Melting lube

[Ramsmacker]

New guy, first post, hope this is the right area to post this?

I'm going to try to handlube/panlube some unsized .3155, 32-20, 115gr rnfp. Rifle slugs at .3131 and leads with .313 bullets. Velociity range is 1,000 to 1,400fps, using smokless loads. What kind/brand of hotplates do you all use to melt lube? Never done this before. What temp range should it have. I've read everything I can find on Felix lube and going to try making a batch. Already know NOT to use the kitchen stove, with castor oil in the mix! (when mama's happy everybody's happy). Any help is greatly appriciated.

Ramsmacker

[wills]

Any you can find for next to nothing at a garage sale. Part of the sport is scrounging for low cost equipment.

[454PB]

I have one of those $40 Walmart microwave ovens in my loading room, I like my coffee hot!

It also works great for melting bullet lubes, and I use it to warm up my Lee liquid Alox before coating boolits. Since there is no open flame or glowing element, there is almost zero chance of a fire. Well, I'm sure somebody could start a fire melting beeswax in a microwave, but he'd have to really try!

[Pawpaw]

I use a microwave too, and melt the lube in one of those throwaway containers. Then, rather than pouring it around the bullets, I hold the cold bullets by the nose and dip them into the hot lube. The cold bullet grabs the lube and I put it on wax paper to harden. Then, I run it through one of the cheap Lee sizers. Works like a champ.

[Ramsmacker]

Pawpaw,
What kind of lube do you use. Do you wipe off the base of the bullet before putting them on the wax paper? If not then I assume you have not had a powder contamination problem on a hot summer day. Thanks

[Pawpaw]

Pawpaw,
What kind of lube do you use. Do you wipe off the base of the bullet before putting them on the wax paper? If not then I assume you have not had a powder contamination problem on a hot summer day. Thanks

I use homemade lube. Either Junior Lube or Junior's 4:1:1 lube. Search www.castbullet.com for either of them. Powder contamination has never been a problem that I am aware of. After they are cool, running them through the sizer knocks the lube off the base.

I've trained two of my grandkids to size bullets and they love working the press.

[Ramsmacker]

I looked up castbullet.com, very interesting site. I'll also give Junior lube a try along with about 4 others. I'm gonna be melting, pushing, dippin an wipen till I discover which method and lube works best for me, then do it again this summer when it gets hot. I swore I wasn't gonna complicate this lube thing by reinventing the wheel, guess I'm just not happy any other way.
Thank you all for your help. This forum is great with a great bunch of members.
Mick

[KCSO]

I picked up a restaruant bum warmer. This is a flat tray with a 1" lip made from stainless steel. You plug it in and it gets just hot enough to melt lube and then you set your bullets in it. I currently have it full of bees wax mix for making wax bullets. I bought this as a sale for about 50 cents. Before that I used a cake pan and set it on a hot plate.

[shooter575]

I just use a freebee hotplate with a shallow frying pan 1/2 full of water. I use a tuna can,soup can etc sitting in the water. To melt big batches of lube I use a biger set of pots. Here is my set up to make lube sticks for my lubersizer
[img] http://img.photobucket.com/albums/1003/shooter575/2b1b3dcb.jpg [img]

[powderburnerr]

.IO bought a fry daddy at wally world no cleanup easy melting and will make 5# easyand quick and you can control the heat very well, and its all one piece ...... Dean

[eka]

shooter575,

What advantages have you found to making the sticks vs. pouring the lube directly into the reservoir of your lubrisizer.

[shooter575]

Eka, I use a lot of homemade B/P lube. I will go through 2 -3 sticks for one weekend shoot I attend.Just seems faster to me.I do not need to wait to refill.I also supply a few others with lube so it is a easy way pass it out.I make 2 lb batches that will get me and my daughter through a season Those 58's minnes take a lot of lube.I use a decated lubersizer for B/P I have another for smokeless [Felix lube]
A typical weekend shoot I will bring 125 rifled musket rounds .58,125 carbine rounds .54 or .50,75-100 .69 smoothbore and 100 or so 44-40. That is just for me.
If I only shot smokeless pouring directly into the lubersizer vs casting sticks would probley be a wash.

[redneckdan]

I've trained two of my grandkids to size bullets and they love working the press.


hmmm...sounds like all the more reasons to have children when I get married. Assitant bullet technicians! [smilie=w: I remember the days off working the lube sizer for my dads .45 ACP semi wad cutters. Seemed alot more fun back then than it does now.