Lube for turning necks--more newby questions

[gene pool]

Gentlemen,

Please excuse the never-ending newby questions but I can't be learning the hard way, especially when there is so much expertise in this forum.

My questions this time are: What lube do you use when turning necks to keep them from galding? And how do you clean the lube from the insides of the cases?

I used Hornady's case lube and experienced a little galding on a few pieces of brass. I am presuming it ruined the brass because those necks will be inconsistant with the other necks.

Any advice or comments will be sincerely appreciated.

Gene

 

[artbosco]

What lube do you use when turning necks to keep them from galling? And how do you clean the lube from the insides of the cases? Gene

Expect some brass to be lost educational props. Learning what you can, and can't do, is part of the process.

If you're using the K&M Carbide Cutting Pilots, insert them First before turning on a powered screwdriver or drill and shut it off Before removing. Those pilots are very sharp and trying to insert one or remove it while it's rotating is a recipe for galling.

I use Imperial Sizing Die Wax as a lube.

When done turning, and while the brass is still in it's holder, I continue to rotate it with a powered screwdriver and insert a Q-tip in the neck. You might have to use both ends of the Q-tip to get everything out.

 

[Shynloco]

Outdoorsman,
Kudos on your rendition and method of turning necks. My shooting partners does it exactly the same as you direct. If there are two things I absolutely hate in reloading is 1. Annealing and 2. Turning necks. Wanna do a box for me? Great job!

Alex

 

[spclark]

Asking questions is how we share knowledge. Don't be concerned with how many you ask. You'll come to answer your share in time.

As for turning lube? I've settled on the liquid stuff from RCBS for all my case operations. Works great, cleans up with water (I use the ss media wet case cleaning method now too) so a last-step wash & rinse leaves my cases free of lube inside & out with the added advantage of being free of brass chips inside, somtimes a problem after trim / chamfer.

Oil-based lubes can be removed the same way just use more dish washing liquid in hot water, or tumble in corn media for a couple of hours.

 

[Frankr]

I use BG MOA...it's a motor oil additive..kind of looks like transmission fluid..one time a guy had elect-motor spinning a bearing race, had a metal block welded on a torque wrench..the bearing race had a small trough that had motor oil in it..so when the race was spinning it picked up some oil on it..the block on the torque wrench contacted the bearing race when you applyed torque to the the wrench..so you applyed torque till the motor stoped..then he would clean the oil out and put a few drops of the moa on there and you could not stop it from turning..so thinking that there maybe some trickery involved,i asked if i could try it..so he let me try it..i had that torque wrench bowing and i could not stop the motor...i was sold, i have used it for engine assembly or anything that needs lubed under pressure..also use it in my car oil..so i started useing it for neck turning..dump it into a solvent bottle and add a few daps..before every case..nothing better..one can will last you a long long time..

http://www.bgprod.com/products/engineoil.html

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JpFvh7J1E9k

Ah i found a video on it..they did it a little different back ..ok back some years ago..

 

[Ackman]

Lee Lube. Squirt 1 or 2" into a small plastic container, I use a Speer bullet box. Add a little water and microwave about 10-15 seconds then stir. You want it about the consistency of pancake batter. My neck turner has long double ended mandrels and one end is chucked into an electric drill. The case is in a holder intended for use with a drill press, it also works fine being held. With a q-tip put a little lube on the turning mandrel and go. Lube is pushed along the mandrel and lubes the cutter as well. The mandrel only needs lubing about every 3 or 4 cases. Very little or none gets into the case and Lee Lube is also water soluble, very nice to work with. In and out is maybe 10 seconds at most and it takes only little bit of lube. Get a rhythm going and you'll do 100-120 cases an hour. I've done literally many thousand cases this way.

 

[gene pool]

Gentlemen,

Thank you so much. You have given me some excellent suggestions and advice.

I made a paper copy of all replies and will put them in my reloading file.

