Star lubesizer WARNING

[MBTcustom]

I felt that I should warn everybody about Star lubesizers.
They are the perfect solution to every problem you ever had sizing your boolits. I have heard about them for years, but not knowing just how freakin AWESOME they really are, I figured they were for the caster who has run out of things to spend money on, and just needs a place to throw it.
This is not true.
In fact, had I been able to use one up until today, I would have done whatever it took to save up the money and buy one!

Look, it took me a minute to figure out how to tune the punch to the die, but a quick call to Magma, and a conversation with a guy that had answered my question about a million times, and I had it running like a top.

The way it works is that instead of pumping up the whole lube column with pressure, and expecting that to travel through the press body and into the lube die, it requires minimal pressure on the lube column and it has a pump that is activated at the bottom of the stroke which pressurizes just a small bit of lube and forces it around the die and into the lube grooves.

The key to "tuning" the press is to simply make it so that at the bottom of the stroke, there is a boolit that stops in the die, right over the lube holes, keeping the lube trapped. The next boolit following the first, clears it out of the way and takes it's place, getting it's lube grooves filled up while the third boolit is being loaded etc etc etc.

So, obvious advantages over anything else I have used:
Push through design that is very precisely aligned. (unlike Lee or Lyman, or RCBS, or Seaco, the die that the Star uses is a tight slip fit in place, and there are no threads to get janky, or misaligned, no weird linkage that sizes your boolits at an angle, and no nose punches to concern yourself with.)

Impulse lube pressure that puts the lube where it is needed, when it is needed and nothing else. (This makes for a very clean lubed boolit. Wax is in the lube grooves. Nowhere else.)

Speed. It's just so stinkin easy, you start yankin that handle like a one armed bandit with a stuck jackpot, grinning from ear to ear like a possum eatin persimmons!

Fellers, I ran out of boolits to lube! I fired up the pot and cast some more. I lubed them in no time. They are concentric, they are straight, they are cylindrical, they are making me laugh like an idiot.
I'm standing there like Jack Sparrow asking "why are the boolits always gone?"

Awe yes, it was indeed glorious, and I can see that I must now own one from here on out, hence my WARNING: If you are trying to stay away from expensive nice things, do not let somebody talk you into pulling the handle on one of these presses! You just won't be able to go back to your normal sizer once you yank the handle on one of these!

I would like to send out a very special thanks to sgt.mike for storing this fine machine on my bench, and allowing me to use it to my hearts content.
I would also like to thank Glen and Leah from the White Label Lube company for giving me a bunch of their products as a tip for my help with a few projects. First rate people, and I highly recommend. Apparently, Mike told them I had a Star strapped to my bench, because they brought me some solid stick lube to try. It fit right in the sizer and worked like a charm. I used their "2400+" lube.

[Sweetpea]

Thanks for the heads up!

Now I know not to touch one, without cash in hand!

[btroj]

I use mine for about all my sizing needs. Once you get the hang of adjusting the punch it doesn't take long to get it right.
More pressure and less heat is what I find works best for those lubes requiring some heat.

Oh, Tim, stay away from the air feed. It will just let you put more lube in the reservoir and you run out of bullets faster.

[Sgtonory]

Great now i have to buy another reloading item :) thanks for the heads up!

[gmsharps]

You probably know this already but buying flat nose punches and putting the bullet nose down saves on the expense of having specific nose punches made. You will start getting lazy also after using a Star and you will find yourself looking for another Star to keep from having to change lubes. Thats the reason Stars are hard to find is that folks end up having several to serve their needs. I have 3 and would not turn down a great deal if i find another one. I still have my Lyman but for high volume the Star is the go to machine.

gmsharps

[fivegunner]

Thanks for the info, all these years I never knew I was doing it wrong. :razz::bigsmyl2:

[6bg6ga]

I was wondering if your machine had the air cylinder installed and also if you were equipped with the bullet feeder option. Not trying to start WWIII here but I started with a machine that you needed to place a bullet in the die and pull the lever down and then back up to complete the operation but wait you weren't done yet as you needed to remove the bullet from the die. A lot of work just to size and lube a bullet.

I started with the basic Magma machine and then equipped it with a air cylinder and then the feeder. I built my own PID control and I posted a bullet counter setup that you can find if you access the Star section.

My time is limited and this began my search for machine number two. I rescued a Star off ebay and rebuilt it. Note* Having one of both there is no difference in feel between the two however there are those that feel differently. I have one machine setup for 45 cal and the other for 38 cal. Lathesmith made my dies and I have dies made to my specifications/number of lube holes. Simply put I can run any of my 38/357's thru without any height changes of major concern. The same with my 45caliber with the exception of a 452 semi wad cutter with dual lube grooves. I have a different die for that one.

