till the flood.

The thing has monstrous mechanical advantage. If I didn't think I could restore it, I'd have rebuilt it as sort of a reverse arbor-press for my wife's jewelry.

Todd.