Recently picked up a Magma Star lube sizer and was curious if you guys use the "pressure screw length" as a measuring gauge to determine when to add another stick of lube?
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Recently picked up a Magma Star lube sizer and was curious if you guys use the "pressure screw length" as a measuring gauge to determine when to add another stick of lube?
I have the air assist attached to mine. If you want to make life somewhat easier go the air assist route. Don't expect much help from Magma manuals they are this side of useless. After all the years of producing the lube sizer you would think a decent instruction manual was within their ability. I think they assume we are all mechanical engineers.
Take Care
Bob
I considered an air assist..even went to their web site...couldn't locate an area to buy one. Probably because of the backlog..anyway even with the air assist..how do you determine the remaining lube quantity?
I add lube to my several Star/Magma Sizers when the lube runs out. If you add it too soon, there won't be enough room to get the plunger in and catch the threads on the top cap, if using a full lube stick. You'll feel the handle get "spongy" when you're about out of lube, or the lube grooves won't fill out all the way. I just add a stick of lube, let it heat up about 15 minutes and then run any bullets that didn't fill out through the sizer again.
Over the years, I've tried all sorts of methods to keep from breaking the rhythm, but as I've gotten older, I find that resting my arm while the new stick of lube heats up isn't a bad thing, if you know what I mean. I tend to size and lube in batches of a thousand and either load the bullets into tubes for the bullet feeder, or load them one at a time, depending on the bullet and the sizer I'm using. I have one of the tall boy sizers that takes 3 sticks of lube, in addition to my regular Star Sizers, and that one will wear your arm and shoulder out before it needs to be refilled.
If you do happen to refill too soon, and you can't get the top cap to reach the threads, it's hard to get the new lube stick back out. I use a 6" long #14 deck screw to pull it back out. It works sort of like a corkscrew. Screw it in a few turns and then pull up. Once I get the too long stick of lube out, then I cut it to the proper length and put it back in. The short lube sticks get added later one.
Hope this helps.
Fred
I don't bother. When the lube runs out I put a new one in. The first couple of times changing lube was a real challenge for the boy with little mechanical ability. Again there is not one word in any manua as to how you can sucessfully replace the lube tube. When you eventually get an air assist you will discover exactly what I am talking about. Just call and I will walk you through it while changing mine. You will get a lesson in how strong you are.....Quote:
Originally Posted by 8shot
Take Care
Bob
Magma has several videos on how to use the Magma/Star Sizer, including one on how to add lube to the machine: https://www.magmaengineering.com/magma-star-lube-sizer/
Hope this helps.
Fred
Hi Fred
The video for changing the lube is clear for manual method of pressurizing the machine. Nothing for the air assist which involves a couple of quirky things to do that you kind og find out trial and error.
Take Care
Bob
I only use soft lube in mine and melt it in with a propane torch like a plumber would use. You can get more in it faster and don't have to squash it down and worry about air pockets. Mine takes solid sticks.
I keep track of how many bullets I lube, between adding a new stick of lube. Same goes for the RCBS LAM. Grease pencil/China Marker is handy and erasable with a Magic Eraser. Pretty much, can tell when I have to add a full stick.
Winelover
I melt my lube and pour it in up to the hole. It contracts while cooling and I can just get the plunger installed. I don't fill it until it runs out.
There is an air compressor under the bench and all the air conversion parts in the toolchest but I haven't gotten excited enough about it to put it together.
If the conversion unit is the simple piston type, sold on this forum, don't procrastinate. Works as advertised. Allows you to plug the vent hole and add over a stick of lube.
Winelover
I just run mine until i run out. You will bottom out the screw and that is the dead giveaway.
When you replace the lube stick, that gives you time for a break while it softens up. You can take a break or do something else for a while.
A tip: coat the outside of the piston with white grease....the assembly is a heck of a lot easier to take out when you run out of lube.
But with an air assist, i really don't know.
My rhythm is lube a few, turn the screw, lube a few turn the screw.
How many is a "few"? It depends on the bullets.
H&G #503 has a lube groove the size of the Panama Canal....as do many Keith bullets.
So maybe 5 or so.
The #S55 380 bullet doesn't have much for a lube groove so maybe 10 or 15.
I never found the issue troublesome enough to get the air feed.
its been a very long time since I have used lube.
From my memory, as mentioned above when the boolits don't come up full then I check on it.
I "semi-automated" my star sizer. It sizes 100 boolits then stops.
I change tubes and hit a button and it does another 100.
Its pretty quick. It can knock out 100 boolits in under 4 mins without even breaking a sweat.
I switched over to using a coating.
I mix lube colors. A small slice of red on top of the new lube. When the lube turns red, I add a stick and a marker lube. Works for me.
