Lube A Matic is tickin me off

[burch]

I’m new to having a lube a matic. I have carnuba blue from White Label and a heater for it. I lubed up some rifle bullets and everything went perfect. I bought the heater to try it out and now I’m trying to lube some 38’s and can’t seem to figure it out. The lube is on top of the sizing die and the only thing getting lubed is the bottom base of the bullet. I’ve tried adjusting the depth but nothing seems to work. Any Ideas ?
Burch

[Winger Ed.]

Sounds like you're cranking on too much pressure, have the heat set too high, and ya may also need to plug the lower hole* in the die.

*
A shot gun pellet or chamfer it a bit then use JB weld are the common methods to plug the lower hole.

I'd try lowering the heat first, and not put too much pressure on the handle.
Depending on the lube, you may not need to heat it at all.
It just needs to be soft, but not 'runny' like honey.

There's a lot of pressure getting the boolit down the hole, but not much in between it and the following pin.
However deep the boolit base is- there's plenty of room for the pin to go down even deeper.
That's how the lube can get in under there from residual pressure, or too much handle pressure.

It'll take a little head scratching, and chin rubbing,
but you'll get the feel for it by tinkering around with those 3 things.

Its an extrusion process like those little kid play-doh toys.
If the play-doh is too cold/thick, or too thin, it doesn't work well.

Also, on boolits with big lube grooves, it's common to just fill one of them with good quality lube
if you're not getting way on up with their speed.

[RKJ]

I found I had too much heat when I was using lube in my 4500. As Ed said above, play with it and you'll figure it out. I was ready to throw mine out the door and had to step away for a little bit. It's frustrating (for sure) but try what Ed suggested and I think you'll get it.

[DHDeal]

To much heat can be just as bad as none. The only difference is either nothing happensnor to much happens. If you are filling to bottom grooves but not the top grooves, the bullet isn't going in far enough. I have a LAM and a LAMII permanently set up on my bench and have had what you are describing happen. By looking at how deep the bullet slides into the die, I just know it's deep enough but the bottom is filled and the top groove isn't. I adjust it a tad deeper and there it is. I have a heater on the LAM and I can squirt a nice rod of lube out below the bullet if it is to warm.

Worst case is your die may be plugged and you need to check the holes. Don't know for sure as it's not mine. If adjustment down doesn't work, pull out the die and take a look. Personally, if a bullet has a groove for lube, I'm gonna fill it if I'm lubing bullets. I do prefer PC over lube now a days.

[burch]

Sounds like you're cranking on too much pressure, have the heat set too high, and ya may also need to plug the lower hole* in the die.

*
A shot gun pellet or chamfer it a bit then use JB weld are the common methods to plug the lower hole.

I'd try lowering the heat first, and not put too much pressure on the handle.
Depending on the lube, you may not need to heat it at all.
It just needs to be soft, but not 'runny' like honey.

There's a lot of pressure getting the boolit down the hole, but not much in between it and the following pin.
However deep the boolit base is- there's plenty of room for the pin to go down even deeper.
That's how the lube can get in under there from residual pressure, or too much handle pressure.

It'll take a little head scratching, and chin rubbing,
but you'll get the feel for it by tinkering around with those 3 things.

Its an extrusion process like those little kid play-doh toys.
If the play-doh is too cold/thick, or too thin, it doesn't work well.

Also, on boolits with big lube grooves, it's common to just fill one of them with good quality lube
if you're not getting way on up with their speed.

What does plugging the lower hole accomplish

[Froogal]

What does plugging the lower hole accomplish

If the bullet being lubed has only ONE lube groove, the sizing die needs to have only ONE set of holes. It seems that the .452 and .358 LYMAN sizing dies have TWO sets of holes, while the comparable RCBS dies have just ONE set of holes. I started out using the Lyman dies, gave up and ordered RCBS dies.

[burch]

If the bullet being lubed has only ONE lube groove, the sizing die needs to have only ONE set of holes. It seems that the .452 and .358 LYMAN sizing dies have TWO sets of holes, while the comparable RCBS dies have just ONE set of holes. I started out using the Lyman dies, gave up and ordered RCBS dies.

I plugged to bottom holes. My bullet does have only one groove. I removed the die and totally cleaned it with mineral sprits so it’s brand new again. I set the temp on my heater to the lowest setting and everything is warm. I’ve adjusted for depth and no lube in the groove at all.

[Winger Ed.]

What does plugging the lower hole accomplish

If a boolit goes down, and a lube die hole is below the lowest lube groove,
the pressure can more easily pump lube under the boolit and on top of the follower/ejector pin when ya crank down on the handle.

Dies and their lube holes are made to work with all boolits and if you're lube/sizing a relatively short one-
the lower holes can often let some of the lube in under the boolit.

[Mk42gunner]

I try to adjust the depth so that the lube groove on the boolit is at the holes in the lube die. Insert boolit, operate handle, then tweak the pressure while holding the handle down.

