Star issue

[Nick Quick]

OK, so I started using my Star lubesizer for the first time after I bought it used from a gent here on buy/sell. The machine is awesome and even tho is looking like the old model it cycle great.
The only issue I have is adjusting the darn punch height so I won't have lube on top of the bullet.
Now please let me know if in my steps I did any mistake so I can correct it.

After an initial trial I realized I need to remove the die to inspect which holes are plugged. Well, none were plugged so I said it's gonna be easy. I plugged the top and bottom holes with 7 1/2 shot and let just the middle holes open.
Then I put the die back and start fiddling with the punch height. Here I start hitting snags. First I had lots of green lube (that was already in the machine when I bought it) on the tip of the bullet. I unscrewed the punch to make it longer.
Even I did it in small steps and then tried it over and over I still couldn't fix the issue.
At a certain point I unscrewed the punch to much so I could see using a flashlight that the grease was coming up on the bottom of the last bullet inside the die. I was actually looking at the lube coming out and forming a thin lube wire. So I said I'd screw it back a little so no lube should come out on the bullet base. Fixed the lube coming out on the base but I still had all the bullets with lube on the tip.
Kept playing over and over even firing up the heater and keeping it at just a warmish temperature and not boiling the heck out of the lube.
No matter what I tried after 500 bullets I couldn't fix the issue.

Few mentions to make:
-I added red lube from LLA stuff (BAC) so at a certain point I had green and red mixed together
-I tried to keep a constant pressure in the lube tube, not to big not to small. I don't have the air pressure on it.
-bullets have one single grove(Magma mold, .38 cal 124gr)

My observation is that the lack of constant adequate pressure may be a decisive detail in the lubing process. At times when (is just a guess) the pressure was right I almost had perfect lubed bullets but lasted for just 3-4 bullets. After that the mess came back again.
I just don't know what am I doing wrong so any input will be much appreciated.
I'll post few pictures for a better understanding of what am I talking about.

These are the first trial. Total disaster.


These are after I plugged the top and bottom holes and fiddling with the punch height.




These are the "best" I could get. Please let me know if my "best" looks good enough.


And these are the 500 bullets after I finished all the adjustments I could find. Would you load them or I should melt them back and start allover again.



Thank you in advance for input.
Nick

[VHoward]

I would go ahead and use them. How I adjust the punch depth is, while I have the die out of the machine and the punch out of the machine, I hold an unsized bullet next to the sizing die with the lube groove lined up with the holes you are going to use. Put the punch on top of the base of the bullet making sure the lube groove is still lined up and mark on the side of the punch with a sharpie where the top of the die is. Now install the punch and die in the star and pull the handle until it does not put the punch down any further. Look for the mark you made and then adjust the punch until it is lined up with the top of the die. This will get you real close if not spot on. After you get the lube groove lined up, you need to adjust temp and pressure. The warmer you make the lube, the less pressure needed. Depending on if it is a hot day or a cold day I adjust the temp between 90 and 110 degrees Fahrenheit. I would try at 100 degrees and then experiment with pressure. It is a steep learning curve, but once you figure it out, machine set up is a snap.

[MT Chambers]

If you've tried adjusting both up and down and still no love..,......could be too much heat and/or too much pressure, or your bullet is undersize of the die. I'd turn the heat right down and try your adj. again.......if I get lube on the nose, I set the top punch DOWN.

[Nick Quick]

Ok, after I fiddled and tried everything I could think of the result is still the same. Maybe a bit worst. No way I can set up the machine to do a proper job. I ended up sizing and lubing a bullet, then take it in my hand and wipe the excess lube then put it in the plastic container. One by one is not the way the machine was intended to work neither my intention to size and lube bullets. But that's all I could come up with.
Took the die out at least 8 times. Read the suggestion here, watch the video, improvise and everything in between. Nothing seems to work.
There are few things I'm willing to try before ditching the idea of using the machine as a luber. I plan on trying the few more things I am thinking of and then if is not working I will use the machine just to size and find an alternative way to lube the bullets.
Tomorrow I will buy a dimmer switch and install it on the heater wire to make the heater warm up and not boil up the lube.
If that doesn't do the trick I will start working on an air pressure feeding setup for the machine so I can have a constant pressure on the lube.
I don't give up easy so as long there are things to try I won't give up.
Here are the pictures with the last results.


and here is the bullet diameter before entering the sizing die


Anyway thank you for suggestions. It looks like today was not my lucky day to lube bullets, but I never give up. Never.

