Make your own lube sticks

[TexRebel]

So Tex Rebel I stole your idea and started to build one of your set-ups last night. I will post a pic when I get it done. I am just sick of being in the middle of a nice sizing run and run out of lube.

Thanks

Help your self my friend, BTW I spray the tubes and pins with cheap pam type stuff from the dollar store to make the lube easy to push out of the tubes

[kbstenberg]

I am a newby to casting also. But I have been wondering why anyone hasn't increased the lube reservoir to hold more?

[ph4570]

Looks like a clone of my setup. It works well for me. My setup has 4 hollows and 8 solids for the lyman and star respectively.

[Tom W.]

And it looks just like what was on the Cabin Tree website. Which is where I got my idea..

[selmerfan]

So, with inspiration from TexRebel's pictorial, I decided to melt all of my speed green concoction down and turn it into lube sticks yesterday. I bought a 10 foot length of 1" PVC and a 1 5/16" bit. I used a piece of scrap wood to use as a base and used round pencils to leave a center hole. I wish I would have taken pictures. As I was setting all of this up and chamfering the PVC to fit in the base holes, I managed to knock the pan with half-melted lube off the hot plate and onto myself and the floor, I wasn't hurt, but lost some lube. Then for some reason the PVC didn't all fit in the holes well, so I ended up with fewer molds than intended, so I decided to make one huge one, as in 3 1/2 feet long. I got it set in the base, forgot to spray it with Pam, and poured in the lube. As I was pouring I realized I forgot the Pam, ****! So I decided to let it partially cool (it was single digits in the garage where I was working), cut it into lengths, push a hole through with a pencil, then try to figure out how to get it loose. Well, as you can imagine, cutting it to lengths left pieces of PVC in the lube on each end, so I scraped a layer out with a knife, looking good! Then I decided to try to heat up the tube to get it to release. So...I got out the 3/4" deep well socket to push the lube stick out with and got out the torch. I carefully applied intense heat all over the PVC, pushed down, and Voila! No fire, just a lube stick pushed out and looking great! So, I have 20 sticks of lube now, but it was definitely a learning process. Not sure if it's worth doing it again, I have always previously melted a small portion of my lube block and poured it into the reservoir, but I won't have to do that for a looonnnggg time. And the kicker is, that 10 foot length of 1" PVC was on sale for $1.99 for the whole thing. I thought it was a little strange, but it says 1" PVC, so it will be fine, right? Nope, it has thinner walls and it's about 1/16" too big for my 4500 reservoir, so a layer of lube shears off when I put them in. Well, you live and learn, right? I'll probably just get the 4500 nice and hot before inserting the lube stick, then it should melt and go in well, at least that's the plan! Thanks for inspiring me to screw around with stuff and learn. My man cave is completely filled with my daughter's bedroom furniture and the family den furniture after a water pipe broke almost two weeks ago, so I was going stir crazy - I needed a project! I should have it back on Monday or Tuesday after the carpet goes in...

[alamogunr]

And it looks just like what was on the Cabin Tree website. Which is where I got my idea..

+1 See link below for pictures and instructions.

http://www.castingstuff.com/lead_sme...ube_making.htm

It has been out there for several years.

John
W.TN

[cajun shooter]

Go to any Home Depot, or Lowe's and purchase a 3/4 or so wooden dowel rod. Cut you a lube pusher from that. Tex-Rebel, I was not putting down on your posting as I think it was very well done. I did not see where you said anything about spraying the inside of the PVC before use. If this is not done that lube will hurt you before it comes out. I was only trying to add the info before someone messed up.

[DragoonDrake]

Please pardon the order of the pictures. This is my first time posting pictures. So this is my new homemade single cavity mold. I did not have any spray so I did not pre pam the tube. I luckily did not have any sticking issues. This is becky's bad ass lube.

Thank you very much Tex for starting this thread. I am so glad I did this. I am going to have to get some more spikes and make this a multi-cavity mold. It looks like I have enough space to do so. I used the spare spike and washer to remove the lube stick.

Please comment and critize so I can further improve this.

Adam

[kyle623]

I did the same thing as Texreb , but i found some split tubing, lika a cover for florescent lights to put inside the pvc. Lube comes right out of the pvc and you just unwrap the sleave off it.

[ph4570]

After casting the lube I put the PVC sections in the freezer. After about an hour, take the out of the freezer and the lube stick can be easily removed with the use of a wooden dowel. I spray nothing into the PVC prior to casting. Effectiveness of this method would likely vary with lube recipe. Mine is felix.

[Swede44mag]

TexRebel: You didn't say what your lube recipe is. Inquiring minds need to know.
Interesting approach to lube sticks.
I use a Star it is one Bitch to get the pressure assembly out and back in to put in a lube stick.
I have two and cuss them every time I have to put in a new stick of lube.

[1hole]

"I am like Ben, I just pour mine right into the reservoir.."

+1. For some 45 years.

I make my lube in a steel coffee can with a plastic snap-on lid to keep it clean in storage. When I need a refill, I set the can on the stove at low heat until enough has melted to pour out through a clean funnel.

[TexRebel]

Swede, my recipe is a very old and proven mix, 2 lbs Bees Wax, 6 oz Johnsons Paste wax, 1/2 lb parafin wax, and 2 oz of ATF for luck

[AZ-JIM]

Very nice, cheap and efficient. I have been thinking about how to do this for a little while now and must say this is a much better setup than what I was thinking of using.

az-jim

[altheating]

I have made the same device for making the lube sticks. To keep the hot lube from leaking out the bottom where it meets the wooden base wrap electrical tape around the bottom of the PVC to form a seal. You can very the number of wraps around the PVC to get the right fit. When you are ready to pull the tubes from the base just give them a half turn to loosen the stick from the base. The PVC tube and the nail will pill from the block. Put the pointed end of the nail into a vise and pull. No lube (PAM) needed to ease the seperation of the lube stick from the PVC. Make sure you wrap the sticks in wax paper to keep them clean.