Please help eliminate voids in my extruded lube sticks

[barryjyoung]

I built the Marshall lube extruder presented by Marshall Reloading on You Tube at

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q79TFQDa74Y

My lube sticks came out of the extruder with voids and major cracks in them. Any ideas on how to make this work better? I am using a recipe put forth by Weiderlader TV also on youtube

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a_MUUFvtkrU

The recipe is 60% paraffin wax, 20% Lanolin, and 20% White Lithium Grease. I suspect this is too much Paraffin wax, but that would not really explain the voids in the sticks. I may also be pouring into the extruder at too cold a temp but with everybody talking about how the lube can be damaged by excess heat, we kept the heat as low as possible.

Thank you

Barry

[btroj]

You are trying extrude a pretty darn stiff lube. It has low plasticity and that causes the voids and cracks. Not all lubes are going to extrude well. Have you considered pouring sticks in moulds instead? Or just melt the lube and pour it into the sizer? I prefer the melt and pour method. No air in my sizes reservoir that way.

[runfiverun]

the lanolin will take 150-f thats the lowest melt/burn point you have to work with,
it's about your highest pour point you can work with going into the extruder also.
the wax next highest and the grease slightly higher.
i'd try a 10-f higher extrude temp or one as close to the burn point of the lanolin as possible that you can get to extrude.

[barryjyoung]

Thank you very much. I will try casting the sticks next. Both of these responses were very helpful.

[craig61a]

Interesting vid...

[runfiverun]

yeah weiderlander puts out some pretty good stuff.

[barryjyoung]

yeah weiderlander puts out some pretty good stuff.


I like his videos. I like Michael's accent too. "But fuhst let's vatch de eqvipment". Sort of an Arnold teaches reloading approach. I have learned a lot watching Michael's instructional videos.

[fredj338]

I don't know why it matters, they'll work fine like that, but I imagine the paraffin is the issue. Switch to BW, better product anyway.

[M Hicks]

The voids are just a "it looks funny" issue. The lube should still work fine. There is some good info in your link. I make mine by pouring it into a mold I made with pvc and metal rods to make the center hole.

[Shiloh]

I suspect this is too much Paraffin wax, but that would not really explain the voids in the sticks.

Great idea and good video

My guess as well about the paraffin.

This needs to sit in a warmish environment for a while to make it pliable, pliable but stiff.
One could also heat the mold to break the friction on the inside of the mold where it contacts the outside surface of your
lube tube.

Experiment and let us know.

SHiloh

[barryjyoung]

I don't know why it matters, they'll work fine like that, but I imagine the paraffin is the issue. Switch to BW, better product anyway.
Right, what is BW? Bees Wax?

[barryjyoung]

The voids are just a "it looks funny" issue. The lube should still work fine. There is some good info in your link. I make mine by pouring it into a mold I made with pvc and metal rods to make the center hole.

It does not matter unless you want to sell lube sticks. I will try casting them rather than extruding them. Thank you.

[barryjyoung]

This recipe also does not feed through my RCBS Lube-A-MaticII lubricator/Sizer even with a Lyman heater. I think I will change recipes.

[Griz44mag]

That's a VERY stiff lube in the first place. The beeswax will improve it, but cut it down to 40 to 50%.
My fave - very simple and very easy to use, 40% BW, 40% XLOX, 20% CR.
It only takes heat to use when it's cold, and shoots well in pistol and rifle.

[fredj338]

This recipe also does not feed through my RCBS Lube-A-MaticII lubricator/Sizer even with a Lyman heater. I think I will change recipes.

Something wrong there. If the heater works right, you could feed straight parrafin. Dump the parraif, go to bees wax, your rpoblem will probably go away. For the extruder, if it uses heat, crank it up a bit. You aren;t going to hurt the lube w/ another 20-30deg but it may imnprove the pliability of the lube.

[geargnasher]

If it extrudes like that, imagine how it will go down the barrel. Not trying to rain on your parade, but I'd go with a different formula.

Gear

[runfiverun]

the issue is there is parrafin then there is parrafinic wax,and micro parrafin waxes.
they have melt temps all over the map.
i can assure you a 25% lanolin and b-wax mix is gonna be hard as a rock too.
even with some [@20%] vaseline and [5%] castor oil mixed in.
that's my chapstick recipe with white b-wax.
you have to warm it between your fingers before applying it.