Cleaning your reloading press...

[gonoles_1980]

I'm interested in seeing what folks do to maintain their presses to keep them in tip top shape.

 

[moxie]

Clean dies the same way you clean a gun. Solvent, brush as needed, lube.

The rest just wipe and oil moving parts.

 

[Potatohead]

I was talking to Lee precision, ordering some bins yesterday, and I asked the guy what all should be done to maintain the LCT he said wipe it down and put a dab of oil on the ram. I can handle that.

 

[cfullgraf]

about all I do is wipe/dust the press down and oil the ram and pivots once in a while. My Hornady has grease zerk fitting on it that get a shot of grease once in a while.

 

[edfardos]

I use 3in1 oil on every squeeky hinge and ram. I also wipe down any iron parts to prevent flash rust (press is in the garage).

Rcbs pro2000,

Edfardos

 

[splattergun]

I wipe my Lee SS after each use and use a lightly oiled rag on the ram. All pivot points have a lil dab of white lithium grease, which is touched up as needed (rarely). This makes for a silky smooth pull. I expect this press will last.

I disassemble my dies about every 2000 rds or so for pistol and about 500 rds for rifle. I clean with brake cleaner, inspect for damage, and lightly oil and reassemble them. I clean and oil all my dies when new.

 

[greybeard57]

For what it's worth; I just cleaned my two Lee presses today by wiping the rams clean repeatedly to get the nasty oil off as much as possible top and bottom and put a film of thirty weight on it. Wiped the rest down with a lightly oiled rag. The LM gets a bit-o-grease from a chainsaw tip greaser gun pressed into the zerks (just easier than going outside to get the grease gun) and the classic cast turret gets thirty weight on all the moving parts off the bench so the oil can flow into the joints. The turret press is still rather new so it's getting cleaned and oiled frequently to get the casting materials and shipping grease/oils out of it. I guess the LM is rather new also with just about 1000 rounds through it.

I like the lithium grease idea however.

The biggest problem I'm facing is a wet basement and no place else to put my reloading room. Any small rain and it runs right through the walls. :banghead:

 

[Havok7416]

You're supposed to clean your press? I just blow the crud off it every once in awhile.

 

[tightgroup tiger]

I do clean my presses when they need it. I use non-detergent oil like Zoom turbine oil and rem-oil for the small parts and the ram. The slime that comes from the non-detergent oils staying on the parts is as important as the initial oiling.
I usually put a light lithium grease like Lubriplate on my rams.
High detergent oil will wash off the slime and loose it's effectiveness in a shorter period of time.

Remember that the high detergent oil in your car is there all the time to keep things lubricated, being oil bath. So be sure to stick with non-detergent oils or greases. Non detergent oil for garden tractor engines would work fine, the stuff Lowes sells.

I do spend more time than probably most in cleaning and lubing my presses, but once the bore hole for the ram starts to wear, the ram gets loose and sloppy, then you have to spend even more money to buy a new press.

Just some things to keep in mind.

 

[dickttx]

I brush mine off each time I use it and ALWAYS keep it covered with a custom made cover.



I did find last winter in my unheated, but not real uncomfortable, garage that I had to wipe all the grease I could off my ram. It was too stiff to operate.

 

[frankmako]

i cover my press when not in use. it keeps the dust off. when i clean it just a smiple wipe down then oil and grease the parts that move.

 

[blarby]

I use a 1" paint brush to clean off all of the grit, and lubricate rams with 0w20 motor oil.

I tumble dies and related accoutrements in CC, using the same nufinish/spirits dillution I use for brass.

I lube threading with graphite. or teflon- whichever is handy. I try and use teflon during the winter, as graphite is hydroscopic.


I like the needlepoint hoops as a bench sorter in the pick above. I wish I had that much space ! I used to......

 

[Kurastduuks]

The dies get an ultrasonic bath every so often and the press gets a quick wipe down and some Pam

 

[dagger dog]

I have access to a Wynn's Automotive product called Viscotene, it's a clear penetrating aerosol grease that applies wet and then stiffens when dried. I like to use that on linkages, and RemOil on the ram and body. I keep my presses covered with cloth sacks.

I get a lot of used vapor barrier treated with a anti rust, from auto parts, I save all I can in Ziploc bags then wrap, dies, molds anything that's not used frequently, the rest of the equipment is cleaned as needed.

 

[Dframe]

For my press, about once a year I pull the ram, and run a 12 gauge cleaning brush through the hole. Swab out with a 12 gauge a wool mop with just a bit of oil on it. Thoughly clean and very lightly oil the ram, then put the ram back in and forget it.

 

[grandpawj]

Before and after each reloading session I hit the press with a few blasts of compressed air to remove specs of gunpowder, dust, and stuff. And as other folks, wipe it down with a lint free cloth just to make sure I have cleared it of anything that might affect operation. Before stowing after use I put a clean lint free cloth into the powder hopper and place a cloth between the case holder plate and the end of the powder measure die. These two steps are an effort to keep moisture out of the powder measure tube and hopper when not in use. Before I begin a reloading session I apply a very slight amount of lube on moving parts (but not close to any parts that comes in contact with the brass casings or the powder.

 

[Jaxondog]

I like the cover

 

[doubleh]

I use the same Mobil 1 that I run in my jeep and lube my gun with.

I have a custom cover for the press, powder measure, bullet luber. case trimmer, and scale. They are a little fancier and more durable than the one shown in dickttx's post. My wife sews and took pity on me after a few weeks of begging and promising.

 

[greybeard57]

Cool cover dickttx!

I use an old pillow case on the LM and so far haven't found anything that fits the turret press so I just drape an old rag over it.

 

[1SOW]

Lee Turret Press. Mostly just wipe it down and re-oil. Maybe once per year really clean it, using solvent .
Avg use 1250 rds 9mm per month.

I deprime and size range brass on the patio on a single stage. 98% of the crud goes there.
I just wipe it off and re-oil when it's not running smoothly.

I spray the dies with solvent 'maybe' once per year.

 

[Garyshome]

Air Compressor! Dies go in a plastic bag. Take apart press wipe down with some sort of solvent [brake cleaner] lightly oil if needed.

 

[1911Teacher]

I bought the upgrade and got the plastic garbage bag cover. Wipe and oil moving parts monthly. Blow out weekly. Don't sweat it.

 

[dickttx]

Quote:
"I have a custom cover for the press, powder measure, bullet luber. case trimmer, and scale. They are a little fancier and more durable than the one shown in dickttx's post."

But I get a FREE replacement every time I buy milk or ice cream.

 

[Hondo 60]

Clean dies the same way you clean a gun. Solvent, brush as needed, lube.

The rest just wipe and oil moving parts.

The only thing to add is that I use compressed air to get rid of tumbling media near station one.