Another Star question

[crabo]

Is it hard for you to pull your spring assembly out when you need to add lube? I bought a used one and I thought I got it clean enough.(the second time) It was stripped out where you screw on the the spring assembly. The guy at Magma told me a weld a nut onto the post and I did.

When I try to pull the spring assembly out, it takes a lot of effort to pull it out. I was wondering if my gasket was wore out and that could be causing some problems, or maybe I didn't get it clean enough, or is it just really hard to get out.

I also have a problem with lube ozing out from the die body and the die? Is that normal?

Thanks,

Crabo

[Marshal Kane]

Some of that difficulty in removing the spring assembly is normal. Bullet lube tends to stick to the walls of the lube reservoir and the gasket at the end of the spring assembly is a very snug fit, as it should be. As you're pulling up on the spring assembly, you're creating a vacuum hence the extra effort needed to get that part out.

My biggest mistake with the Star Luber was dropping a full tube of lube into the reservoir before it was near empty. Had a dickens of a time getting the cap back onto the top of the reservoir. Will never do that again.

Some lube may tend to ooze out between the sizer die housing and the die especially if the bullet punch is not adjusted correctly, if you continue to put pressure on the handle after the lube grooves are filled, and if the lube you're using has a very runny consistency. If you use a heater, try not to overheat the lube as it will make the lube runny. Once you've used your Star often enough, you can feel the lube filling the bullet lube grooves and there will be resistance when the grooves are filled. That's when you should stop putting pressure on the handle. If your bullet punch is adjusted correctly, the bullet in the die should drop out before the bullet being lubed is lubed. Hope this helps.

[44woody]

when my spring does not want to come out that usually means I have lube in the resevor that I need to use before adding more if it is a hard wax lube you will know when you are out of lube when you stop getting lube on your bullets if you add a stick of lube and the spring will not go all the way down get a long screw and screw it into the lube stick and gently pull the lube stick out you can also add some heat to the base of the luber to get your spring put becouse the lube has the hard washer on the bottom of the spring stuck to the bottom of the luber I hope this helps :castmine:44Woody

[Sundogg1911]

i almost always have a heck of a time getting the spring assemble out of either of my stars. I usually end up standing on the feet of my sizing bench to keep from lifing the whole thing off of the ground. I've also had a problem when I put a lube stick in when it wasnt quite empty. I tried pulling it out with a long lag bolt, but it didn't work well. I ended up scraping some lube out with a long screwdriver. I try to make sure it's empty before reloading it now

[Woodtroll]

Sundogg,

Pardon me if you already know this, but you can pull the spring/ plunger assembly out easily by removing the small "handle" rod that is threaded sideways into the top of the compression screw, turn the compression screw and cap asssembly over, screw the female top of the compression screw onto the spring shaft that is still in the reservoir, and then screw the (now upside-down) cap down onto the top of the reservoir. Keep turning the cap, and it will pull the plunger/ spring assembly out nicely. It's harder to describe than to do- let me know if this doesn't make sense and I will try to clarify.

Take care, Regan

[454PB]

Woodtroll is right on. I do it the same way, except I just pull the plunger assembly out rather than threading it out.

[Springfield]

Mine is only difficult when the lube/sizer is cold. But then I use a softer BP lube. I get a bit of leakage from the sides of the sizer body but it doesn't hurt anything, just wipe it off and keep going. If it leaks too much maybe you need a new o-ring in the die body hole.

[Marshal Kane]

. . . screw the female top of the compression screw onto the spring shaft that is still in the reservoir, and then screw the (now upside-down) cap down onto the top of the reservoir. Keep turning the cap, and it will pull the plunger/ spring assembly out nicely. . .
This works but doesn't this take the bluing off the cap where it contacts the reservoir leaving a bright silver ring? I just pull up on the cap.

[Lloyd Smale]

there going to be tough to take out. Mine has the added problem of a long rezivour that holds over 3 sticks of lube so i have even more trouble then most. Sundog has learned my trick if its cold in the barn i have to stand right up on the bench and pull it out. It also helps to take a propane torch and heat the resivour tube a little.

[Sundogg1911]

I do flip the assembly over and thread it in. Still tough to pull out. (especially when it's cold)
it's not so bad when i use soft lubes, but usually I use the hard commercial grade lubes so it stays in the grooves when I ship them out. At least it's good to know that it's not just me ;-)

[Woodtroll]

This works but doesn't this take the bluing off the cap where it contacts the reservoir leaving a bright silver ring? I just pull up on the cap.

Yes, Marshal, it will wear the bluing a little, but the leverage of the screw threads to pull out the air-locked plunger are worth a little wear. With some lubes you can just pull it out by hand, but with some hard or tacky lubes it's almost impossible. Once you break the air seal, you can pull the screw out the rest of the way by hand- it doesn't take much (and saves standing on the bench!) Star designed it to be done this way, if you have a copy of the original instructions.

I hesitated to post at all because most folks know how this works, but some do not and have all kinds of trouble (and do damage) by not knowing the technique. Many can figure out to turn the spring screw over, but don't use the cap to lever the plunger out. An earlier reference to using a lag bolt made me think that I could offer this alternative method and be of some help.

Y'all take care, Regan

[Cayoot]

A little off base here, but I gotta ask...
Does anyone have the compressed air adapter for their star? It is supposed to speed up the process by maintaining a constant pressure on the lube. Just hook it up to a air tank.

I'm thinking about buying one...but was hoping to get someones experienced opinion.

Thanks

[Marshal Kane]

Yes, Marshal, it will wear the bluing a little, but the leverage of the screw threads to pull out the air-locked plunger are worth a little wear.
Y'all take care, Regan
Thanks for your post and y'all take care too! Marshal

[Springfield]

Cayoot: the best thing for me about getting the air attachment is I plugged the hole and now I can put in a 6" stick instead of only a 4". Plus I don't have to crank that darn handle anymore.

[Cayoot]

Sprinfield-Thank you! I was just sitting behind my star a couple hours ago and thought about this thread. I was thinking that either no one has an air adapter, or that no one likes it, and doesn't want to say anythng bad.

So please tell me:
1. Are you glad you bought it?
2. Does it provide good, constant lube pressure and fill out?
3. Was/is it difficult to use?
4. Would you recommend it? I HATE cranking that handle and I hate only being able to load 1/2 a stick of lube!

Thanks so much!

Bary



Cayoot: the best thing for me about getting the air attachment is I plugged the hole and now I can put in a 6" stick instead of only a 4". Plus I don't have to crank that darn handle anymore.

[BigSlick]

I've got the air cylinder feed and love it.

It works exactly as described/intended, worth every penny I paid for it, incredibly simple to operate and I wouldn't size another bullet without it. Set it and forget it as Ron Popiel would say.

Some folks run an air line to it directly from a compressor, but I just top off a 7 gallon air tank I picked up cheap at the auto parts store and feed a hose up to the air cylinder. One tank lasts 3-4000 bullets, no running a line thru the attic, no water in the line issues to deal with and the 7 gallon tank is small enough to not take up the whole loading room.

The extra lube capacity is wonderful, and best of all, no cranking the damned handle.

Howzat ?
________
Video Reviews (http://videoreviews.org)

[Cayoot]

BigSlick,
That's exactly what I wanted to hear! I'm gonna order it (along with a couple more dies) this payday!

Thanks much guys!