Bullet Lube Extractor

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  • Last Post 13 March 2008
CB posted this 29 February 2008

Today, it was snowing a lot, then raining, then sleet and back to snow. It was so bad I lost my wireless internet service and my satellite TV. Plus tromping thru the fields wasn't going to happen.

So I sat down and sketched out a simple to build lube extractor for 4 to 6 inch 1 inch PVC tubes. I have not noted the support system or platform on this drawing because I haven't built it yet, but it most likely will be mounted on a piece of 4 x4 lumber. I do have better materials out in the machine shop, but I thought I would design simple so anyone could build it, sort of a VolksLubeExtrator. :)

You need a 9 to 10 inch C Clamp, and 4 or 5 EMT 1 inch clamps to build this with. In the drawing I cut the bottom part of the C Clamp off and mounted the EMT clamps in alignment with the ram face of the acme screw shaft of the clamp. Put the tube mold in the clamps after the lube has cooled. Then tighten the EMT clamps around the mold. Turn the screw shaft slowly, and it will push the lube out. You may need to put a 1 icnh washer between the ram and the lube to span the diameter of the mold

I have tried this in a little different form to see if it will work and it does, so I thought I would build one that anyone can make.

Construction notes, I cut the bottom of the C Clamp off with an abrasive saw, but a hacksaw will also work. For the mounting this on wood, I am going to route a slot on the 4 x 4 for the spine of C Clamp to go into, this can also be done with a DADO saw. I will probably drill holes to hold the C Clamp in place, right thru the wood and the clamp, then use bolts or rod to hold the C Clamp in place with the wood. Mounting the EMT clamps is simple, use a 1 to 1 1/2 inch lag bolt with a washer and line them up with the ram face of the clamp.

 

Hope this helps some one out there. When I build mine, I will put up pictures.

Jerry

 

 

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gussy posted this 29 February 2008

Instead of a screw, why not something simple like a loading press.  One pull on the lever.  Put a “c” frame on top of your press to hold the mould and a push rod on the ram.

I still can't figure out why you're having all this trouble getting lube out of the mould.;)  My piece of doweling works just fine.  Push it out while it's warm.

Gus

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CB posted this 29 February 2008

Gus,

My pistol lube comes out with a piece of dowel, my rifle lube requires some effort. If I wanted to make something fancy, I would use hydraulics and make a fancy jig out of steel. That I can do in my machine shop, but making so the average guy can do it, is what I had in mind. 

When I add 10% Carnauna wax, then it wants to stick in the mold. I thought about using my Rock Chucker to push out the lube, but it seems to be “stressed” when it comes out. Maybe too much effort. Jeff does basically what I do for his VooDoo Lube on extracting.

Plus I live in nowhere Ohio, and had nothing better to do today.

 

Jerry

 

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CB posted this 29 February 2008

I made use of that jig today about 24 times<G>

Was running low on lube and needed to restock. This is the time of year when I see guys buy lube.. Nothing better to do in the winter than make bullets for the coming year. Dont want to be making lube when it's shootin time!

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CB posted this 01 March 2008

Jeff,

You have that one right!

Jerry

 

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CB posted this 01 March 2008

A question was brought up about cutting up a perfectly good C Clamp, I bought one today at HF, a 10” C Clamp, it was $6.99. I have $2.50 in the EMT clamps at the moment. The nuts and bolts will come from my piles of nuts bolts, screws and whatever that we all seem to have. Plus I have pieces of lumber around to make jigs from, so that is probably no cost.

The cost for decent all thread, 1/2 thick angle iron and the rest will probably be much more. The quality of all thread I use in the shop is not uncommon, but much better than what they sell at the box hardware stores, it's about $12 a foot for 1/2 x 13. A 6" length 1/2 inch thick piece of angle iron is $8.73. Nuts are probably about 40 cents each. Then a decent tapping set (all three taps) is $20 to $56.00, depending on the quality you want. I like the better quality ones, because they will last me for years with a lot of use. Then drilling the pilot hole for threading, takes some skill, good drill bits and lots of coolant. I use black iron drill bits, because I sharpen my own.

I would actually recommend using Acme all thread, there are standard handles and other widgets for this stuff.  This is the style of thread used on many shop machines, some tools and of course C Clamps.

I would not suggest using a power drill in place of a hand crank, unless you have a really low speed setting. If something goes wrong when you use power tools on something like this, you could ruin the whole thing.

This extractor should be build able by the average person with basic tools in their house hold. I own a machine shop, but instead of building something with a hydraulic ram and an “auto mold tube loading system", simple is sometimes better.

This is something I want to share with people instead of investing a lot of money in something really techy, it is something any one can build who has the skill for using basic tools.

Plus HF stuff is the right price, if it is damaged or destroyed while using it, it goes into the junk pile waiting to used in another project. This whole project should be less than $20 total.

I have to run, I picked up my Remington 700 Classic in 300 RUM today. Beautiful engraving on the receiver, the trigger guard and the magazine plate. The dealer included 5 boxes of shells, which at $69.95 a 20 round box at my local dealer is a healthy amount. Now I have to clean it thoroughly and then think about getting a decent scope and a good thick sissy pad. I am not proud these rifles hurt when you fire them, hopefully the elk with fall over in heart failure from the thundering roar of the bullet going off. I am still up in the air about which muzzle break to get.

But I will get ready for tomorrow when I can sit and dry sit it at the target at the back of my field, have to get used to the trigger or maybe adjust it.

 

Jerry

 

 

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CB posted this 05 March 2008

Here it is, wasy to build, easy to use.

Jerry

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CB posted this 05 March 2008

Jerry Do you have to tighten and loosen the conduit clamps for each stick?

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CB posted this 06 March 2008

Jeff,

I am working on setting up a better method, but any one can build this.

Thanks,

Jerry

 

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CB posted this 06 March 2008

That they could.. How did you attach the clamp to the wood? Was it an aluminum clamp?

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CB posted this 06 March 2008

I have the clamps bolted down with 1 inch lags with washers. This only requires three of the clamps to work.

Thanks,

Jerry

 

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CB posted this 06 March 2008

Sometimes people overthink a project, I like this, it is simple and anyone can make one.

How much did the total project cost Jerry?

Maybe you could supply some pictures of how it goes together incase one of the forum members want to build one..

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CB posted this 06 March 2008

I have $20 in the whole thing, if you don't count count the cost of the wood, which I got out of my scrap wood.

I tried to make this so any one of us could make this.

So this is my present to the membership.

Jerry

 

 

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CB posted this 06 March 2008

Thanks Jerry!

I made lube today, 3 batches... Still have more to make but I am waiting on one of the ingredients to come in that I ran out of today.

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CB posted this 13 March 2008

I sat down and counted everything and how much I paid for the materials this afternoon. I spend $13.07 on making this extractor. I didn't count the wood as that it came from scrap pile. Plus I took stuff from my shop's inventory, so items maybe higher grade than the box hardware stores, some the same grade and I am tax exempt for most of my materials as that I am a manufacture as well as a farmer.

Jeff, thank you for all your help.   :dude:

Jerry

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CB posted this 13 March 2008

Good job Jerry! That is as inexpensive as it gets... Ya know doing stuff like that is how advances in this sport are made, without experimentation and guys trying different things we would still be shootin muskets.

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CB posted this 13 March 2008

Jeff,

If people didn't try new things and fail once in a while, we would still be buying magic black powder from the Chinese..>

I learn by mistakes and I have learned a lot about lube and extractor systems.

Thanks for the guidance.

Jerry

 

 

 

 

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