# Cleaning/lubing press and dies?



## leam (Sep 15, 2006)

Okay, so I'm probably through my first K rounds in the Rock Chucker. Woot! Couple of questions based on usage. First, after tumbling the brass and wiping them off with a towel there's still some residue that gets into the re-sizing die. So far I've cleaned it out with a q-tip and put a very thin coat of case lube inside it, even though the Carbide dies say you don't need it. Is there a better solution?

Also, my Rock Chucker started having tightness on the handle pulls so I cleaned it off and gave the shaft a light coat of WD-40. Should I use a thicker lube, like oil or grease?

Addendum. After using WD-40 on the shaft and de-priming a couple hundred cases it's stickign again. Looks like the next step is something thicker.

ciao!

leam


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## 2400 (Feb 4, 2006)

leam said:


> Okay, so I'm probably through my first K rounds in the Rock Chucker. Woot! Couple of questions based on usage.
> 
> 1) First, after tumbling the brass and wiping them off with a towel there's still some residue that gets into the re-sizing die.
> 
> ...


Glad to hear you're up and running leam.

1) What residue are you talking about? When I take my brass out of the tumbler there isn't anything on them.

2) What kind of cleaner are you using on the Q-tip? I've never used any lube on carbide dies.

3) Tell me what else you're using besides media in the tumbler and maybe I can help. Quit lubing your carbide dies. :mrgreen:

4) WD-40 is NOT a lube. Take the press apart, clean the ram and bushing and get ALL the WD-40 off of it. Then put a little bit of Breakfree or something similar to lube it. That's all I've ever done to my RC and it's been fine for over 30 years.


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## leam (Sep 15, 2006)

2400 said:


> Glad to hear you're up and running leam.
> 
> 1) What residue are you talking about? When I take my brass out of the tumbler there isn't anything on them.


A black film that gets on my fingers. Haven't changed out the media, just added some Dillon Rapid Polish. Trying to find a more reasonable source of media. Supposedly feed stores have ground corn cob available. Any thoughts on that, or is there something about commercial media that makes it beter? I'm shooting IDPA level accuracy so don't need extreme case processes.



> 2) What kind of cleaner are you using on the Q-tip? I've never used any lube on carbide dies.


No cleaner, just brush it out with a q-tip and then put in a little case lube.



> 3) Tell me what else you're using besides media in the tumbler and maybe I can help. Quit lubing your carbide dies. :mrgreen:


Just the Dillon purple stuff, as noted above. Of course, I've probably run 3K of cases through the media. Is that too much for one batch? :smt083



> 4) WD-40 is NOT a lube. Take the press apart, clean the ram and bushing and get ALL the WD-40 off of it. Then put a little bit of Breakfree or something similar to lube it. That's all I've ever done to my RC and it's been fine for over 30 years.


I have some stuff that came with my gun cleaning kit, I'll try that. Have to go get some Breakfree eventually though.

ciao!

leam


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## 2400 (Feb 4, 2006)

leam said:


> 1) A black film that gets on my fingers. Haven't changed out the media, just added some Dillon Rapid Polish. Trying to find a more reasonable source of media.
> 
> 2) Supposedly feed stores have ground corn cob available. Any thoughts on that, or is there something about commercial media that makes it beter?
> 
> ...


1) If you're getting a black film when you take the brass out of the tumbler, you need new media.

2) Feed stores, pet stores, gun shows, etc...

3) Clean them with alcohol then quit using lube. :smt115

4) Yes, see #1. :mrgreen:

5) Don't use oil, all it does is gum things up. If you have graphite try a little of it AFTER you take the press apart and clean all the WD-40, oil, grease and whatever else you used off. :smt082 :smt082


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## Baldy (Jun 21, 2006)

*Hard Press..*

Hey Leam I had the same problem about a month ago.
1. I check my dies after every reloading run when I change to a different caliber. If they need it I clean them with paint thinner. The bullet setting die gets the most gunk from the bullet lube. Never put any grease or oil on your dies.
2. My press got real stiff and I took it apart and it was bone dry. I lightly lubed the shafts and ram with some grease and I am back in the money. All you want is a film of grease not a glob. Good luck.:smt1099 :smt1099 :smt1099 :smt1099


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## 2400 (Feb 4, 2006)

Baldy said:


> Hey Leam I had the same problem about a month ago.
> 1. I check my dies after every reloading run when I change to a different caliber. If they need it I clean them with paint thinner. The bullet setting die gets the most gunk from the bullet lube. Never put any grease or oil on your dies.
> 2. My press got real stiff and I took it apart and it was bone dry. *I lightly lubed the shafts and ram with some grease and I am back in the money. All you want is a film of grease not a glob.* Good luck.:smt1099 :smt1099 :smt1099 :smt1099


Good advice Baldy. :smt023 
I wouldn't recomend using grease because it's a dirt magnet.


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## Baldy (Jun 21, 2006)

Hey 2400 what would you use besides grease on the handle shaft and bushings? Your right about it being a dirt magnut. Oil maybe I don't know.


