Thinning Lee Liquid Alox LLA

[30yrcaster]

Hello,

I got a few bottles of Lee Liquid Alox that is real thick and heating it with hot faucet water isn't thinning it to get it out of the bottle. Stuck a popsicle stick in it and it's not solid but is thick like jelly. Powers that be won't allow me to put it in the microwave. Don't know if putting the Lee plastic bottle in boiling water will thin it or melt the plastic.

I wanted to make some 45/45/10 out of it. Should I thin it out with mineral spirits or try heating it in boiling water?

Isn't the 10% part of 45/45/10 really equal parts of LLA & JPW then thin it to desired consistancy with mineral spirits?

Thanks

[rsrocket1]

Put the Lee bottle in a pot and start filling it with nearly boiling water from the microwave oven. It does soften up and the plastic does not melt. You aren't overheating it because the near boiling water will only get cooler, not hotter.

It really does get runny thin when heated. Don't thin it with mineral spirits. Measure out the 10% you need for the mixture.

When it is all mixed together, the consistency will be right so long as the mixture is right. Too much or too little mineral spirits will just add problems later. Even at 50F, the mixture comes out almost like peanut butter, but spread evenly over the boolits so long as you tumble properly. I used the two tub method and they came out with a nice even coat that dried to a thin, waxy finish overnight in the garage with barely any odor from the "oderless" mineral spirits. No tackiness at all.

I just shot my second batch. This one went through 2 coating sessions and about the only thing I noticed was that it was considerably smokier than the single coated boolits.

[btroj]

My understanding is that 45/45/10 is 45 parts each of LLA and JPW mixed together then 10 parts mineral spirits is added.
I made mine that way and it sure worked well for me.

[got_lead?]

Over the years I've accumulated 10 or so bottles of the stuff, and it does dry out over time (especially when it's stored in the attic). I've used mineral spirits to thin it, sometimes, if the LLA is really dried out, it may take a little warming to help the mineral spirits mix in.

Just as a note, the LLA seems to run out of poop as loads increase. I found using a conventional lube in the boolit grooves allows much more load flexibility without leading.

Good luck with your lube.

[mdi]

Yep, it's no problem to add a bit of mineral spirits to the alox bottle to make handling it easier. And since the proporrtions of Recluse's lube aren't exact (you don't know the concentration of alox, some really thick and some fairly thin from the bottle) a bit more or less mineral spirits won't hurt.

[Shiloh]

I thin with mineral spirits. I thin till it is runny but somewhat thick still when still cold. I'm thinking 20-25%.

Then I warm in the microwave before using of put it into a coffee cup of hot water.
Then it gets quite runny and coats well. A little then goes a long way.
I usually have a few bottles around and some bulk stuff I got from Larsen's.


Shiloh

[bcp477]

I use turpentine.....only because that's what I happened to have on hand. Works just as well as mineral spirits. No more than a 1 part turp to 4 parts LLA. If the LLA is "like jelly", then you could increase the ratio, but I wouldn't go beyond 1 in 3.

[gl89aw]

I was in a bind a while back and was fresh out of mineral spirits so I used a dab of unleaded gasoline to thin the alox, seemed to work fine, I left them outside so I wouldn't blow the place up after tumbling them and yes, I was careful to not have any open flames around.

[evan price]

I have been mixing mineral spirits (Stoddard solvent, good stuff) with LLA to about 50% by volume and then shake it up to mix. You get a very runny ALOX, more like soup broth. I mix it in clear poly bottles from work that used to hold alcohol. Mix until I get a nice opaque color and a thickness about equal to oil paint thinned for a sprayer.

I lube by dumping 500 or so boolits on a half sheet-pan (like a cookie sheet but with 1" high sides). Squirt a generous helping of my runny-lox on the boolits, then rock the pan back and forth so the boolits roll around in the puddle. Set it out with a desk fan blowing on the boolits to dry them. Every five or so minutes go roll the pan around again. They boolits dry to a nice brownish tint, and I find that for small lots of boolits, I can just dribble some more mineral spirits in the pan and get enough alox residue to lube them.

[adrians]

My understanding is that 45/45/10 is 45 parts each of LLA and JPW mixed together then 10 parts mineral spirits is added.
I made mine that way and it sure worked well for me.

thats what i thought 45/45/10 was ,works great for me also.:evil::popcorn::evil:

[Treeman]

Mineral spirits works but adds stuff that has to evaporate off. Even very thick Alox flows better hot. Sticking the bottle in a coffee mug 2/3 full of hot water works very well. The spouts almost inevitably clog up . Running a wire through the spout can unclog it but I usually just unscrew the cap and shake out a dollop of goo onto my boolits and churn 'em till coated. LOVE LLA.

[Huntsman]

I opened up my 3rd bottle of LLA and it was thick as fudge. I smeared a "gob" in my margarine container and 25/50 boolits and gave 'em a swirl. It stuck but I just was'nt satisfied, then :idea:, Google!!!
And here I am 50 boolits later waiting for them to dry.
Thanks everyone who gave their input and advice. I just learned something new.
Cheers,

[klcarroll]

Yeah........., I ran into that "Bottle-O-Fudge" thing just this morning!

I was making a batch of 45-45-10, and I had three factory sealed bottles of LLA that were destined for the pot: .....Two of them poured normally, but I had to cut the third bottle in half to scoop out the "fudge"!

........A "QC" issue maybe???


Kent

[runfiverun]

no it just drys out.
i have bottles that are sealed,stored upside down, and wrapped in plastic and the stuff still dries out.
i just throw some mineral spirits in the jug heat it in the wave for 30-40 seconds and shake.