[alfloyd]

The lube on the Star sizer is applied with the very last of the stroke. You may have too much pressure applied with the top spring pressure adjustment. You do not want any lube coming out of the sizing die until the pump is activated at the bottom of the stroke. The Star does not work like the Lyman or RCBS sizers that have pressure on the sizing die at all times.

Lafaun

[Nick Quick]

Holly guacamole, Lafaun saved the day. You've gotta be kiddin me. In 2 minutes after reading your post everything became so darn clear. I wasted a whole day with nonsense instead of thinking how the machine actually works. It was obvious I was doing something wrong but I didn't know what until I read the last post.
Ufffff, it was a long and frustrating day. I have lube spread everywhere. What a mess, ha ha.
Thanks a lot.

Check out the last batch I've done in one minute.

[tja6435]

You could load the bullets with the lube on the nose then tumble the loaded cartridges in walnut shell media with some laquer thinner. That'll clean off the lube and leave everything nice and clean.

[VHoward]

Holly guacamole, Lafaun saved the day. You've gotta be kiddin me. In 2 minutes after reading your post everything became so darn clear. I wasted a whole day with nonsense instead of thinking how the machine actually works. It was obvious I was doing something wrong but I didn't know what until I read the last post.
Ufffff, it was a long and frustrating day. I have lube spread everywhere. What a mess, ha ha.
Thanks a lot.

Check out the last batch I've done in one minute.

I did not realize you didn't know about the little pump operated by the bottom of the handle stroke. That is what supplies lube to the die. The spring in the lube reservoir only replenishes the little pump. You run the plunger down until you meet resistance and then tighten another 1/2 turn, lube until you notice gaps in the lube grooves and then tighten the spring again. The air feed is a nice convenience.

[Nick Quick]

It was my mistake as I didn't properly attach the sizer to the bench but rather to a wooden plate that was moving when I was pressing harder on the handle so I kinda stopped short in the downwards stroke in order not to throw the machine and the wood on the floor.
That temporary attachment of the machine caused all the ruckus. Now the Star is installed properly and I can cycle it the way was intended. I sized in a hour this morning eevry single .38 spl cast bullet I had. What a pleasure to work with the machine.
I'm back in business for good.

[VHoward]

Glad you got it all worked out. It can be frustrating at first. But is much faster when set up correctly. Enjoy!

[Kevin Rohrer]

The lube on the Star sizer is applied with the very last of the stroke. You may have too much pressure applied with the top spring pressure adjustment. You do not want any lube coming out of the sizing die until the pump is activated at the bottom of the stroke. The Star does not work like the Lyman or RCBS sizers that have pressure on the sizing die at all times.

Lafaun

Nick,

I just started using a Magna Star and was having the same issues. My problem was what was stated above, so I backed off the pressure and the problem went away, after cleaning the excess out of the die's interior walls.

I also switched lubes from the too soft SPG to something stiffer. Can't remember the name right now, but it is blue and designed specifically for BP.

[Nick Quick]

Star sizer kick a$$. I'm very happy with mine now.

[ReloaderFred]

Kevin,

Your lube is Thompson's BP Lube.

Nick Quick,

The Star Sizer/Luber is one of the best inventions there is for the bullet caster who deals in volume. I've got 6 of them, but 2 are on long term loan to a couple of very good friends. I also own a Lyman 450, an RCBS sizer and 2 Saeco sizers, but the Stars get for more use than all the others combined.

The other night, I sized and lubed 2,300+ 130 gr. .38 bullets I'd cast a couple of weeks ago on one of my Stars. If I had used any of the others, I'd still be sitting there, putting them in one at a time, removing them one at a time, and dreading the chore. Instead, they were all done in one setting, and done properly, no fuss, no muss.

Hope this helps.

Fred

[Nick Quick]

ReloaderFred, after I've been pointed and corrected my mistake in using it I sized an lubed every single .38 spl bullet I had in my house(around 3000) with a such ease and pleasure. Using BAC lube I didn't even needed the heater.
This machine is indeed one of a kind. I will start hunting for another one.

[ReloaderFred]

Yep, they are addictive. Just bide your time for a good deal and don't get in a hurry. They pop up when you least expect it.

Fred