Homemade Lube gone wrong?

[jdgabbard]

Ok. I followed one of the lube recipes, changing it up just a bit. Recipe called for 1 part beeswax, .75 parts paraffin, and .25 parts vaseline.

I melted the beeswax first. Then added the paraffin. Then added the vaseline. I then added a couple of red crayons to give it some color. After everything was melted completely I stirred with wooden spoon. One of the first things I noticed was that the crayons were settling on the bottom of the pan. So I kept stirring. No luck. When I poured them in the small bread pans I was going to use as molds the red all settled to the bottom. And the lube seems somewhat inconsistent.

Any ideas on how I went wrong? Or did I go wrong? Still ok to use for pan lubing? What about the crayon that settled, which looked more like fine powder in the melted lube?

[DragoonDrake]

I have done the exact same batch with red crayons as well. I used a double boiler set up and let my stove rip at full bore. I cooked it for about 30 minutes total; after it was all melted and mixed I stirred for about five minutes. I shut it off after that and removed it from the stove. I did not get any separation.

Adam

[docone31]

Those crayons will take some cooking.

[dwtim]

Heat and stirring! I put a thermometer in my mix when I made the last batch, and found that when the solution gets up to full temp, it's about 230 dF. (That's a tad on the warm side, but I'm like Tim the Tool Man--more power ruff ruff!) Thirty minutes minimum stirring at temp, and keep going when there are still lumps. I use a cast iron skillet, which holds heat, and is very steady in temperature. I mix with an old egg beater (the multi-wire kind), in figure-eights.

Also: I have thus far remelted my two batches three times and two times, over the last several months, and neither experienced any separation of components.

[Bullshop]

I really just dont get it. Why would anyone continue to go through the trouble.
There are other lubes soooo much easier to make and just as good, MAYBE BETTER!
Someone should do a comparison torture test. I will donate the speed green for the test. If someone wants to donate the Felix lube we can ship it to an impartial third party for testing. Really give it a work out ya know hot weather, cold weather, high pressure, low pressure, hand gun, rifle and what ever you can come up with. Might even add in some others for comparison too. That should be interesting.
Anybody want to give it a go?
BIC/BS
That should be very interesting

[Springfield]

We make lube for the same reason we cast our own. Much cheaper and we can custom tailor it for our own needs. But I gotta say, that NASA lube you sent me almost has me convinced to stop making my own. And what do yo use for scent, that stuff smells really nice. Seems kinda familiar but I can't quite place it. Much less messy than my own lube too, makes me want to experiment some more, but I just don't have the time.

[Shiloh]

I let this guy make mine. Glen Larsen at White Label Lube. With so many irons in the fire, at $1.60 per stick it isn't worth my time. Down the road though....

http://www.lsstuff.com/lube/index.html

Shiloh

[jdgabbard]

I let it cook over all for about 20-25 minutes before pouring into the molds. So I don't know if heat is really the issue. Besides at one point I saw a couple of bubbles come to the surface of the lube. I don't know if your supposed to bring the lube to boiling temp, but it was pretty close. Btw, I was using a double boiler too. I am thinking of just melting the whole thing back down, remolding and let everything settle to the bottom this time. Just trim it off, then go back and through in one or two small red candles, a bit more beeswax and about another tblspoon of vaseline. I think that should give me what I am looking for. What do you guys think?

[Heavy lead]

I let this guy make mine. Glen Larsen at White Label Lube. With so many irons in the fire, at $1.60 per stick it isn't worth my time. Down the road though....

http://www.lsstuff.com/lube/index.html

Shiloh

ditto

[chunkum]

Try adding some shredded Ivory soap to your mix after re-melting and then cook and stir a while. It might facilitate a more homogeneous mixture.
c

[Wayne Smith]

Go to your local craft store. Look in the candle making section. Wax colors and scents available and relatively cheap, too!

[targetshootr]

I just got 12 lbs of beeswax and I'm ready to start making lube but the recipes I've seen in the stickys don't always mention hardness levels. I like the Magma lube I've been using in a Star sizer so I'd like to make something close to that for pistol calibers and the simpler the better. Suggestions?

[leftiye]

Sounds like maybe the wax in the crayons wasn't compatible?

[Bullshop]

targetshootr
The simplest to make and best all purpose lube I know of is of cource speed green.
By weight 3 to 1 bee's wax to bullplate lube. Mixes like coolaid and will not sepperate no matter how many times it is remelted. Fairly firm lube but will flow through a sizer without additional heat at normal room temp. It couldnt be more simple accept to buy form someone else.
BIC/BS

[Meatco1]

I like a fairly soft lube, and it's certainly easy to make.

