Necessary to stand bullets up while drying/cooling from tumble lube?

[zanemoseley]

I've been using the 45/45/10 tumble lube with decent results but have been standing up my .45's on end while they dry/cool. Is this necessary or just a waste of time, it takes a decent bit of time to stand them up and arrange them on a cookie tray.

[Yodogsandman]

No, handling them might even be detrimental. You could be making thin spots with your fingers. I like to have just a single layer spread out on waxed butchers paper and I'll roll them all over about 12 hrs later to make sure the bottoms get dried.

[wlc]

I dump mine in a tin pie plate and let dry overnight. Next day I size and retumble and repeat the overnight drying. Never stood them up, too much like un-necessary work.

[YunGun]

Definitely not necessary!
One of the main benefits of the tumble lube is speed/ease of application.

Mix a dash of mineral spirits in with the boolits and some 45/45/10 in a zip-top baggie, tumble for a bit, then dump 'em out in a single layer.
I try to spread them out to make sure none are touching, but even that's unnecessary; I do it so they don't stick together & they dry faster too.
I usually roll em after about 15 min & they're done in 30 or so.

[wallenba]

I stand mine up, just because I usually do no more than fifty at a time. I modified a pair of spring closing tweezers to hold them above the top driving band. My mixture for small batches is just three parts Alox and one part mineral spirits. I hold the boolit by the nose and swab the mix on the bottom half with a small gum massager I get from my dentist. It has fine bristles and holds it well. I then just stand them up on a small section of aluminum foil. I like the foil because it's easy to handle and lays flat. http://www.gumbrand.com/between-teet...ight-871a.html

My cast 22 cals. all get tumbled though.

[michiganmike]

We all, I believe, have a desire to do whatever we do "right." In attempting to "get it right" we may decide to do "what looks right" based on observation, past, similar experience and common sense. We may also, as I do, seek expert opinion.

I do a fair amount of the latter, referring to reloading manuals, manufacturers websites, and forums like Cast Boolits. When I began casting my own bullets I chose the Lee tumble method with their liquid Alox for financial reasons. I followed expert advice - directions provided by Lee.

Later, after reading a respondent in this forum, I began thinning my Lee Liquid Alox with mineral spirits. I liked the results and have kept up this practice. And I chose to set the lubed bullets on their bases, in nice neat rows to dry.

The reason? I am perhaps more than a little obsessive-compulsive. Which, by the way can be an admirable trait. If I ever need heart surgery, I hope my surgeon will be a little obsessive-compulsive - and makes good stitches, takes out all the sponges, etc.

But I enjoy seeing the bullets I cast standing there in nice, neat rows. It has never negatively affected the quality of the bullets. The diluted Lee Liquid Alox is liquid enough that it flows over and recovers any thin spots my touching may create. This is especially true of Ben's Liquid Lube, which is S. C. Johnsons liquid floor wax and Lee Liquid Alox. I really like the results this gives me.

To the question, no, I don't believe one has to stand their lubed bullets on end. Other respondents state above that this is not necessary. There are lots of ways to get to the end point. That end point is sending bullets down range with reliable, dependable accuracy.

Zane, I think you can do what pleases you. And if the results are what you seek, keep doing it the way it pleases you.

Have fun,

MichiganMike