liquid alox drying process?

T

ted 40

Inactive
Completed my first casting session - 38/357 158 grain - lee tumble lube bullets.
spent significant time picking up slippery lubricated bullets, standing them up to dry. Is this step needed? or could they just be dumped on wax paper, left spread out to dry as they lay. if laying down--lube would tend to be heavier on bottom. is heavier lube on one side enough to affect accuracy?
 
I always stand them up on thier bases on the wax paper, in a cloth covered cardboard box in the garage. Next day, presto.
 
For quite awhile awhile I did as you did and stood up every individual boolit. Eventually I got sick of it and figured I would try and dump them into a pile, put a fan on them, and see what happens.

The results were very good and I now use the "pile method" when drying all my boolits. Yes the lube gets a little lumpy in some places, but that gets all smoothed out when you put it through the sizer die or it gets shaved off when you seat the boolit. I have noticed no change in accuracy, it saves a LOT of time, and it basically eliminates my least favorite step. (standing the boolits up)

Some important details for the "pile method".
*My lube mix is Johnson's paste wax, Vaseline, and some Lee Alox. It is a bit thicker than straight Alox so I don't know how well it will work for you.
*Don't put the boolits to dry in the sun. The lube gets too runny and runs off. Put them in the shade and put a small fan on to blow air over them.
*When I say "pile method". I mean literally. Pile the boolits so you have a flat pile that is several boolits thick. Surface tension will keep the lube in place while it starts to dry. After it has dried a bit, a day perhaps, you can "rotate" the pile by smoothing out the pile a bit so the boolits can dry more completely. The lube at this point is thick enough that it will not run.
* Don't rush it. When I tumble lube I fully expect it to take a few days to dry. yes you can rush it a bit so it takes a few hours, but the extra effort isn't worth it. I have more time than money.

Try it out and see how it works for you.
 
I TL 357,9mm pistol and .312 rifle bullets using the Lee Alox no sizing except to apply the GC only in a .314 sizer . First thing I do is thin the Alox down,about 1 oz. of mineral spirits to the bottle works fine it doesn't need to be thick work.

I do about 100 bullets at a time and create a Z or M shaped with the lube on the bullets,tumble them well and dump them out on wax paper spread out so there not touching and let dry overnight,most times you can tumble them in the morning and they dry several hours later.

I apply gas checks at this point and repeat the TL process over again for both rifle and pistol bullets. Two thin coats is better than one thick coat and if your getting excess lube on the side laying on the wax paper your using to much lube.

This is the process I pretty much follow with the exception of the JPW which I will add to the mix when I find some locally,but for now not using the wax has not caused a problem.

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=67654
 
liquid alox drying methods

Thanks for the reponses, really appreciate it. each I "stood up" 700 45acps today.

Next batch I will try other method---
 
Thanks for the reponses, really appreciate it. each I "stood up" 700 45acps today.

Next batch I will try other method---
Click to expand...
Heh, it is after such a "stand up session" with 900 40 caliber boolits that I decided to try the "pile method."
 
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