How do I get this bad lube out of my Lyman 4500?

zxcvbob · January 28, 2008, 04:50 PM

Some homemade stuff I tried, made out of candle wax and red EP lithium grease. The problem is, it's not sticky enough. And it doesn't really melt no matter how hot I get it (it just gets soft and it stinks) so I can't heat it up and pour it out.

Maybe if I remove the die and heat up the sizer to soften the lube, I can squeeze most of it out using the top ratchet handle...

zxcvbob · January 28, 2008, 05:34 PM

It just occured to my that if I take the press off of the bench, I can remove the center shaft and spoon most of the stuff out. Not sure how I'll get the last of it out; maybe it will work OK with .45 bullets with deeper grooves and I can just push it thru with a new stick of commercial lube.

gw45acp · January 28, 2008, 05:47 PM

I see you answered your own question. Candle wax is usually parafin and too much of it doesn't make the best bullet lube. Bee's wax is usually better for that purpose. Here's a link you may have seen before:

Bullet Lubes

I pretty much just tumble lube with LLA these days. --GW

Shoney · January 28, 2008, 07:17 PM

The best solvent for parafin is Xylene, but be careful with it. Work in an area where the surface cannot be damaged by the solvent. Any paint or hardware store will have it.

mc223 · January 28, 2008, 11:18 PM

Another option would be to get it very cold.

crowbeaner · January 29, 2008, 07:32 PM

mc223 has the right idea; get it cold and break it out. Just tell SWMBO thet your lubesizer is NOT edible when you put it in the freezer overnight (yeah, mine would ask).

zxcvbob · January 31, 2008, 05:40 PM

Quote:

mc223 has the right idea; get it cold and break it out. Just tell SWMBO thet your lubesizer is NOT edible when you put it in the freezer overnight (yeah, mine would ask).

It's colder out in the garage than it is in the deep freezer. (that's why I don't shoot much this time of year) It comes in handy sometimes for storing hams and frozen turkeys and stuff like that.

January 28, 2008, 04:50 PM	#1
zxcvbob Senior Member Join Date: December 20, 2007 Location: S.E. Minnesota Posts: 4,720	How do I get this bad lube out of my Lyman 4500? Some homemade stuff I tried, made out of candle wax and red EP lithium grease. The problem is, it's not sticky enough. And it doesn't really melt no matter how hot I get it (it just gets soft and it stinks) so I can't heat it up and pour it out. Maybe if I remove the die and heat up the sizer to soften the lube, I can squeeze most of it out using the top ratchet handle...

January 28, 2008, 05:34 PM	#2
zxcvbob Senior Member Join Date: December 20, 2007 Location: S.E. Minnesota Posts: 4,720	It just occured to my that if I take the press off of the bench, I can remove the center shaft and spoon most of the stuff out. Not sure how I'll get the last of it out; maybe it will work OK with .45 bullets with deeper grooves and I can just push it thru with a new stick of commercial lube.

January 28, 2008, 05:47 PM	#3
gw45acp Junior Member Join Date: December 9, 2007 Location: West Jordan, UTAH Posts: 3	I see you answered your own question. Candle wax is usually parafin and too much of it doesn't make the best bullet lube. Bee's wax is usually better for that purpose. Here's a link you may have seen before: Bullet Lubes I pretty much just tumble lube with LLA these days. --GW

January 28, 2008, 07:17 PM	#4
Shoney Senior Member Join Date: February 21, 2002 Location: Transplanted from Montana Posts: 2,311	The best solvent for parafin is Xylene, but be careful with it. Work in an area where the surface cannot be damaged by the solvent. Any paint or hardware store will have it.

January 28, 2008, 11:18 PM	#5
mc223 Senior Member Join Date: January 20, 2007 Location: n/w Wisconsin Posts: 365	Another option would be to get it very cold.

January 29, 2008, 07:32 PM	#6
crowbeaner Senior Member Join Date: June 4, 2007 Location: Upstate SC Posts: 1,943	mc223 has the right idea; get it cold and break it out. Just tell SWMBO thet your lubesizer is NOT edible when you put it in the freezer overnight (yeah, mine would ask).