Adjustable two piece top punch..... this is another you got to have items for the Magma/Star sizer. It makes life so simple. In addition to the machines a book with your settings is a must do as it makes the next setup a 5 minute or less job.

Would be interested in your 2400 bullet lube evaluation.

[bobthenailer]

I currently have 2 stars bought my first one back in the 70s after usings a friends .
Over the years i have demoed my star to 3 fellow casters within 6 months of using mine they all had there own star/ magnma lube/sizer, as well as big smiles !

[enfieldphile]

When I first began casting, about 31 years ago, the fellow that guided me, showed me how to lube & size on his RCBS LAM. I asked him wouldn't it be easier & faster if there was a way to just push the boolit right through and not have to insert then withdraw the boolit.
He said, "Yes, there's a machine like that, the Star. But it's expensive."

I bought an RCBS LAM 'cuz the US Forces Rod & Gun club had that in stock, cost $52.00 IIRC.

I just got a Star recently, it's 4X as fast (or so it seems) there are no alignment issues and the Star is WORTH EVERY CENT! ;)

[gmsharps]

Adjustable two piece top punch

I have not seen these do you have a photo by chance and did lathesmith provide them

gmsharps

[MBTcustom]

I use mine for about all my sizing needs. Once you get the hang of adjusting the punch it doesn't take long to get it right.
More pressure and less heat is what I find works best for those lubes requiring some heat.

Oh, Tim, stay away from the air feed. It will just let you put more lube in the reservoir and you run out of bullets faster.

Yeah, I've got the air feed on order from Kyle623 here on the forum.
I also have three dies on order from lathesmith. Expensive, but I believe in supporting small businesses like my own.

I'm building a PID for the lube temperature and for my lead pot. Thermistor for the lube, and a thermocouple for the lead.
Life is good.
However, last night I was using the standard pressure screw that came on the press, and I have to say, that alone whoops the heck out of the Lyman setup! Very easy to use, and consistent by comparison.

I was using a die I made myself, and it worked exceedingly well.
When I was making it, I was unsure what dimensions were the most important, so I held everything to the enth degree, but now that I have actually used the press, I see that the 3/4" body diameter is the only critical dimension.
The weird part is the threads on the ram. 1/2-27 is a real oddball! Fortunately, my 3700lb magic wand "has an app for that" LOL!

[cbrick]

How good is the Star? Maybe this story will give you an idea. Several years ago a friend of mine John Adams owned SAECO when SAECO was still in CA. When John retired and sold SAECO to Redding in NY I bought several things from John including the Lubrisizer that they used in the SAECO shop, that was my first Star Lubrisizer.

SAECO could of course have all the SAECO lubrisizer's they wanted, after all they made them but the lubrisizer in the SAECO shop was the Star that still adorns my bench to this day. I've had it at least 25 years, no idea how old it was when I got it but today it's still like the day it was new. Today it has a heated base, an air cylinder and a second Star set up the same way to keep it company.

Before I got the Star I used a SAECO Lubrisizer, after the Star I took several rifle boolits sized on both machines to a friends machine shop and used his comparator to compare both types of sizing, straight thru and in & out. Magnified about 50X & sitting on a lined grid the difference in concentricity was shocking. The longer the boolit (rifle) the more out of alignment the in & out sized boolits were. I haven't shot a crooked boolit since even though I do still have two SAECO sizers.

Rick

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

The Star is an awesome tool.
btw, Great post goodsteel....
BUT...
you'd think a Mod would have posted about a Star in the Star forum sub-category :)

[cbrick]

you'd think a Mod would have posted about a Star in the Star forum sub-category :)

He's new, gotta cut him a little slack. [smilie=1:

Rick

[Love Life]

The star is overrated and, per mid 90's slang, wack.

They are finicky monsters that require hocus pocus and voodoo. A perfect day one day, and then BOOM!!!!Your star hates you the next day even though no adjustments were made...anywhere.

I'm a pretty savvy individual, but I couldn't get any consistency with the star. Who knows? Maybe I'm a mouth breather and just don't know it yet.

I sold the star 2 months after I got and it as a happy day for me as I bolted the 4500 and 45 back to the bench. Now I use Lee dies exclusively because I coat my bullets.

[cbrick]

And I'll bet you had no trouble at all selling it. A good thing actually, it deserved a home where it is appreciated.

Some folks just don't have the patience to figure out some things I guess.

Voodoo, :mrgreen: that's funny.

Rick

[454PB]

Just in case some Star owners are unaware, there is an adjustment for the length of stroke for the "secondary" pressure pump. Very simple, just screw the bolt outwards at the pump lever contact point.

[Love Life]

And I'll bet you had no trouble at all selling it. A good thing actually, it deserved a home where it is appreciated.

Some folks just don't have the patience to figure out some things I guess.

Voodoo, :mrgreen: that's funny.

