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burch
09-12-2009, 06:18 PM
MY Felix Lube seems to be a bit too tacky. I have some bullets that are about a month old and the lube is still sticky to the touch. Is this normal or can I add something that`ll make it dry harder ?

burch :Fire:

geargnasher
09-12-2009, 07:55 PM
It's supposed to be sticky, that's what we use the expensive lanolin for, so's it sticks to the loob grooves!

Sounds like a case of Florida heat, you may need to make a summer version (I'll explain that in another post) but first, I need to know the following in order to help you:

Exactly what and how much of what did you use in your lube?

Is your lube sweating oil or is it oily on the very surface?

How exactly did you make it? What temps? How long did you cook it? In what order did you add the ingredients? All of this matters greatly to how it turns out.

Gear

burch
09-12-2009, 11:11 PM
It's supposed to be sticky, that's what we use the expensive lanolin for, so's it sticks to the loob grooves!

Sounds like a case of Florida heat, you may need to make a summer version (I'll explain that in another post) but first, I need to know the following in order to help you:

Exactly what and how much of what did you use in your lube?

Is your lube sweating oil or is it oily on the very surface?

How exactly did you make it? What temps? How long did you cook it? In what order did you add the ingredients? All of this matters greatly to how it turns out.

Gear

I made it per instructions. I cooked it at med heat. I added the ingredients per instructions. I followed it to the letter.

geargnasher
09-13-2009, 12:09 AM
I made it per instructions. I cooked it at med heat. I added the ingredients per instructions. I followed it to the letter.

Then it should be perfect.


Basically, you've told me nothing. "medium" heat is relative. 300*F for 30 minutes minimum or the castor will sweat out. "just below smoking" temp is about 290-300 according to my "el cheapo" candy thermometer. You didn't say if that was happening or not, but it will make the surface very slimy. Do a layering test, cut into a slab of solid lube and see if there is stratification. If it's not, what kind of beeswax did you use? I've had cappings-grade ultra-pure stuff that was the color of vaseline end up too soft and I've had hard yellow beeswax make the lube too hard, all other things being equal. Did you use anhydrous lanolin or another kind? Did you add carnauba (it's optional)?

If I had to guess, I would recommend reheating the stuff just enough to melt it and add another 3-4 oz. beeswax and see what happens, again watching for separation of the components (layering or stratification). If you're getting layering upon cooling, you should heat the whole mess again to, say, 200-250* for an hour or two, strirring every few minutes. That should homogenize the mess and alter the castor oil enough to bind.

Gear

burch
09-13-2009, 09:54 AM
Then it should be perfect.


Basically, you've told me nothing. "medium" heat is relative. 300*F for 30 minutes minimum or the castor will sweat out. "just below smoking" temp is about 290-300 according to my "el cheapo" candy thermometer. You didn't say if that was happening or not, but it will make the surface very slimy. Do a layering test, cut into a slab of solid lube and see if there is stratification. If it's not, what kind of beeswax did you use? I've had cappings-grade ultra-pure stuff that was the color of vaseline end up too soft and I've had hard yellow beeswax make the lube too hard, all other things being equal. Did you use anhydrous lanolin or another kind? Did you add carnauba (it's optional)?

If I had to guess, I would recommend reheating the stuff just enough to melt it and add another 3-4 oz. beeswax and see what happens, again watching for separation of the components (layering or stratification). If you're getting layering upon cooling, you should heat the whole mess again to, say, 200-250* for an hour or two, strirring every few minutes. That should homogenize the mess and alter the castor oil enough to bind.

Gear

Does it remain tacky forever ? Also, i`m setting up to push them through a sizing die just to clean off the lube on the outside. My bullets are casting at .358 and I ordered a .358 die. I hope it all works out.

geargnasher
09-13-2009, 10:29 AM
Does it remain tacky forever ? Also, i`m setting up to push them through a sizing die just to clean off the lube on the outside. My bullets are casting at .358 and I ordered a .358 die. I hope it all works out.

Ok, Burch, I'm confused. Are you putting the stuff on with your fingers?????

Gear

Calamity Jake
09-13-2009, 10:37 AM
"Does it remain tacky forever ?"

Yes it stays tacky. If you want to remove some of the tackiness add some more bees wax and or some carnauba

"i`m setting up to push them through a sizing die just to clean off the lube on the outside."

A thin coat of lube on the outside is a good thing, leave it there!

burch
09-13-2009, 12:05 PM
Ok, Burch, I'm confused. Are you putting the stuff on with your fingers?????

Gear


Nope - pan lubing

geargnasher
09-13-2009, 03:37 PM
I've never pan lubed with Felix, (I pan lube with 50/50 beeswax/moly grease) but many here do, and one thing I remember reading is that Felix Lube gets harder each time you cycle it (melt, cooli, freeze, punch, melt.....). If it's soft enough, and you don't need to size, just smear it into the grooves with your fingers (or melt it and recharge an old Chapstick applicator with it and dab it in with that, like doping threads on iron pipe), wipe the bases on clean newspaper, and let let the seating process wipe off the extra. A little lube in the seating die never hurt, just clean it out when it makes it into the seating punch.

Hope this helps,

Gear