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Cadillo
09-23-2009, 08:53 PM
I have one of the current crop of Lyman Lubrisizers that accepts the plug in heating element. Previously I have used the tool without the heater using lubes that required no heat, but wanting to try a lube that would leave the bullets less sticky, I obtained some of Lyman's Orange Magic and today I tried it using the heater.

Once the tool heats up, any pressure applied to the lube reservoir causes lube to leak from underneath the tool and via both the top and bottom of the sizing die. In fact it leaked so badly that there wasn't even enough pressure on the sizer to lube the bullet. I cleaned the mess off the tool during which time it cooled considerably. At that temperature, the lube flowed correctly and did not leak, which leads me to believe that the heating element, which has no temperature control, simply gets too hot to use with this lube and the tool. I'm wondering whether any of you have any experience using the Lyman Lubrisizer with heat, and if so what gadget, method, etc. you might have found to apply enough, but not too much heat to keep the harder lubes flowing without causing problems asssociated with too much heat.

Once the tool cooled down some and the lube was still flowing well, the results were very good, and the lube left the bullets well lubed and without any mess or feeling of stickiness. As it continued to cool further, the lube stopped flowing and I couldn't lube any more bullets. Clearly the proper heat range for this set up lies about halfway between on and off with the Lyman heating element, which is not adjustable.

Any advice regarding how to properly heat the Luybrisizer would be appreciated!

sundog
09-23-2009, 09:02 PM
Ah-ha, the unexact SCIENCE or hard loobs! First off, Orange Magic (OM) is pretty good stuff for a hard loob. As far as hard loobs go....

And then the exact SCIENCE of hard loob heaters.

Dimmer switches, rheostats, timers, whatever. Hook it to a power strip and after it's up to temp every few minutes turn it off and every few minutes turn it on. After you have done about a bazillion boolits you will have your timing down pat.

mold maker
09-23-2009, 09:12 PM
If you use a quality light dimmer, you will learn to use it like a thermostat. Set and forget.

Cadillo
09-23-2009, 09:13 PM
Thanks!

GP100man
09-23-2009, 09:51 PM
i have older style 450s & use a heat lamp to heat it varying distance or shuttin off the lite to controll temp.

waco
09-23-2009, 10:37 PM
midwayusa.com sells a very nice lube heater that is compatible with a wide range of lube sizers.
including lyman
it HAS an adjustable temp. built in.
i grabbed mine on sale for around $30.00...(several years ago)
it has never failed me with any lube
hope this helps
waco

Echo
09-24-2009, 02:32 AM
It is easy to build a temperature control with a light dimmer, using a plastic electrical box, a dimmer, a 2-gang socket, a face plate, and a 6' electric cord. All for maybe $10. Wire it up with one socket feeding from the dimmer, the other straight through. With experience you will learn how high to put the control.

Or you could do as I do and use a drop light next to the loober.

Shiloh
09-24-2009, 04:38 AM
Saw one on the internet, a homemade job consisting of a thrift store clothes iron set on a piece of scrap aluminum under the lubrisizer. I'll probably copy this one.

Shiloh

Bob.
09-24-2009, 09:17 AM
Just made up a heater control for a home made Star heater.
Cheap 600 watt light dimmer, a 4 square box and raised cover.
The heater is from a small 4 cup coffee maker, I fabricated a cover from some old sheet metal used for ductwork.
Found this old thermometer with probe that has a high / low reading and even has a warning beeper if if the temp gets out of the programmable temp limits. Heat goes from room temp to 160 degree then the bimetal limit switch left on the heating element keeps it from going over 160. Don't need that high of temp for lube flow but 120 degree makes the dies push right out by hand.

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b376/BobMKIII/100_2337.jpg

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b376/BobMKIII/100_2340.jpg

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b376/BobMKIII/100_2339.jpg

Guesser
09-24-2009, 09:43 AM
I bought a Midway heater when they first came out, easy learning curve and works well under my 450. When I want to hurry the initial warm up I use a heat gun to warm the die area and it gets me going in no time.

2ndAmendmentNut
09-24-2009, 10:00 AM
Cadillo,
I have the same heating thing under one of my RCBS lube sizers. If I leave it on to long the same leaks happen to me. I plug the thing in for about 25min or until the lube states to flow (different lubes will vary), then I unplug it and do not plug it back in until I notice the lube handle getting a little hard to turn. There is a small learning curve, but it works for me and it is worth it to be able to use a non sticky lube. When I am done I take the pressure of the lube, that way next time when I heat it up I do not have lube leak everywhere should I forget about it.

Good luck!

epj
09-24-2009, 10:06 AM
Cadillo,
I have the same heating thing under one of my RCBS lube sizers. If I leave it on to long the same leaks happen to me. I plug the thing in for about 25min or until the lube states to flow (different lubes will vary), then I unplug it and do not plug it back in until I notice the lube handle getting a little hard to turn. There is a small learning curve, but it works for me and it is worth it to be able to use a non sticky lube. When I am done I take the pressure of the lube, that way next time when I heat it up I do not have lube leak everywhere should I forget about it.

Good luck!
I had the very same trouble last night with the Lyman heater and Carnauba Red. I forgot I had the heater plugged in and suddenly found lube flowing a bit too freely. As previously mentioned, about 20-25 minutes is plenty and plug back in when the lube starts getting stiff.

Cadillo
09-24-2009, 03:15 PM
First off, thanks to all for their ideas! What I have done so far is this. As suggested by one of you, I placed a piece of aluminum under the lubrisizer. In this case it was an aluminum case lube rack, which extends about ten inches behind the tool. I then placed the clothes iron on the plate and set it for "Synthetics". After a few minutes everything heated up and loosened up. The temp was just right and I lubed about 300 bullets, which is a normal sitting for me. No leaks or problems of any kind.

