Lyman Spar T press

G

gunslinger001

Inactive
Hi all,

I'm looking for some info on possibly converting my old Spar-T into a compound link press. I've only had it for a couple of days and seems to be complete less the primer feeder system. I hope to use this as my first turret press as i only have experience on a RCBS partner. Any info is greatly appreciated as would any product info such as instruction manual :)
 
I can't help with the compound linkage mod but this press is way more user friendly if you add a handle to the turret. I drilled and tapped the turret on two sides with a 1/4x28 (I did two sides so I can rotate the turret and use two different cal die sets with a switch of the handle). Then took a 4" long 1/4x28 hex head bolt and screwed it in. I epoxied a round plastic ball on the end as a comfortable handle. The ball was purchased at a marine store and is a replacement for boat control handles. It looks and works like the later Lyman turret presses.
 
thanks billcarey, adding a handle to the turret was on the to-do list as well :D

here is a pic of the whole set up, other than the dies(it came with a 222 rem set, i added the 45 acp set) this is how i got it.

lymanspart.jpg
 
Add primer feed tubes and you are ready to go. I have an RCBS Uniflo on a Lyman powder through die mounted on the turret and do everyting on the press. It gets me an 150 hr revolver rounds working at a relaxing pace...and way more if I turn up the speed.

Is that linkage setup to upstroke the handle to upstroke the ram?

bc
 
I am told the primer feed tubes currently in production should fit this press. i'll be picking some up this weekend if that's the case. You read my mind on the powder measure, that is getting installed this weekend too.

And yes, the linkage is set up to raise the ram on the up stroke. I was going to reverse it but on it's stand it makes more sense to leave it as is, if only so i can support the base with my feet should i need a bit more force with resizing large rifle cases.

JS
 
Get another compound single stage to do all the heavy sizing/forming on.

I do all my heavy stuff on RC or Orange crusher then set up my flaring/powder thru & seating stuff on the turrets.

Even if ya did compound the toggles I think the frame/turret would give or pull the stud holding the turret.
 
1. The original Spar-T primer tubes were brass and that made them feed much smoother than any alum tube primer feeders I've yet seen.

2. Converting to mine to compound linkage took me a full Saturday in my home shop but most of that time was spent thinking. I have no photo but I can describe the process and anyone with the skill and tools can figger out the details.

First, look at the basic design of Lee's toggle links with the horizontal link between the left and right swing arms - that's where you need to go.

I removed the lever and toggle link. I measured the length from the top of the ram hole to the middle of the bottom hole where the pivot pin goes because I wanted to maintain the original toggle pivot point. Then cut about 2 1/2" off the bottom of the frame to get the old pivot holes out of the way.

I welded the toggle link to the bottom of the ram as straight as possible so I ended up with a solid ram and lower extension.

The swing arms were 1/4 x 1 1/4 barstock. The upper support pins are 3/8" x 3/4" grade 8 bolts.

The hardest part of the whole job was drilling frame holes that were straight through the odd shaped frame and tapping them straight so the toggle assembly would swing without binding. The holes are just below the bottom of the working window and centered on the ram hole. After the upper holes were bored and tapped, the bolts were screwed in to secure the arms.

Then the ram was slide in and the lower holes for the new 1/2" grade 8 bolt for the lower toggle pivot pin were located and center punched on one side. Both arms were clamped together and bored at the same time so the upper and lower pin holes were located exactly the same. The loose assembly was then attached to the press and the bolts snugged up just enough to hold things in alignment. At that point, and not before, a short section of the swing arm bar stock was tack welded across the middle front of the swing arms. (Final welding was completed with the swing assemble off the press.)

There are several options that can serve to keep the toggle block centered between the side arms. I had planned a bit more complex design for that but I started with a bushing about 3/4" long on each side. But, with the half inch g8 bolt for a hinge pin it, the loose centering bushings have allowed me to FL size .300 mag cases without bending so it's remained the same for several years now.

A bit of grinding and sanding the welds on the new compound toggle arm assembly before painting it and the turret head with Walmart's cheap red paint that closely matches the original color finished it. No one who's seen it realizes it isn't as Lyman made it. And I LIKE using it a LOT more now!
 
Last edited:
Thanks wncchester great info, I think I just may try to tackle this project on Monday.

On the subject of the primer tubes, will RCBS tubes work? I am having some trouble in locating the tubes for the Lyman. I seem to find an abundance of RCBS and Dillon pickup tubes everywhere.

Thanks JS
 
On the subject of the primer tubes, will RCBS tubes work? I am having some trouble in locating the tubes for the Lyman. I seem to find an abundance of RCBS and Dillon pickup tubes everywhere.

Don't know if they would fit but doubt it. I only have the original Lyman tubes and they still do fine; I prefer to use Lee's AutoPrime tool anyway. I suspect you could use any primer tubes if you have a lathe to turn a bushing for the bottom that fits the tube to that spring loaded aluminum holder and lets the little spring loaded primer cut-off plunger can do it's job correctly.

