Best method for smoking a mold?

[Bob58]

I have used a match to smoke a mold, and find that it’s a bit awkward. Is there a better way?

Can a butane lighter, such as is used for starting a charcoal briquette fire, be used?

I also thought about using a propane torch, thinking that this might also pre-heat the mold a bit, in addition to providing the smoke for the mold surface. The molds that I am thinking about using this on are all Lyman molds, so are not aluminum. At the least, it would probably be necessary, when using a propane torch, to turn the flame down considerably, in order to prevent overheating and possibly warping the mold. Anyone have experience with this, or cautions? Will a propane torch even provide the soot needed?

Is there a difference, in the "mold smoking quality", of different types of flames?

Thanks,
Bob58

[imashooter2]

I use a BBQ lighter. Works fine and keeps my fingers away from the flame. The only bad soot would come from candles, kerosene lanterns or other oily flame. I doubt you could get a propane torch flame sooty enough to smoke a mold.

[MT Gianni]

The propane torches are designed to have too little gas flow and too much air at low settings. They will not support combustion. To make one soot you would have to put your mold into the cold part of the flame, or the non blue part. It would be a lot easier with a cigarrette lighter to soot a mold. IME a LY mold doesn't need to be smoked just warmed up. Gianni.

[montana_charlie]

I admit to having smoked moulds in the past, but I was just 'following directions' in a book. I don't remember (now) if the book even said why smoking was a useful activity.

Why do you smoke 'em, Bob58?
CM

[KCSO]

I once arrested a guy for smoking moldy mushrooms???

The best I have found is my old carbide sight blackener. The next best is a simple candle. The candle flame will put out just the right amount of soot to do a good job on the Lee moulds. A match doesn't put out enough soot and a propane torch won't work at all. A welding torch puts out too much soot and until it flakes off youo get undersize bullets.

[Ricochet]

So if you're going to smoke moulds, what do you roll 'em in?

[jawjaboy]

Wonder how "fat lightered" kindling would work?

[VTDW]

Smoking a mould? For starters and just for fun:mrgreen: ...they are hard to roll into a round shape so you have to really contort your mouth to smoke, they are very hard to light, the forceps need to be really big to hold them when they get short and that sticky stuff on em isn't not resin and tastes just horrible.:drinks:

Again, that was just for fun folks. I use one of those butane lighters that folks buy to light their charcoal.

Dave

[nighthunter]

A couple of you guys beat me to it. I would suggest that it can't be too much more difficult than smokeing fish. They are just so hard to keep lit.
Nighthunter

[leftiye]

I like NEI mold prep for putting carbon (graphite) on molds. Some flame sources (matches) have a lot of oils in the flame from the pitch in the wood. When this gets on your mold, you have to cook it off before it stops messing up your casting.

[Forester]

I don't smoke my Lyman moulds, have not seen a real need for it. That is one of the reasons I like them so much. I wish I could get a 6 cavity version for .452 LSWCs, but I would have to be popeye I guess to use it for very long:grin:

I do smoke my Lee 6 cavity moulds. In the winter when the woodstove is running I just use a piece of dry oak lit from the stove to smoke them, works like a charm. Other times a butane lighter is the tool of choice.

I have had very poor luck with Frankford Arsenal's mould release, which is ashame because it sure would be easier to just spray it on and get down to business.

[John Boy]

... go to a garden store and buy one of those bamboo Tiki torches. The can with the wick is what you want. The bamboo is good for tomato plant stakes.

Fill the can with kerosene or lamp oil. If one had too, they could smoke a thousand molds at one casting session! [smilie=1:

[JSH]

I have used a candle in the past with good luck, though I was advised from ones here that it may cause problems. It worked fine, so I keep that candle back for that chore. I have since found that the smoke, soot from acetylene cutting torch works great.
I tried that spry on mould release, stuff seemed to work, but built up some on the cavity. That is a case ofmore is not always better. A bud of mine used some of the stuff. He showed me some bullets he made and was actually quite proud of them. I looked at them and pointed out they were actually ugly. Sure eneough he had sprayed a bunch of it in the cavity.
Jeff

[qajaq59]

A while back someone mentioned using a soapstone marker for a release on molds. I haven't tried it but I'd be curious how well it would work.
Have any of you tried that?

[dromia]

Guess I've been lucky, I've never had to apply smoke to a mould yet.

Wondered about a carbide sight blacker, glad to know someone has tried it and it works just incase I ever feel the need to smoke a mould.

Thanks KCSO.

[DanM]

A propane torch works nicely if you tape over the air holes.

[bishopgrandpa]

I use soapstone on the plate and top of mold. No lead sticking and you can release quicker because lead doesn't stick and cause lead to be pulled leaving uneven bases. It is very cheap at any welding shop. Don't put in cavity. It doesn't
melt out, just fills in. Removes easily with small brass brush you can get at welding shop also.

[Sundogg1911]

I tried smokin' a mold once, but it tasted like S&*t! .....so I went back to Cigars! ;-)

[flyingstick]

I keep a box of those real long Fireplace matches by my Moulds. They burn long enough and put out a lot of black smoke. It seems to work better on my Lee moulds than anything else.

[Lloyd Smale]

tasted like **** and i didnt even catch a buzz so i gave it up too.
I tried smokin' a mold once, but it tasted like S&*t! .....so I went back to Cigars! ;-)

[R.M.]

Well, if all you other guys are admitting it, guess I'll fess up too, but it was in a country where it was legal, and I didn't inhale!!!!!:redneck:

[homefront]

Rapine mould prep is excellent - bullets pop right out.

[Mavrick]

I've used Frankford Arsenal, and wooden matches, but when I'm fed up with the spray filling the mold, and the matches taking time, I start using my pencil. No, I don't light it...I use the lead in the corners, and some of the rest of the mold, too.lol
Have fun