so far I hate my new Lyman 4500!

[1911fan]

I just got a new Lyman 4500 and I tried lubing my first bullets using the super Moly lube that came with the 4500 and I get great sized bullets and lube in the grease groove, but I also get lube under the bullet! I am not gonna hand clean every bullet and have to clean this thing every pull of the handle! I took machine apart and boiled it clean which was a HUGE pain in the a$$ and messy as all get out. I am going to try some different lube, some beeswax, paraffin mix and see if that will work better.

[fishhawk]

I have had that same problem with a RCBS and a lyman and it seams the problem is to much lube pressure in my case it may well be your problem also. steve k

[williamwaco]

Don't turn the ratchet until the bullet is all the way down. At that point, the base of the bullet should be below the lube holes.

( You are not using a Bevel Base bullet are you? - that is an entirely different matter. )

[engineer401]

I didn't care for the Moly lube either. I use BAC from White label Lube the link is http://www.lsstuff.com/lube/. The BAC left my bore cleaner. BAC is harder than Moly lube. You will need to add more pressure to flow. I didn't use a heater on my 4500. I am now using a Star which is what I wanted in the first place. I was too cheap in the beginning and purchased a Magma Star after all. The Star does need some heat using BAC to operate properly.

[462]

As I stated in your other 4500 thread, the fault is not that of the 4500. The moly lube is extremely messy, and as with any machine, there is a certain learning curve.

You did right by getting rid of the moly lube, and you should find the beeswax/paraffin much easier to work with. With the right temperature for the lube, just enough pressure, and the correct depth adjustment you will no longer hate how your 4500 operates.

A large part of the entire casting process -- from melt to finished boolit -- is composed of patience, the willingness to overcome obstacles, and practice. Hang in there.

[9.3X62AL]

Agreement with all above text. Rome wasn't built in a day.......be patient and persistent, all these side-issues will pass. The late-19th Century technology represented by the Lyman 45/450/4500-series tools and the RCBS LAM-series tools is not perfect like 21st Century digital HD 4G tech. Older tech requires an interface of human input and adjustment in order to function at top level.

Now, if you want some REAL quirky, unpredictable, and unreliable tech--may I suggest a cap & ball revolover to test your patience? Folks carrying C&B revos often carried sabers or swords for very good reasons.

[Chill Wills]

Don't turn the ratchet until the bullet is all the way down. At that point, the base of the bullet should be below the lube holes.
)

OR - get rid or the very nice ratchet and replace with a regular 1/4 inch box end wrench and then
"wax on - wax off"

.:idea: get it? ;)

Works well.

[beemer]

It helps if you keep firm pressure on the bullet when turning turning the ratchet.

I'm going to try the box end wrench myself.

Dave

[theperfessor]

When I get lube under the bullet in my 450 I just put the next bullet in and press down firmly at the bottom of the stroke w/o cranking the pressure screw. This pushes the excess lube back into the machine and ultimately into the bullet's lube grooves.

[wallenba]

Most lubers will do that with bevel base boolits. A common trick is to use a spent case to cut a disc out of a foam meat packing tray from the supermarket. A little dab of hot glue to hold it on the plug. The boolit will conform to it at the base. It might take two thicknesses.

[mroliver77]

I would start with a proven lube. Use one that does not need heat to flow. If you are in cold building you will need to WARM machine. Just enough heat to flow works best. I prefer to need quite a bit of pressure to move the lube as it behaves better and does not sneak out of every little crack. I keep pressure on all the time. It would really suck to have to back off every cycle. Like has been said, keep some pressure on the handle at the bottom of the stroke.

Bevel base boolits such in the Lyman but can be overcome. The foam wafer has worked for me. I used one a couple caliber too large so it kinda overfilled the outer edges where it needed it most. The foam trays that meat comes on here work well and are tough. If you must use them you can "bed the boolit to the push rod with epoxy. You can have a custom push rod made by buckshot of this forum. Personally I would get rid of the mold and get a plain base mould. You can take the bevel out of the mould if you are handy and have the proper fools.

What other ingredients are in your new lube?
J

[Chill Wills]

[QUOTE=mroliver77;1536319 I keep pressure on all the time. It would really suck to have to back off every cycle.
J[/QUOTE]

Actually, after the first few you don’t even notice. Muscle memory takes over. What you do notice is the complete lack of problems with lube getting under bullets and in places you do not want it. If you are wiping off bullet lube, even a little from even a few bullets, all these other tricks are a waste of time compared to the quickness of just getting in the right place the first time.
Give it a try…..unless you already know better :mrgreen:

Happy lubing

[GP100man]

Use lube of choice (molylube is`nt mine either) fill & put lite pressure on it .

adjust boolit depth knowingly too hi , adjust depth untill ya get some sign of lube , increase pressure a bit & see if ya get desired results , if not ya now have your starting point for making slight adjustments not too much at the time.

Loobe temp I like it a little cool (make feedback on pressure screw easier to feel), too warm the stuff will ooze from every nick/crook/or cranny !!!!!

After achieving the optimum adjustment I measure it`s depth on the adjustment screw & record it for another session.

[C.F.Plinker]

I have one set of dies that when the holes in the die are aligned with the bottom lube groove, the next lower set of holes lines up with the base. This could cause grease to be applied to the base if I didn't maintain pressure on the boolet. I solved the problem by putting some pieces of bamboo skewer in those holes. I didn't want to push the boolet further into the die because I only wanted to lube the bottom groove.

[Reload3006]

as others have said dont use heat on that moly **** that Lyman sends with it and you will be much happier. the rest is just learning to set it up for the boolits your sizing lubing. ... But I am not all that impressed with mine either.

[gefiltephish]

It helps if you keep firm pressure on the bullet when turning turning the ratchet.

I'm going to try the box end wrench myself.

Dave

Be sure to get a 6 pointer not a 12. My 12 rounded off the hex on the shaft.

[atr]

too cold lub with too much pressure ...or just plain old too much pressure / sometimes helps if you use very light pressure and run the boolit through twice / and sometimes it helps if you don't run the boolit down all the way....I find each different boolit has a slightly different lubing protocol

I like moly lube but it is messy and takes a bit of sublty when lubing

[Sonnypie]

Here's a good deal:
You send me the 4500....
I'll send you a feather....
You put the feather in your pants, and I'll work with the 4500.
And we'll both be tickled!
Such ah Deal! :groner:

Just kidding. :kidding:
I'm perfectly happy with what I'm doing.