Lube sizer heater.

[45-70 Chevroner]

How well does the lyman lube sizer heater work, and how long does it take to warm up the sizer? The price in the Midway catalog seams like quite a bit. Is there another way to go to heat up the lubrisizer? Or am I going to have to bite the bullet.

[LUCKYDAWG13]

i use a cylinder heater that we use to use at work 59300

[runfiverun]

if you're handy you could build one from a curling iron,some aluminum plate,a drill,and a dimmer switch without much trouble.
many lubes will flow though a sizer at 70-75-f just fine.

[Shiloh]

Mine is a plate of 1/4" aluminum. I set an iron on it. Only need it in the winter as I use BAC.
A bit bulky but is does the job. After it is warmed, I remove the iron.

Shiloh

[Russ in WY]

I use the iron on plate steel which has the sizer mounted on it..Get cheap travel iron @ Wally World set about medium heat, & plugged into a timer , set for 15 mins & U will be good to go .. My 2¢ Russ.

[45-70 Chevroner]

Thanks guys, good food for thought.

[BattleRife]

The Lyman lube heater is just a stock cartridge heater that they mark up in price. Google "cartridge heater" and you can find all kinds of them online, and you can specify how much power you want.

or...

Mine cost me 50 cents. It was a soldering iron I found at a garage sale that happened to have a 3/8" diameter barrel. The barrel is essentially a cartridge heater with handle and tip installed.

[cwheel]

I've had the Midway unit for over 5 years. It works well, doesn't draw much power, and seams to heat the lube up ready to go in about 30 min. The heat adjustment seams to work quite well. Think there are many other things you could do here, I used to use a light bulb mounted close to the old lyman 45 with a 100 watt light bulb. Thinking that even at todays price, just buy the thing and move on. Note here that there are several patterns drilled and tapped into the base of this thing, none fit my old lyman 45. It wasn't much trouble to drill and tap 4 holes.
Chris

[MT Gianni]

I get great results with a trouble light and a 75 watt bulb. Previous to that I used a magnetic engine block heater I bought for $10.

[John Guedry]

Hair dryer for a few minutes and I'm ready. BAC lube

[jonk]

Paint stripper gun angled on the resevoir, heat for about a minute, that is enough for 20 minutes or so of smooth casting.

Similar results can be had with a propane torch played back and forth (not enough in one place to hurt the paint) for about 20 seconds.

[mpmarty]

+1 on mounting on a plate and borrowing an old clothes iron set on "Rayon" for a few minutes. Plate holds the heat so I can size and lube for about an hour without putting the iron back on the plate.

[DLCTEX]

+1 on a magnetic block heater from Tractor supply.

[TCLouis]

Red plastic Folgers coffee can with a hole cut in the side to receive the barrel of a blow drier. Heats the whole sizer and I just reheat if needed.

Set on low heat so the metal in the sizer is heated thru and thru.

yes now that you mention it, I am cheap!

[Bigbang2]

I bought an oil pan heater and stuck it to a metal plate that the luber mounted to and it works great...just plug it in for a while 15 to 30 mins and good to go..
Bigbang2

[gefiltephish]

I got a stick-on oil pan heater (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000I8YPQ4/ref=oh_details_o00_s00_i00). I haven't cut the plate yet so no chance to try it out. I plan to rig it up to a dimmer switch so I can keep it turned down to just slightly warm. The one I got is only 50watts, so I'm hoping I can set it and forget it till I'm done.

[Jim Flinchbaugh]

+1 on the cartridge heater, I got mine of feebay for 12 bucks, a $9 light dimmer and drill one hole in the base of the luber
works beautiful