Removing lube from a 4500

[Lizard333]

Dumb question, I know. Is there a better way of removing some lube out my 4500. I tried some other lube, and it's ****. I never should have stopped using my carnauba red. I am trying to avoid heating up the tube, and unbolting it from the bench and pouring it out.

Thanks.

[kungfustyle]

Break out the wrench my friend unless you want it to run out on your bench/table. May be ok if you put a bucket under it and surround it with paper towels when you heat it up....Once you start it's hard to stop....

[Beagle333]

Another vote for taking it off the bench, stand it in a bucket or coffee can and warm it up in the oven to around 180. It should all drain out then. I agree that it'll be messy if done in place.

[geargnasher]

Heat lamp or heat gun and a bucket. Look on the bright side, I have one full of a lube that doesn't melt enough to run below about 380F and I'd like to clear it out. Good thing it's soft, I guess I'll just push it out and refill with a not-as-good version of what I want to switch it over to, push that through, then refill and push about half a reservoir full of the good stuff through it before using.

This is why I finger lube when testing formulas. Otherwise, I would have had to clear out my lube-sizer several hundred times in the past few years, and a lot of the stuff I've made and tested doesn't melt at sane temperatures and doesn't pan lube worth a hoot, either.

Gear

[Mk42gunner]

Finger lubing is a bit of a pain, but nothing like trying to clean out a lubrisizer.

Take it off the bench, use a propane torch on low to get most of it melted out then boil with dish soap.

Be prepared for a mess, no matter how you try to clean the old stuff out.

Robert

[Lizard333]

This is what I was afraid of. Heat gun it is.......

Thanks for the confirmation!!

[theperfessor]

Somebody needs to invent a luber that has a detachable reservoir (think grease gun cartridges) and a drain plug...

[Lizard333]

You think one could drill the bottom, tap it, and thread a plug in?

[dragon813gt]

One of the great things about LAM 1s is that the threaded rod goes through the base. So just remove the rod, heat it up and it runs out the hole in the base plug. If you're so inclined you can tap out the base plug for full access to the reservoir. I know this doesn't help w/ any other sizer :)

[LUCKYDAWG13]

just boil it OUTSIDE

[kungfustyle]

Hey perfessor its great to see you back in action.....

[Mk42gunner]

Somebody needs to invent a luber that has a detachable reservoir (think grease gun cartridges) and a drain plug...
Sound like someone (cough) Keith (cough), volunteered...

Good to see you posting again,

Robert

[afish4570]

Dumb question, I know. Is there a better way of removing some lube out my 4500. I tried some other lube, and it's ****. I never should have stopped using my carnauba red. I am trying to avoid heating up the tube, and unbolting it from the bench and pouring it out.

Thanks.
09-01-2012, 10:50 PM
#4 (http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?163878-Lyman-450&p=1832359&viewfull=1#post1832359)

afish4570 (http://castboolits.gunloads.com/member.php?4853-afish4570)
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Boolit MasterJoin DateFeb 2008Posts215

Cleaned 450 Lyman


Old 07-01-2012, 09:51 PM #1
afish4570
Boolit Master

Join Date: Feb 2008
Posts: 167

450 Lyman problem adjusting to get bullet lubed.....
Boiled the old lube out of 450 using my Harbor Fr. brush burner to heat a 5 qt. pickle can of water..... Replaced the pressure screw and reassembled with Lars 2500 lube.
Actually cleaned up rather quickly..... A Coleman stove or propane stove done outside to keep the Secretary of War from getting involved with any messes incurred will also work. The brush burner stunt was very quick to heat up water with. Hot water was not put on lawn or driveway either. afish4570[smilie=1:[smilie=1:

Turkey fryer works ok too. I think the 212 degree water is less harmful to o rings in the unit and really quick and not as messy as it sounds....Hot, careful handling and you will see. afish4570

[Ed_Shot]

just boil it OUTSIDE

Amen! Squeeze what lube you can out of it and disassemble it. Use whatever pot you normally smelt in, I use a cast iron dutch oven, add water and just boil. Run a piece of wire through it to make it easy to lift out of the pot and hang to dry. I boiled my H&I dies too to get rid of the old lube. The lube floats and any scum left in the pot was just flux for the next smelt. I've only doen this once when I changed from Super Moly to White Label 2500+ but it was pretty simple and totally effective.

[Dragonheart]

If you don't take it apart you will never get all the old lube out. As already suggested the guide rod will push out the bottom leaving a hole. It would be a good idea to replace the seal on the plug before re-installing the rod to prevent a leak. An old heat lamp will get the sizer hot enough to melt the lube. Anyway you do it it's a messy job best done where the mess won't be a problem.