Lube coming off boolit during packaging.

[Lee W]

I am using a star sizer mounted on a wooden table. I normally would catch 30 or so boolits in a small akro bin set just under the sizer. I would rotate two of these bins to allow the boolits to cool enough to be dropped into a cardboard box. This worked, but is slow.

This year I decided to drill a hole through the table and set the cardboard box under it to catch the boolits. I am having trouble with the lube coming out of the lube grooves at some point from the die to the box. It is about an 8" drop. I have also tried a cardboard slide from the drilled hole to the top of the box. (About 3" drop, slide, then a 2-4" drop into the box) This did not help much.

I do not want to go back to the old way since it is so slow. If you have any ideas on how to go from the sizer straight into a box without messing up the lube, please post them.

(Info: Magma 200 grain SWC 45, Rooster Zambini lube, 45-50 PSI air feed, 131F measured just behind the die and PID controlled.)

Thanks!

[Roundnoser]

My guess is you are running the lube a little too hot, and/or too much pressure on the lube.

I'd try backing off on my temp by 5 or more degrees first, and see how that works.

[MikeS]

When you say the lube is coming off the boolits, how much are you talking about? I don't have a Star, but even so, I find that when I package boolits after lubing that when I go to use the boolits some of the lube has come out of the lube grooves by other boolits in the box. Depending on how bad it is, I either just load it the way it is (if it's only a small spot), or I run it thru the lube-sizer again to re-lube the boolit if it's more than 1/8th of the diameter of the boolit. I suppose if I packaged the boolits in some form of order, rather than just tossing them into a box after they're sized and lubed I might not have the problem. I also use a fairly soft lube, and so don't use a heater on my sizer.

When your boolits cool off, there's no problem with the lube coming off? It might be a crazy idea, and if so, somebody here will correct me, but if your lube is hard when cool, and the only time you have a problem with the lube coming off is while the boolit lube is still hot in the lube grooves, I wonder if you could drop the boolits into a small container of cool water, so the lube cools quicker? I've never tried this, so it might be a really stupid idea, so use at your own risk.

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

My used star came with Tamarack, it shoots real good and I plan on using that til it's gone.
anyway, I lube without adding heat, but the fresh lube is tacky for the first day or so.
I use to just let them fall into a container, I'd have the same
lube issues, where they stick together and if moved, lube would peel
out of one lube groove.
So now I don't let them fall...I grab each boolit coming out of the star
and stack them on a cardboard tray,
and age them til loading day.
It really doesn't take that much extra time, I like to inspect each boolit anyway.

after the lube as aged (read air dried) for a few days, I can throw
them in a box and rattle them around...and no lube peels away.
Jon

[Lee W]

I am trying to speed up the process. I sized 3,000 this weekend alone. I am about to size another 1,000 after I post this.
I am at 131 so the lube will keep up with me at pressures under 60 psi. Rooster Zambini has a pretty high melting point, so it is required.
I am still working on it...

[KYCaster]

I'd try less heat and more pressure, that usually works better for me. (up to 100 psi if necessary)

Jerry

[Lee W]

Well, I maxed the pressure to 100PSI and lowered the temp. The lowest I can go and still have it work is 118 F. I will leave it there and see how the boolits turn out.

[bslim]

I use a Star sizer, with a base heater and the air Cylinder set up from Magma. I run the pressure @ 40 psi and the temp @ 110 degrees. Using Carnuba Red from White Label, I can size/lube and drop into an acro bin 10" below the press. No problem with lube coming off of the bullet and I can lube/size as fast as I can load the bullets into the sizer. My acro bin will hold a little over 1,000 38's and by the time that is full I'm ready for a rest anyway. I leave the bin aside and grab a new one for the next batch. The next morning, the lube has hardened and I transfer the bullets into my bulk storage containers. So far I have done 38's and 200 grn 45's for my colt. Both worked very well.

[Lee W]

Well, I did just under 2000 last night and it is better. I ended up putting the box just under the sizer as close as I can. (about 3" from the sizer exit to the top of the box.)

Moral of the story, the highest pressure and the lowest temperature.

Thanks for all the responses.

Lee