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## 2400 (Feb 4, 2006)

Baldy said:


> Hey 2400 what would you use besides grease on the handle shaft and bushings? Your right about it being a dirt magnut. Oil maybe I don't know.


I use either a little Breakfree or some Gun Butter. I don't know if you noticed the Gun Butter doesn't seem to attract dirt.


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## Baldy (Jun 21, 2006)

That's a big 10-4 there 2400. I got some Gun Butter along with that redheaded doll you sent me. Thanks.


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## leam (Sep 15, 2006)

I don't wanna know about any redheaded dolls you guys are sharing. However, I do want to ask about play in the Rock Chucker handle. I took it apart to clean in and the nuts on the lower part that hold the rocker with the shaft and handle have plastic inside the thread part. How tight should they be; my handle has about 1/4" movement at the furthest knob. Can't remeber how tight it was before I took it apart...

ciao!

leam


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## 2400 (Feb 4, 2006)

leam said:


> I do want to ask about play in the Rock Chucker handle. I took it apart to clean in and the nuts on the lower part that hold the rocker with the shaft and handle have plastic inside the thread part. How tight should they be; my handle has about 1/4" movement at the furthest knob. Can't remeber how tight it was before I took it apart...
> 
> ciao!
> 
> leam


Are you talking about the handle you pull to move the ram up and down? Or are you talking about the linkage or toggles?


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## leam (Sep 15, 2006)

2400 said:


> Are you talking about the handle you pull to move the ram up and down? Or are you talking about the linkage or toggles?


The handle that gets pulled up and down has the wobble, the peice that it screws into bolts to the arms descending from the main body of the press. It's the nuts on those bolts that seem loose, they're the ones with the plastic inner threads.

That make sense? Not much better than "the wachamacallit"...

ciao!

leam


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## 2400 (Feb 4, 2006)

OK, here's a picture. Which part are you talking about?


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## leam (Sep 15, 2006)

These nuts:










ciao!

leam


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## 2400 (Feb 4, 2006)

Guess my Rock Chucker is older than your's. I don't have those on mine. You might want to call RCBS and ask them 1.800.533.5000.


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## leam (Sep 15, 2006)

2400 said:


> Guess my Rock Chucker is older than your's. I don't have those on mine. You might want to call RCBS and ask them 1.800.533.5000.


According to Brian in Customer Support the amount of play makes no real difference. Alignment comes from the die.

Thanks!

leam


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## TOF (Sep 7, 2006)

I have a Lee Pro 1000 which Lee instructions say to use 20W motor oil on.

I didn't like the 20W because of dust being trapped in it and turning gummy. I have been simply wiping everything clean between reload sessions and applying a very small amount of Rem Oil which I also use for my guns.

This procedure and material is working well for me

Whether it will work for the Rock Chucker or not I can't say.


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## leam (Sep 15, 2006)

2400 said:


> 1) If you're getting a black film when you take the brass out of the tumbler, you need new media.
> 
> 2) Feed stores, pet stores, gun shows, etc...


Is it called something else? I've not been able to find it and, as noted, I need to change mine out. 

Any issues with tumbling loaded lead RN rounds? Mine are coming out with red lube on the outside of the case that sometimes makes the round feed slow.

ciao!

leam


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## JJB (Dec 27, 2006)

i lube my presses with an aerosol lube called powerlube.. it's much like W-D40 but a little different....... spray it on the ram,the threads where the die goes,all the joints and linkages, and wipe with a paper towel to the excess off... then use the same paper towel to wipe down all the exterior surface..... i'm thinkin my old press is over 40 years old and there's not a trace of rust or wear on it..... i can't see it not lasting almost forever.......


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## 2400 (Feb 4, 2006)

leam said:


> 1) Is it called something else? I've not been able to find it and, as noted, I need to change mine out.
> 
> 2) Any issues with tumbling loaded lead RN rounds? Mine are coming out with red lube on the outside of the case that sometimes makes the round feed slow.
> 
> ...


1) I have been using ground corn cob that I get iether at my local gunstore or any gun show. Lately I've been using "Desert Blend" lizard litter (ground walnut shells) that I got at Pets Mart. It works well! :smt023

2) I've tumbled 10's of thousands of loaded rounds with no problems at all. Toss the ammo in the tumbler and let it run 10-15 mins, it should come out nice and clean.


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## leam (Sep 15, 2006)

2400 said:


> 1) I have been using ground corn cob that I get iether at my local gunstore or any gun show. Lately I've been using "Desert Blend" lizard litter (ground walnut shells) that I got at Pets Mart. It works well! :smt023
> 
> 2) I've tumbled 10's of thousands of loaded rounds with no problems at all. Toss the ammo in the tumbler and let it run 10-15 mins, it should come out nice and clean.


Thanks for both! Found some premium lizard bedding that's ground walnut shells; costs less than the gun-labelled stuff.

ciao!

leam


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## leam (Sep 15, 2006)

leam said:


> According to Brian in Customer Support the amount of play makes no real difference. Alignment comes from the die.


Which has been now confirmed by a few hundred rounds working flawlessly. Well, no flaws attributed to the rock chucker, anyway. 

ciao!

leam


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