Making and molding my own bullet lube.

[L1A1Rocker]

As you know I recently took up casting my own bullets. Well, now I'm making my own lube to go with it. I was kinda forced into it. The guy I was buying my "speed green" soft lube from dropped off the internet. Sooo, after a bit of research I found a very close formula to what I was using. Three parts beeswax to one part of Husqvarna synthetic 2-cycle engine oil. For a twist I added one ounce of carnauba to one pound of the lube to make a less tacky soft lube called Lotak.

Now I had to have some molds to pour this into so that I would have the same hollow sticks of lube to fit my lubrasizer. While I was waiting on my beeswax to come in I started on the molds. I picked up the idea for the molds off another website but made a few tweeks to make it my own.

First step was to take a section of 2 by 8 and lay out the marks for ten holes. I then drilled ten 3/16ths holes all the way through the 2 by 8. After that I swapped out the bit to a 1 1/4 inch paddle bit and drilled down 1/2 inch. Then I took a 3/8ths inch end mill and milled down stopping just a 1/4 inch shy of going all the way through the 2 by 8 making a shelf.

Here's a pic of what I had at this point:

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j154/L1A1Rocker/Boolits/HPIM1048.jpg

Now I cut down some 1 inch PVC pipe. Ten peaces 5 inches long. Using the lathe I was able to perfectly square off each end and make sure they were all the same length - not really needed but what the heck. . .

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j154/L1A1Rocker/Boolits/HPIM1049.jpg

On one end of the PVC I had to turn down the O.D. to fit into the 2 by 8 that I had drilled out. Very easy to do in just two passes on the lathe.

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j154/L1A1Rocker/Boolits/HPIM1051.jpg

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j154/L1A1Rocker/Boolits/HPIM1052.jpg

Next I sanded down the other end of the PVC so that I could easily slip a cap on and off.

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j154/L1A1Rocker/Boolits/HPIM1053.jpg

Next I center drilled 10 caps with a 3/8ths inch bit. Boy I really love having that lathe!

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j154/L1A1Rocker/Boolits/HPIM1054.jpg

Something I did not take any pictures of, don't know why, was the zinc plated 3/8th inch rod. This I cut down into 10, seven inch pieces. At this point you can probably visualize how this is going to work. The 3/8th rod goes into the center hole on the board, the PVC slips into the 1 1/4 inch recess in the board, and the cap centers the rod.

What I needed now was a way to keep the lube from sticking to the board. I figured some 1 by 3/8th inch washers would do the trick. NO, those measurments are like a 2x4 not really being 2 inches by 4 inches. The gaps were too extreme and would let too much molten lube go by. So I had to make my own washers.

Some 3/16th by 1 1/2 inch finder washer fit the bill. First I drilled out the center hole to just fit on a 1/4 inch bolt.

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j154/L1A1Rocker/Boolits/HPIM1058.jpg

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j154/L1A1Rocker/Boolits/HPIM1057.jpg

Then I had to center drill the 1/4 bolt.

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j154/L1A1Rocker/Boolits/HPIM1059.jpg

Now I could mount the finder washers in the lathe and turn them down to fit in the PVC.

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j154/L1A1Rocker/Boolits/HPIM1060.jpg

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j154/L1A1Rocker/Boolits/HPIM1061.jpg

Now it was time to center drill the washers out to 3/8 inch.

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j154/L1A1Rocker/Boolits/HPIM1063.jpg

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j154/L1A1Rocker/Boolits/HPIM1064.jpg

Since I still had some time till the beeswax arrived I decided to seal the wood.

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j154/L1A1Rocker/Boolits/HPIM1065.jpg

And the finished product(s).

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j154/L1A1Rocker/Boolits/HPIM1066.jpg

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j154/L1A1Rocker/Boolits/HPIM1072.jpg

Hope you enjoyed the post.