I'd enjoy hearing how your effort to make your's a compound toggle turns out.
 
Last edited:
My first press was the Spar T back in the 70's. The Lyman tubes fit my RCBS Ammomaster press so don't think you will have trouble using RCBS tubes with the Lyman. I strongly suggest that you consider using a Lee or RCBS priming tool. You will be happy you did rather than the system the Spar T uses. Learned that Lyman no longer has any parts for the old Spar T press. Was trying to rebuild the press. Yours looks like it was never used. Mine was stored in a old building for many years of non use......... Enjoy

Lemmon
 
Do you have the priming arm? I just didn't see it in the photo.

Other brands of tubes won't fit. The brass on mine is just standard telescoping brass tubing you'll find in the K&M Metals display at the local hobby shop that caters to model airplane and car types. The larger one is the .250" OD tubing, and the smaller is the 7/32" OD tubing, slit 3/8" in at the distal end for primer pickup. Both are 7 13/16" long. The problem is you then need to machine the aluminum tip and O-ring ends the brass is press fit or Loctited into. If you need a drawing, I can probably give you one off my parts.
 
Primer accessories for Spar Ts and Spartans are on ebay all the time...look for the copper tube with bright aluminum bushings at one end.

I use the press mounted primer with primer feed tubes on my Spart T turret and like it. Hand priming works ok for me when batch loading...but I don't batch load on my turret.

bc
 
Thanks all :) Everything was there for the priming arm/primer feeder except the tubes, even the little spring for the feeder and some allen wrenches that fit the shell holder set screw and the set screw on the primer feeder.

I have a lee hand prime tool that i normally use. I just want to have the ability to prime on the press if i choose to. The press was complete otherwise and the tubes would just finish it off for me... an extra turret wouldn't hurt either. ;)

I managed to find some tubes on the Natchez supplies webpage :D

http://www.natchezss.com/product.cfm?contentID=productDetail&brand=LY&prodID=LY7412053&prodTitle=Lyman%20Auto%20Primer%20Feed%20Tube%20-%20Large
 
"Everything" for the priming arm means 4 seating punches, 2 cups, one spring, primer arm and wrench. The auto feed was sold separate, and consists of the housing with the spring loaded button, and IIRC, 4 tubes, 2 large, 2 small, each with a spring clip type pin.

It can some fiddling to get the system to work well, and letting it "snap" back can lead to primers launching themselves into space. Visual ID that the primer is in the cup, AND oriented correctly is IMPORTANT.

Two of the seating punches (one large, one small) in the original kit had curved faces, to be used with the curved face primers that were in use many decades ago (and are now gone). The other two punches have flat faces, for use with modern primers.

I had one of these presses for several years back in the early 70s. They work best for pistol ammo, and small rifle cases. Big ones and the turret tends to "flex" if it is loose enough to be turned by hand.

Don't know why anyone would want to use compound linkage on this type of press, that turret is held on by one large bolt. Too much force would be a bad thing. Need a lot of resizing force? use a single stage "O" frame press like a Rockchucker or something similar. "C" frame presses can be "sprung" with too much leverage, and the Spar-T isn't even that rigid to begin with.

If you can't get any primer tubes, I may have a couple somewhere. But please, exhaust all other sources before you ask me to look!:D And be prepared for the seach to last months if I can even find them at all!:eek:

Good luck.

The Spar-t was not the best turret press you could get even back in the day, but for the cost, its wasn't a bad bargain. Significantly better machines cost much more. Dillon changed the whole game when they hit the market, for volume production, but a turret press can still give good service, if you don't ask too much of it and treat it right.
 
Mine was orange

I eventually bent the ram when moving. I bought the new model with new linkage and holes for the handle in the turret. I recommend buying the new one and toss the old one.
 
Lyman spar T press

Hi all, I like my Lyman Spar T press so much that I picked one up for my Uncle, and it is all there, except the primer arm mounting spring. I already checked with ALL online resources, and nobody has them, not even Lyman! Im hoping that some of you will have some laying around. For those of you unfamiliar with this spring, it a mouse trap looking small gauge spring that hooks behind the automatic primer feed arm, and its purpose is to push the primer arm up into an upright position, aligning the feed tube and the primer cup. I cant seem to upload photos, I hope my description is good enough. Hit me back soon please, the primer feed arm just doesnt work without it, and reloading with the press without the primer feed arm isnt very productive (read slow). :confused:
 
EBay ...item / auction 111989406940. Seller: 1HAPPY-PRINTER......Lyman primer stud, both cups, tubes and spring..his last set ( he says he had 3 , sold 2) 1 day,21 hours left in auction.. Last set ran $45 +

Sent from my DROID RAZR HD using Tapatalk
 
Something is not right with your lever/ram linkage setup. I think yours may be backwards. I'll post pictures of my orange one soon for a reference.

Mike
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top