Rick

It sold very fast for exactly what I paid for it!! You're right in that I didn't want to fiddle with it anymore to make it right. Life's too short for notebooks full of measurements and spending 15 minutes cussing before/during a lubing session. I will say that when it was running right that it was magnificent!!

[cbrick]

I have no notebooks of measurements, no measurements at all actually, I don't spend 15 minutes setting it up and I have no reason to cuss at it so I guess I don't understand what all that means or why anyone would think all that is necessary.

What I do have is very concentrically sized boolits, boolits sized with lube that is only where I want it, zero hassles with a box full of poorly fitting individual nose punches for each of 70+ molds and boolits sized rather quickly.

I guess LL is right, no reason to spend a little time figuring out how to make a fine machine work correctly. I better sell my Stars & go back to all of the negatives of an in & out sizer. Yep, that's the way to go so that I can avoid the negative of having to learn something.

Rick

[enfieldphile]

*Enfieldphile steps into the confessional*

'Bout 8 or 9 years ago a dealer was hauling a good condition Star to the gun shows. He must have brought it to @ least 3 shows. It was set up w/ a .452 die. He wanted $150.00, I passed on it. STUPID, STUPID, STUPID! :oops: Then the next show, I looked for it; gone! :(

But, I just got a new one. Now I know what I was missing all those years! ;) So, yeah, I'll be on the lookout for a second one eventually.

+1 on taking measurements and recording them! Lathesmith punches have Allen set screws in the nut(put a piece of lead shot under the setscrew) making it a snap


...You will start getting lazy also after using a Star and you will find yourself looking for another Star to keep from having to change lubes. Thats the reason Stars are hard to find is that folks end up having several to serve their needs. I have 3 and would not turn down a great deal if i find another one...

gmsharps

[357maximum]

<-------Very HAPPY STAR USER, I hate to use the word LOVE in reference to a machine, but I can find no better word, never had an issue adjusting anything....pretty darn simple says this simple mind.......just do not overfill the resevoir and life is good....overfill it once....you will never do it again.

I did find that it changed my casting habits though. Now I cast 500 to 1000+ of a given design at a time and lube em the same day......I now cast/lube in bulk instead of little 200pc batches like I did with the Lyman sizers.


A STAR + Lathesmith dies= BLISS

[joesig]

The weird part is the threads on the ram. 1/2-27 is a real oddball! Fortunately, my 3700lb magic wand "has an app for that" LOL!

"Oddball" is a polite way of saying it!
Is there really a 27TPI setting on your lathe or was it some funky SAE/Metric hybrid?

I'm glad finding a die for that thread wasn't too difficult.

[MBTcustom]

"Oddball" is a polite way of saying it!
Is there really a 27TPI setting on your lathe or was it some funky SAE/Metric hybrid?

I'm glad finding a die for that thread wasn't too difficult.

The gearbox on my lathe allows me to cut any thread, depending on whether or not the pitch I am after is available.

A die is a tool that is best used for straightening up damaged threads. I almost never use one for making a thread.
Why would I? I can just turn a piece of stock to the diameter I require, and single point the threads to depth.

Were machinists amigo, we don't need no stinkin dies.
LOL!

[dragonrider]

"They are finicky monsters that require hocus pocus and voodoo. A perfect day one day, and then BOOM!!!!Your star hates you the next day even though no adjustments were made...anywhere."

Boolits from my Star are perfect every time. Doesn't matter how many or how few or what phase of the moon. And I never adjust from one size to the next, it's just not needed.

[blikseme300]

Welcome to the Dark Side, Tim.

I danced around dropping the money until I had some spare funds and got my first Star a few years ago. Fast forward and today I have 5 of the beasts, 2 outfitted with boolit feeders and all on aluminum plates so I can quick change onto the heater base. The heater base is self-made and temperature controlled using a hot water heater thermostat. 12 x 4' long 1/2" pvc tubes with clevis pins near the one end are filled with boolits using a Hornady collator. I have not timed the volume of pistol boolits lube sized but in any evening I can fill a number of 1.6L Really Useful Box units. I have, but don't use, an air unit as I simply add a few rotations to add pressure when switching to another 4' tube full of boolits.

As I make my own sizing dies and punches I can experiment with different sizes to my hearts content. As for setting up for another boolit I have a dedicated top punch for each with the lock nut fixed to ensure the correct height when switching out dies. It takes less than 5 minutes to switch dies & punch and is repeatable with no fuss.

All I still need to figure out is how to fit and seat GC's faster...

[Love Life]

"They are finicky monsters that require hocus pocus and voodoo. A perfect day one day, and then BOOM!!!!Your star hates you the next day even though no adjustments were made...anywhere."

Boolits from my Star are perfect every time. Doesn't matter how many or how few or what phase of the moon. And I never adjust from one size to the next, it's just not needed.

Didn't I sell you a star?

