liquid Alox is what I use , but takes days to dry. Is there any way to make it dry faster?
Liquid Alox
- 5.6K Views
- Last Post 26 May 2010
I put the bullets in front of a small fan and they dry in about 12 hours, sometime less.
Attached Files
I haven't used liquid alox, but I would think that if you could cut it with a fast evaporating solvent, it would dry faster. Anyone here tried that?
Attached Files
DLH, Lots of the folks over at the other cast boolit forum thin the LLA 50/50 with mineral spirits. This will help them to dry faster. Many also claim that the thinned LLA gives better accuracy than full strength.
Setting them in the sun or in front of a fan also helps. If you are using full strength LLA in a typically cool cellar, it will take a day or so to dry.
I have had mixed results with LLA and am migrating to the use of conventionally lubed bullets as I can. I'm not saying that I won't use it any more, just that I will buy moulds with conventional grease grooves from now on as they have given me better results.
Jack
Attached Files
I tried filling a pop bottle cap with liquid alox today so I could get the stuff just where it needed to be rather than the whole bullet. Stuff is like molasses and to much hanging on the bullet. Wonder if mineral sperit's would thin it enough to just dip the base without getting the stuff on the whole bullet?
Right now I dump them on a sheet of wax paper on the kitcher table, Yes I am single, and they dry over night.
Attached Files
Hi, D
I prefer Lee Liquid Alox for handgun bullets and some rifle loads. Thinning with mineral spirits or kerosene does, indeed, speed drying, but it also increases the probability of the LLA puddling on the waxed paper. I thin the LLA in order to thin the congealed stuff in the bottom of the container, but I prefer to use LLA full strength and make darned sure that the LLA does not puddle, i.e., use less than you think is enough rather than risk using too much. In this circumstance it dries in 24 hours here where I live. It is better to coat the bullets twice than to have the LLA puddle on the waxed paper.
Grant
Attached Files
I've been using the LLA for about 3 years now. I mix some mineral spirits, I'd guess a couple tablespoons full per bottle and about a half of a shot glass of Johnson Paste Wax. I take a glass of water and heat it in the microwave. Take the shot glass 1/2 full of JPW and hold it in the hot water, kinda like a double broiler, and stir the JPW untill it's a liquid. Then I pour it in the little white LLA bottle and shake it all up. I coated about 100 .38 boolits and let dry overnight. I've noticed they aren't as sticky as just using LLA. I'm still experimenting with the portions but so far so it's worked for me.
Attached Files
Thinning with mineral spirits or kerosene does, indeed, speed drying, but it also increases the probability of the LLA puddling on the waxed paper.
Personally, I would not use kerosene, but to each their own. I use mineral spirits and when I apply the LLA, I swirl the bullets in a container and let the spirits evaporate quite a bit before I pour the contents onto waxed paper. They are no longer at the dripping stage and there is a lot less mess to deal with. Duane
Attached Files
I must be using alot less than others. I shoot 38sp, 9mm (pretty fast) and 40sw (really fast) with alox only lube. Only the 40sw gets an increased amount. the others get a very light glaze, such that there is never enough to drip and they dry completely in twelve and are usable at about eight hours. I don't cut it, I just warm the bottle in hot water, and use a few drips. VERY SLIGHT leading only once or twice. (I guess that is what it was.)
I also grab each bullet gently by the nose and rest them in neat rows on wax paper. Then I nuzzle the meplat, give them some emotional encouragement and bid them good night.
Attached Files
I would not use kerosene at all as it will take longer to dry than mineral spirits. Kerosene is the same as JP4 jet fuel or the same as #1 diesel fuel and #1 heating fuel aka. stove oil. I know this for a fact as I was a tank truck driver for The Standard oil Co, of California for 33 years. Kerosene will take weeks to dry out depending on the temp. If you get very much of it on your cloths. It will never completly wash out. JP4 was stored in half million gallon tanks. We would load from that tank to make deliveries to heating oil Companys, as jet fuel to Phoenix Sky Harbor Air Port, and the Gray Hound Bus station for the bus fuel. It is also used as a additive to diesel fuel where the temps. are lest than freezing for a good part of the year
Attached Files
I use the LA in lubing rifle bullets...30-30's, 38-55's and 45-70's so my application may not appeal to pistol shooters who use large volumes of bullets. I use a one inch punch to cut a number of washers out of milk or orange juice wax carton material. I then use another punch to cut a center hole in the washer small enough to slide over the nose of the bullet and hold it friction tight. I then apply a small amount of the LA to the grooves of the bullet directly from the LA bottle and use a small artist brush to even it out. The bullet with washer is set in my loading block nose down and allowed to dry for 24 hours. Sometimes I will add another coat of the LA if necessary. This method allows the nose of the bullet to remain free of lube and keeps my seater die clean. I use mineral spirits to thin the LA as needed.
Attached Files
I use Xlox and it seems to dry in a few hours for me.
Jerry
Attached Files
I use Lee Liquid Alox and LsStuff Xlox,adding a little syntetic turpentine,I guess that it is the Italian equivalent of your Stoddart solvent.
In the warm season it dries well in 24 hours,under the porch,in this lousy winter,it takes a week,A fan helps a little. The problem is solved casting the bullets at least in advance.
No leading with Lee tumble lube bullets at the pressures of a 38sp,45acp and light loads in the 30wcf and 45 /70.
The time I save skipping the use of the Lubrisizer is really great.
Attached Files
I use equal parts LLA and Johnson Paste Wax with a dab of mineral spirits to thin it. The JPW reduces the stickyness of the finished product, drying time varies depending on temperature, out in the garage in winter it can take two days.
Attached Files
Does anybody know where I can obtain about a gallon jug of liquiod Alox because LLA is rather expensive and it does not go too far. I have not tried mixing 50-50 with JPW yet but as a last result I might try it.
Attached Files
Attached Files
Does anyone know the difference in Lee Liquid Alox and Liquid Xlox? Ervin
Attached Files
The difference are two.
The first is in the name,Liquid Alox is a trademark of Lee Precision.
The second is more interesting,Xlox is much cheaper then LLA.
Go and see the Xlox site,if memory serves me the firm name is LsStuff.
Attached Files
LSSTUFF is where I get my Xlox, I buy ALOX 350 every so often jhilde on eBay. It is much more soiid than the Lee stuff and slightly more solid than Xlox. It is also cheaper than Lee.
I mix this with Beeswax and a couple more things to make my bullet lube.
Jerry
Attached Files
Categories
- All Categories
- General Polls
- Contact Us w/ Forum Issues
- Welcome to The Cast Bullet Association Forum
- General
- Bullet Casting
-
Guns and Shooting
- AR Platform
- TC Contenders & Other Single Shot Handguns
- Shotguns
- Informal Matches & Other Shooting Events
- Gunsmithing Tips
- Gun Cleaning & Maintenance
- Optics
- Benchrest Cast Bullet Shooting
- Military Bench Rest Cast Bullet Shooting
- Silhouette Shooting
- Postal Match Cast Bullet Shooting
- Factory Guns
- Black Powder Cartridge
- Hand Guns
- Lever Guns
- Single Shot Rifles
- Bolt Action Rifles
- Military Surplus Rifles
- Plinkers Hollow
- Muzzleloaders
- Hunting
- Reloading
- Buy, Sell or Trade
- Other Information & Reference
Search
This Weeks High Earners
- wimilkman 30
- pat i. 18
- Tom Acheson 14
- Aaron 12
- BRatigan 10
- MarkinEllensburg 9
- Ed Harris 8
- mashburn 6
- porthos 5
- MP1886 4