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Thread: Felix Lube - the Short Version

  1. #41
    Boolit Bub
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    Hi, all!
    First post here. This looks like an interesting site. I cast bullets for my .45 Colt, .45 ACP, and .38/.357. The .45 Colt gets hardcast, gas-checked 300 grain bullets for deer and wild hog hunting, at about 1300 FPS. The ACP and .357's don't run quite that speed. I've been using a homemade lube I concocted from toilet seal rings and general-purpose chassis grease which is just hard enough I need to warm up my Lyman Lubrisizer a little to make it flow reliably. The formula you're discussing here seems awfully complex by comparison. Is there any particular reason for so many ingredients and all the steps to the procedure? Educate me!
    Jerry

  2. #42
    Moderator Emeritus / Trusted loob groove dealer

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    Hi Teach

    Go to http://www.castpics.net/RandD/felix_lube/felix_lube.htm, for a run down on the Felix lube.It will answer quite a few questions.

  3. #43
    Boolit Buddy Ron's Avatar
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    Question

    Felix and other sages, I have just made a batch of Felix lube but i'm a wee bit suspicious of it with regard to colour and hardness. I made a batch a while back and it turned out a dark brown colour. That batch was made as per the Felix recipe using a kitchen tablespoon for measurement. For today's batch I decided to get a bit teknical and used a kitchen measuring spoon. The Australian standard tablespoon is 20mil, so this is the measure I used for "tablespoon" where mentioned in the recipe.
    I recall someone on this forum posted that a 3 1/2 x 3 1/2 x 1 inch piece of beeswax weighed out at approx 8 ounces so I weighed out that amount, set it aside and started the process, following the Felix recipe to the letter with the exception of the half hour stirring of the mineral oil and castor oil, I thought 15 minutes was enough. Everything looked like it had mixed OK so I went on with the rest of it, let the mix cool down for about 15 minutes then poured it into the moulds. I have attached, I hope, the following photos (1) a stick of the first batch I made, (2) the filled moulds., (3) photo of the first stick and one made today showing difference in colour and the remaining sticks still on the dowal rods. That brings me to my next question. Does anyone know how to get the dowal out of the centre of the lube stick. I think I left it until the mould was too cold to remove it!!!! My main question is does the batch I made today look OK or should it be darker like the first batch. Today one is firm and sticky but looks more like candle wax than boolit lube. I would be greatful for any and all comments. p.s. the only differences in the way I made these batches that I can think of is (1) the spoon size and (2) the first batch may have been cooked at a hotter temperature.

    Ron
    "FESTINA LENTE "
    Last edited by Ron; 03-19-2009 at 02:39 AM.

  4. #44
    Boolit Master
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    Ron, color of the new batch looks okay to me - just about the same as the big batch Felix and I did awhile back. If you can't get the dowel out, make one slice down each side and pull the two pieces off the dowel then stick them back together. I keep my FWFL in bulk and just warm it to liquid and pour it in the luber reservoir. No more trapped air like you get with the lube sticks. I pour my lube into cupcake wrappers (in a muffin tin for a mould) and use warm them one at a time as needed in a Pyrex measure cup in the microwave. sundog

  5. #45
    Boolit Master Scrounger's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Ron
    Felix and other sages, I have just made a batch of Felix lube but i'm a wee bit suspicious of it with regard to colour and hardness. I made a batch a while back and it turned out a dark brown colour. That batch was made as per the Felix recipe using a kitchen tablespoon for measurement. For today's batch I decided to get a bit teknical and used a kitchen measuring spoon. The Australian standard tablespoon is 20mil, so this is the measure I used for "tablespoon" where mentioned in the recipe.
    I recall someone on this forum posted that a 3 1/2 x 3 1/2 x 1 inch piece of beeswax weighed out at approx 8 ounces so I weighed out that amount, set it aside and started the process, following the Felix recipe to the letter with the exception of the half hour stirring of the mineral oil and castor oil, I thought 15 minutes was enough. Everything looked like it had mixed OK so I went on with the rest of it, let the mix cool down for about 15 minutes then poured it into the moulds. I have attached, I hope, the following photos (1) a stick of the first batch I made, (2) the filled moulds., (3) photo of the first stick and one made today showing difference in colour and the remaining sticks still on the dowal rods. That brings me to my next question. Does anyone know how to get the dowal out of the centre of the lube stick. I think I left it until the mould was too cold to remove it!!!! My main question is does the batch I made today look OK or should it be darker like the first batch. Today one is firm and sticky but looks more like candle wax than boolit lube. I would be greatful for any and all comments. p.s. the only differences in the way I made these batches that I can think of is (1) the spoon size and (2) the first batch may have been cooked at a hotter temperature.