[MT Chambers]

I have 3 Stars and use then a lot, I do not take any measurements, I just install the right die with the proper holes open, and when it is up to temp. I run a bullet through and see where the lube is going and adjust the punch accordingly, couldn't be faster.

[blaser.306]

The star is UBER fast, But it somehow destroyes all of your "spare" time! That is if you somehow feel the need to keep it supplied with Naked boolits to feed it with!

[D Crockett]

Goodsteel one word of warning keep those fingers out of the way of that punch on the down stroke it will HURT A LOT IF YOU DON"T I invested in the bullet feeder and tubes for mine after a carried a black finger nail around for a while and if you do get one pm me I have some extra tubes for 9mm/38's I would let go cheep good luck and happy casting D Crockett

[Love Life]

No need to take my word as the gospel everybody.

CBRick- No need to sell your star machines, but if ever tire of the most amazing case prep center on the planet....

[DRNurse1]

I am down to two....just traded one I had as a back up. Switching dies is easy and I size base first for most of my boolits so epoxy is my friend (to make the 'custom' top punch to fit my boolit).

I do not 'machine my own', so Lathe Smith is a wonderful contributor to my habits.

30 years and no black nails from my Star, but my daughter tried out all of her nail colors on daddy while he was napping once.--:-)

[jmorris]

A die is a tool that is best used for straightening up damaged threads. I almost never use one for making a thread.

My Geometric die heads are some of the best money I ever spent. They can make threads in an instant that are quite difficult if one were going to try and single point. Like 6-32 in stainless or NPT threads for example.

Here is a video I found of 10-32 in 303 that shows the speed they provide.

http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=geometric%20die%20head&source=web&cd=1&ved=0CEgQtwIwAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DJSM WLpx4rS4&ei=E2kqU8qUEeWA2wXPtoDwCQ&usg=AFQjCNH2RLGsaNFlz5IAQjRu0xpo8GGxSA&bvm=bv.62922401,d.b2I

[MBTcustom]

Well, I have a shoot coming up next weekend, so I need to get things rolling. Things were slow at the day job, so I cranked out 4 dies today. None of them are hard, but lead is softer than steel, so here we go.
I made a .310, .360, .4295, and .460.

When I got home, I handled some business, then started cranking out boolits like a fiend! My arm is about to fall off. I did about 100 45-70 boolits, 100 44 mag boolits, and well over 100 30 SIL boolits.

Just ask sgt. Mike. He came over tonight to pick up some parts I ordered for him and to have me scope some barrels and he said "Good Lord, what didn't you size?!?)

HAHAHAHAHA!!!!

[6bg6ga]

I don't have any pictures of the two piece punch on hand. Lathesmith did make it custom for me. Its for 357 and its out of brass. It works very well and mades the very small adjustments that are needed for my 38/357 bullets very easy. Like I mentioned I did make measurements of the open height needed for my different bullets in order to obtain flawless operation. One can make a wooden or metal gauge or simply use a vernier to obtain readings. One you have all the measurements needed the Star/Magma is a piece of cake and the only other thing to master is the different temps needed for different lubes.

I would not recommend trying to adjust the pump stroke as it could end up getting you into trouble if your not 100% familiar with the machine. The machines are reliable and super fast. Faster when you equip them with a bullet feeder assembly.

I used to hate the sizing lube operation but the first go around had me saying "Where did the bullets go?"

[MBTcustom]

I used to hate the sizing lube operation but the first go around had me saying "Where did the bullets go?"

Seriously, that's just what happened to me!
What we have here is a basic paradigm shift of operations. This lubesizer is a game changer.
Suddenly, lubing the boolits is as fast as casting them (faster actually) so my mind turns to devious thoughts of turning all my lead stash into lubed boolits! Bwahahahahah!

[6bg6ga]

Its habbit forming. I went thru 3) two lb coffee cans and couldn't stop myself until I ran out of bullets. I have on hand 6) three lb coffee cans filled with cast bullets ready to size and I find myself eyeing those cans all the time knowing that if I start I cannot quit until they are all finished.

[45-70bpcr]

Help me understand. I don't have a star lubrisizer but do have a star universal press in .45 acp. There is no doubt they are finely crafted machines and fun to operate. If I ever come across a deal on a star lubrisizer I will buy it just for the cool factor, but in reality how can it possibly work better than the Lee push thru and LLA for plain base pistol boolits? As for gas checked boolits I have heard they take some playing with to get right?

[dragonrider]

Didn't I sell you a star?

No, I got mine 20 + years ago. Bought it local.

[cbrick]

but in reality how can it possibly work better than the Lee push thru and LLA for plain base pistol boolits? As for gas checked boolits I have heard they take some playing with to get right?

If I had to tumble lube I would probably never shoot another cast boolit, I hate it that bad. Messy, sloppy and slow.

