Pre-heating molds

[dubber123]

I wasn't going to post this, but I was wondering if anyone else does it, and that is pre-heating molds with a propane torch. I believe it was from Veral that I heard any oils on a mold start to smoke at just about the right temp to begin casting, 400 something degrees if I remember right. I soap and water my molds to get the WD off, and warm them with a propane torch, I then lube the pins with LBT's mold lube, and when they begin to smoke in good shape, I start casting. Very often the first bullets are keepers. Seems to work with all my molds, aluminum or iron. I have been doing this for years, and can't see where I have harmed any molds at all. I do move the heat around to prevent any hot spots while pre-heating. This has been a tremendous time saver for me. No more casting dozens to get stuff working right. Any thoughts?

[1Shirt]

I have for years been lowering just the bottom portion of the mold into the molton lead for about a min for iron molds and about half that time for alum.
Sometimes leaves a little lead on the outside of the mold that wipes off with little effort with a cloth.
1Shirt!:coffee:

[Ricochet]

I do it with the molten lead, too, to the point that the lube starts smoking. Pull it out and wait a few seconds for the heat to more or less equalize across the blocks and start casting. First boolit out usually looks pretty good.

[ben1025]

I have been using a 800 watt electric hot plate for at least 10 years.
Works great. Even used it to melt lead in a mould for making 2 alloy bullets.
Both aluminum and iron moulds. I think that was the reason I started using a hot plate. ben1025

[XBT]

Dubber123, I always carefully pre-heat my molds with a propane torch, I’ve been doing it for years. It saves lots of time and has never caused me any problems.

[dubber123]

Well, so far nobody has called me an idiot for the torch thing. The hot plate idea sounds good too. I try and keep my molds away from the top of the pot, although I have done the dipping trick. I was hurrying a couple days ago, and while trying to pre-heat with one on the top of the pot, and cast with another, I dumped my brand new 32-20 Lyman mold in the pot. Was not fun to clean up. The alignment pin holes were the worst. I think I will stick with the torch. Safer for me.

[rmb721]

I use a hot plate to pre-heat the mould.

I also pre-heat ingots on the hot plate while I am casting. Then I use the pre-heated ingots to refill the pot. The ingots melt a lot faster.

While they are melting, I place another batch on the hot plate along with the mould.

[tomf52]

Been doing the propane torch thing for as long as I've been casting. About forty years. No problems from it.

[Larry Gibson]

I wasn't going to post this, but I was wondering if anyone else does it, and that is pre-heating molds with a propane torch.

That is exactly what I do with my Lyman, RCBS or other cast iron moulds. I wash the oil (usually WD) off with carborater cleaner. If you watch the torch flame on the mould you can see the moisture or oil as it vaporizes out of the cavities and off the metal surface. I also do both sides of the sprue plate.

With aluminum moulds I dip thecorner into the moulten lead until it doesn't stick to the mould.

Larry Gibson