Anyone make their own lube?

[tek4260]

I recently started casting bullets and made my own lube. It consists of 1 lb paraffin, 1 lb vaseline, and 1 tsp of STP. This made a somewhat soft lube, which I have read is better than the harder crayon like lubes, for mild handgun loads. I dipped the bullets into this when it was hot, waited for it to firm up(~10sec), then ran them thru a lee sizer. They look great and the lube seems like it will work well. Plus it is a whole lot cheaper than buying stick lubes to pan lube with.

Does anyone here have a home made lube recipe that they have had good luck with?

Also, is a wax ring for a toilet beeswax?

 

[bigboredad]

if you want your lube harder cut back on the vaseline

 

[GP100man]

the old ones are, don`t know `bout these new fangled seals.

goggle white label lubes , good products at an amazing$$


GP100man

 

[protoolman]

There are a lot of recipes out there but Beeswax is sometimes preferred over parrafin which I understand had a courser makeup and Automatic transmission fluid in small amounts is also popular for its anti-friction properties. Try going half beeswax and half paraffin for the carrier and some moly grease or ATF for the lubricatin components. Lyman black lube used to use graphite as the "lube". White lithium grease has also been used. Some guys even melt crayons into their lube to change the color! Actually with lead bullets its hard to screw anything up-some lubes will just shoot better than others.

 

[Blackhawk Convertable]

I tumble lube all mine with Johnson's Paste Wax. Best stuff there is!!!

 

[Chief 101]

I have used Beeswax and STP for many moons and have not had any factors come up with that combo to cause me to change. It has been years since I made a batch so the ratios eludes me. There is no mystery to lubes and there are many combinations of chemicals but most have used beeswax as the base. Chief aka Maxx Load

 

[Rick Courtright]

Also, is a wax ring for a toilet beeswax?

Hi,

The last couple I installed were the right color, but seemed quite soft and sticky so if they're still made w/ a beeswax base, I'd guess there's a bunch of other stuff added to improve sealing qualities?

The beeswax we used for waxing the old recurve bow strings when I was a kid was a little softer than the blocks at the hardware store or the stuff I use for fly tying, but none were as "gooey" as those last toilet rings...

Rick C

 

[MIshooter]

60% beeswax, 20% Crisco (un buttered flavor, no salt added), 10% Canola oil, 10% Anhydros Lanolin, Works great to 1500fps even on hot days (90°F). Works in smokeless or BP ammo.

Ed

 

[Onty]

I tumble lube all mine with Johnson's Paste Wax. Best stuff there is!!!

I ques you did it before sizing?

 

[bigboredad]

onty yes you apply the johnsons paste wax befor you size then again after a light coat each time is all that is needed the way that works best for me is to heat the bullets up till they are warm and drop in about a 1//2 a teaspoon of the jpw and swirl around thet are all evenly coated stand up on wax paper i use a fan cause I have no patience and they dry to the touch in about 20 minutes plus its pretty dry in utah so that helps I do it before and after sizing and I get great results

 

[gramps]

1+ on the JPW. I put the bullets .430 (50-100) in a plastic jar (I use one that dry roasted peanuts came in) add a scant tsp and set in the sun for about20 minutes (in texas only 5 minutes) swirl the contents for even distribution pour out onto wax paper or aluminum foil to dry. Works great esp for swaged swc-no leading.
gramps

 

[The Happy Kaboomer]

For many years I've used a mixture of 60% canning wax and 40% commode seal. Use it in everything from 32 s&w through 30/06 and 45/70.
No leading problems at all. I'll NEVER pay the $3-4 they want for lube sticks now. I mix and melt in a can and pour it into my luber sizer. When it solidifies I lube away!

 

[pruger45]

Yep!

 

[Clovishound]

I doubt that most wax rings these days are beeswax. Just a tip, don't try and salvage a used one. You will probably get some dirty looks at the range after a few rounds.

Beeswax can be had from most local craft stores. It isn't cheap, but goes a long way.

I made my own when I did some casting during the great shortage. I'm pretty sure it was the old 411 lube. 4 parts beeswax, 1 part lithium automotive grease, 1 part Dextron ATF. Took some stirring to get the lithium grease to dissolve. I used it to pan lube. Worked great. Smokey, but then almost all of them are. One advantage for me was that all the ingredients were readily available locally. Heck I had the Dextron and lithium grease already in the garage, I just picked up an 8 lb block of beeswax from the local craft store.

 

[Chief 101]

For many years I've used a mixture of 60% canning wax and 40% commode seal. Use it in everything from 32 s&w through 30/06 and 45/70.
No leading problems at all. I'll NEVER pay the $3-4 they want for lube sticks now. I mix and melt in a can and pour it into my luber sizer. When it solidifies I lube away!

I have a different formula, and I have been using it for a few decades but I have always used the pour method...there is a multitude of formulas that perform as well or better than store bought...as Americans we like choices

 

[Jimbo357mag]

Here is a really good post on bullet lubes, all types. Scroll down it has more info than you ever wanted. I thought Alox was the standard lube. btw, I don't mess with any of it.

http://www.lasc.us/LubeIngredients.htm

 

[mikld]

Nope the toilet rings made today aren't beeswax. Don't know the proper term, but they are made from the dregs of refining petroleum, the lowest cheapest gunk. I believe your lube is close to Darr's Lube which worked for my 38 Specials for several years. There are about as many recipes for home made lube as there are casters, and I once used just beeswax softened with Marvel's Mystery Oil. For a bunch of home made lube recipes look here; http://castboolits.gunloads.com/forumdisplay.php?58-Boolit-Lube-!&s=782c0822969f1494b70cc82b8798daee

 

[Bayouhunter]

I've had good luck with Bens Red from 35Rem, 3030, 45LC,44mag, 41mag, & 358/38. I copied the following off the cast booklist site.

Making Ben's Red
Thanks to Ben and others who shared how they make it, I decided to try it today. This is the basic mix:
50% beeswax
30% Red, Tacky Lucas High Temp Grease
10% Johnson's Paste Wax
5% Dexron II or Dexron III Trans. Fluid
5% STP Oil Treatment


But a forum member was nice enough to describe that in other units, and using a complete Red Tacky Lucas Grease:
24 ozs. = 3 cups - melted beeswax
14 ozs. = 1 3/4 cups - Red N Tacky , heat it..it doesn't really melt
4.6 ozs. = 2/3 cup - Johnsons Paste Wax - melted
2.3 ozs. = 1/3 cup - Dexron II or III ATF
2.3 ozs. = 1/3 cup- STP Oil Treatment

Note, 1/3 cup = 5 Tablespoons + 1 teaspoon

 

[kimber-45]

20% Pure Lanolin available on Ebay
80% Rubbing alcohol ( 80-90% stuff) available from Walgrens.

This is how Dillon makes theirs.

 

[peachhead]

20% Pure Lanolin available on Ebay
80% Rubbing alcohol ( 80-90% stuff) available from Walgrens.

This is how Dillon makes theirs.

That's case lube, not bullet lube....

I have thought about making it but still have not gotten around to it. I just use Jake's 50/50, it's pretty cheap to me (so far anyway).

edit: ok, beating the dead horse again. I've got to start looking at the dates on these things.