Thinning Lee liquid alox

[3006mv]

i have used a few "drops/squirts" of WD40, I don't tumble lube a whole lot, it seemed to work pretty well and doesn't smell too bad.

[bradh]

Bottom of this page click on "LsStuff.com" and they just started selling Alox 45/45/10 this month, check it out!

[Wrbjr]

I bought a large jug of this green stuff.... was suspicious right off. Doesn't seem to mix well with Liquid Alox either. Going to get a "real" non-green supply tomorrow.

[rsrocket1]

I would further recommend using Oderless Mineral Spirits if you can find it. It stinks a whole lot less and isn't too much more expensive.

[GuyKickinit]

Bringing this thread back to life, because I have a bottle of LLA I got from Midway during the plannedemic that is near solid. I saw the recipe about using JPW, but, 1. No longer available, and 2. my LLA is solid already. Thinking about using Naphtha and mineral spirits to thin it. Naphtha is in the original solvent, or it identifies as Naphtha.
Being the LLA is so hard, I'm thinking 5% Naphtha, 20% mineral spirits as compared to the total volume.

will the Naphtha help, or am I over thinking it?

Plus use a .36 ball to mix it.

[725]

Home Depot reportedly has a similar product to JJP called Lundmark (I think I got that right). Mix a bunch of that in your LLA and drop a cast bullet in the jar / bottle. It will help when you shake it up for mixing. Mineral spirits, too.

[rsrocket1]

The strongest influence on thinning LLA is heat. Try scooping a piece from your bottle and placing it in a pan and heating it. You'll see that it becomes as runny as water or even thinner. You can warm up the LLA bottle by running it under the sink at high water temperature, squirt a bit into a ziplock bag full of boolits and massaging the bag until the boolits are coated. You'll see that less is better. Spread the boolits on the bottom of a cardboard box and overnight you will be ready to load.

[Shiloh]

Mineral spirits. Liquid Alox it too thick to use as is IMHO.
I like it the consitency close to warm syrup. Not hot, warm.

Shiloh

[Tall]

I used Lee Liquid Alox recently for the first time. It was liquid in the bottle and spread easily with a brush on my recently loaded 38 Colt short rounds. The bullet is heeled so all of the lube goes on the exposed part (IE outside lubricated). There are no lube grooves.

However I am not opposed to thinning it down. Auto part stores near me do not seem to have Johnson's Paste wax. They do have various other brands including Meguiar's 100% Carnauba wax. Seems like that would be a good substitute what do you think?

[trapper9260]

When I use 00 buck shot sized for use in my 30cals . I mix it with lighter fluid with it and yes some of it clump up ,but the fluid turn it into liquid .\t dry out good also after you let it sit . I normally do it that way I just load them the next day and give it over night to dry out .

[Gewehr-Guy]

I usually put my bottle of Alox in a tin can with water, and simmer on the stove until it returns to liquid, then dilute with mineral spirits.

[ACC]

Where can you find Johnson's Paste wax?

ACC

[Gewehr-Guy]

I heard it was discontinued, so this spring I went to our Tru Value hardware store, and I found their last can. Told him to see if he could order more, he looked and said none available.

Some other brand should be close enough to the product too work as a substitute.

[rsrocket1]

I used to use 45/45/10 of LLA/JPW/OMS but I heard there really isn't a need for the JPW other than it thickens and solidifies the lube on the bullet. When it does solidify, it feels like firm wax rather than semi-dried grease. It picks up less dust.

[GuyKickinit]

The LLA I was attempting to thin was the consistency of a cold candle. (brand new from midway during the demic)
I boiled some water in the microwave and let the LLA sit until I could reform the bottle to be round. The contents were still hard at 200 degrees. I grabbed my Ronsonol and gave a healthy squirt or 2, (very scientific) and added about an ounce of mineral spirits. I used a bamboo skewer to poke holes in the LLA, which was akin to using a tooth puck to poke a well-done London broil. After several minutes it began to loosen up. When it was loose enough, I dropped in 2 - 36 cal. balls and shook vigorously for several minutes. I shook the bottle as well. The consistency was like thick honey.
I grabbed my batch of 303 brit. HC with gas checks and applied in my container.
I was quite pleased with the outcome.

[Tall]

The LLA I was attempting to thin was the consistency of a cold candle. (brand new from midway during the demic)
I boiled some water in the microwave and let the LLA sit until I could reform the bottle to be round. The contents were still hard at 200 degrees. I grabbed my Ronsonol and gave a healthy squirt or 2, (very scientific) and added about an ounce of mineral spirits. I used a bamboo skewer to poke holes in the LLA, which was akin to using a tooth puck to poke a well-done London broil. After several minutes it began to loosen up. When it was loose enough, I dropped in 2 - 36 cal. balls and shook vigorously for several minutes. I shook the bottle as well. The consistency was like thick honey.
I grabbed my batch of 303 brit. HC with gas checks and applied in my container.
I was quite pleased with the outcome.

Huh that sounds like you got an old bottle of it. I got mine from Amazon it brushed on like this:

[GuyKickinit]

I think you may be right. I was just surprised that midway actually shipped it. I should have contacted them back then. But it all worked out.

[Engineer1911]

The Sleeping Giant has been awakened. Lube on.

[gloob]

I used to use 45/45/10 of LLA/JPW/OMS but I heard there really isn't a need for the JPW other than it thickens and solidifies the lube on the bullet. When it does solidify, it feels like firm wax rather than semi-dried grease. It picks up less dust.

This is exactly opposite. If alox is allowed to fully dry, it's harder than any floor wax. The problem is it takes a long time for alox to fully dry.

In addition to adding lighter weight solvents to it, the actual process of making 45/45/10 evaporates off some of the longer, less volatile chains in the alox. You don't actually need to add any other waxes to alox to make it work like 45/45/10. Just boil off the original heavy solvent and replace with mineral spirit.

Adding other waxes just stretches it out, if full alox temp/pressure resistance isn't needed. And it makes it soft enough to scoop chunks, if you use the heat method, rather than solvent. Pure alox is so hard when fully dried that you can hardly even cut it with a knife. But once sufficiently heated, it turns to liquid, just like any other wax. It's a bit higher melting point than beeswax.

[fn1889m]

I shoot pistol with bullets cast from range lead, which are relatively soft. Pretty much random alloy, but I know it’s not hard. My bullets are shot at velocities of 800 to 950 fps. My preference is simple floor wax thinned with OMS. If JPW is not available, then MinWax from the lumber yard also works. If MS is not available, then Coleman fuel works. I don’t think the specific wax or diluting media is that important at slower speeds in shorter barrels. I do pay attention to bullet diameter and throat diameter. Just my experience, but it’s nice to use what one has on hand.