That the Star cannot do gas checked boolits is an old wives tale that I cannot fathom where it might have come from. For 25+ years I have used the Star exclusively and used it to put a check on every single boolit that needed one.

Rick

[gmsharps]

[QUOTE=6bg6ga;2694244]I don't have any pictures of the two piece punch on hand. Lathesmith did make it custom for me. Its for 357 and its out of brass. It works very well and mades the very small adjustments that are needed for my 38/357 bullets very easy. Like I mentioned I did make measurements of the open height needed for my different bullets in order to obtain flawless operation. One can make a wooden or metal gauge or simply use a vernier to obtain readings. One you have all the measurements needed the Star/Magma is a piece of cake and the only other thing to master is the different temps needed for different lubes.

Thanks for the info. Always looking to find better ways to do things.

gmsharps

[MBTcustom]

Help me understand. I don't have a star lubrisizer but do have a star universal press in .45 acp. There is no doubt they are finely crafted machines and fun to operate. If I ever come across a deal on a star lubrisizer I will buy it just for the cool factor, but in reality how can it possibly work better than the Lee push thru and LLA for plain base pistol boolits? As for gas checked boolits I have heard they take some playing with to get right?

Read the first part of the thread. Your point of view is exactly what mine was before I used this press.

Oh, and regarding GC seating on a Star, you aught to be able to call BS when you hear it by now. The gun industry is loaded with myths, superstitions and BS that is passed from generation to generation by uneducated mouth-breathing trigger yankers, that have no understanding of the true cause and effect structure of firearms and the tools used to run them.
Somebody gets a spot in a gun rag, and runs out of information they are comfortable with, and start talking about things of which they do not know, and since they were right on the money with a limited amount of knowledge, people buy what they say as gospel hook line and sinker.

I'm guilty of this myself. My understanding of firearms, tools, machinery, and ballistics is constantly improving. You want the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, ask my cranky opinion in 30 years. LOL!

I ran over 100 30 caliber silhouette boolits through the Star last night, GC and all. They were superbly concentric, straight, square, and cleanly lubed.
This was done with a die and punch that I made myself, and was unhardened, soft steel.
Worked like a charm!

[sparky45]

I to have a Star lube/sizer. I have found it to be exceptional. However, I DON'T run any sticky, yuk petroleum or wax messy lube through mine. ALL mine gets are Powder Coated bullets. Super easy to use and I don't care where the lube groove is in relation to the punch, doesn't matter. Had Lathesmith make some dies and got his roller handle, now there is a fantastic improvement.

[Love Life]

Or sell me the 450...

[MBTcustom]

Yeah, I think my 450 strugling days are over. It damages the boolits so badly, that I have barely used it at all in the past two years. (understand, this 450 has lubed close to a million boolits between my father and myself.)
I've been pushing dip lubed boolits through a Lee push-through die and making a mess everywhere for the last two years.
Lube on the noses
Lube on the bases,
Lube on the press
Lube on the die
Lube all over the punch
Lube on the hot plate
Lube on the workbench
Lube on the paper towels I wipe the bases with
Lube in the trashcan
Oh, and as a special bonus: Lube actually located in the lube grooves where it belongs.

No More!!!!!

I lubed up close to 500 boolits in the last two days, of various sizes, and I think I may have lost a thimble's worth of lube total, even through the learning curve of setting it up and getting it running!
Even the finished product looks cleaner. I had a tub of boolits sized with the 450 and set a tub of the new ones on top of it, and couldn't help but notice the cleaner look of the Star lubed boolits. Hell all the noses were clean as cast!!!
Wonderful wonderful wonderful!!!

[Love Life]

How does it damage your bullets?

[MBTcustom]

How does it damage your bullets?

The ram is not influenced evenly by the handle leverage.
Consequently, over time it has worn sideways in it's guide. When I push a rifle boolit in there, the nose punch moves to the right slightly, and when the boolit is inspected afterwards, it has clearly been pushed to one side, making the drive bands thinner on one side than the other. The boolits shoot like garbage and are not accurate.
It's not a problem with the really short pistol boolits (as long as they have really short driving surfaces like the 45ACP RN) but anything that is more tall than it is round gets jankified with extreme prejudice.

[Beagle333]

I had been pan lubing for a couple of years, then last Fall I got a nicely rebuilt Ideal #1 sizer and used it for about a month and thought I was in heaven..... but right before Christmas, I found a Star for a deal, and almost immediately after taking it out of the box I had lubed about 6 years worth of boolits. I mainly powdercoat now and didn't really need a Star, but oh how nice it is!!!!
It is really gross overkill for a backyard shooter like myself, but I just love the thing! http://www.marlinowners.com/forum/images/smilies/new/love.gif

[cbrick]

CBRick- No need to sell your star machines, but if ever tire of the most amazing case prep center on the planet....

Make me an offer that I can't refuse . . .

