xlox and JPW 50-50 and very thin, problems?

I just got my first order of xlox (alox) and mixed it 50-50 with JPW. I have read the stickie abot the 45-45-10 but don't understand why you want to cook off the solvents in the JPW then add mineral spirits. I heated the jpw and mixed in with the xlow, shook up, let cool a day, and shook again. It is about the consistency of cheap catchup(sp). Is this normal? Do I need to cook it down a bit and add the mineral sprirts?

Planning to load these lubes (9mm, .45, .38/.357) this weekend. Already sized and waiting.

Thanks for all the input! This is a great forum!

I have not done the Xlox/JPW but my guess is that the cookdown and add back of mineral spirits is a quest for consistency from batch to batch ....and reloader tendencies to over complicate things :^). I do know that the solvents will evaporate anyway but it may take a bit longer than if you cooked down and added a precise amount back. Straight JPW can be rubbed onto boolits without heating and will dry.-That I have done.

you are taking out the solvents that keep the jpw soft and smooshy.
and then you replace them with mineral spirits which evaporates, leaving the lube dry.
it also cuts the xlox into a useable liquid.

Follow the directions. They're there for a reason.

Gear

Quote:

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Originally Posted by runfiverun

you are taking out the solvents that keep the jpw soft and smooshy.
and then you replace them with mineral spirits which evaporates, leaving the lube dry.
it also cuts the xlox into a useable liquid.

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That makes sense. I tumbled a few tonight to see what they felt like. Not as sticky as the regular snot. Were drying alright after about 5 hours but still tacky. I will try to cook down the mix a little bit tomorrow. I wonder how much I should cook it down? Will give it another try tomorrow. I wonder if lacquer thinner would evaporate too quickly for the mix??

It should be more like the consistency of pudding. It works real well but you need to make it right.

heat it up until melted.
heat the boolits up too then apply the lube with a fork.
if the lube stays a bit tacky it needs a bit more of the solvents taken off.
mine dries and feels like the wax coating on 22 lr rounds.
it generally dries in about 2 hours.
and i let them sit overnight at least before loading.

Apply the lube with a fork? Why not tumble them? I can't picture using a fork.

I think he means to use a fork to dribble a bit of lube into the container for tumbling.

You need to learn to speak "Run"!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by runfiverun

heat it up until melted.
heat the boolits up too then apply the lube with a fork.
if the lube stays a bit tacky it needs a bit more of the solvents taken off.
mine dries and feels like the wax coating on 22 lr rounds.
it generally dries in about 2 hours.
and i let them sit overnight at least before loading.

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Ahh, now I have a time reference. Will do some some more cooking today then. Will shoot for the pudding phase.

cooking down the jpw takes a little time you'll actually see the 'steam' come off.
don't breathe it.
but about 30% reduction by volume is about right.
no big deal you haven't ruined the batch.
just heat it up again for a few minutes.

you know when you have it as the lube will dry out between uses.
I throw a little more mineral spirits in when it does that.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by runfiverun

cooking down the jpw takes a little time you'll actually see the 'steam' come off.
don't breathe it.
but about 30% reduction by volume is about right.
no big deal you haven't ruined the batch.
just heat it up again for a few minutes.

you know when you have it as the lube will dry out between uses.
I throw a little more mineral spirits in when it does that.

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Whew, thought I ruined it. Will simmer it this afternoon when I can open a window.

Just remember when cooking it that the vapors are extremely flammable. No open flame. You can even have a fire from an electric hot plate. Ask me how I know this.

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Originally Posted by GaryN

Just remember when cooking it that the vapors are extremely flammable. No open flame. You can even have a fire from an electric hot plate. Ask me how I know this.

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It sounds like you have first hand knowledge. No open flame here, not even an open element. Glass top range, easier to clean up, too. So I am headed for the pudding stage? Is that when it is warm or cool. I wonder how hot I should get it? I guess I will treat it like baked beans, low heat for most of the day, well, about 20 min. I will just keep an eye to the vapors. I did see some when I melted the JPW.

I will keep a lid and wet dish towel handy just in case.

Get it melted and not much hotter than that.
If time allows leaving the can open for a period of time will do the same. May take a few months but it will let the solvents evaporate.

I made this stuff using Directions and mine came out almost like a lube stick (once it cooled). I was worried I had made it wrong so I posted on here and was told thats the way it was suppose to work! Never looked back and have had no problems!! This stuff for Tumble Lubing works GREAT!!

Ok, I got the blend cooked down, warm like smooth chocolate, cooled down, hardend up like chocolate too. Had trouble scraping it with putty knife. Warmed it up a bit, poured into bottle, let it cool there. Not it is hard as a brick bat! also, I have less than 1/2 the volume of what I had to start with. I mixed 16 oz of xlox, and 16 ox of JPW now I have about 10oz of a tar like brick.

boy did I learn my lesson. Next time I will just order the 45-45-10 from LLS. This was so not worth it. Thaks for trying to help an old hard head, everyone. Guess I will use the straight Lee mule snot.

just add some mineral spirits to the warmed up lube.
you want it semi hard when it dries in the container [that is what it does on the boolits too] or you just end up with a sticky mess on the boolits and in your seating die.
the mineral spirits evaporating is what dries the lube out.

I'll give that a try. thanks, right now, it is a tar brick.