OK - started setting up my LNL tonight, and put the shellplate on. With the plate pushed down over the key/post (no bolt), it cycles nice and easy. If I put the bolt in it and so much as start to snug it down, the ram will somewhat hang for the last/first 1/4 of a stroke (towards the bottom). It will cycle and run up and down, but it's "stiff" throughout that area. Tighten the bolt and it runs tight enough through that area that I don't want to try and cycle it. Normal? I guessing that bolt should only be mildly snug, but the extra tension towards the bottom of the stroke concerns me. I set a few dies up, and it seemed to run OK, but I had the bolt just a tad more than finger tight.
Hmmm...
I keep mine pretty tight. There are ball detents in the bottom of the shell plate. You can feel these moving out of the divots in the plate below as well as snapping into them at the end of the index cycle. Is this what you are feeling? You need a very small amount of grease on them.
Edit to add: Snug up the plate pretty good. Raise the ram about half way and try to index it by hand in it's normal direction. It shouldn't be difficult. You will feel the ball detents working. If it's very hard to turn or binding something is wrong.
I keep mine pretty tight. There are ball detents in the bottom of the shell plate. You can feel these moving out of the divots in the plate below as well as snapping into them at the end of the index cycle. Is this what you are feeling? You need a very small amount of grease on them.
Edit to add: Snug up the plate pretty good. Raise the ram about half way and try to index it by hand in it's normal direction. It shouldn't be difficult. You will feel the ball detents working. If it's very hard to turn or binding something is wrong.
You don't really need it much more than finger tight. Spray the subplate and shellplate down with LNL Cleaner/Dry Lube, and put a light dab of grease on the shellplate detents. If you have problems with it fully indexing, you may have to adjust the pawls.
I'll mess with it again tomorrow. I have it just snug past finger tight now and it works fine - just "stiffer" through that part of the throw then the rest, and if I take the bolt out that goes away completely. I did put a little grease on the detent balls, but maybe I'll pull the plate off and thoroughly clean all of it and regrease. Seems like it tightens up as the press indexes. Once the cam has turned, it runs like normal. Something may be causing a bind, but I don't know what. I'll try a different shellplate tomorrow too, to rule that out.
That's because you are not compressing the springs in under the detent balls in the shellplate. Sounds like your OK. You'll get the feel for it in no time. They are good presses.
Couldn't stand it, so I had to go down to the shop to look again. It appears that as long as the bolt is just snug, everything's fine. If I tighten it down (not crank it), it drags pretty good. I hope the mild groove between detent holes was there to begin with; if not, if the bolt is tightened it drags bad enough to wear a groove in a matter of a few handle pulls. BTW, different shell plates don't make a difference, so that isn't it.
I'm glad to hear that; I'll just install it finger tight, barely snug it (to where it doesn't drag), and call it good.
I just set up my new Lock-n-Load AP last weekend. If I recall (I' m away from home at the moment), the manual specifies just snug for the shell plate bolt. It doesn't need to be tight because the drive key is what turns the plate.
You might also check the timing of your drive pawls. Mine got out of adjustment in the early part of setting it up and the symptoms are similar to what you describe. (Yes, I know, the manual says these rarely need adjustment, but on the other hand an internet search reveals this is a common matter.)
It is a very simple matter to adjust them. Just use the supplied Allen wrench. Raise the turret until you can get to the underside of the arm where the pawls are. Turn the Allen screws up or down as needed until both pawls just click the shell plate into the respective detents. Easy and quick.
Got 'em adjusted and turned out 500 rounds of 9mm FMJ at my first go!
You might also check the timing of your drive pawls. Mine got out of adjustment in the early part of setting it up and the symptoms are similar to what you describe. (Yes, I know, the manual says these rarely need adjustment, but on the other hand an internet search reveals this is a common matter.)
It is a very simple matter to adjust them. Just use the supplied Allen wrench. Raise the turret until you can get to the underside of the arm where the pawls are. Turn the Allen screws up or down as needed until both pawls just click the shell plate into the respective detents. Easy and quick.
Got 'em adjusted and turned out 500 rounds of 9mm FMJ at my first go!
My pawls needed adjusting out of the box. It wasn't going all the way to the primer station and needed a little tweak. After that it is a loading machine. I have been finger tightening the bolt and then giving it a little extra with the wrench and it works fine.
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