    Ron
    "FESTINA LENTE "
    Wrap the dowel in plastic wrap before you pour the lube around it...

  6. #46
    Boolit Buddy Ron's Avatar
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    Thumbs up

    SUNDOG and SCROUNGER, thanks for the input. Things are easier when you stand off and look at them from a different angle. I am glad that the colour etc appears to be OK so I will stick with this unless test firing demands a change of recipe.
    Re the dowel sticks, my other half said, "Why not spray it with the stuff you spray non stick frying pans with before you cook" Now she tells me!!!!! still her hearts in the right place. The other thing she said was "Wrap it in clingwrap", same as Scrounger did. I really hate it when I get two strikes in the one afternoon.
    Again, thanks for your suggestions.

    Ron

    "FESTINA LENTE" (Hasten slowly)

  7. #47
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    Pull the dowel out when the lube just solidifies. I put my tubes in the freezer overnight. I put them all in a box and smack on the ground a few times. This usually breaks them loose from the tubes, then they can be pushed from the tubes. If not, then a 1" hardwood dowel can be hammered in to push it out. I would try putting your lube back into the tubes to support the lube and them try to push the dowels out most of the way, then pull it all out and finish with the dowel.
    I use a 5/16" bolt for mine and 1" PVC pipe

  8. #48
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    I would stay away from the cling wrap. It may be a pain to get it out of the lube once it sets up. I tried putting a piece of wax paper inside of the tubes to get the lube to come out, but it was a huge pain. I tried some non stick spray stuff. It made the lube come out easier, but it left the surface kind of oily and not looking the best.
    I pull my bolt out, then put the tube in the freezer. It works good for me. I can turn out 100 or so a day without much effort.
    When business picks up, I'll make an extrudeing machine to do the work.

  9. #49
    Boolit Buddy
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    In my "archives", I have this mold-making description:

    10190: Felix lube carpetman: Making A Lube Mold
    Material as follows for one mold: 6 inch long 1 inch Inside diameter and end cap plastic pipe. This takes care of
    outside diameter of lube stick. 3/8x8 inch pipe, solid or plastic or wood, mine is solid aluminum. This takes care of center hole of lube stick. Screw the end cap to a board with 2 -3/4 inch dry wall screws along the inside edge of the end cap. Drill a 3/8 inch hole thru the center of the end cap 1/2 inch into the wood, to receive the 3/8 inch
    pipe. If you drilled your 3/8 hole straight then it will be in the center of the 1 inch plastic pipe. If not drill a 3/8 inch hole in a piece of 1'' dowell to center it after filling with lube. Next you need a flat washer with a 3/8 inch hole that fits in the 1 inch pipe. I use a 1/2 inch copper pipe to push on the washer. I had let the lube cool and could pull the 3/8 inch pipe out ok, but lube wouldn't come out of the 1 inch pipe. Heated the 1 inch pipe with a hair drier and was able to push it out ok. Next time won't let the lube cool all the way to push it out. The inside diameter of my lyman lubersizers are 1 and 1/8 inches, don't know about RCBS. Leave the 3/8 inch pipe in when pushing the lube out. When the lube is out of the 1 inch pipe the 3/8 pipe might stick, don't push on the washer as it spreads the lube, just hold the lube and twist and it will come right off. Felix's basic formula makes 3 sticks, so
    would be wise to make at least 3 molds or more. ben.
    /* Addendum: if mold and center dowel is metal, they can be gently heated to release from lube */

  10. #50
    Boolit Buddy Ron's Avatar
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    Thumbs up

    LAR45 and UTK, thanks for your input, that's one of the things I like about this forum, there is always someone ready to help.

    LAR45 I think what you suggest re the freezer is the way to go. I managed to take the first two dowels out but I think by the time I got round to the others they were well and truly cold and stuck solid. It was easy to take them out when the mould was still slightly warm.

    UTK, I saw your posting of how you built your moulds but I thought it was a bit too testicle for my liking. I also saw a setup on the Carbine Tree site and made mine similar to that. Only seven tubes but that suits me at present. See photo on my original post.

    Thanks again, I am sure that with all the ready suggestions I will eventually get it right. I hope that if I become a pain in the a..... that someone will let me know, nicely please!

    Regards, Ron

    FESTINA LENTE

  11. #51
    Boolit Grand Master In Remembrance Four Fingers of Death's Avatar
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    Smile Teaspoons, etc.

