How to clean up an old dirty MEC 600 Jr?

[Arkansas Paul]

I got an old MEC 600 Jr in a trade. I got four presses in the deal. They are in good shape except the 600 Jr. I knew that it was going to be rough, the guy disclosed that before I went to meet him, but let me tell you, he wasn't joking. It looks like it was left out in the rain for a few months.

The press does function (by that I mean you can pull the handle and work it), but it is rough. I really don't care what it looks like as long as it will produce acceptable ammo. I pulled the manual from the MEC site and it shows where the lube points are.

I don't have any experience, but it seems like the press is worth saving.

Should I just get a can of WD40 and go to town? Any nuggets of wisdom for a rookie trying to clean up an old one?

 

[gamestalker]

I would clean it up as good as you can, and then if you run across certain areas that simply won't function well due to corrosion, just order those new parts from Mec. Mec 600 parts are generally very inexpensive and easy to replace too.

GS

 

[rcmodel]

Pressure wash it at the car wash for starters to get all the old dried oil, grease, and dirt off.

Then use a hair dryer, heat gun, or the hot sun to dry the water.

Follow with 0000 Super-Fine steel wool & oil on the rust.

Then lube following the owners manual directions.

rc

 

[jaguarxk120]

If you take it to the car wash, spray it down with engine cleaner from the auto parts store first, let it set 5-10 min. first.

 

[tightgroup tiger]

WD-40 works well with aluminum based corrosion.

I guess I'd hose it down with WD-40, soak it well for a few days, blast it off with compressed air, and go after it with more WD-40 and steel wool.

 

[oneounceload]

See responses to your posting on SGW

 

[Arkansas Paul]

Thanks guys. Some good ideas here as well as on the SGW forum. I like the pressure washer idea. Seems easy enough without complete disassembly. I'm not comfortable tearing something all the way down. I know I'd have half a coffee can full of parts left over when it was back together. I don't mind removing the dies and things like that, and like you said in the SGW post, the spring may need replacing. I added pics over there too BTW. I'll post them here to just for kicks and giggles.
I posted both places because sometimes here you seem to get a little quicker responses. There is a ton of knowledge over there too though.

 

[cfullgraf]

Arkansas Paul,

The press looks salvageable depending on the amount of time you wish to put into it.

If it were me, I would completely disassemble it, brush the rust off, repaint it and reassemble it. Most of the steel parts are either painted or blackened. The shot/powder bar holder is chrome plated. Some parts are plastic.

But, MEC 600jr are pretty inexpensive, even new, so it depends on how you value your time and whether you want a project or not.

Have fun with it.

 

[4895]

I would take it to a machine shop than can sandblast or bead blast it for you. After a good clean with acetone, I would spray with fresh Rustoleum.

 

[Arkansas Paul]

I wondered if the sandblasting route would work.
I don't mind putting two or three hours work into it.

 

[Nappers]

bead blast

Or put the steel parts in a rust dissolver like Naval Jelly or that liquid one (can't remember name, long night at the klink) and use denatured alcohol so it don't rust.....

you can powder coat the painted/chromed stuff.

I used naval jelly on my dad's old reloading stuff and after a cleaning with a brass wire wheel and a buffing job, they looked better than new!

 

[jaguarxk120]

Most of the metal parts have a black finish much like bluing and navel jelly will remove that right down to the bare steel. The base plate is red wrinkle coat paint.

 

[Arkansas Paul]

I'd never heard of the naval jelly before, but you can get it for $8 so I'm gonna try it.

 

[HOWARD J]

Some people are never happy
I put one that looked like this one out front for the trash pickup
Some guy knocks on the door "" you got any more parts for this unit"""
Sorry--you are on your own--SOME PEOPLE ARE NEVER HAPPY

 

[Arkansas Paul]

^ That's funny.

 

[fallout mike]

If you take it apart and have trouble you could call my uncle JC. He just did the same thing with that same press.

 

[Arkansas Paul]

Cool. That dude could prolly just machine all the parts and build one.

 

[rbernie]

Heck, I'd just hose it down with CLP, wire brush it, and call it good.

 

[gspn]

However you do it...you need to balance the time, effort, money and end product against the $170 it costs to buy a brand new one.

I get that sometimes guys just want projects, and sometimes a new press just ain't in the budget...but for me...I'd throw that thing away, buy a new or used one, and get down to making ammo.

 

[Arkansas Paul]

Well the money is not going to be an issue. The parts that need replacing are all available on the MEC website for a mere few dollars. I doubt I'll have $20 in replacing the needed parts.

Also, I'm always hesitant to just throw something away and buy a new one. That seems to be the mindset about everything nowadays and I don't think it's a good thing. Besides, the couple of hours I spend cleaning this thing up will quickly pale in comparison to the hours I will spend loading on it.

 

[Lj1941]

You are to be commended for salvageing it. I was not born with a silver spoon in my hand and I am sometimes told I never throw anything away.

 

[fatty]

I had one that was in worse shape than this one in the pictures. took it apart cleaned iy up with emery cloth and steel wool gave it a coat of paint and have been using it for the last 3years