Help me restore older C-H "H" type and Herter's turret presses

[LiveLife]

I recently picked up C-H 3 and 4 station "H" type presses and Herter's 6 station turret press. Functionally, they operate well but I am trying to improve the appearance by removing surface rust and restoring the black baked on finish.

How did you restore some of your older presses? What are better rust removing methods?

I even thought about using truck bedliner paint like Herculiner but not sure how it would turn out. No, these are not going to be museum pieces and I will actually be using them to do load development so a "perfect" costly restoration is not required.

Would appreciate any other restoration tips.

 

[LiveLife]

While googling around I came across using molasses and hot water mix (1:10 ratio) for removing rust.

Never heard this before. If it works well, I could just dunk the large Herter's turret press in a 5-gallon bucket or plastic bin. Have you heard of this before?

[YOUTUBE]vq5IUiYMhRM[/YOUTUBE]

 

[fguffey]

bds, I do not restore old tools, I remove rust by soaking in vinegar. It is slow going but there is an advantage, it will not get away from you. I have cleaned cast iron pots and pans with more aggressive acids, be careful. Then there is the electronic method, acid and a battery charger with the negative lead on the metal. Then there is sand" blasting. Removes rust and paint.

I use scrapers like razor blades on a lot of paint and rust. I avoid the wire brush in a drill, I try to save the corners and edges.

Good find, I have the 6 position turret Herter's press. Avoid securing the shell holders with excessive force, the force will open the top of the ram.

F. Guffey

 

[fguffey]

I watched the video, who says the music has to be obnoxious, I believe I have that song by Woody Guthrie.

Time as a factor, I believe he was talking about 7 + days. Finding black strap molasses, sorghum made the old fashion way has been made more difficult because cooking out doors in the open air is no longer healthy.

I share, I am never without sorghum, I offer to share, most will only eat the sorghum in ginger bread cookies. Then there is rum and fermentation.

F. Guffey

 

[LiveLife]

The 3 station C-H press is in really good condition with no deep rust on metal surfaces with only minor chipping of the black baked on finish. So I think a light cleaning with WD-40/ATF may do the trick.

The 4 station C-H press has rusting of the two vertical columns but since CH4D still sells the 4 station press, I thought about just replacing them with new parts. Like the 3 station press, the rest of the press has surface rusting on rest of metal surfaces. Both will need the black baked on finish redone and I am thinking bedliner paint may be sufficient.

The Herter turret needs more TLC. While it has rust on the majority of the outer surfaces, the turret operates smoothly and is very tight. And this is why I am thinking about using the molasses soak for several days. Chances are, Herter's press won't be used on a regular basis and will probably be a static display until someone wants to use it as I have plenty of other presses on hand (Dillon 650/Classic Turret/3 Pro 1K/2 C-H H type/C-H & RCBS single stage).

 

[LiveLife]

black strap molasses, sorghum

Is this the correct molasses you are referring to?

http://www.amazon.com/Plantation-Organic-Blackstrap-Molasses-Bottle/dp/B000QV19BM

 

[blarby]

Oh, I wish I could be there with you !

Restoring machines and tools is something I adore.

On the light rust, a product called CLR- Calcium, Lime, and Rust remover and a 0000 steel wool pad is AMAZING. Spray it on, let it sit 10 minutes, then hit the stuff that hasn't melted away with the wool and a fresh few sprays. CLR also makes a great tumbling media additive for small parts. You need a bit more than a capful, but it does work.

As for removing baked on finishes ?

Brake fluid soaks work very well on baked on paints. Then again, so does a Dremel. Depends on what kind of timeframe you need.

 

[Jim Watson]

Evaporust from the auto parts supplier is pretty good.
Molasses is cheaper, though.

 

[LiveLife]

Funny you mention CLR as I used a similar product to remove rust from badly rusted dies in this thread - http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=586563

But with the "classic" press like Herter's, I wanted to go old school and do a more "gentle" rust removal and thinking molasses soak may be a much easier yet slower process.

Before picture

After rust removal and polishing in walnut/NuFinish

 

[fguffey]

Is this the correct molasses you are referring to?

Yes, another name is Grandmas Molasses. there was a time when it was claimed the molasses was unfit for human consumption, my grandmother used to make a tea. the heavy molasses like Plantation and Grandmas is made from spin off from sugar. Brown sugar is not spun.

F. Guffey

 

[LiveLife]

Oh, I wish I could be there with you !

Restoring machines and tools is something I adore.

I could ship you the Herter's press or find an excuse to make a "vacation" trip to Oregon while we look around for our retirement house location ...

Could you use the Herter's 6 station turret press for your reloading?

