• This Forum is for adults 18 years of age or over. By continuing to use this Forum you are confirming that you are 18 or older. No content shall be viewed by any person under 18 in California.

Is there an alcohol-soluble lubricant suitable for application to neck turning cutting mandrels?

You mix it 50/50 and spray it on for case lube?
Not sprayed. I spoon it onto a layer of felt sitting in an old fridge tray. Lately, with the cold outside, my loading area is 52°, and the mix is semi-solid. If I need more added to the felt in those temperatures, I take a butter knife and spread some on the felt. Just the pressure and friction generates enough heat that the mix liquefies.
I'll drop a bunch of cases onto the tray, roll them one or two revolutions, and get to work.
There's very little clean-up on the case needed, if at all, and it doesn't discolor the brass over time, or stink, like lanolin. I've been using the same jar for the past five years.
Since it's "organic", I feel I have done my ESD duty for the day when I use it. ;)
Pictured below, I have a bunch of 300 Savage laying in the trough, before rolling them.
Second picture, I've put my hand on 14 of them, rolled back and forth 2x (four motions), and they are well lubed. I don't know if you can tell by the photo, but if you pick it up and feel the case, you can tell.
The 45/70 in the load tray are ones I sized earlier this week.
Edit to add: I believe the felt source was an old Christmas stocking that I repurposed.
Pre-rolled:
Felt_pre_rolled.jpg

After rolling:
Felt_post_rolled.jpg
 
Anhydrous lanolin is a common base ingredient in alcohol based case lubes as well as bullet making lube. I've used it for neck turning in the past. It's really slick and works well.
I wash new bullets in lacquer thinner or acetone all the time. I'm sure alcohol will do the job but acetone or thinner are much more aggressive.
You can by acetone anywhere that sells paint, but I think it's considered a hazardous solvent. Alcohol evaporates very slow. I used hexane a lot at work for cleaning parts. It evaporates fast. We had to wear nitrile gloves when handling any solvent no matter what it was and work in a hood. I use a light vis petroleum oil and clean with a cotton swab. Fortunatley I only do about 100 cases a month.

I cannot remember if it was Lee or RCBS case lube. It was water based. I put some on a piece of paper and let it dry. It became very hard like plastic. I don't want water in my expensive dies.
 
You can by acetone anywhere that sells paint, but I think it's considered a hazardous solvent. Alcohol evaporates very slow. I used hexane a lot at work for cleaning parts. It evaporates fast. We had to wear nitrile gloves when handling any solvent no matter what it was and work in a hood. I use a light vis petroleum oil and clean with a cotton swab. Fortunatley I only do about 100 cases a month.

I cannot remember if it was Lee or RCBS case lube. It was water based. I put some on a piece of paper and let it dry. It became very hard like plastic. I don't want water in my expensive dies.
I don't doubt any of that but we've all gotta die of something. I've probably had my hands in worse things.
 
I used Hobo oil on the last ones I turned. Then sized with Dillon spray lube and tumbled in fine corn cob to clean it all off. Acetone would work too but I like my cases to sparkle like gold.
 
I saw a commercial lube for the hand neck turner to lube the mandrel ...but a lanolin/ alcohol mix might work..
I dont have to worry about the lube as I use a Hardinge lathe and turn the mandrel in a collet, to the correct size...then neck turn into the shoulder with a carbide form tool, ground on the diamond grinder. Very fast no sore fingers, one pass and done. I did 800, 50BMG cases that way...wouldn't want to do that with hand tools.
 

Upgrades & Donations

This Forum's expenses are primarily paid by member contributions. You can upgrade your Forum membership in seconds. Gold and Silver members get unlimited FREE classifieds for one year. Gold members can upload custom avatars.


Click Upgrade Membership Button ABOVE to get Gold or Silver Status.

You can also donate any amount, large or small, with the button below. Include your Forum Name in the PayPal Notes field.


To DONATE by CHECK, or make a recurring donation, CLICK HERE to learn how.

Forum statistics

Threads
165,856
Messages
2,204,344
Members
79,157
Latest member
Bud1029
Back
Top