While somewhat crude, this works perfectly. I will continue to use it until I can fabricate the dimmer switch temp control as suggested by another. Again, thanks to all. I knew that you guys would be able to get me rolling.

Regards,
Cadillo

TAWILDCATT
09-24-2009, 03:16 PM
with all the post about Harbor freight router speed control, I would think some on here would remember it.I am using one on my electric pot.$15 come with cords and built in box.makes a neet set up.some of you have more money than brains.
every thing is out there is you just look for it.:violin:[smilie=1::coffeecom

Bob.
09-24-2009, 04:26 PM
with all the post about Harbor freight router speed control, I would think some on here would remember it.I am using one on my electric pot.$15 come with cords and built in box.makes a neet set up.some of you have more money than brains.every thing is out there is you just look for it.:violin:[smilie=1::coffeecom

I just checked out the router control that is an easy set up to control a lube heater.
My whole set up heater and control was less then $12, junk coffee maker, scrap peice of sheet metal, used recept and an old electrical cord the female end was bad on.
The dimmer was $9 , box and cover less then $3 .
Some of us have more junk then money ;)

Bob.

mrbill2
09-24-2009, 08:48 PM
This works for me.

StarMetal
09-24-2009, 08:58 PM
I got myself a suitable piece of aluminum plate that was thick enough and bolted my Lyman luber/sizer on top one end of it on the bench and had a leg of it off the side of the Lyman and just set my wifes spare iron on it. This iron has dial on it from off up through 10. I set it on 3 to initially warm up the Lyman, then dial it back to 1 and it never gets too hot as to melt the lube watery thin. Cost me nothing but the time to mount it.

Joe

calaloo
09-25-2009, 08:29 AM
Several years ago I saw, online, a DIY article on building a heater by milling grooves in an aluminum plate and installing resistors in the grooves. Does anyone know where this information can be found? I have Googled some with no luck but will keep trying.

badgeredd
09-25-2009, 09:06 AM
Just made up a heater control for a home made Star heater.
Cheap 600 watt light dimmer, a 4 square box and raised cover.

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b376/BobMKIII/100_2337.jpg]

I've been using a very similar setup to control my heater temp to avoid the leakage. Cheap and effective. I also took a felt marker and marked (after some experimentation) the optimal setting for my lube. Works great and again...CHEAP!!!!!!

Edd

Bob.
09-25-2009, 09:52 AM
I've been using a very similar setup to control my heater temp to avoid the leakage. Cheap and effective. I also took a felt marker and marked (after some experimentation) the optimal setting for my lube. Works great and again...CHEAP!!!!!!

Edd

This one worked out that pointing straight up at the cover screw was about the right temp.
Yep the price was right too,, [smilie=s:

Bob.

sleeper1428
09-25-2009, 12:49 PM
I bought a Midway heater when they first came out, easy learning curve and works well under my 450. When I want to hurry the initial warm up I use a heat gun to warm the die area and it gets me going in no time.

I bought one of those when they first came out, have used it for well over 20 years and am still pleased with the way it works and how easy it is to get it set up. I really like the ability to adjust the temp and how once you find the proper temp for a given lube all you have to do is go back to that setting to get repeatable results. A few months ago I found another one, a used one, on eBay and got it for what I felt was a reasonable price considering what I paid for my first one and the way prices have gone over the past 20+ years. Now I have my Lyman 450 set up on the original heater and my fairly new RCBS Lubamatic set up on the second one.

One thing that I've learned over the years is that it's best to treat these heaters just the way you do your melting pot. By that I mean that when I decide to do some lubing/sizing I turn on the heater, set it for the lube that's in the lube/sizer and then I go have a cup of coffee or do something else for the next 30-45min. That gives the heater plenty of time to work and by the time I come back the lube in the lube/sizer is up to temp and I can just sit down and get to work. I do use a heat gun when I want to change lubes in one of my lube/sizers. It helps to get all the old lube out fairly quickly so that I can change over to the next lube.

sleeper1428

kamikaze1a
09-25-2009, 07:37 PM
Several years ago I saw, online, a DIY article on building a heater by milling grooves in an aluminum plate and installing resistors in the grooves. Does anyone know where this information can be found? I have Googled some with no luck but will keep trying.

"Resistance wire" is what you seek...do a search under that term.

calaloo
09-26-2009, 07:34 AM
kamikaze1a

No, the design used several resistors in series placed into the milled grooves. As you probably know a resistor creates heat when it drops the voltage. I spent a couple hours yesterday looking for the plans to no avail. It was a very neat, compact design, I wish I could find it.

hornady
09-26-2009, 04:02 PM
Great idea on the light dimmer, I hooked one up to the receptacle, to my Lyman lube/sizer heater, I also bought a cheap chuckless Drill at Wally world for $15.00 to clean primer pockets. With the dimmer. I can lock the Drill in the on position, and control the speed. I chuck the RCBS primer brush in the drill and it works great for cleaning primer pockets.

Circuit Rider
09-27-2009, 04:17 AM
Bob, Saw your setup, went to Home Depot, got the pieces and had it hooked up in an hour. Have a Lyman heater under my Saeco sizer and your setup worked great. Thanks, Circuit Rider:castmine:

Cadillo
10-04-2009, 10:25 PM
Just to follow up. I purchased at Router Speed Control off Amazon.com and routed the Lyman heater through it. The control has a dial with settings from one to ten. I now set it on seven and let the Lubrisizer warm for forty minutes and it works perfectly with the Lyman Orange Magic Lube I am now using. Good easy flow and fill with no leakage.

The hard lube makes the bullets much easier to handle and load without stickiness.

Thanks to all who offered opinions experiences etc.