Star Lubrisizer questions

[guninhand]

Hi folks

I'm just setting up a Star Lubrisizer and "search" didn't help me with these questions.

I'm sizing nose first, and getting lube on the bullet nose. Is lube heater too high? How warm should the machine feel to work with Red Rooster lube?
http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff170/guninhand_2007/starlube1.jpg

Assuming lube is at the correct working temperature, how much do you turn the pressure screw to get the right pressure, i.e. how much resistance should you feel to know when to stop turning it?

How do you get lube into the reservoir without creating air pockets? Pour in melted lube only?

It takes a fair bit of force to remove the pressure spring assembly, even when heated. Should the walls of the reservoir be lubricated to make this eaiser?
http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff170/guninhand_2007/starlube2.jpg
My ram link doesn't reach the push rod, so the high pressure piston is not activated. Do I just back out the bolt till contact is made? How far?

All help appreciated.

[garandsrus]

Guninhand,

I can address some of the questions...

You need to tinker with the heat and pressure so that they work together. More heat = less pressure and vice versa, up to a point. If the lube gets a little warm it is easies and quickest to turn down the pressure by a turn or two. Turn the heater down at the same time. I don't use the lube you mentioned, but it doesn't take much heat for what I have used.

As for the high pressure linkage, does it touch when the ram is lowered? The pressure is only applied at the bottom of the stroke.

I try to either pour melted lube in the sizer or use sticks that are solid. Both work fine...

Have fun,
John

[No_1]

+1 on what John says below. If you are using a "plug and play" heater unit (no rheostat) then you may consider getting a 2 gang job box from your local hardware store, a electrical outlet and a 600 watt light dimmer switch. These items with a discarded 3 wire computer cord will make a adjustable power source for your heater which will allow you to vary the temp the heater puts out. The "plug and play" style only know 2 temperatures, off and hot. When it is just plugged in it takes a while to get hot and in all but the coldest temperature in your casting area, hot is just too hot. The home made rheostat will take a little getting use to in order to figure the correct setting but once you have it figured out it is a breeze to get perfect lube temps every time.

Robert

[KYCaster]

John and Robert are giving you good advise.

The lube pump should operate at the bottom of the handle stroke, not the top.

Your temp should be adjusted so the consistancy of the lube is about like "Pla-Dough" or slightly softer. Seems like more pressure, less temp usually works best.

To set the pressure, remove the sizing die and crank up the pressure till you get a ribbon of lube oozing out of the port down inside the base. About 1/4 to 1/2 in. per second is about right. Put the die in and push the handle to the bottom of the stroke and you should see lube squirt from all the holes you haven't plugged.

Now you're all set...start sizing.

JErry

[chrisx1]

KYcaster has it right - with the die out of the way, you can see what is going on. You don't need as much pressure on that spring as you think. Just enough.

You will have to tighten the plunger every few boolits, but you will get the hang of it.

Also, about removing the plunger....take the cap/screw assembly off, take the handle out of the screw. Turn it over. The top will screw onto the plunger, and you can use it like a wheel puller of sorts. I haven't done a great job of describing this, so let me know if you need some pictures, I can post them.

Chris

[sagamore-one]

Have you tried base first ?? I size over 20 different boolits, only one works well nose first. I use Zambini and 4 other lubes. The Magma adjustable base heater is well worth the money. Just food for thought......

[guninhand]

Thanks for the info people. I took my first baby steps and results are good.
http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff170/guninhand_2007/starlube3.jpg

As I went along I reduced temp and upped pressure. There's still a little bit of lube on the bullet nose, not much. The heater is a CH. It may or may not cut out or just keep putting out heat at the selected setting of the rheostat. Sure is fast. I don't have the proper nose punch for base first sizing. I'll see how these shoot first as they are mostly for bustin' up rocks. Wouldn't you still get some on the nose going base first as the nose is still passing by those holes?

[runfiverun]

with stars you have to think size...lube.
if you are using lars carnuba you don't need much heat. but more pressure.
if that is magma's red you might wanna change but i use more heat and less pressure.

[HeavyMetal]

Looks like you've got it!

Those who have worked with a Lyman or RCBS sizer's before moving to a Star don't realize right away that the unit has a "pump / injector" that is activated at the end of the linkage travel.

In theory, once you get the punch set for the right length and the extra holes in the die filled with shot, you should be able to do 10 or 15 boolits for every twist of the pressure rod on the top of the press. You should also put a lubed boolit back through the dies very 10 or so boolits to keep it from leading up.

The "Injector" for the lube activates when the press handle hits bottom. Usually I push the lever down and then bump it a a little more to inject the lube. So if that "nut" is not hitting the linkage as your pushing the boolit through the last bit of travel on the linkage when the boolit is as far into the die as you can get it get a couple of wrenches and make that happen!

Set it up this way and Life will be easier trust me!

[KYCaster]

Those look MUCH better.

My only experience with Rooster lube was many, many years ago and my impression was that the melt temp. was pretty low and it had a very narrow "plastic" range and would go to liquid easily.

You have to be very patient with your temp. changes and allow plenty of time for everything to reach equalibrium before you make another change. It will take quite a bit of experimentation to find the optimum temp/pressure, but when you find it leave the heater control set and just unplug it when you're done.

Room temp., your production speed and the mass of the boolit you're sizing will have an effect so you may have to tweak the temp. slightly for different situations.

Looks like you're doing just fine.

Jerry