Gene

 

[PALarson]

Almost any good lubricant will work well. Previous posts outline the correct method of turning. One thing that I have always hated was lube residue in the necks. Qtips and cotton often leaves some in the neck. When you put in the powder some always sticks in the neck. Probably doesn't hurt, but proves that some lube remains. I have purchased a Lyman Sonic cleaner and when I finish working on the brass no mater what operation I clean it in the sonic cleaner using their cleaning fluid. It works well, no residue left in the necks. Also does a good job of cleaning primer pockets and powder out of fired cases.
for what it's worth.
Paul Larson
High Master

 

[dreever]

I use Shooters Choice FP 10 then an hour or so in my Lyman 1200 with straight corn cob media.

Danny

 

[dogdude]

i'll double up on what DANNY said

 

[4xforfun]

I know this may sound wierd...this came up last year either here or over at BR central.....I know that it came up because it was me who asked. I used to use some GM lube of some kind, but ran out.....thus the question. I ended up using.....ICE WATER. It was recomended by a few fellow LR and SR bench guys. I use the Sinclare Phase II with a drill turning fairly slowly........NO lube.....just Ice water to cool the mandrel/cutting tool. Just set the tool in the H2O while I chucked up another piece of brass.

It is improtant to make sure you have expanded the necks enough....if the necks are tight on the mandrel the heat builds FAST!!!

Try a couple and see.

 

[spclark]

I ended up using.....ICE WATER.

I suppose that could work, at least to prevent the mandrel from expanding. Still, no effective lube at the cutter edge has to reduce lifespan of that part.

I'll continue to use the RCBS liquid lube, thanks. Cheap enough & easy to clean up.

 

[mr45man]

I'll continue to use the RCBS liquid lube, thanks. Cheap enough & easy to clean up< Quote from spclark,

STP, Mobil one etc is not worth the clean up effort and expense in media that is ruined, and then you have that oily stuff in your tumbler
John H.

 

[4xforfun]

I ended up using.....ICE WATER.

I suppose that could work, at least to prevent the mandrel from expanding. Still, no effective lube at the cutter edge has to reduce lifespan of that part.

I'll continue to use the RCBS liquid lube, thanks. Cheap enough & easy to clean up.

I don't think that this is an issue.....brass is SSOOOO much softer than the carbide tool...I can't imagine a problem. If there is.....cutters are only a few dollars.....money well spent when you consider the time it takes to clean up all of the goo left behind on the brass, the tools, the floor, your shirt, your shoes, your hands....ect............My time is worth more than the couple of bucks. And I have at least 700 pieces of brass with my std. cutter and 300 with my wby cutter. No issues at all.
I have done thousands with lube, dating back to the late 90's....never again.

 

[gene pool]

Could cases lubed with petroleum be rinsed in some sort of solvent or oil cutter before putting them in a hot soapy bath? That way not to mess up the tumbler/media?

When I was a kid I rinsed wheel bearings in gasoline and then let them dry before packing with bearing grease. Would something like that work for brass cases?

Thank you for you comments.

Gene

 

[spclark]

Could cases lubed with petroleum be rinsed in some sort of solvent or oil cutter before putting them in a hot soapy bath? That way not to mess up the tumbler/media?

Why bother if the hot, soapy water bath is enough to get the petro product removed? That's what dishwashing detergent's supposed to do.

When I was a kid I rinsed wheel bearings in gasoline and then let them dry before packing with bearing grease. Would something like that work for brass cases?

Yes, of course it would but you still end up with much diluted petro product contaminating a more often than not flammable or otherwise hazardous liquid. Gasoline's not really recommended as a solvent owing to its explosive nature. Some folks use lacquer thinner or acetone, also both quite flammable so if you do use caution, do it outside, and please don't be smoking when you're rinsing your cases....

All of this is why I like the RCBS liquid product: it's effective, it washes clean in soapy water, not at all a messy product to use.

 

[Codeman]

FP 10 lube and watch your RPM's. If I feel the mandrel getting hot I'll set the turner in a bowl of ice and water while I chuck up another case.

I clean the neck with a rag and q-tip while still in the turner.

 

[alf]

The trick is to put Saran wrap over the bowl of ice water.

It cools the turner, but keeps it dry.

 

[Codeman]

Nice Alf!! I'll have to try that next time.

 

[johara1]

This is very simple i warm the cutter up before starting and use imperial sizing wax for lube and it stays in a .0001....jim