Air cylinder question

[btroj]

Got the cylinder on the sizer. Understand getting air in and adjusting the pressure.

How the heck do you receive the pressure so you can retract the Latin and add lube? Is this just an open that allows the pressure in the piston assembly to bleed off when the hose is disconnected?

How much pressure you guys running? I plan to use more pressure, less heat. I find heat makes things get messy fast.

[rodsvet]

Your cylinder should have threaded opening at both ends. The one at the end opposite the pushrod is the on to apply pressure to the lube. The threaded opening at the pushrod end is where you apply air pressure to retract the rod so you can remove and add lube. I use a blow gun with a rubber tip. I disconnect the air from the cylinder and hook it up to the blow gun and it retracts the cylinder real quick. Hope thats what you were asking. Good luck!! PS I run more pressure than heat too. Rod

[cheese1566]

After disconnecting the air line to the regulator on the cylinder (quick disconnect), the pressure is relieved. I then simply unscrew the assembly from the Star assembly. When out, I push the ram back into the cylinder.

[cajun shooter]

You may use the method that cheese posted or the one posted by rodsvet.
I simply unhook the hose and loosen the nut and after it's all the way off just pull up on cylinder. It's fast and easy but either way is correct.
If your not using a air tank for your air supply then you are listening to the air compressor and you don't have to.
The Star only uses the pressure and not the air. I have used the same air tank for over 6 months.
The air pressure that I use is 90 PSI but there are variables to this and it can't be used as a standard. The viscosity of your lube, the bullet design, and the amount of lube required to fill the lube grooves.
I shoot BP and my bullet design requires that I use a higher pressure to force the lube into the grooves.
I think that it's much easier and cleaner to raise your air pressure than to have the lube too hot from using the heater.
I myself think that a lot of shooters are using the wrong lube for the type of shooting done.
The commercial bullet makes use the hard lubes so that they don't migrate from the bullets grooves and may be handled with out getting sticky hands.
Too hard a lube could cause you to have leading problems also. IMHO David

[cheese1566]

I use Lar's Carnauba Red in mine. I set mine at 120 degrees on the PID and pressure at 30psi.

My bad! I actually use Magma Hard Lube in mine!!! Sorry!

[crabo]

Don't forget to wipe a little vasoline on the hicard washer. It will help keep things working right.

[Powersgt]

I use Lar's Carnauba Red in mine. I set mine at 120 degrees on the PID and pressure at 30psi.

Cheese1566,

I have Carnauba red in my Star and I have had problems with it at 120 deg F. But I don’t have an air cylinder on it yet. I did try a run of it in my Lube Master and what a mess I had on my hands. I had to lower the temp to about 90degand drop the air pressure to about 35 in order to get it to work. At that point, I decided to only use it in the Star sizer.

How do you like it verses the hard lubes, do you see a difference in handgun loads verses Rifle?

V/R

Jeff

[Cadillo]

Don't forget to wipe a little vasoline on the hicard washer. It will help keep things working right.

OK, so what is a "hicard washer"?

[rodsvet]

The hicard washer is the nylon washer on the bottom of the piston that contacts the lube and scrapes along the inside of the lube tube. Rod

[cheese1566]

Cheese1566,

I have Carnauba red in my Star and I have had problems with it at 120 deg F. But I don’t have an air cylinder on it yet. I did try a run of it in my Lube Master and what a mess I had on my hands. I had to lower the temp to about 90degand drop the air pressure to about 35 in order to get it to work. At that point, I decided to only use it in the Star sizer.

How do you like it verses the hard lubes, do you see a difference in handgun loads verses Rifle?

V/R

Jeff

Sorry, now that you bring it up, I use Magma Hard Lube in my Star at those settings.
I do however use Lar's Red Carn at 115 degrees in my RCBS LAM with a PID.

[Cadillo]

The hicard washer is the nylon washer on the bottom of the piston that contacts the lube and scrapes along the inside of the lube tube. Rod

Thanks!

[btroj]

Got to really try it out last night. Sized and lubed about 1300 200 swc for 45 ACP.
The air made it so much easier. Not dots of line on the nose. No empty spots in the lube groove. No messing with the pressure screw.

I ended up at about 110 degrees, approximated, and 70 lbs of pressure. Once the lube got warm it was off to the races. This was with MML for a lube.

I am soooo glad I got this thing. The air cylinder is worth the money.

[cheese1566]

Cat's meow isn't!

Now you need a roller handle if you don't have one already.

(I tried a bullet feeder, but too much hassle for me. I sold it to someone who appreciates it more.)

[Fixxah]

Keep in mind that you can take an eye out pulling the piston out to add a stick of lube. Someone had posted a video of his near miss. Looked painful.

Sent via tapatalk on the Yugo of droids.

[btroj]

I cut the side of my nose and posted a photo here so yeah, I know.

The air cylinder is actually less likely to have that happen, it is tall enough that you can't bend over the top of it.

[cajun shooter]

If you use common sense then pulling the cylinder by hand is very easy. Those who punch themselves in the eye are the same people that get scope eye.
I've used Stars since 1970 and have never even had a close call like the information posted. It maybe because when pulling it out I use a slow steady pull and not a heavy jerk. Oh and I also have my head to the rear!!
For those who are not able to perform a easy task then you may just put a fitting on your air line that has a cone shaped piece of rubber on the end of the air handle.
You put this in the bottom air hole and squeeze the trigger. This will push the hycar washer to the up position.

[cbrick]

Keep in mind that you can take an eye out pulling the piston out to add a stick of lube.

Ever used the air cylinder in a Star?

Simply disconnect the air line, unscrew the nut and use one hand to gently & easily lift it out.

While doing this if you use a screwdriver and the other hand to poke yourself in the eye . . . Well, could be a problem.

Rick

[Fixxah]

Ever used the air cylinder in a Star?

Simply disconnect the air line, unscrew the nut and use one hand to gently & easily lift it out.

While doing this if you use a screwdriver and the other hand to poke yourself in the eye . . . Well, could be a problem.

Rick

Lol. I do have the air cylinder on my stars and have both eyes. I haven't been able to use them since last February though but now it's game on.

Sent via tapatalk on the Yugo of droids.

[blikseme300]

If you use common sense then pulling the cylinder by hand is very easy. Those who punch themselves in the eye are the same people that get scope eye.
I've used Stars since 1970 and have never even had a close call like the information posted. It maybe because when pulling it out I use a slow steady pull and not a heavy jerk. Oh and I also have my head to the rear!!
For those who are not able to perform a easy task then you may just put a fitting on your air line that has a cone shaped piece of rubber on the end of the air handle.
You put this in the bottom air hole and squeeze the trigger. This will push the hycar washer to the up position.

Cajun

Your tip is a good idea that is so simple I would not have thunk it. I will do this next time.

Bliksem

[btroj]

When I got my nose I wasn't using the air cylinder. I was pulling the pressure spring and hycar washer assembly out by hand.
I don't see how it could happen with the air fees.