Mixing Lube - by weight or by volume?

[bedbugbilly]

This may be a "rehash" but I can't find the answer in my search.

I've read the sticky on lubes - some give formulas by "weight" and some by "volume".

To simplify - if a formula is 50% beeswax and 50% Crisco (to keep it simple) . . . .

Should it be mixed by weight

8 ounces of beeswax
8 ounces of Crisco

Or by volume

1/2 cup beeswax (melted in liquid form)
1/2 cup Crisco (melted in liquid form)

For those of you with a better chemistry background than I have . . .

If you mixed a batch by weight and a batch by volume . . .

would the results be the same? I.E. would the consistency or "hardness" (for want of a better word) be the same once the lube is cooled? (I'm assuming the contents of the lube would affect this?)

I'm getting ready to make up some lube for black powder cartridges - the formula I am looking at is approximately 50% natural beeswax, 40% Crisco and 10% oil (varies - olive oil, canola, lanolin - depends not he formula to be followed). The percentages are given but no indication if it is by weight or volume.

I know this has probably been discussed many times - so apologize if it's a "repeat". The sticky here is very specific at times in giving by weight or by volume - I just wished that when formulas are given it was specified - or does it not make a difference which way it is done?

Many thanks!

[Wingnutt]

I don't consider lube formulas as being exactly correct in measurement for the bullet lube to work. Unless a recipe calls for volume as in cups or fluid ounces, I weigh my ingredients. The specific gravity of most all lube ingredients fall in a practical range to use either weight or volume measurements. I don't consider handling of hot melted ingredients to measure volume a safe thing to do.

When I weigh my ingredients for a % ratio, it is easier to keep records and to adjust the ratios by weight if I want to add or take away a small ratio of an ingredient.....

[Bullshop]

I don't know about other lubes but mixing Speed Green the ratio is 3 bees wax to 1 Bullplate by weight. If mixed by volume it will be too soft.
I personally mix all my lubes by actual weight to maintain lot to lot consistency.

[TenTea]

By weight seems easier for me since three of my four ingredients come in pre-measured packaging which fits the recipe.
I weigh the bulk beeswax chunks on an old kitchen scale.

Vaseline = 1 pound container
Paraffin = 1 pound block (in quarters like butter!)
Ivory Soap = 3 ounce bar (just right)
Beeswax = 1 weighed pound

[bedbugbilly]

Thank you fellas - greatly appreciate the information. I'll do it by weight.

I'm also not too keen on doing it by liquid measurement. I would melt the beeswax and crisco in a double boiler but it makes sense to do the components by weight - it seems like a pretty messy job to do it by volume (liquid). I'll try a small batch of it first, keep good notes and then if it works O.K., will make a larger batch.

Thanks again!

[runfiverun]

you could mix by eye-ball too.
a lump of b-wax and a chunk of Crisco just slightly smaller mix and let cool for a day.
then adjust with the oil[s] afterwards in a second re-melt.
this insures you get the same consistency no matter what your wax is like.

oddly b-wax weighs the same melted and hardened.

[220swiftfn]

Thank you fellas - greatly appreciate the information. I'll do it by weight.

I'm also not too keen on doing it by liquid measurement. I would melt the beeswax and crisco in a double boiler but it makes sense to do the components by weight - it seems like a pretty messy job to do it by volume (liquid). I'll try a small batch of it first, keep good notes and then if it works O.K., will make a larger batch.

Thanks again!

THere was a formula that I followed that was by volume, I just used a canning jar as the "double" part of the boiler (they have the fluid oz. molded into the side, close enough for me....)


Just a thought...

Dan