Melt it i your microwave and just pour it in from a glass measuring cup. So much easier with less [potential mess. I do that for my RCBS Lubricator when I melt down my collection of lube excess I have collected overtime from my "mistakes".Quote:
Originally Posted by 45DUDE
Take Care
Bob
I used to do that and stopped when I blew a bullseye out of the bottom of the Pyrex measuring cup. No idea why it happened but exploding glass makes me nervous.Quote:
Originally Posted by robertbank
What's so difficult about adding lube to an air assist? Unscrew the top cap, pull out the piston, add lube stick, replace piston in hole and screw down the top cap.
If there is not enough room to add a full stick, that can be tedious. Once a stick goes into the tube, it tends to stick. The question was, in my opinion, when do you add a whole stick of lube and still ne able to get the top back on.
I wait until I see gaps in the lube in the groove. I'll see a flash of silver where it should be grey. The side far from the valve is the closest to me so that's the most likely spot, right in front.
You can also cut sticks of lube if after you remove the plunger you find there isn't enough room for a whole stick of new lube. If you do happen to add a full stick, and it won't allow the cap to screw back on, I detailed in Post #4 above how to remove it. Then just make a stick that will fit. I use a plastic pipe cutter to cut off the sticks to the proper length.
Hope this helps.
Fred
I will cut the lube sticks also, using a folding Stanley utility knife.
Winelover
The simplest way is, as stated above, when you run out, put a new stick in. However, the J.S. Wolf book “Loading Cartridges for the Original 1873 Springfield Rifle” suggested using a common desk top coffee cup warmer full of bullet
Lube, then after you finish for the day, just remove the piston in the Star luber and fill it up. The coffee warmer doesn’t get hot enough to damage the lube. Have a cup of lube melting on the warmer as you start, by the time you finish, the lube will be melted and ready to pour. It works perfectly. I learned that it not only worked for my black powder lube but also worked for my smokeless powder lube. I LOVE that method.
NOTE:
There are a couple of potential problems.
One, make sure your chosen cup warmer gets hot enough with the particular cup you are using to melt the lube.
Two, do not overfill the sizer. There is a bleed hole to let air out of the sizer on the back of the Star Luber (use a flashlight and look inside the luber where you put the lube and you can see it). When you are filling with melted lube you must stop just below the bleed hole.
FWIW
Dale53
Well, I have a ME degree from Purdue, and that machine still gives me fits!
One of my first adventures with my magna star was squirting molten lube out of the vent hole all over the place , right after cleaning up the mess , I decided to stick a tooth pick in the hole when refilling it with melted hot lube .
Be careful to not mess up the threads when trying to push down the spring replacing the top cap .
pcmacd;
Years ago, I was having some of the same problems with my Star lube/sizer. I determined that I had the best results when I used a flat punch and sized the bullets nose first. Further, I started using nearly all of my cast bullets that utilized a single lube groove (like a Keith) or just lubed the first groove (as in the H&G wadcutter moulds). Suddenly my "problems" went away. No more trying to adjust the lube holes for every different bullet. It became almost absurdly easy.
That has worked for me since the 60's. My bullets are all self centering when sizing (using the flat punch) and very little adjustment changes are required.
I use Lar's Carnauba Red, and use a heater for my lube sizers, and now, lubing and sizing is just a BREEZE!
Dale53
I am with Dale53 albeit I do lube one vullet that requires three lube grooves. I don't lube the bullet often and when I do 0 lube a lot of them ztome sitting.
I have the air assist attached to my Magna Star. I fill it with lube tubes when the machine runds dry. I have my olfest son living with us for awhile. He helps with the pulling up of the ram when I go to add lube. If someone knows of an wasy whay to pull the plunger out I sure would love to hear it.
I still use my RCBS Lubricator for odd rifle bullets I cast. I also do some powder coating but still prefer wax based lubes.
Take Care
Bob
Robert Bank, Flip the top cap on the sizer over so the flat portion sits on the top of the tube and just turn it to make it tighter and the plunger will come up. Rather slow but after it comes up just a bit, you can pull it out by hand.
I think I know what you are suggesting and will try it when I next add a tube of lube. Thanks for the tip. The manual for the Star is really quite void of information. I have the air assist plunger on my setup.Quote:
Originally Posted by Old Caster
Take Care
Bob
Run it to the end, put a new stick in, and take a break while it heats up.
There is always something else to do for 10-15 minutes while it softens the new stick.
I put a light coating of lithium (white) grease on the red washer. It helps a TON trying to get it out.Quote:
Originally Posted by robertbank
I use STOS for that, since it's what I have handy on the bench........Quote:
Originally Posted by FISH4BUGS
Hope this helps.
Fred
Yes, I lube until the bullets do not get fully lubed, then I add an
entire stick of lube.
I still have a supply of Javelina lube and it is great for low heat
conditions
Mike
Great tip, thanks. You obviously have felt the pain. LOL. <y oldest is 6'2" and 240lbs. Even he puts his weight to it when pulling the plunger out . Your idea and reversing the cap will go along way in making life easier.Quote:
Originally Posted by FISH4BUGS
Take Care
Bob