1 lb Bee's wax
1 lb Parifin
1 lb. Vasoline
1 tbl spoon Johnstons paste wax
1 tbl spoon STP oil treatment
2 crayons (you pick the color)

This mix will fill up my mold board with 28 4.5" lube tubes, with about 30% left over. I just put a lid on the leftover, and use it with the next mix.

Oh Dan, you asked why anyone would go to the touble. Well, it's a hell of lot cheaper than buying from ANY maker, it works up to 2400 fps without problems, and I can sit down and read a book, watch TV, or be on the computer while it's in the dbl boiler, just getting up once in a while to stir.

Respects,

Richard

[vanilla_gorilla]

I really just dont get it. Why would anyone continue to go through the trouble.
There are other lubes soooo much easier to make and just as good, MAYBE BETTER!


Truth is, I would love to try your lubes and when I acquire a little bit of cash and the components to fully utilize them, I will. Right now, though, I barely had the $$$ together to buy the components for Felix lube. This is much the same reason that I finally started casting bullets in the first place. It came to a point where I could either find a cheaper way to have bullets, or else quit shooting. I had most of the necessary things on hand for casting, so that's what I did.

[Junior1942]

vanilla_gorilla, try my 411 or Pinko Commie *** lube. I've used it to 1900 fps in 12 twist 30-30 with zilch leading. Just pan lube or pour hot in your lube sizer. It's by volume 4 parts beeswax, 1 part Dexron ATF fluid, and 1 part lithium auto grease.

The lithium grease doesn't want to mix, so use a spatula and squeeze it against the side of the melting container. It'd be hard to find a lube which works as well as 411/PCF and is as easy and cheap to make.

It's purty and pink, too.

[dubber123]

For mixing, get one of those hand held blenders used for mixing drinks. I got a new Hamilton Beach one with attachments off Fee-bay for 7$. Cut 1/2 hour stirring time down to maybe a minute. The lube comes out much better too.

[Hardcast416taylor]

Try Saeco Green. 2 - 2 - 1, Beeswax then parafin then Stp all measured in lbs. Crayons in either green or you favorite color (several will do it). Makes a semi - hard lube, I`ve used it for both panning lube and sizers with a little heat (my whim) to make it go. :-D :castmine:

[keeber]

Made a bullet lube that someone had offered up a suggestion for,

1lb beeswax
14.5 oz tube of Lucas brand red and tacky bearing grease
4 oz paraffin

makes a rally slick solid lube, that pan lubes well, and is almost describable as waxy... Can't wait to shoot some and see how it does.

[randyrat]

targetshootr
The simplest to make and best all purpose lube I know of is of cource speed green.
By weight 3 to 1 bee's wax to bullplate lube. Mixes like coolaid and will not sepperate no matter how many times it is remelted. Fairly firm lube but will flow through a sizer without additional heat at normal room temp. It couldnt be more simple accept to buy form someone else.
BIC/BS BINGO or DITTO..... Just get some Bullshop sprueplate lube and make the lube plus using the sprue plate lube you'll make casting a pleasure. Of course by all means have fun and experiment with other lubes, but don't cast with out the sprue plate lube.

[Down South]

I let this guy make mine. Glen Larsen at White Label Lube. With so many irons in the fire, at $1.60 per stick it isn't worth my time. Down the road though....

http://www.lsstuff.com/lube/index.html

Shiloh

I do the same thing. Glen makes quality lube at a great price. I did entertain the idea of making my own lube and I've got all of the stuff to do it with stashed back. I just made another order to Glen a couple weeks ago. I've got enough lube squirreled away to last for years.

BTW, Bull Shop makes great lube too. I've used it with great results. I just needed a little harder lube for my application.

[jdgabbard]

Well, Once I got the crayon situation hammered out, I added a little more vaseline and got the consistency that I was looking for. However, don't try that lube on TL bullets. Its a disasterpiece.

[Tom Herman]

Hi Bullshop,

It's simple: SPG is over $30 a pound. I can make my own lube which is practically identical to it for $5 a pound.
It's also a hoot to make my own, the same reason why I cast and reload.

2 parts Paraffin Wax
2 parts Sheep Tallow
1 part Besswax

Happy Shootin'! -Tom


I really just dont get it. Why would anyone continue to go through the trouble.
There are other lubes soooo much easier to make and just as good, MAYBE BETTER!