Cleaning up a Lubrisizer

[Bill in Oregon]

My RCBS is a filthy, gummy old mess, partly because it came that way used, partly becuase I run soft BP lubes such as SPG or homemade, and partly because I never had a manual for it, so it is likely out of adjustment. I figure I can find a manual online, but though I would ask some of the veteran caster here how you keep your lubrisizer clean and humming along. I figured I would just take it apart and melt out the old lube with the very judicious use of a propane torch, but mebbe y'all haves a better idea.

[markinalpine]

Either put in on a baking sheet on some old newspaper and place it in an oven at VERY LOW (150 - 175 Degree F) setting, or put it in a saucepan and boil it in water for 20 minutes or so.

I've used both methods with mine to clean it the first time I used it (baking sheet) and to change lube (boiling.)

Mark

[M. M. Wright]

The boiling is a good tip and what I've done a couple of times in the past. Don't forget to include the dies too as they hold quite a bit of lube. Just take it out of the water and blow it dry with compressed air, then hose it down with WD-40.

[Bill in Oregon]

Well, looks like I am off to St. Vincent's for a beatup old kettle or canner then ...

[Griff]

Cleaning is why I have two lubri-sizers... one for smokeless lube & one for SPG. But, I do clean them about once every couple of years... the Saeco with it's SPG a little more often. Since I'm only using the one lube per machine, I don't boil them, I just wipe 'em off and keep the outside good.

Be sure to remove any O-rings and seals when boiling them. Oh yeah... don't forget to re-install the O-rings/seals when you reassemble it.

[Shasta]

I have six RCBS Lube-A-Matic lubrisizers, two for homemade black powder lube, two for 50/50 lube, and two for harder pistol bullet lube. I try to keep them clean by wiping down the outside occasionally with a rag dampened with WD 40, which does a good job of cleaning off dust and excess lube. If a full lube change-out is required, I remove the threaded plunger and sizer die, suspend the Lubrisizer upside down on a piece of wire and carefully apply modest heat with a hand-held propane torch. Care must be taken to keep the torch in motion so as not to burn the paint.

Here is a link to instructions for the RCBS Lube-A-Matic:

http://www.rcbs.com/downloads/instructi ... ctions.pdf

.
SHASTA

[Sixgun]

Like others here I boiled mine a few months ago. Then after I dried it off I sprayed it with undiluted Simple Green. That baby came out like new. Now it looks like it did before I boiled it.

Why bother, unless your selling it.--------6

[Catshooter]

Heat gun or hair dryer work well.


Cat

[Chuck 100 yd]

My RCBS Lube-a-Matic started leaking around the bottom of the die area and got worse over a couple of years of use. I sent it back to RCBS and a few days later a brand new one was setting on my porch. I have cleaned it out only once in years. I used a paint stir stick to clean the main tube and pop sickle sticks (some modified with a pocket knife ) to dig out the lower end of it.
It only gets NRA formula Alox 50/50 lube for smokeless since and any BP lubes I use get pan lubed and pushed through Lee sizers. Simple is better.

[J Miller]

You're sposed to clean 'em? Say WHAT!?!?! Hmmmm, well I've had my Lube-A-Matic II since the 70s and it's never been cleaned. Well one time I hosed the outside with Simple Green and wiped it off.

Seriously, I'll bet it wouldn't work if I melted all the old lube out, cleaned it up and refilled it with fresh lube. It would probably leak out on the floor.

Joe

[vancelw]

I have six RCBS Lube-A-Matic lubrisizers....

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SHASTA

Ahhh, the sign of a true addict

If a person loads frequently for multiple calibers, having more than one lubrasizer sure beats changing out dies and top punchs, as well as lube. I keep my soft lubes in an old Lyman 450 and my harder lubes in my new 4500 with the heater.

[Bill in Oregon]

I am coming to the conclusion that I may need at least one more to contain the harder stuff for smokeless.

[Catshooter]

I have two. One I use for rifle (mostly .311) and the other for pistol. They both run the same lube, LARs 2500.


Cat

[J35]

I use the propane torch method.

I loosen the two mounting bolts and put shim at the rear so the sizer tilts forward.

Remove the guts from both ends and apply gentle heat, I place a container at the bottom in the front to catch the lube.

Maybe 30 minutes from start to back in business.

---------J