Press and die maintenance

[Doublehelix]

How are you guys maintaining your presses and dies?

Specifically:

-Lubricating the press (just the same lube I use in my guns?)
-Cleaning/Lubricating the dies (I have heard some say lubricate, some say don't)

Brakekleen seems to be popular for press cleaning. Should I also use that on dies?

What else should I be concerned with?

Thanks.

 

[Robert Richardson]

Brakekleen on the press and dies to clean, graphite dry lube on the press and I just wipe my dies down with a R.I.G. rag that has rust inhibiting grease on it.

 

[red_zr24x4]

For Dillon, there is a sticky at the top of this page. Its titled rebuild, but has some good info on lubing also

 

[billybob44]

Each to his own on this one.

Yes, BrakeKleen can be used to "Wash Down" your press, but be aware that it also takes all of the lube away from contact areas along with the dirt.
I have used Mobil 1 on my (45 year old) RockChucker, and my (25 year old) Dillon RL550.
I just dip a Q-Tip in the small jar of Mobil 1 and apply to the ram and hinge pins. My presses are as smooth as new and have A LOT of rounds through them.

My dies get sprayed/wiped down with my homemade case lube of Lanolin/Heet gas dryer.
Be sure to clean inside of size dies, prior to use, to remove excessive lube. Otherwise case dents will occur..

That's my story + I'm sticking to it...HA HA..Bill.

 

[M67]

I wipe off the nastiness after a while and use Slip2000 EWL 30wt for lube.

As for the dies, a little gunscrupper on a q tip on the centerfire rifle dies to get the Hornady one shot residue off. Then run a cleaning patch in it just to smooth and final rub

 

[oldpink]

I occasionally wipe off the ram on my Rockchucker with a paper towel saturated with 91% isopropyl alcohol, then put some Lucas gun oil on it.
I immersed all my dies with the same alcohol, tnen sprayed them all with a light coating of Birchwood Casey Barricade.
As long as the brass is tumbled before being run up into the dies, cleaning the dies is rarely needed.

 

[BravoMike]

Yes, BrakeKleen can be used to "Wash Down" your press, but be aware that it also takes all of the lube away from contact areas along with the dirt.
I have used Mobil 1 on my (45 year old) RockChucker, and my (25 year old) Dillon RL550.
I just dip a Q-Tip in the small jar of Mobil 1 and apply to the ram and hinge pins. My presses are as smooth as new and have A LOT of rounds through them.

My dies get sprayed/wiped down with my homemade case lube of Lanolin/Heet gas dryer.
Be sure to clean inside of size dies, prior to use, to remove excessive lube. Otherwise case dents will occur..

That's my story + I'm sticking to it...HA HA..Bill.

Are you able to find liquid lanolin locally? I have been looking but can only find it online.

 

[kennedy759]

I spay my dies with rem oil before putting them away, it may be a year before I use them again and its just enough protection to keep them from rusting. my press gets gun oil on parts that can wear.

 

[Doublehelix]

Thanks for the feedback everyone. This is all close to what I envisioned.

Happy Thanksgiving!

 

[billybob44]

Are you able to find liquid lanolin locally? I have been looking but can only find it online.

Same here--I ordered on Amazon..Bill.