How much melted lube to pour in?

96wa6

New Member
Quasi-newbie question: I'm coming back to casting after a loooong hiatus, long enough so that it took me a couple of days to find my Star and a lot of this is new again. So, I'm about to make some Glen's Black (is that what we're calling it?) and want to pour the melted lube directly into my Star. So, HOW MUCH DO I POUR IN? And how do you guys measure? Since the sticks I used to buy were 4", just measure 4" from the bottom of the reservoir, Sharpie a line on the outside and eyeball it to around there? Or is more okay, and how much more? I don't want to screw up and have to remove any ...
 

fiver

Well-Known Member
you don't want to go over about 1-1/2 inches from the top.
otherwise it'll be hard to screw the plunger back in.

I doubt you'll have that problem.
since you'll see it running out of the bleed off hole in the back and stop pouring when you go ''oh shirt sleeves''.. then spill some on your hand trying to stop pouring it real fast.
 

Brad

Benevolent Overlord and site owner
Staff member
Don’t have it near the bleed hole and still molten when replacing the plunger assembly. Molten lube under pressure will squirt out of the bleed hole and travel some distance. Don’t ask me how I know.

My bleed hole is covered with hose clamp and a chunk of rubber since I now have the air pressure assembly.
 

Rally

NC Minnesota
I usually put a piece of wire in the bleeder hole so I can see it inside the tube, from the top. Then pour in the lube until it gets close to the wire. Resist the temptation to remove the wire for at least fifteen minutes.
 

L Ross

Well-Known Member
Oh heck, Brad may be just reticent to demonstrate his faux pas but I'll allow you to savor the image of a stream of liquid lube being expelled at a sufficient velocity to travel 8 feet from the luber bench to nearest wall. Thereupon to splatter in all directions, much to my consternation.

Since that educational day I slightly soften the Ben's Red and push chunks in with a teaspoon and pack it with an appropriate size dowel. No more melted lube for this guy.
 

96wa6

New Member
Thanks all. Didn't even notice the bleed hole.

Will keep the level below the bleed hole and wait for it to solidify before inserting the plunger because ...

A smart man learns from his mistakes. A wise man also learns from others' mistakes.

OH HEY. Do I have to block off any passage to the die to keep the lube from running out or will the valve system do that?
 

Dusty Bannister

Well-Known Member
The valve system that pumps the lube under pressure around the bullet will prevent free flowing of the lube through the machine.
Also, as the lube cools it will shrink a bit, so that makes replacing the plunger assy a little easier after filling.

And now you have me wondering about that too. I have never refilled a Star without a die in place as well as some of the existing lube. It is cooler and would set up and resist flowing, but if I was filling a new system with hot lube, I suppose it could, if the machine was close to the melt temperature.
 
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L Ross

Well-Known Member
I always leave a bullet in place in the die to prevent little worms of lube from appearing.
 
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96wa6

New Member
Dusty: The luber will be cool, but emptied of old lube (heat gun method). I'll do it with the unit sitting in a sheet pan the first time, just to be safe.
 

Ben

Moderator
Staff member
Oh heck, Brad may be just reticent to demonstrate his faux pas but I'll allow you to savor the image of a stream of liquid lube being expelled at a sufficient velocity to travel 8 feet from the luber bench to nearest wall. Thereupon to splatter in all directions, much to my consternation.

Since that educational day I slightly soften the Ben's Red and push chunks in with a teaspoon and pack it with an appropriate size dowel. No more melted lube for this guy.


Do you like Ben's Red ?
It can be made just soft enough to do well with your technique.

Ben
 
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358156 hp

At large, whereabouts unknown.
Oh heck, Brad may be just reticent to demonstrate his faux pas but I'll allow you to savor the image of a stream of liquid lube being expelled at a sufficient velocity to travel 8 feet from the luber bench to nearest wall. Thereupon to splatter in all directions, much to my consternation.

Since that educational day I slightly soften the Ben's Red and push chunks in with a teaspoon and pack it with an appropriate size dowel. No more melted lube for this guy.
I think everybody with a Star does this at least once. Maybe even twice, but I don't believe anybody goes through it a third time.:)
 

Rally

NC Minnesota
Do you like Ben's Red ?
It can be made just soft enough to do well with your technique.

Ben
X2
I also adapted Ben’s idea and melt my Ben’s Red in a small stainless syrup pitcher with lid and spout. Heat on a hot plate at low temp, then simply pour into sizer. I made a jig to make hollow tubes of lube, for my RCBS sizer, but pour into that now also. My Ben’s Red is a little stiffer than the published recipe because I added additional Beeswax, to get the consistency I wanted, but still don’t have to use a heater.
Thanks again Ben!
 

Brad

Benevolent Overlord and site owner
Staff member
I didn’t know there was a bleed hole until it bled molten lube across the bench. Had it been alive it would have bled out instantly.
 

Ben

Moderator
Staff member
X2
I also adapted Ben’s idea and melt my Ben’s Red in a small stainless syrup pitcher with lid and spout. Heat on a hot plate at low temp, then simply pour into sizer. I made a jig to make hollow tubes of lube, for my RCBS sizer, but pour into that now also. My Ben’s Red is a little stiffer than the published recipe because I added additional Beeswax, to get the consistency I wanted, but still don’t have to use a heater.
Thanks again Ben!

GREAT ! !
Glad that you're liking it.

Ben
 

L Ross

Well-Known Member
Do you like Ben's Red ?
It can be made just soft enough to do well with your technique.

Ben
Like it? It is my preferred lube! It is as good as any commercial lube I have ever used and better than most. One grease groove filled with Ben's Red and a light over coat of 10 drops of BLL to 50 bullets is my standard lubing regimen.