Rick

[Love Life]

I don't know where to start. I'll throw you a number when I get back from the local reloading store with my hoard of AA#9...

[enfieldphile]

I like the line they use on American Pickers when a person is reluctant to sell.

They ask him or her, "What's your: I-don't-want-to-sell-it price?"


I don't know where to start. I'll throw you a number when I get back from the local reloading store with my hoard of AA#9...

[bbqncigars]

GC or no, I would truly loathe to pan lube these little boolits. 100094

[6bg6ga]

The ram is not influenced evenly by the handle leverage.
Consequently, over time it has worn sideways in it's guide. When I push a rifle boolit in there, the nose punch moves to the right slightly, and when the boolit is inspected afterwards, it has clearly been pushed to one side, making the drive bands thinner on one side than the other. The boolits shoot like garbage and are not accurate.
It's not a problem with the really short pistol boolits (as long as they have really short driving surfaces like the 45ACP RN) but anything that is more tall than it is round gets jankified with extreme prejudice.

I can second what has been said here from my personal experience.

[6bg6ga]

I will add to the warning...

These darn things multiply. You start with one and then you buy a second and a third. Currently looking for a 3rd unit. One is setup for .38/.357's, another is 45acp and the third will be 44 mag. And then you add the lube cylinders simply so you don't have to turn the lube handle as it slows you down. Then you add a bullet feeder. Then a PID control. Then a bullet counter. Will it ever end?

[6bg6ga]

Yeah, I think my 450 strugling days are over. It damages the boolits so badly, that I have barely used it at all in the past two years. (understand, this 450 has lubed close to a million boolits between my father and myself.)
I've been pushing dip lubed boolits through a Lee push-through die and making a mess everywhere for the last two years.
Lube on the noses
Lube on the bases,
Lube on the press
Lube on the die
Lube all over the punch
Lube on the hot plate
Lube on the workbench
Lube on the paper towels I wipe the bases with
Lube in the trashcan
Oh, and as a special bonus: Lube actually located in the lube grooves where it belongs.

No More!!!!!

I lubed up close to 500 boolits in the last two days, of various sizes, and I think I may have lost a thimble's worth of lube total, even through the learning curve of setting it up and getting it running!
Even the finished product looks cleaner. I had a tub of boolits sized with the 450 and set a tub of the new ones on top of it, and couldn't help but notice the cleaner look of the Star lubed boolits. Hell all the noses were clean as cast!!!
Wonderful wonderful wonderful!!!


Do they look like this?100109

[MBTcustom]

So I know you guys are probably wondering if the dog ate my camera or what? No pictures? Tim, are ya feeling OK?

Not to worry my friends! I was merely in the process of adding some finishing touches just to make it "mine".
Dig the sweetness:
100168
100169
100171

Oh, and in case anybody is still under the silly impression that the Star can't do GC boolits, observe:
100172

Please notice that the boolit is very clean. Please take my word for it that the boolit is very concentric, straight, and uniformly sized.
Also please notice that there is no lube in the gap in front of the GC! This is rather key if you care about keeping your GC seated perfectly flush to the base of the boolit and maintaining a sqaure trailing edge!
100173

[MBTcustom]

BTW, it also does PB boolits very very well.

How about a simple quality comparison between my old Lyman 450 and the Star eh?

Here is a bunch of boolits sized and lubed in the Lyman 450. Please notice lube on the bases, lube on the noses, lube on the driving bands, and oh yeah, there happens to be lube in the groove too. How did that happen?:
100175

Here is a bunch that were lubed in the Star.
Clean
Sharp
Pretty
Sexy
They even smell better LOL!
100176

[btroj]

What caliber is that handle?

The star sizer is an awesome piece of machinery.

[MBTcustom]

What caliber is that handle?

The star sizer is an awesome piece of machinery.

Why, that's a 35mm silhouette boolit of course.

[rbuck351]

About 6 months ago I was at a gun show and saw an old Star luber on a table. I picked it up to check the price and couldn't believe what I saw. $65 with a sizer and top punch. I about tore my pocket off getting out my wallet. Since then I have made 3 or 4 other sizer dies and punches on my old Craftsman 6x18 lathe from cold roll. Yep, it actually has gears for 27tpi. I used to wonder how folks lubed a BB boolit without getting lube on the bevel. I'm using FWFL without a heater and loving life. This thing will lube and size cleanly more boolits than I can load on my Dillon 550b in the same time frame. It's no wonder they sell for as much used as they do new. With no instruction manual, it took a bit of messing with it to figure out exactly how it worked. Now I can switch dies and have it adjusted and sizing in just a few minutes.

[gmsharps]

There are still deals to be had on Star machines but you need to be able to spot them and act quickly. Always have a bit of mad money for that rare occasion.

gmsharps

[cbrick]

Ok Tim, this thread is now at 62 posts. Why don't you quit beating around the bush and tell us what you really think of the Star?

