How do you thin your Allox?

[ghh3rd]

I had a root canal this afternoon, so I figured I'd cast a few hundred more bullets while waiting for the pain to settle in, but it looks like I'm lucky cause it's not bad. This further reinforces my wife's notion that I'm crazy of course. After I get back from the Chiropracter (car accident, their fault), I think I'll make my first attempt at lubing the 400-500 bullets that I've cast so far.

I have a tube of Allox and understand that it can be mixed 50/50 with mineral spirits. Can I mix the entire tube with an equal amount of spirits and then store what I don't use today in something? If so, what do you use? Also, since it's dilluted, do you lube once, let it dry and apply a second coat? Any other tips?

This forum has sure been a springboard for me, I've learned so much. One thing that I did while casting was wait until just after the sprue turned gray and used my gloved hand to cut the sprue, quick and easy. Sure is quicker than hitting it with a wood mallet. Of course, I read about that on this forum. And the bull lube sure does work good (learned about it here).

Anyway, I degress -- thanks for any Allox lubing tips.

Randy

[mtgrs737]

Sure you can cut LLA with mineral spirits and then store it that way, you may want to go slow on the amount you use to thin it though 50% seems like a lot. However if you over thin it all you need to do is leave it open for a day or so and it will evaporate off the excess thinner. Use waxed paper to dry them and don't be worried if they are not coated perfect, it will work fine anyway. Good stuff, cheap, easy to use, and it works well, what more could we ask for? Good luck!

[Sprue]

Lots of people cut it with something. Myself (when I used to use it) I held the bottle under hot running water. I would then shake to verify thickness then apply to my boolits. 12-15 drops per 200 or so.

[looseprojectile]

I have used several small bottles of LLA, some are real thick and some are much thinner.
It's hard to quantify how much you can thin it and have it still work. [Viscosity meter?] I have thinned some of the thick stuff with an equal amount of thinner and some of the thin stuff with about a third thinner. The difference is probably, how old it is and how much it has dried out. I use barbeque lighter fluid for thinner cause it is cheap. I have not had a problem with leading or lube starvation yet. I load BPCR calibers, [smokeless powder loads], and magnum loads in .357 and .44mag. in rifles. Seems that it is hard to get it too thin.
Also I use a coating of paste wax on most of my TL boolits on top of the LLA.
It don't hurt and seems to help a lot. Some day I am going to try thinning some of the 50/50 stuff with another 50% thinner and see what it does. .22 LRs have a coating such as that would provide. All this is an attempt to find the amount of LLA that is just adequate. Others have said that they mix the LLA and paste wax and it works for them. Some say just paste wax alone works. I hope some of this works for you.

Life is good

[RayinNH]

Randy, you mentioned a tube of Alox. This Alox in tube form is meant to go in a lube sizer. If you want to thin it, you would need to heat it and add some type of oil I believe. If it's the liquid version in a bottle, then the suggestions already posted are correct...Ray

[Recluse]

I cut my LLA with Johnsons Paste Wax. Melt the JPW in an old dollar-store pot that you never plan to eat out of, then I use a little cheap funnel and pour the melted JPW in the LLA bottle.

Of course, first you have to pour out some of the LLA, but I have a lot of the bottles laying around the shop. I usually pour out just over half of the LLA, then add melted JPW--but I leave enough room in the LLA bottle to add about 10 percent mineral spirits.

While it's all warm, shake well and shake long.

When I go to use it, I grab my heat gun (blow dryer will also work), set it on lowest setting and then soften the LLA/JPW mix up until it shakes like water. Then I drizzle just a bit on the boolits, tumble thoroughly, then set on wax paper to dry.

Next I size them, then repeat lube/tumbling process. Applying the LLA/JPW mix warm gives me a very nice, light, even coat of lubricant. I've had zero leading in any of my handgun rounds including .357 magnum and .44 magnum. I've yet to "gum up" any of my seating dies using this mixture also.

:coffee:

[ghh3rd]

Thanks for the tips -- when I said a tube of Allox I should have said a bottle; I didn't know they have it in actual tubes.

Randy

[Slow Elk 45/70]

Good information and how to, thanks for sharing with those of us who have not tried these lube methods.
Thanks again.S.L.45/70:coffee:

[Shiloh]

I had a root canal this afternoon, so I figured I'd cast a few hundred more bullets while waiting for the pain to settle in, but it looks like I'm lucky cause it's not bad. This further reinforces my wife's notion that I'm crazy of course. After I get back from the Chiropracter (car accident, their fault), I think I'll make my first attempt at lubing the 400-500 bullets that I've cast so far.

I have a tube of Allox and understand that it can be mixed 50/50 with mineral spirits. Can I mix the entire tube with an equal amount of spirits and then store what I don't use today in something? If so, what do you use? Also, since it's dilluted, do you lube once, let it dry and apply a second coat? Any other tips?

This forum has sure been a springboard for me, I've learned so much. One thing that I did while casting was wait until just after the sprue turned gray and used my gloved hand to cut the sprue, quick and easy. Sure is quicker than hitting it with a wood mallet. Of course, I read about that on this forum. And the bull lube sure does work good (learned about it here).

Anyway, I degress -- thanks for any Allox lubing tips.

Randy

50/50 might be a little thin. but hey, if there is no leading what the heck.
I have some at the 50/50 ratio. it is used for lubing bore riding rifle boolit noses before sizing and gas-checking in the lubrisizer.

For the record though, a little goes a long way and all that is needed for adequate lubrication. A THIN coat is all that is needed. As stated in one of the above posts,
even if they are not 100% covered with lube, they still work fine. The gooeyness and failure to dry properly is usually due to putting it on too thick.

Shiloh :castmine: