I finally decided to take the plunge!

[Dpmsman]

First off let me say I’m not an English major. Also I don’t particularly like to type. This is the reason I don’t post much. Let me apologize now for any and all grammatical errors that are about to occur.

About a year ago I picked up an older Camdex 2100 in 38spl at a local auction. I’m not sure why I bought it as I didn’t know if it even worked. But for the price I bought it for I thought if it worked I could load all the 38spl brass I and all of my buddies had in a couple hours. Then I could “sell it for a good profit”. At least that’s what I told my wife. Well you guessed it, it doesn’t work. D#%*! I tinkered with it for a couple of hours and gave up. Fast forward a year and there it still sits languishing in my basement.

All last week I’ve been home with sick kids. So I decided I was going to take the plunge! I disassembled the press taking pictures along the way. So far so good! I’ve cleaned it up and aside from a few worn parts it seems to be in decent shape. Now for the painful part! Calling Camdex and paying for replacements.

 

[fiver]

when you do get it up and running your gonna love it.
one of the places I used to deliver stuff to as a kid had 3 or 4 of those and it was fascinating to watch them run.
it was like listening to a great big commercial sewing machine chuk-chuckkk..

 

[CZ93X62]

That is quite a machine, indeed. WAY PAST my capabilities to herd such a beast. Best of luck with it.

 

[Dpmsman]

That is quite a machine, indeed. WAY PAST my capabilities to herd such a beast. Best of luck with it.

Thanks. I talked with Tom from Camdex and I think with his help we should be able to get the machine back up and running. The only thing I’m worried about is timing it. I removed the drive shaft to measure for wear and in the process lost it’s original position.

 

[Dpmsman]

It’s kind of interesting that this machine doesn’t have any ball bearings. Only brass bushings and rollers. Most of the high wear parts are brass. The loader only has three grease zerks. I was also told not to grease or oil any other places. One would think with all those moving parts a little oil would be a good thing!

 

[RBHarter]

There are index marks ...... whether or not they look like what you think they should is another matter all together .

Cycle it slowly and gently by hand . Set a zero point if one isn't indicated and return to that point to scale adjustments . But you probably already had that information .

 

[Dpmsman]

when you do get it up and running your gonna love it.
one of the places I used to deliver stuff to as a kid had 3 or 4 of those and it was fascinating to watch them run.
it was like listening to a great big commercial sewing machine chuk-chuckkk..

Well

There are index marks ...... whether or not they look like what you think they should is another matter all together .

Cycle it slowly and gently by hand . Set a zero point if one isn't indicated and return to that point to scale adjustments . But you probably already had that information .
[/QUO

I haven’t gotten that far yet. Tom just told me to take it all apart and clean it. Then give him a call and we will go from there. I’ve read warnings on the other site about a novice thinking about trying to take on a machine like this. I hope I’m not getting in to far over my head.

 

[Dpmsman]

I haven’t gotten that far yet. Tom just told me to take it all apart and clean it. Then give him a call and we will go from there. I’ve read warnings on the other site about a novice thinking about trying to take on a machine like this. I hope I’m not getting in to far over my head.

 

[Dpmsman]

Not sure what happened in post #7. Please disregard.

 

[CZ93X62]

I was a bit bewildered the first time I stripped down a V-8 engine, too. First one is the hardest one.

As RBH said above--there are sure to be index/timing/witness marks or regimens that can be re-established. In 1971 I helped a guy R&R a head gasket on his '58 Alfa Romeo Giulietta Spyder. While in today's world twin overhead camshafts are no big thing, it was SPACE TRAVEL in 1971. We got all the marks lined up, torqued everything down, and that engine ran wonderfully for him. He sold it, since the valve train scared him so much--and replaced it with a 67 Camaro with 327 x 4-speed. Just what every 17 year old needs, right? That big ol' Detroit/camshaft-in-block powerplant was a lot less daunting, for sure.

 

[Bret4207]

Well, I had to look up just whatcha got there! Quite a rig! I bet in the end it's simpler than it appears at first. Keep us updated! Very cool.

 

[freebullet]

Nice score. Need one in 9mm

 

[462]

Allen,
Seems I remember Alfa Romeo using an assortment of shims to adjust valves.

 

[Rick H]

Mercury 4 stroke outboards use shims too.

 

[Dpmsman]

Nice score. Need one in 9mm

Well for the small sum of $7,000 they make a caliber conversion. Plus I would need to upgrade the vibratory bowl case feeder to a collator.

 

[Dpmsman]

Well, I had to look up just whatcha got there! Quite a rig! I bet in the end it's simpler than it appears at first. Keep us updated! Very cool.

I hope so too! Hopefully in not to short of time I’ll have a video of it kicking out rounds left and right!

 

[CZ93X62]

Allen,
Seems I remember Alfa Romeo using an assortment of shims to adjust valves.

Trusting rusted memory here.....that was the part that scared the owner--we kinda skated, valve adjustment was unaffected (as best we could tell) with the OHC stem impingement. Hot clearances were all within spec, IIRC. This was unlike the push rod engines we knew and loved, where valve lash could get all jacked up when you R&R the heads. Even in 1971, those shims/spacers/clips were not widely distributed. It took 2-1/2 weeks for the head and valve cover gasket kit to arrive by UPS from some joint on the East Coast. The owner was happy to get the thing running, and ecstatic when the valve clearances were close without further parts delay. He was my hunting partner, so I was taking him to school while the Alfa was laid up. He had the car sold within a week or so, some VARA guy couldn't live without it. Full disclosure on the head gasket bit, didn't faze the buyer one bit. Love at first sight.

Me? Ford trucks. 1 Buick and a couple Dodge trucks. Exotic tastes are NOT my thing.

 

[Petrol & Powder]

Detail strip an original Remington model 51, the one made in the 1920's; and you'll learn more about small complex machines than you want to. Ask me how I know.

 

[freebullet]

Yikes 7k a bit steep. Have to find an old broken one in 9.

 

[Dpmsman]

Just an update on the Camdex. I have it timed and pretty much back together. I’m waiting for Camdex to get back to me on two new bronze pushers. Then all I need to do is adjust the micro switches and I should be able to start testing it.