Rick

[btroj]

Ok Tim, this thread is now at 62 posts. Why don't you quit beating around the bush and tell us what you really think of the Star?

Rick

Rick, I see it this way. He can cast good bullets now. He has the ability to size them well. What I want to see is how his 44 mag shoots them!

[6bg6ga]

He hates it says it hard to work with and is going to send it to me for free. That will make three of them for me.

[cbrick]

Rick, I see it this way. He can cast good bullets now. He has the ability to size them well. What I want to see is how his 44 mag shoots them!

I noticed that his boolit bases/sprue cut-off looked much improved, maybe he does listen?

Rick

[btroj]

We can hope?

[MBTcustom]

I noticed that his boolit bases/sprue cut-off looked much improved, maybe he does listen?

Rick

I
Added
Tin.

The boolits don't take the mold as well, but they sure are prettier and the sprues are cleaner. No more flashing around the sprue plate.

[cbrick]

I Added Tin.

What do ya know. He does listen after all. :mrgreen:

I don't know what . . .
The boolits don't take the mold as well Means though.

Rick

[chambers]

I have used RCBS, SAECO, Lyman 450, Star. Sold the RCBS, SAECO. Use mainly the pair of Stars- one is from LAPD most likely the late 60's or 70's. I use Lathe Smith for the dies & punches and have multiple lube holes manufactured in and just plug the ones I don't use. I gas check all through the Star and like the end results. I think they are cleaner to use. I made the reservoir air pressurized and use a heated base of which I both designed. I like using and can get a lot done in short time with good results.

[ProfGAB101]

Trust me.

When you like to collect sub guns you must have a great casting system, a star sizer and a quality progressive reloading press and the best insider trading tips on powder/primer sources and prices. (and a few suitcases full of extra magazines...)

[6bg6ga]

ATTENTION !!! ATTENTION!!!! There has been a Star/Magma recall!!. Send your Star/Magma to me immediately!!! Using the Star/Magma has been know to provoke habitual bullet sizing.

[MBTcustom]

.......and hysterical laughter.

[cainttype]

All I still need to figure out is how to fit and seat GC's faster...[/QUOTE]

I've used Stars since the '70s almost exclusively. Having originally used nose punches early on, I switched to using base punches and sizing nose-first for most of my needs.
A recommendation from Veral (LBT Moulds) seemed like a good idea... Use a cup-shaped base punch for gas-check seating. It guarantees a square base, even if your sprue cut isn't perfect. The alignment of bullet shank-to gas check becomes a non-issue very quickly. The other BIG plus is that 1 proper base punch can size any nose-shaped bullet, eliminating the need for multiple nose punches.
My favorite STAR has a Dayton motor, an M-A systems collator, air-fed lube tube, dual heaters, uses stardard dies, and doesn't mind doing all the work while I bar-b-que or ice the beer down. It has a production rate of 3500+ plain-based bullets per hour... Life is good. :)

[6bg6ga]

All I still need to figure out is how to fit and seat GC's faster...

I've used Stars since the '70s almost exclusively. Having originally used nose punches early on, I switched to using base punches and sizing nose-first for most of my needs.
A recommendation from Veral (LBT Moulds) seemed like a good idea... Use a cup-shaped base punch for gas-check seating. It guarantees a square base, even if your sprue cut isn't perfect. The alignment of bullet shank-to gas check becomes a non-issue very quickly. The other BIG plus is that 1 proper base punch can size any nose-shaped bullet, eliminating the need for multiple nose punches.
My favorite STAR has a Dayton motor, an M-A systems collator, air-fed lube tube, dual heaters, uses stardard dies, and doesn't mind doing all the work while I bar-b-que or ice the beer down. It has a production rate of 3500+ plain-based bullets per hour... Life is good. :)[/QUOTE]

Please do post a picture of your setup before you mail your sizer to me due to the recall I issued.

[cainttype]

I've used Stars since the '70s almost exclusively. Having originally used nose punches early on, I switched to using base punches and sizing nose-first for most of my needs.
A recommendation from Veral (LBT Moulds) seemed like a good idea... Use a cup-shaped base punch for gas-check seating. It guarantees a square base, even if your sprue cut isn't perfect. The alignment of bullet shank-to gas check becomes a non-issue very quickly. The other BIG plus is that 1 proper base punch can size any nose-shaped bullet, eliminating the need for multiple nose punches.
My favorite STAR has a Dayton motor, an M-A systems collator, air-fed lube tube, dual heaters, uses stardard dies, and doesn't mind doing all the work while I bar-b-que or ice the beer down. It has a production rate of 3500+ plain-based bullets per hour... Life is good. :)

Please do post a picture of your setup before you mail your sizer to me due to the recall I issued.[/QUOTE]

I'll forward the tracking number ASAP after I get it crated....could take a while, though.

