The end of pan lubing for me (star lube sizer)

[rickk]

Well, it's been a few months putting it all together, but I am about to take a leap and leave pan lubing far behind me.

My Star Lube/Sizer arrived yesterday.

A month or so ago I got my hands on enough mutton tallow and paraffin and bees wax to make a lifetime supply of BP lube.

The Star machine will take a 1" diameter X 6" long solid stick of lube.  I made up some molds out of PVC pipe and am cranking out lube sticks up the ying-yang.

It will take a few days to get this whole show rolling I am sure.

I am making lube sticks today because it is about 20F outside... perfect lube stick casting weather.   I still need to mount the Star to my bench but that can happen any time.

I will post some pictures as I go.

[yeti76620]

rickk

I too have been looking into this but the Magma/Star seemed very steep.... a pricey,  unless you are make lead heads for pards.....  



did ya get a really really good deal or is there a Star system for us solo kinda fellas??

[rickk]

Nope, no deal. List price. Just got sick of pan lubing, and wifey will be happy that I won't be stinking up the house.... a definite plus.

I got it with the base heater, which is important in my New England basement because the cellar temps go all over the place.

I also splurged and got the air powered lube piston. I have compressed air available on my bench, so installation is a 10 second project.

Everything that goes on my bench mounts first to a rectangular piece of plywood, and the plywood gets bolted to the bench with 3/8" bolts. Gotta cut a piece of plywood before the sun goes down so I can install it some night this week.

Cranking out 1x6  lubes sticks in my spare time today at the rate of about 10 an hour.

[yeti76620]

OK.....  Sweet!

Your pictures are a MUST....  I can't see 'em 'til next weekend....  Good Luck!

[rickk]

Into the pot it all goes... 2/2/1 tallow/paraffin/beeswax  ... plus a little Citronella Java concentrate to make it smell nicer, and some candle dye to make it look pretty.




This is my lube casting setup... PVC pipe and a 2x4 with holes bored in it.  The cast sticks pretty much fall out once they cool.





It was getting dark by the time I snapped this, but I am pouring the lube with a 3# bottom pour lead casting ladle... the same one that I pour my cannon balls with.




For what it's worth, you can fit 50 1x6" lube sticks into a 50 cal ammo box. Based on past experience, if you don't store them well, mice will eat them.

I have yet to try it, but here is the Star lube mounted on my bench.

[rickk]

I will probably be fine tuning the adjustments a bit, but so far, so good.

Next I need to make a bullet catcher for the bullets to drop into.

Maybe one of those dillon blue bins

[Russell40]

Thats a great setup. I have a couple of Star presses (need parts). Is Star still in buisness??

[rickk]

Russel,

Star was bought out by Magma.

The presses are no longer made, but look here to search for parts:

http://www.starreloaders.com/faqs/faqs.html

and

http://forum.starreloaders.com/

Rick

[rickk]

Running into a minor difficulty....

The nose of the base punch is a little long. I have it screwed in so far that the lock nut is only grabbing a thread or two, and I think it would still be happy if it went in a bit further.

The guy who made the die set (Chris - aka "Lathesmith") is sending me out a punch with a -0.10 shorter nose to try.

There isn't a whole lot of room for error in the punch length. To short of a nose and the threads will bang into the die when you unscrew it to compensate for the short nose. Too long and you will have to screw it is so far that all the threads will disappear in the sizer.

I can see eventually having several nose punches made in different lengths if I set it up for more than one bullet design.  

Edit: I had him make a second one that is -0.20 shorter as well... I should be all set once they arrive.