Lee 6-Banger New User

[Mountain]

I have a few questions about casting that are specifically directed toward the Lee 6 Cavity TL356-124-TC for 9mm

1. When smoking the mold does one smoke the bullet cavities only or also perform that on the underside of the sprue plate?

2. Comments about mold release agents. If the mold is properly cleaned and soot applied are these not usually required?

3. With WW metal what casting temp would you target? I have a thermocouple in my natural-gas fired lead pot so I can get an accurate measurement.

[dragonrider]

Go here and read about cleaning and preparing a Lee mold.
should answer your questions.
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=654

[Mountain]

Thanks dr, I've seen that before and it does provide some good info.

A Gent named "Goatlips" created the following instructional web site:

http://goatlipstips.cas-town.com/casting.html

If anyone has something to add I'd appreciate it. I'm trying to read-up and learn as much as possible to aid my efforts.

[kodiak1]

Mountian I usually smoke mine or use Dry Graphite in an Aerosol Spray Can.
If the mould drops bullets good and your temp is right you will cast nice shiny bullets. If the bullets start to turn a greyish color to hot lead or mould to hot.
Wrinkles to Cold of a mould or to cold a mix.
I heat my mix till it gets a nice silver shine on the top and try to hold it there. If you see it starting to get a gold hue to it to hot mix is starting to seperate, cut back on the heat.
Ken.

[fecmech]

Mountain--I use the Lee 121 tc bullet 6 banger mold and this is my method. I use an adaptation of the "Bruce B" formula modified using Bullshops lube on the top of the block and underside of the spru plate as follows. I start with my RCBS funace thermostat maxed out and the mold setting on top of the furnace with aluminum foil covering it so it heats with the furnace. After everything is up to temp (about 20 minutes) I start casting. The first bullets are usually good and after about 8-10 cycles the spru hardening process will start to take a long time (20-30 seconds) and then I turn my pot temp down to about 625 Deg. I leave it there for the rest of my casting cutting my sprus when they are about the consistancy of mush and dropping them from the mold into the pot. This cuts down the wait time for the spru metal to "flash". The Bullshop lube allows you to do this without smearing lead in the blocks or spru plate. I drop the bullets into a 5 gal bucket of water and thats it. Bullet weights are very consistant and the production rate is in the neighborhood of 1000/hr. Nick

[Four Fingers of Death]

That Goatlips site and the BP shotshell stuf were interesting. Thanks, Mick.

[georgeld]

I run a Lee pot IV at max and leave it there for .45's, it stays about the right temp if I keep feeding it preheated ingots.
I never cast when the Lyman thermometer reads less than 700 and my bullets come out shiney and well filled. Smaller one's I cut the heat back as the use of the melt isn't as fast.

I never smoke my molds, run them as is from the factory. IF they don't drop out nicely, will work the edge's over with a hardwood dowel, or brush handle til they do drop. Nearly always it's just a burr keeping them from dropping out.

I just recently got a can of "mold release agent", it's a silicone spray for other types of molds, like maybe fiberglass, or such. It's the worst thing I've ever tried to use on bullet molds. Save your money and don't mess with it. Will ruin the bullets with deformities.

Hope this helps when added to the rest,

[Mountain]

Thanks guys....I'm doing a lot of reading and learning.