Star Lube Mishap

[mtgrs737]

It was time to add lube to the Star Lubersizer so I cut the bottom off a plastic 2 liter soda pop bottle and cut up a stick of Lar's BAC lube and put it in the microwave for five minutes. All was well, the lube melted and I stired it with an old screwdriver, then I walked it over and carefully poured into my open top star lube reseviour. Next I picked up the plunger assembly and fitted it into the top of the luber and pushed. Whoa! That was the wrong thing to do! The lube was still fluid enough that the air pressure caused the lube to forceably squirt out the small vent hole in the rear of the tube!:groner: [smilie=b:

I now had a BIG MESS of solidifing wax lube to clean up :???::mad: I hope this post will keep someone else from having to deal with this mess, I know that I will from now on wait a few minutes for the lube to harden before assembling the pressure screw.

Oh, and also if you melt your lube in the microwave remember to cover the container just in case! :castmine:

Live and Learn...

[R.M.]

Yup, been there, done that. :killingpc

[dakotashooter2]

I melted lube in the microwave ONCE. It wasn't worth a womans wrath.

[mtgrs737]

Today I bought a small sauce pan at a second hand store for making lube and melting lube on a hot plate, just in case, so I don't get into trouble. I figure it is $2 well spent! I used it today to boil off some hard lube on some commercial bullets that I wanted soft lube on, it worked good!



Trying to learn...

[garandsrus]

I've done it too... I think the problem is overfilling the sizer with lube though, not the air pressure. If the lube is higher than the hole, it has to go somewhere! I am guessing that the hole is at the highest spot that will still allow the pressure assembly enough room to attach.

John

[moredes]

My Star Luber doesn't have the heater. Are you guys using the heater models? Can I remelt lube to pour like ya'lls doing? (I haven't used mine yet; just bought it)

[Cherokee]

I have my own microwave in the shop, but I have never melted the lube to refill the Star, just put a stick in it. I would think a lot of melted lube would stick to the funnel and the melting pot as it cools quickly, or does it ?

[mroliver77]

My pot has a "spout" cast in it and pours nicely into the star, Lyman is a little trickier. I just wipe warm instruments with rag and lube is gone.
My pal filled the hole in his Star when he put the air feed on. He claims he gained 50% capacity.
J

[chuebner]

I melt my beeswax, SPG, olive oil concoction for pan-lubing in the microwave all the time. The lube even has its own dedicated 2 cup Pyrex measuring cup for melting. Works like a charm.

Charlie

[454PB]

Placing stick or chunks of cold lube causes air entrapment and a "pop" as each boolit passes through. I melt the lube in a microwave and pour it in, carefully watching the level so I can stop before it reaches the overflow hole. I use the same glass pint sized canning jar each time, which means there is never any waste. I don't use any funnel, it pours in fine without it.

I've also altered mine so that I can use a 1/4" ratchet to pressurize the lube reservoir, similar in function to the ratchet box wrench that comes on the Lyman 450 sizer.

[mtgrs737]

Mroliver77,

I was thinking the same thing about the increased lube capacity without the manual spring assembly installed when using the air pressure feed unit. It would not be hard to use a rubber patch and a hose clamp to seal off the vent hole. I did wonder if the lack of a vent hole would impair the lube flow to the plunger.

However with the mess I made due to the lube squirting out the vent hole yesterday still fresh in my mind, I am going to forgo any more experiments involving lube at least for the near furture. :castmine:


Still learning....

[DLCTEX]

I picked up a ratty looking microwave at a thrift store for $10. Keeps marriage running smoother, so a great investment. DALE

[mroliver77]

Mroliver77,

I was thinking the same thing about the increased lube capacity without the manual spring assembly installed when using the air pressure feed unit. It would not be hard to use a rubber patch and a hose clamp to seal off the vent hole. I did wonder if the lack of a vent hole would impair the lube flow to the plunger.

However with the mess I made due to the lube squirting out the vent hole yesterday still fresh in my mind, I am going to forgo any more experiments involving lube at least for the near furture. :castmine:


Still learning....

The vent hole is to assure there is no vacum created above the piston. I'll just bet there is one on the air cylinder, if not I would make one myself.
J

[utk]

My Star Luber doesn't have the heater. Are you guys using the heater models? Can I remelt lube to pour like ya'lls doing? (I haven't used mine yet; just bought it)

Moredes, yes you can. Melting and pouring the lube into the machine is just another way of filling it. The lube doesn't stick to the walls or anything like that, if that was your worry?

[bobthenailer]

also bin there done that! just learn from your mistakes

[colbyjack]

my heater is a plate of steel and a iron on #3 setting.

http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f186/hawgz/firstboolits007.jpg

-chris

[Ken]

My heater is a trouble light with a 60 watt bulb

[Dale53]

When I was mixing my own lube, trying to make lube stick moulds or trying to get lube sticks out of recycled plastic tubes was a pain in the tuckus! I picked up a tip from Pat and Spence Wolf's book on the Trapdoor Springfield. He suggested that a feller or gal buy a single cup warmer (used in an office to keep your coffee or tea hot. They only cost about $5.00-$6.00 or so. At any rate, I bought a small pyrex cup, filled it with lube. The temp is so low, that it takes a bit to melt the lube. I fill my sizer after using just before shutting down for the day. The lube/sizer is always full when I start. I turn the heat on the cup warmer under a cup full of lube and it is melted way before you need it in the sizer. You always have the correct amount (just fill to below the air hole in the cylinder[smilie=1:) and the lube will solidify quickly. Basically, you have a "no wait" situation. Further, you can keep the lube in the pyrex cup on the heat all day and it will NOT overheat (damaging the lube). I much prefer this to the microwave. You never know how high the internal temperature is of the lube using a microwave and I don't trust them when looking at a temp sensitive product.

However, since I started using Lars lube (Red Carnauba), and it comes already formed into the proper size, I just drop one in the sizer when I run on empty. I buy the least expensive method of packaging (get a large amount in individual plastic zip locks).

My heater is the Lyman heater with a rheostat that I added (a Dremel tool variable speed control that I had on hand).

Dale53

[colbyjack]

do you have to use alot of heat with lars red carnauba? i got a stick but havent used it yet. ive been using his BAC. -chris

[Dale53]

colbyjack;
I use minimal heat with Lars Red Carnauba - just enough to feel the additional warmth of the lube/sizer. I size in the basement of a climate controlled house but the basement is the coldest area in my house (winter or summer). I just adjust the sizer heater to get full grease grooves with minimal heat.

Dale53