Others have suggested making a softer base for the center of the H&I die by punching a section out of a Styrofoam meat tray. Seems like that was for a bevel based boolit, but it may help you.

I found that no matter what, I'd be going along sizing and lubing, when all of a sudden I had a thick section of lube stuck to the bottom of a boolit. Don't know if I zoned out and put too much pressure on the screw or didn't hold the handle down or what. About all you can do is wipe the base and clean out the H&I die with the small screw driver that always seems necessary.

That lube doesn't get wasted, if it is clean, it can go back in the reservoir next time you fill it, or you can put it in the can for fluxing while casting.

Lubing and sizing rank pretty close to trimming brass on my "I don't like to do this, but it is necessary" list.

Hope this helps,

Robert

[DHDeal]

I try to adjust the depth so that the lube groove on the boolit is at the holes in the lube die. Insert boolit, operate handle, then tweak the pressure while holding the handle down.

Others have suggested making a softer base for the center of the H&I die by punching a section out of a Styrofoam meat tray. Seems like that was for a bevel based boolit, but it may help you.

I found that no matter what, I'd be going along sizing and lubing, when all of a sudden I had a thick section of lube stuck to the bottom of a boolit. Don't know if I zoned out and put too much pressure on the screw or didn't hold the handle down or what. About all you can do is wipe the base and clean out the H&I die with the small screw driver that always seems necessary.

That lube doesn't get wasted, if it is clean, it can go back in the reservoir next time you fill it, or you can put it in the can for fluxing while casting.

Lubing and sizing rank pretty close to trimming brass on my "I don't like to do this, but it is necessary" list.

Hope this helps,

Robert

I know I've probably lubed a fraction of the bullets most of you have, so it makes me feel better knowing y'all have this happen too. The first time I had my heater turned up a touch to far, a blue snake followed the bullet up out of the hole.

I've never used a small screwdriver (as I just didn't think of it probably) but I do keep stiff bamboo Qtips for wiping off the top of the die.

Burch, the only thing I can imagine going on is the bullet isn't going deep enough but you've checked that you said. Are the lube holes blocked by any chance? If the lube is at it temperature range and under lots of pressure, you should be getting it into the grooves. Not trying to state the obvious as I know you know that.

[Mitch]

If you pluged the bottom holes and are still geting lube under the bullet you are still not deep enough with the bullet.or your plugs came out.For the heat you only need to be warm to the touch Maybe 100 deg or so.It took me a long time to get the hang of ajusting my lyman 450s.some bullets i ran the bullet in till I gpt lube going to the nose of the bullet then ajusted little by little up will my lube groove was full and I got not lube on the nose.It takes some time to get right.

[burch]

I finally got it to work. I think I had it too hot. I let it cool completely and then re-heated to the lowest setting and turned it off and let it sit for about 15 mins and it started working.

[Winger Ed.]

I finally got it to work..

Good going!!

It's a learning curve for sure,,,,,,

Moving forward:
Go forth, and sin no more. You're now qualified to teach this class.

[ShooterAZ]

I don't use a heater at all with the Carnauba Blue lube. It's pretty dang soft, and unless you're lube-sizing outdoors in Minnesota in January you probably won't need the heater. Glad you got it working.

[Walks]

I plug my heater in until I've sized 15-20 bullet. By then the lube is flowing and will continue to flow as long as you crank & pump.
It can be a real pitb to get the lube die and bullet into synch.
Trial & error.

[Mitch]

Great news

[burch]

Good going!!

It's a learning curve for sure,,,,,,

Moving forward:
Go forth, and sin no more. You're now qualified to teach this class.

������

[Land Owner]

burch - I am in Port St John, just around the corner from you, and use the lube-o-matic II. I found, for some short boolits (22 Bator), that in the diagram below I had to turn the ejector rod (#25) and its locking ring (#24) upside down from the "as mfg. suggests" position to get them to function and not lube "everything". IDK if this helps for your particular boolit. I am close to you if you want to compare notes. PM me here if so.

[Dragonheart]

I’m new to having a lube a matic. I have carnuba blue from White Label and a heater for it. I lubed up some rifle bullets and everything went perfect. I bought the heater to try it out and now I’m trying to lube some 38’s and can’t seem to figure it out. The lube is on top of the sizing die and the only thing getting lubed is the bottom base of the bullet. I’ve tried adjusting the depth but nothing seems to work. Any Ideas ?
Burch

Yeah, don't take any more abuse from old lube a matic! Give it a kick into a closet and start Powder Coating your bullets.

[Sam Sackett]

I had some of the same issues with my LAM II. First thing I had to do was move the lock nut for the depth adjustment to the top side of the frame. This allowed more upward adjustment for the shorter bullets. I still had issues with lube getting under the bullet. I pulled out the die and checked the I part. That has one end that was squared nicely, but the other end was beveled, rounded, whatever you call it. The rounded end had been up against the bullet. I turned it over so that the squared end was contacting the bullet and I had no issues with lube getting under the bullet.

Sam Sackett