Dillon Shell Plate Bearing Stuck

[ezra650]

So I ran into this issue the other day on my 650 whilst doing some maintenance. As you can see in the picture the ball bearing that the shell plate rides on has fallen into the hole where the shell plate bolt goes. Now I have ran into this issue once before, and only once on my dillon 550 a few years ago. The 550 was easy enough to get out because a pick can be inserted into the retaining screw hole on the side of the ram and it can popped up and out of the hole. From that day forward I made sure to simply put the shell plate bolt back in its hole as soon as the shell plate was removed. 

Well I broke my own rule and down my bearing went, but this time on the 650. The retaining screw hole doesn't align the same as it does on the 550. So I had to use another method. 

Seeing as my bearing ball is teflon and quite light I grabbed a large brass punch handy on my bench and put a glob of generic silicon on the end of it. Carefully inserting the punch into the shellplate hole I pushed it against the bearing ball to adhere on it for a few moments and gingerly lifted it out of the hole. So that was my method. My next option would have been to plug up the air compressor and try and simply blow it out. Also maybe yet another good reason to keep a can of compressed air on the bench.

Curious to hear other solutions and hopefully this thread will help some poor soul if they make the same mistake. When it happened I scoured the web and couldn't find a similar thread. I wanted to share my method and see if anyone else has ever encountered this. Surely I'm not the only doofus to have done so.

[AHI]

shop vac

[ezra650]

22 hours ago, AHI said:

shop vac

When it was stuck that crossed my mind as well. Just remember to remove the bag inside the vav before you do it haha. I wonder if it would still pick up the steel bearings. A small magnet on a dowel would maybe work for that, no idea if the bearings are magnetic or not. 

Edited June 25, 2020 by ezra650

[rodell]

A little grease on a pencil eraser, or a teflon magnet.

 

 

[Bkreutz]

Piece of hose and a hand vacuum pump (or you could put the end of the hose in your mouth and suck). The vacuum would grab the ball. I thought about all the jokes that this reply could generate, but decided to post it anyway.

[mveto]

I blew mine out with compressed air, I have the Teflon ball as well. It was the only solution that came to mind when it happened to me.

[SteelCityShooter]

The steel balls are certainly magnetic so the magnet on a stick or a magnetic "bolt retriever" would work.  The magnet was my first thought until the OP noted the ball in question was teflon. 

 

Incidentally, for those, like me, still using the stock steel ball, it's a standard 3/8" bearing ball.  Any autoparts or decent hardware store should have a replacement if you lose one irretrievably like down the floor drain.

Edited July 1, 2020 by SteelCityShooter

[George16]

Just use a vacuum cleaner with the flat ended nozzle. It’s the same nozzle use in vacuuming car seats. With this nozzle, the Teflon ball will be stuck on the nozzle’s and not get suck inside the vacuum cleaned.

 

I bet 99% of people have a vacuum cleaner with different nozzles in their homes.

[ezra650]

On 6/30/2020 at 10:05 PM, SteelCityShooter said:

The steel balls are certainly magnetic so the magnet on a stick or a magnetic "bolt retriever" would work.  The magnet was my first thought until the OP noted the ball in question was teflon. 

 

Incidentally, for those, like me, still using the stock steel ball, it's a standard 3/8" bearing ball.  Any autoparts or decent hardware store should have a replacement if you lose one irretrievably like down the floor drain.

Hahaha it sounds like you have learned that from experience. There are surprisingly several odd and end parts you can get from a hardware store to replace or even upgrade parts on dillon machines.

 

 

On 6/30/2020 at 10:31 PM, George16 said:

Just use a vacuum cleaner with the flat ended nozzle. It’s the same nozzle use in vacuuming car seats. With this nozzle, the Teflon ball will be stuck on the nozzle’s and not get suck inside the vacuum cleaned.

 

I bet 99% of people have a vacuum cleaner with different nozzles in their homes.

I wouldn't think it would have enough suction but the teflon ball is quite light. Just have to drag the vacuum to where ever your press is.

 

 

On 6/30/2020 at 7:15 PM, Bkreutz said:

Piece of hose and a hand vacuum pump (or you could put the end of the hose in your mouth and suck). The vacuum would grab the ball. I thought about all the jokes that this reply could generate, but decided to post it anyway.

Hey this isnt a forum full of pipesuckers! LOL I actually like this method for a quick/clean/minimalist approach. Just would need a piece of hose small enough in diameter. Probably 1/2" outer or smaller.



All great responses. Thanks for sharing! It sounds like a can of compressed air would be the most convenient method for teflon and a small magnet for the steel bearing.

[George16]

1 minute ago, ezra650 said:

 

 

I wouldn't think it would have enough suction but the teflon ball is quite light. Just have to drag the vacuum to where ever your press is.
 

 

 

You’re still going to use the regular house vacuum cleaners. All you’re going to do is install the attachment with a tapered nozzle to the vacuum cleaner. I bet you there’s enough suction to pick it up.

[stick]

A bic pen with the ink removed with double sided tape on the end.  Since the bearing is light, it will stick to the tape and come out easily.