Basic Lube Question

I am very new to bullet casting. And on my own. In fact, the very first time I plugged in my pot was last night. I melted wheel weights. Casting for .45 Colt and .44 Spl for 800 to 950 FPS. Have been reloading for a few years and want to cut another cord. Just trying to figure out all my steps.

That said, I have collected some odds and ends. 2 mould, the Lee sizing dies, and I have some vintage hard cylinders of Lee Alox, the little tin pans, and hand Lee sizers in a kit I picked up in a pawnshop for almost nothing. I realize this is not mass production, but I’m learning, so....

I have a LARGE block of hard (CX ski) wax. Can this be melted and mixed with the Alox, bees wax, solvent, or Johnson’s to make a lube for pan sizing? Or tumbling? In a Goodwill pot on the stove? And once melted, will it stay soft or liquid if I mix in some solvent?

Or should I just get liquid Alox for now?
Sorry if I Sound like an idiot, but I don’t know anyone else who casts.









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I don't know what is in the ski wax, so would avoid using it. If you have the Lee stick Alox, that is 50-50 Alox and synthetic beeswax, intended for use in a lubricator-sizer. If you want to soften that lube to make it easier to use for pan lubing you can melt and blend it with an equal part by melted liquid volume with Vaseline or petrolatum. I would melt both in a double-boiler taking precautions against fire, as both are flammable.

The Lee Liquid Alox is well suited for low velocity revolver loads under 1000 fps or in cowboy rifle loads below 1300 fps. A very thin coating, just enough to turn the bullets a uniform brassy color is all that is needed. It is unnecessary to fill conventional lube grooves with LLA, a light coating over the entire bullet does best.

Where are you - someone may be
nearby and can help you.

Otherwise, read more here. It's all here
but you have to take the time to study
this fine site.

I'd just get liquid alox for that application.

Look at Ben’s Liquid Lube Just do a search.

Pan lubing is a messy slow process IMHO.

Ski wax is just wax. But it has different levels of hardness, sorted by color. It’s probably not any different than candlewax, and is melted before being applied. But it is fairly hard.

I will buy Alox to start with. Thank you.


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Any wax base can be used. I would have to do the research to find out its make up. That said there are numerous home brew recipes that will fit your bill and you all ready have some tubes of Alox. A tube of lube goes a long ways.

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I have more bees wax than I need for fly fishing. So I might try a 50/50 mix of ski wax and bees wax. Just to see. I am good with the cookie cutters. The LGS did not have Alox.

It takes a while to melt WW in that little mini mag pot. But I have enough lead to cast now. Did some Goodwill shopping for pans and spoons. Excited to start.


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Dont forget to add some lubricant to the wax. A little bit vaseline or mineral oil will help soften the wax if its too hard giving it more smooth putty like texture. Really any oil will work i like castor oil (pharmacy grade) or Dexron 3 transmission fluid.

If you want an easier route you can go equal parts grease to wax. Like Moly grease or the red high temp stuff.

Soap lubes come in high regard for temp extremes. If the lub melts it foul the powder. Soap lubes remain soft but dont melt readily. 6/6/6 +1 and SL68-B come with very high praise. I use SL68-B and havent tried the 6/6/6+1.

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your ski wax is likely paraffin based...problem is, if you are not sure...then who knows what it is?
Also it could also contain; dye, rubber, rosin, resin, colophony, and Perfluorocarbons (according with the Wiki link)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ski_wax
So, like Outpost75 said, I would avoid using it, save it for the Skis.

If you think you just have to use some of that ski wax, I will state my opinion that Paraffin has some positive purposes in a boolit lube recipe if the percentage isn't too high. Myself, I wouldn't add more than 10% paraffin to a recipe.

A very good simple lube is 50% beeswax and 50% vasoline (plain unscented variety). You can adjust the percentages (by 5 or 10 points) for a softer lube for pan lubing.

There is lot's more, that I could go into about boolit Lube, but since you are new, I won't overwhelm you with tons of info...but as FredBuddy said, it's all here (in the archives), just start searching/reading when you are ready to go in a certain direction.

Johnson paste was is great by itself for slow moving boolits. Just put a bit into a disposable cup and tumble lube the boolits, and let them dry at least overnight.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Outpost75

I don't know what is in the ski wax, so would avoid using it. If you have the Lee stick Alox, that is 50-50 Alox and synthetic beeswax, intended for use in a lubricator-sizer. If you want to soften that lube to make it easier to use for pan lubing you can melt and blend it with an equal part by melted liquid volume with Vaseline or petrolatum. I would melt both in a double-boiler taking precautions against fire, as both are flammable.

The Lee Liquid Alox is well suited for low velocity revolver loads under 1000 fps or in cowboy rifle loads below 1300 fps. A very thin coating, just enough to turn the bullets a uniform brassy color is all that is needed. It is unnecessary to fill conventional lkube grooves with LLA, a light coating over the entire bullet does best.

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Agree with Outpost......this is the best way to get started. LLA was brought out to replace the pan lube method. Done correctly, as Outpost describes, LLA will work well for you.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Larry Gibson

Agree with Outpost......this is the best way to get started. LLA was brought out to replace the pan lube method. Done correctly, as Outpost describes, LLA will work well for you.

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Will try. Thanks.


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