Spraying Liquid ALOX

[Morgan Astorbilt]

Anybody had any luck with thinning Lee Liquid ALOX and spraying bullets instead of dripping and rolling? I was thinking about thinning the lube with petroleum solvent and shooting it from a Shure Shot sprayer such as the ones I use for lubes and solvents in my shop. These sprayers are pressurized through a Schrader valve, and allow me to buy products such as WD40 and Kroil by the gallon instead of individual spray cans. Thought it would allow for a smoother coat in less time.
Morgan

[John Boy]

Morgan, just thin the Alox bottle with mineral spirits, pour and roll. When the Alox 'puddles' on the wax paper, just roll them onto a clean sheet and then let em dry

[Ricochet]

As others have posted also, I don't think a perfectly smooth and even coat of LLA is important. Tumbling and dumping on a sheet works fine. Quick and easy, no setup or cleanup as with a spraygun.

[44woody]

I tried to spray some bullets out of a pump spray bottle WHAT A MESS don't recommend doing that best way to apply alox is the butter tub method :castmine: 44Woody

[Morgan Astorbilt]

Thanks Folks, Info much appreciated.
Morgan

[VTDW]

Morgan Astorbilt,

I like your idea :drinks: but mineral spirits is the way to go. Let us know how it works for you.

Dave

[Morgan Astorbilt]

Thanks, Dave, I was thinking of mineral spirits(paint thinner), but was having a "senior moment", so used the general term "petrolium solvent", of which it is one, as is MEK, Naptha, and Acetone. Mineral spirits has the lowest vapor pressure of these, so should give more "working time". Just wondering how thin is "Too thin".
Morgan

[gray wolf]

I would say why not try, we all try things some work some don't. But hey thats how we learn.
I would go a little thin you can always recoat.

[lar45]

Liquid Alox is Alox 606 which is thinned with Mineral Spirits. It can come from Luberizol as 606, 606-70 and 606-55(?). 606 is straight, 70 is the thickest(70% 606-30%min spirits), 55 is pourable when warm. Luberizol thins it with mineral spirits and suggests mineral spirits for any thinning or cleanup.
Alox 606-55HF is what was in the group buy and also what I have.(just for clarification)

If you do spray it, make sure you do not breath any in. I would think that thinning a small amount in a small can and then dipping the bullet bases in to get a thin coat would work well. Then sit base first on wax paper. Maybe see if you can get a short can or jar with removable lid so you can keep it from drying out and have to throw it away.

MSDS INFO:
Inhalation:
Remove exposed person to fresh air if adverse effects are observed. If breathing is labored, administer oxygen. If breathing has stopped, apply artificial respiration. If irritation persists or if toxic symptoms are observed, get medical attention.

Toxicological Information- Respiratory Irritation:
Nose, throat and lung irritant. Based on data from components or similar materials. Exposure to a high concentration of vapor or mist may be irritating. Breathing of vapor or mist may aggravate asthma and inflammatory or fibrotic pulmonary disease.

Sounds like if you have good ventilation, you should be fine. Just don't breath any actual spray.

FWIW
Glenn.

[leftiye]

If it weren't for the question "how many pump spray bottles do you want to plug up" my first thought is - "Now here's the answer to surface lubing." Given the end of life for the sprayer when the LLA dries, then the next best guess is dipping into thinned LLA. Or castor wax or carnauba when hot (boolits hot too).

[Ricochet]

Liquid Alox is Alox 606 which is thinned with Mineral Spirits. It can come from Luberizol as 606, 606-55 and 606-70(?). 606 is straight, 55 is pourable and 70 is the thinest.
Other way around. The suffix numbers are the percentage of the hard 606 in the mixture, not the solvent percentage. 606-70 is pretty thick stuff. 606-55 is the liquid Alox we all know and love.

[lar45]

Other way around. The suffix numbers are the percentage of the hard 606 in the mixture, not the solvent percentage. 606-70 is pretty thick stuff. 606-55 is the liquid Alox we all know and love.
Yes, you are exactly right. I remember now, thanks for catching that. I got a sample of each one to look at. It would be cheaper for me to order a 55 gal drum of straight 606 and then thin it down with mineral spirits, but I think it would turn into much more work.

[dassa]

I've actually tried your idea. I wanted some really thin alox for some plinking loads. I thinned it about 4:1(mineral spirits:alox) and put it in a 1 buck spray bottle from Ace Hardware. I've had it for about a year, hasn't clogged yet and is the best way I've found to get a really thin coat without wasting the stuff. Just a couple of squirts will coat a few hundred bullets.