 

[blarby]

Unfortunately I'm past my limit for storing tools.

I've got stuff on the porch.....

 

[LiveLife]

Jim, this thread also mentioned EvapoRust and at $17-$20/gallon, maybe a cheaper/faster method than the molasses soak - http://www.practicalmachinist.com/vb/general-archive/rust-removal-using-molasses-90452/

I tell you, I learn something new everyday. The thread mentioned that EvapoRust and molasses remove rust by chelation that remove the iron from the oxide but not from metallic iron and that it had a sulfur compound in it that then precipitates out the iron.

The poster bought his molasses from a farm feed store (5 gallons of non-desulfurized molasses at 12 cents a pound) and diluted with between 7 and 10 parts water. After 2 weeks, remarkable amount of rust was gone.

Another thing he found out is that molasses can remediate chromium V in well water. It is pumped into the water and reduces the chromium V to chromium III.

 

[LiveLife]

Unfortunately I'm past my limit for storing tools.

I've got stuff on the porch.....

My BIL fixed that problem by building his workshop twice the size of his house, complete with full bathroom/shower. Corner of his workshop looks like a local bar with all the comforts of a man cave and a floor lift for his restoration cars.

And my wife whines about my 12x14 reloading room ...

F. Guffey, molasses soak sounds like a lazy man's solution to rust removal, it works while I sip on iced tea and watch the clouds go by.

 

[fguffey]

F. Guffey, molasses soak sounds like a lazy man's solution to rust removal, it works while I sip on iced tea and watch the clouds go by.

Another variation, vinegar is cheaper, option, add time by diluting the vinegar with water.

F. Guffey

 

[Greg Mercurio]

bds: You have a lot of useful data on rust removal. The paint finish is easily removed with commercially available paint strippers or elbow grease. Bed liner paint may not be the best choice to replace though. Both wrinkle finish and hammertone finishes are available from numerous sources in aerosol cans. I don't remember what was on the original presses but would bet it's one of these.

 

[LiveLife]

The C-H presses have black wrinkle finish while Herter's, I am not sure.

I just wanted a durable finish as they were going to be used. Roll/brush on Herculiner's finish didn't look too bad and it certainly would be durable without the need for curing. Here's a link to a close up of bedliner finish - http://my.project-jk.com/data/500/Rubicon_Projects_8_008.jpg

Doing a quick check on DIY spray can wrinkle finish, they do look much nicer, even though they require 20 minute bake in 200F oven - http://www.build-threads.com/general-car-stuff/diyhow-to-wrinkle-texture-paint/

Here's a close up of spray wrinkle finish - http://www.build-threads.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/23.jpg

 

[Kp321]

Brownells used to sell black winkle paint that is easy to use and extremely durable. Unfortunately, a quick search of their website did not turn up anything. I think it was a Krylon product, might be available elsewhere.

 

[LiveLife]

Thanks, found the product as Krylon 3370 textured spray paint and it's carried by local automotive parts stores.

I also found Rust-Oleum 7220830 black textured spray paint for outdoor metal furniture so I will check both of them out.

 

[Kevin Rohrer]

Citric acid can be found in powder form in any woman's hobby shop like Hobby Lobby. MIx it with water and soak your rusty stuff in it for a day or two. All the rust will be gone.

 

[LiveLife]

Kevin, day or two maybe faster than the molasses soak but I think I am going to test a piece of the Herter's press with the rust remover I used for the rusty dies thread.

I had forgotten about the rusty die restoration thread but the rust removing product similar to CLR that blarby mentioned removed the heaviest rust from the dies in several minutes - http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?p=7234378#post7234378

Rust remover at work showing rust dissolving from the shell plate

Dies/parts after scrubbing with rust remover and good rinse in water - all the rust was gone with just one treatment but due to the unprotected bare metal surface, I needed to polish them in walnut treated with NuFinish or surface rust would return.

 

[dickttx]

I have a C-H Champion press that is about 45 years old, has been moved several times, stored a lot in not so good conditions:



One day just messing around I hit the casting with some WD-40 and a rag. Not perfect, but not bad for the time I put into it.



Worked on the lever a few minutes with WD-40 and a synthetic steel wool pad:



Need to do something to the links too.
The casting finish seems to be intact on it, just needs to be cleaned a little more

 

[Wil Terry]

I'VE NEVER SEEN a CH 333 with a black krinkle. Mine has been in continous use since 1970 and is CH gray like all the rest I've ever noted. The newer CH $$$ was always in black as far as I can remember though. I've always planned to by a CH444 when my CH333 kicked the bucket.Looks to me like that will never happen in this lifetime.
GOD rest Charlie Heckman.