Broke Linkage On Bullet Core Seating Press

[jackieschmidt]

We were core seating some 30 caliber 112’s and “POP”, one of the linkage arms on the big Lee press broke.
I determined it was a cast piece, probably investment cast iron.
So I took it all apart and made set from steel.
This also allowed me to tighten everything up.

the most diffuclet thing was getting the two pins out of the side of the press. I drilled and tapped them and used a piece of all thread and a slide hammer.
Back in business.

 

[AlNyhus]

Those 7/16" cross pins are tough suckers. I just took my new Lee Classic Cast apart. Both pins had an 1/8" diameter drift hole...a solid fitting punch and a 3 lb. hammer did the job. Both of these were knurled at the top.

 

[jackieschmidt]

Those 7/16" cross pins are tough suckers. I just took my new Lee Classic Cast apart. Both pins had an 1/8" diameter drift hole...a solid fitting punch and a 3 lb. hammer did the job. Both of these were knurled at the top.

The slide hammer worked like a charm.

 

[jackieschmidt]

Al, one other weak point in these large Lee presses is the two pins that engage the bottom of the ram. These had around .050 wear on the load bearing side. I guess we have made around 5000 bullets on this press.
I am thinking about disassembling the ram assay, reaming a straight through hole around 5/8 dia and installing the pin with an interference fit after assembly. I would then ream the steel arms to 5/8 and install 7/16 x 5/8 x1/2 Torrington bearings in the arms. The ram pin, which wound be hardened, would have 7/16 fits on each side for the needle bearings to ride on.

I could do every link joint the same way, more or less removing much of the slack that is a result of wear. I think the frame on these presses are plenty stiff, the weak part is in the linkage.

JD8827 Full Complement Needle Roller Bearing 1-1/2x1-7/8x1

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