[williamwaco]

I used to thin it with mineral spirits. It is much easier to use and to tumble the bullets. BUT when drying, it runs off and settles around the bottom of the bullet where it touches the waxed paper. This results in batches and globs on one side of the bullet. This contributes significantly to the clogging up of the bullet seating die.

I am still planning to try the 45/45/10 formula but for now I use LLA straiight out of the bottle.
remove the squeeze lid and squeez out a blob. It will not fall out. Wipe off a glob with one or two bullets and drop them into the ziplock with your batch to be tumbled and tumble them. It will take three to four times more tumbling than with the thinned version but the lube will stay where you put it as it dries. ( It will also take longer to dry. )

[popper]

Warm Recluse in a sauce pan of hot tap water. Use a round toothpick to open the dripper, put an old bullet into the bottle to help 'stir' it and hold it under water when heating it.

[doctorggg]

I have been heating mine up in a microwave for 30 seconds with the top off. Does that harm it?
Thanks

[doctorggg]

I should have clarified "mine" means Lee liquid Alox.

[runfiverun]

no....

[geargnasher]

I used to thin it with mineral spirits. It is much easier to use and to tumble the bullets. BUT when drying, it runs off and settles around the bottom of the bullet where it touches the waxed paper. This results in batches and globs on one side of the bullet. This contributes significantly to the clogging up of the bullet seating die.

I am still planning to try the 45/45/10 formula but for now I use LLA straiight out of the bottle.
remove the squeeze lid and squeez out a blob. It will not fall out. Wipe off a glob with one or two bullets and drop them into the ziplock with your batch to be tumbled and tumble them. It will take three to four times more tumbling than with the thinned version but the lube will stay where you put it as it dries. ( It will also take longer to dry. )

If you have any globs of lube on your boolits, you used too much. Common problem. If the boolits look like they were coated in old varnish, too much. They should have a slight beige tint to them, and the thinnest waxy film on the surface.

Gear

[rintinglen]

One of the advantages of the Recluse formula is that it cuts down on the tendency to "over-medicate" the boolits. By virtue of it's being thinner, it doesn't cling so thickly, so it doesn't blob. It works best on warm, sunny days. For pistol boolits at standard velocities, a single medium-light coat is adequate. For magnum loads, two light coats is better. For rifle boolits up to 2300 fps, two medium-heavy coats.

Louverin boolits work very well in this fashion. I have run the 311-467 at 2350 fps from my Winchester 1895 30-40 while the 311-291 has been measured at just over 2300 fps with an excellent SD of only 20 fps, both with no significant leading and good accuracy.

[mdi]

One of the reasons for using mineral spirits to thin xlox/alox is the solvent (mineral spirits) will evaporate and dry the mixture faster than unthinned xlox/alox. Also it's easier to handle and goes on more evenly (I like mine somewhere around the consistancy of mineral oil).

Just a thought; getting a good 45-45-10 would be somewhat hit or miss. JPW is always the same consistancy/concentration, and mineral spirits is always the same, but xlox varies from maple syrup to chocolate fudge! So, 45% of what concentration of xlox?? (BTW I've not had a problem, my 45-45-10 works, jes thinkin')...

[dragon813gt]

My 45/45/10 cooled into a paste that is thicker then the original Alox. I did everything just like the sticky said. Is this normal and if not is there a way to fix it?


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[Sonnypie]

I fixed all my LLA problems.
I call it a "Modified Ranch Dipping Method."
After trying all the suggestions and concoctions, I decided to try Ranch Dipping.
Got me the cutest Grannies crock pot from the Goodwill Store and put all the LLA I had left in it.
Poop! Not enough...
Added some pan lube a friend sent me to evaluate that was left over. And more JPW. And a chunk of candle that was being thrown out for paraffin wax.
OK, dippable now. Doing good... till the Domino Effect took over.
Then I started dipping with discarded ammunition box inserts from the range. 50 bullets at a dip. (http://i1195.photobucket.com/albums/aa382/Sonnypie/Boolit%20Gloob/california_nut_loob2.jpg) :bigsmyl2:

Turn on the pot in the morning and prepare racks of gas checked bullets to dip.
Cut, size, and clean in the afternoon. Ready to load.
It's a stiff lube that sets in minutes and has proven good for me, and for a Friend who tested my bullets with this lube in a 30-30.

California Nut Gloob
4 ounces of LLA (Lee Liquid Alox)
4 ounces of JPW (Johnson's Paste Wax)
6 ounces of MJ Pan and Lubersizer loob (Thanks Michael!)
2 ounces of Luberplate 630-AA grease (White lube grease)
1/2 pound of paraffin wax (Approx)(Canning supplies)
1 cup of Peanut Oil (Do NOT use if allergic to peanuts. Use canola oil)(Raid the turkey fryer oil)

http://i1195.photobucket.com/albums/aa382/Sonnypie/Boolit%20Gloob/california_nut-loobed_boolits.jpg

http://s1195.photobucket.com/albums/aa382/Sonnypie/Boolit%20Gloob/

I finally found a way I like LLA.[smilie=w:

[trixter]

I am a little bit stiemeid, I am pretty new to the whole T/L thing, and for a bunch of my 30 cal rifle lead boolits, I ordered and got my Lee sizing kit and it came with the Lee Liquid Alox. I followed the directions and every thing has worked out nicely. So is it OK to use just LLA as is or is it just the (I gotta make it better) thing that we all share?

[flhroy]

trixter, if it works don't fix it.

[buck1]

45/45/10 is a bit better I think. BUT LLA by itself isnt bad.