    Quote Originally Posted by Finn45
    I was a bit lost in the beginning with those measures. I noticed that using actual teaspoons and tablespoons is not very accurate; some teaspoons are relatively small compared to ones from old days etc. I figured out that one tablespoon is three teaspoons, so there's easy relation. I found out (from old cooking book) that teaspoon is 5 milliliters and tablespoon 15 milliliters. Then I figured out how much 3½x3½x1" block of beeswax is by volume, it's 12.25 cubic inches and converted it to more familiar form which happened to be very close to 2 deciliters. Now I use cheap plastic household metering cups marked "1t=5ml" and "1T=15ml" and stainless 1 deciliter metering cup for adding beeswax, which is melted in separate kettle during the oil cooking. Maybe original measures will make too hard lube or too soft lube, but at least it's easy to make changes and keep things in control. You'll find that US teaspoons and tablespoons are very close to 5 and 15 milliliters (also 1:3 hehe), but of course You use US based system. You can convert beeswax measure also to more handier unit for You. This calculator helps alot:

    http://www.onlineconversion.com/volume.htm
    It's funny, where I come from a teaspoon was the small spoon you stirred your tea/coffee (nobody drank coffee when I was a kid) with, a dessertspoon was the one you ate your sweets (desserts in fancy restuarants) and it was twice the size of a teaspoon and finally, a tablespoon was the big spoon you cooked or served with. One tablespoon equalled two dessertspoons or four teaspoons. The yankee tablespoon is the old imperial dessertspoon. They now equate to 5mm/10mm and 20mm respectely.

    It is a shame American's can't do metric, it is sooooooooo much easier.

    I grew up on imperial, learnt metric in the army, returned to imperial when I left, went back to using metric when I started driving a truck, back to imperial when I gave that away, and the country then converted to metric and I have been using it ever since. I ain't going back.
    Mick.
    Last edited by Four Fingers of Death; 08-13-2005 at 06:43 AM.
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  12. #52
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    If anyone wants to convert the measures here to another measure, and like me, can't remember the factors, go to:

    http://www.onlineconversion.com/volume.htm

    It'll convert just about anything to just about anything else. FYI.

  13. #53
    Boolit Buddy
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    You can also download a handy converter from the site below and install it on your computer:

    http://www.joshmadison.com/software/convert/

  14. #54
    Boolit Master
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    Yeah UTK,
    The Josh Madison one is the one I use all the time. Great for converting all kinds of units of measurement and the price is right.

  15. #55
    Boolit Master
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    Felix Lube

    I try to keep it simple----use a sardine can ---- heated over a wood stove in my workshop---when I add bees-wax I leave room for parifin to harden the mix---parifin is the weakest ingredient in the mix (poor lube) and if u desire more lube add a little more caster oil---fills my lubersizer about 2 times---may make up 2 or 3 sardine cans at the same time--lookin to do some cookin have fun------Mag_01

  16. #56
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    Angry a word on homemade soap

    while trying to make felix lube, I was using homemade(boughten) soap. Apparently not all are created equal. I was having a real time getting to what I thought was the right consitancy for a lube. Created a lube that shot ok, but wasn't what I wanted. Turns out the homemade soap I was using, was wrong. It was something my wife had kickin around. Ran out of it and bought ivory and presto instant results. I must admit this lil bar of whatever it was really kicked me in the face. I don't know what exactly that soap was missing, but obviously it was not right.

  17. #57
    Boolit Master on Heavens Range
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    Homemade soaps contain glycerin. Ivory soap does too when first made, but the price of glycerin on the open market exceeds the price of the "soap". So, they take all the glycerin out before the soap is made into its final form and packaged for sale. Glycerin content is the enemy for making a non-water based lube. Some water soluble lubes will have some glycerin, maybe, depending on purpose. ... felix
    felix

  18. #58
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    The knowledge that is shared here is astounding, thanks

  19. #59
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    I never bother making sticks but for all of you who do, why not use a copper tube to make the hole. After it gets hard, put a hose on the end of the copper tube and make a fitting for a hair dryer or heat gun on the other end. Blow hot air through the tube until the lube softens and pull out the tube.
    A fitting on the end of the tube could be made to take the end of a propane torch too. Just blow some flame through the tube.
    Don't ask me if it will work, just a thought.

  20. #60
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    I am gonna try aluminum arrow shafts when I get around to it.

    I cannot see why it would not work, plus with a metal funnel you could theoreticall give em some heat from the torch.

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