How to revitalize dried up alox?

[FergusonTO35]

Hey guys. The pan I use for tumble lubing has alot of dried alox in it. Instead of adding more alox every time I wonder if there is something you can add to reliquify the alox so it can be used again? Last night I tried WD-40. It seems to work pretty well, although you have to tumble the boolits for a little while to get it sticky again. I'm thinking some kind of common solvent that evaporates off the boolits leaving the alox behind would work best. How about rubbing alcohol or mineral spirits? Any suggestions out there?

[Mud Eagle]

Mineral spirits works well to clean up the tub that I use to tumble lube, and I also diluted my alox bottle with some.

So, I'd say mineral spirits would work.

[runfiverun]

mineral spirits nd some warmth will get it back again.

[Jim]

When my aloxing pot gets gummed up, I put unlubed boolits in it, add a teaspoon of mineral spirits and swirl the boolits as I do when lubing them. The motion of the boolits and the mineral spirits disolves the alox and it goes on the boolits instead of wasting it by cleaning it out. It only takes a very few minutes for the spirits to evaporate and the alox is quickly reconstituted.

[FergusonTO35]

Sounds good, I'll have to get some.

[Elkins45]

Be sure you buy the real thing, not the newfangled low vapor stuff that is being sold as a mineral spirits substitute. Real mineral spirits are clear-- the fake stuff is milky white and seems to only be good for cleaning brushes.

[mdi]

Yep, stay away from Klean-Strip Green mineral spirits. Comes in a plastic bottle and is "65% lower fumes" and "65% renewable content". I use a soak of mineral spirits (plain ole petroleum based, clear mineral spirits), Kroil, and Marvels Mystery oil. I clean my guns with this and a half gallon lives on my bench for tool, die, gun cleaning. My attempt with the Green stuff was less than acceptable; IIRC, the milky white, Green stuff separated from the Kroil/MMO...

EDIT; I went out and mixed some MMO, Kroil, and the "Green" mineral spirits after I posted this reply. 3 hours later the MMO/Kroil does separate from the "Green" stuff. Perhaps it's water based...

[geargnasher]

+2 on REAL mineral spirits.

Gear

[ronz]

Warming it up with a hot air gun worked good for me

[FergusonTO35]

Hmm, that's another good idea; my little toast oven for pan lubing would probably work well for that. 200+ boolits to lube tomorrow so I'll give it a try.