RL1050 restore x 2

[gyppo]

Hello

I have used a XL650 for about 5 years and 50,000 rounds. I just bought two RL1050s yesterday and I really love them.

They are both in pretty bad shape with one having more rust than the other.

I am lucky that there isn’t no damage to the ram, ram cylinder or the bearing surfaces.  

I would like to get all of the rust off, media blasting may be the only option but please give me ideas about other options.

A lot of the screws have heavy rust on them. I will probably replace the ones that are not specialty bolts.

One  of the presses does not have the swage rod, I will probably get two sets of the aftermarket swage rods.

I am going to need, new powder dispenser glass or plastic. Both had powder sitting in it for 10 or 15 years.

I am trying to decide if I should paint the frames black or something close to Dillon blue.

I look forward to a lot of discussions on this forum.  I am going to document the restoration with pictures.

gyppo

[m700]

Good luck, this should be fun.

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[ltdmstr]

They're really pretty easy to work on.  I have three RL1050s that I bought used and rebuilt.  All are running great.

[ultimase]

Evaporust works very well, it wouldn't remove the rust, but it does stop it and doesn't really alter the structure. I've used it on dies before, though I'll admit, never yet on a press.

[m700]

How bad is the first? Got any pics. Surface rust should scuff off easy with scotch bright deeper stuff basically you can stop it or cover it.

Check out YouTube videos on woodworking plane restoration. I'm assuming there won't be many press restoration videos. Plane restoration should put you on the right track though.

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[pjb45]

I have a RL1050.

A Marine Master SGT purchased it's mate at the same time I got mine.  He stripped it, went to a quarter car wash, spray car engine degreaser, soaked it, rinsed it, applied rust remover, and washed it.  If there is a lot of rust or caked on dirt/grit/junk, I would do it his way.

 

I just cleaned it at home.  In accordance to the manual;  take it apart, clean it and assembly it.

 

I took the swage off and the ratchet.  

 

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Have you thought about having Dillion re-furbish one or both?  It was more than a decade ago, but I had one re-furbished and it was pretty reasonably priced and as I remember only took a couple of weeks.  It was like new when I got it back and am still using it today.