[uglysteve]

Just got my star sizer Saturday afternoon to replace my Lyman 45. By the evening, I had sized and lubed through 1 1/2 sticks of BAC lube and sized roughly 750 bullets. With my Lyman 45 it would take much longer. I'm loving the new star.

[cbrick]

It seems no one in this thread is listening or paying attention.

Re-read and pay attention this time.


The star is overrated and, per mid 90's slang, wack.

They are finicky monsters that require hocus pocus and voodoo. A perfect day one day, and then BOOM!!!!Your star hates you the next day even though no adjustments were made...anywhere.

I sold the star 2 months after I got and it as a happy day for me as I bolted the 4500 and 45 back to the bench. Now I use Lee dies exclusively because I coat my bullets.

Ok, got it now? [smilie=1:

One thing I haven't quite figured out myself though. Love Life bolted both the 4500 and the 45 back to his bench. Ok, I got it so far.

But then he says:
I use Lee dies exclusively He must be using the LEE sizing dies in the 4500 and 45, that is going to take a bit more figuring out!

That's to much figuring out for me, think I'll stick with my Star's.

Rick

[AMT7]

I have used RCBS, SAECO, Lyman 450, Star. Sold the RCBS, SAECO. Use mainly the pair of Stars- one is from LAPD most likely the late 60's or 70's. I use Lathe Smith for the dies & punches and have multiple lube holes manufactured in and just plug the ones I don't use. I gas check all through the Star and like the end results. I think they are cleaner to use. I made the reservoir air pressurized and use a heated base of which I both designed. I like using and can get a lot done in short time with good results.

You kept the Lyman 450, so tell me if I should purchase say, 2 of those lubesizers, later today for $75 each what kind of pros and cons can I expect compared to the Magna Star(s)? Nubie here, please share your valuable experience.

Another question is is there mfg tolerence issues causing some Stars to be moody? Seems like someone needs to stick a runout guage dial caliper to one and start logging side play/ runout or the like in critical places to start eliminating causes.

[AMT7]

You probably know this already but buying flat nose punches and putting the bullet nose down saves on the expense of having specific nose punches made. You will start getting lazy also after using a Star and you will find yourself looking for another Star to keep from having to change lubes. Thats the reason Stars are hard to find is that folks end up having several to serve their needs. I have 3 and would not turn down a great deal if i find another one. I still have my Lyman but for high volume the Star is the go to machine.

gmsharps

The lyman, which model?
Also do you have a list of pros and cons, like how to prevent cooked sized boolits?

[David2011]

Yeah, I think my 450 strugling days are over. It damages the boolits so badly, that I have barely used it at all in the past two years. (understand, this 450 has lubed close to a million boolits between my father and myself.)
I've been pushing dip lubed boolits through a Lee push-through die and making a mess everywhere for the last two years.
Lube on the noses
Lube on the bases,
Lube on the press
Lube on the die
Lube all over the punch
Lube on the hot plate
Lube on the workbench
Lube on the paper towels I wipe the bases with
Lube in the trashcan
Oh, and as a special bonus: Lube actually located in the lube grooves where it belongs.

No More!!!!!

I lubed up close to 500 boolits in the last two days, of various sizes, and I think I may have lost a thimble's worth of lube total, even through the learning curve of setting it up and getting it running!
Even the finished product looks cleaner. I had a tub of boolits sized with the 450 and set a tub of the new ones on top of it, and couldn't help but notice the cleaner look of the Star lubed boolits. Hell all the noses were clean as cast!!!
Wonderful wonderful wonderful!!!

LMAO ROLF! I have a 450 and a Star (Hecho en San Diego) as well so understand perfectly.

[David2011]

This thing will lube and size cleanly more boolits than I can load on my Dillon 550b in the same time frame. It's no wonder they sell for as much used as they do new.

Yah Mon. Truth.

David

[gmsharps]

The lyman, which model?
Also do you have a list of pros and cons, like how to prevent cooked sized boolits?
It's an old Lyman 450. I must have gotten a good one as I do not get crooked bullets on mine. Something I do do is put the screw cap(probably not the correct terminology) on the sizing die prior to installing it to ensure proper alignment. I install the top punch and take a look and see if the alignment is straight. For top punches sometimes I do not have the correct one so I take one of the spares I have (I have a bag of extras) and use epoxy to form the correct nose punch (they last for a long time before I have to redo them)I have used paper to form the nose for a quick fix also. The flimsy arms on the 450 gave out when I was sizing thngs I should not have been sizing on it and messed them up so a friend and I looked it over and redid the linkage and made a longer and heavier handle and it has worked great for quite some time now maybe 25 years or so. I do not have a picture available of my 4450 at this time. Once I get back to the US I can get pics.

gmsharps