Cleaning Old Press

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jeadams

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Howdy from Texas everyone! I have been lurking thru this forum for a few weeks now & there seems to be a lot good people with good information here. So here is my first post.

My father just handed his reloading equipment down to me so I can carry on the reloading interest that he once had. The press is an RCBS JR 2A model and it has seen a lot reloads in its day. Everything is in working order but I would like to clean it up from all the grease & grime build up. What would you recommend to degrease it with to get it nice and clean?
 
PB Power Blaster

PB will do the entire job with a brush and is also the best lube I have found for both my RCBS Jr 3 ram and my RCBS case trimmer shaft. It is slicker than Break Free CLP and lasts 10 times longer. Just be sure to remove excess as oils, primers and powder do not work well together.
 
Carborator cleaner works well. I would also use a white or lithium grease on the ram after it is clean.
 
Spray can of brake cleaner from Wal-Mart will also do the job. Do it several time and move the ram while wiping with a rag. When clean, reoil/lube.

My son just gave me an 'olde' Lyman that needed the same treatment. The handle was actually hard to move. Now it falls when released.
 
Last edited:
Good suggestions on cleaning solvents but be careful on painted surfaces. Many of those mentioned will strip the paint off as well. Do a test and be careful.
 
You've probably got the older version with the lemonade color green crinkle coat. (As opposed to the green "hammer-tone" paint.) Those were made in the US and are excellent presses. You'll be giving that one to your son one day!
 
I disassemble my presses, soak them in an orange cleaner, rinse, dry, remove rust w/ a Scotchbrite pad soaked in Breakfree, lube hidden parts, reassemble, and finish lubing.

IMG_0420.jpg
 
I clean with carb cleaner on unpainted surfaces and lube/protect with PB Blaster as needed. Scotch Brite, 0000 steel wool or if really rusty 400 grit sandpaper for the rust in order as needed. Just go slow as it is impossible to put back what metal you remove.:)
 
Pictures? I haven't yet worked out space issues so I keep some of my reloading tools clamped to the end of my desk. This Lyman is an old press, but it works very well.

SparT-and-friends.jpg
 
Lee Rodder I am jealous, your press still has all the paint left on it. Mine is about 70% and someone painted the turrent YELLOW.:cuss: Oh well it still works great. Now I know what color to repaint the parts that I have to.:D
 
Took my old RCBS RockChucker press to work, took it apart, and soaked it in the SafetyKleen solvent tank, scrubbed it with a brush, lubed with Lubriplate, reassembled. Still works like new.
 
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