Couldn't get the wrinkles out today!

[Andrew Quigley]

Man what a day. Tried to do some casting today for my 45/70's
Used my Lee 405hb, Lee 450 rn and my Lyman 535 Postell with the same results. Lines, wrinkles or whatever ya call them where in all of them.
Well the 405 did cast some keepers but none of the others cast even 1 good one. Usuallly after about 8 or so I start to get keepers but the 535 was really sticking together today so I figure it's the need of a bullet release agent.
But which one?? What about moly coating a mold?
The Lee 450 didn't have any trouble with sticking or alignment but it wouldn't throw a nonwavy bullet to save my life. It's brand new. Tried short time between bullets, long time between bullets, big sprues, little sprues and anything else I could think of but no luck.
Any ideas? Thanks for any help.

Andrew

[jhalcott]

temperature?? alloy and mold up to temperature. DID you get any zinc in the mix?? After 8 tries with no luck, I go buy a lottery ticket, then sit in front of the boob tube!

[Tom W.]

I know it sounds like heresy, but after my molds cool I spray them with RemOil.When I go to use them again it only takes a few fillings to get the residue out and molds up to temperature. In short order the boolits start casting as they should.

[Searcher1911]

Frankford Arsenal makes a mold release that is excellent. It works much better than the old standby of smoking the mold. It sounds like your metal is not hot enough. I've tried the bottom pour furnaces but had constant problems so I use the age old cast pot and ladle. I put the pot on an electric cheapo hotplate and put a propane torch on the top of the metal. You need to flux your metal once it reaches temp. to get out the impurities. Lee molds can be brought to temp by putting a corner in the lead for a few seconds. They should cast acceptable bullets very quickly. If the bullets are wrinkled the cause is generally that the metal is too cold; if the bullets are frosty it is because the metal is too hot. I think 99% of casting success is because of technique and that comes only through practice. The good thing is that you cannot screw up anything but your time; if your bullets don't meet spec you can remelt and try again.

[Castaway]

Wrinkles aren't the sign of a mould release problem. Sounds like you had some oil in the mould that just wouldn't burn out. Try some hot water and soap on the mould and scrub with a toothbrush and see if that helps.

[Andrew Quigley]

Thanks for the advice. Can see the new one having some oil on it that wouldn't come off but the Lyman is an ilder one I've used with good success. temperature might be the key. I'd been casting to hot when I was casting my 45 colt bullets so for these I turned down the heat. No frosty ones but that might be the reason in the Lyman's case for the wrinkles.
Just in case I'll give them all a good cleaning! Can't hurt.:mrgreen: