Cold bullets--another Star adjustment variable

[32Special]

I got a Star a couple of months ago. Got dies and punches from Lathesmith (first rate!!)

I've had trouble getting lube grooves to fill, and trouble with getting lube on the front of the bullet. I think I have it set. Then, when I come back in a couple of weeks, I have to adjust all over again. Maddening.

I came upstairs to read what others advised on the Forum. Temp, pressure and seating depth were the variables everyone talked about.

I went downstairs again to adjust some more (heater had been on the whole time), and suddenly everything worked great, well, for 20-30 bullets. Then I started having trouble again. I had lube groove fail to fill but would have lube on the front of the bullet, and I was applying what I thought was too much pressure.

I have the temp turned up enough that the seepage around the inspection screw on the side looked almost liquid.

Then it hit me: the bullets were cold!! The bullets set on my concrete floor in coffee cans and my basement is only partially heated. It's probably 50 degrees down there.

I was literally chilling the die with the bullets! So, I started dropping in a bullet, counting for 3 seconds (one one thousand,...) then I'd press the bullet down. Drop another bullet in the die, count 3 seconds, etc. This way I preheated the bullet for 3 seconds in the hot die, and exposed the grease groove to lube for at least 3 seconds as well.

This worked. Grease grooves filled. Minimum pressure, and no lube on the bullet noses. Only problem is it is SLOW.

SO, I robbed an old flat aluminum cake pan from the kitchen (that I've never seen used). I set this pan on the heater box of my Midway heater, and poured the rest of my bullet in it. The bullets are preheating in the pan now as I type this. I'm sure it will help.

With my new found expertise, this is the way I see it for adjusting a Star:

1) If the lube groove doesn't fill either your lube and/or your bullets are too cold.

2) If lube gets accumulates on the front of the bullet, you have too much pressure.

I expect I'm not the only one who does his loading and bullet sizing in a cold space so I hope this helps.

I do my casting in an unheated garage with the doors open. IF it is below 50 degrees, the lead will freeze in the spout of my bottom pour furnace. Of well, spring is coming!

[mtgrs737]

I would take the bullets upstairs over night and let them warm up before sizing.

[32Special]

Well, it didn't work as well as I hoped. I still ended up chasing a cycle of lube too hot/too cold. The bullet temperature does make a difference, and setting the baking pan on the heater box did heat the bullets to be warm to the touch. However, I also think setting something on the heater box messed with the thermostat response.

Back to the drawing board.

[FN in MT]

I'm FAR from a STAR Expert but FWIW....I've been fighting the lube on the front of the bullet when the heater heats things up too much. I've started cycling the heater on and off every several minutes instead of trying to use the thermostat. THAT has worked quite well. I needed to get a mess done today and things went pretty flawlessly.

I need to check if the thermostat will go down low enough to simply be left ON.

When they WORK the STARS are amazing compared to a Lyman. But they can surely be finicky.

FN in MT

[GSM]

It's a delicate balance between bullet temp, lube temp, and pressure - helps if you "drink" a little when lubing in the winter as it usually takes the peak off the anger curve (and keeps you warm). Apply a little warmth to the luber, wait for it to react, apply a little pressure, wait for it to react, then start to lube. Re-add warmth and pressure a little at a time. Always give the lube a "time-out" to react to changes in temp or pressure. The stuff is stiff when its warm, essentially hard as a stick when its cold - it takes a little while for the stick to react to changes in temperature and pressure if it is cool (cool = less than 70 F for 50/50 lube in an unheated garage).

Don't know if we could call the Stars finicky. More like "unique", in every sense.