Darn Mold Problem

[mrblue]

I was doing some casting tonight still working on it, and I think Im getting better, atleast my winkle problem has gone away. Now as i was casting I noticed two different things, First with my lee mold i dropped a couple of bullets and went to close the mold and it would not align. I opened it up and a pin came out.......does this happen often? Is this a lee problem? Is the mold to hot?

Second problem, in my furance, there seems to be a lot of a orangish dust powder type substance. I keep scooping it out but more and more appears, I flux and it doesn't help. Any idea what is causing this or what it even is? Thanks

[nhrifle]

Lee pins come out. It just happens. Put it back in and peen the aluminum over it to keep it in place. The dust is most likely just impurities in the melt. Stir and scrape thoroughly, flux, stir and scrape, flux. Cast some more. Repeat as necessary. Dirt in the lead will continue to come out of suspension over time.

[hermans]

As for the mold problem, that is why I stopped using Lee molds many years ago. A good quality mold form one of the mold manufacturers much discussed and mentioned here on Cast Boolits, will give you years of hassle free casting.
When I cast ingots to use later for casting boolits, I make very sure by fluxing and stirring/skimming the mix to get rid of most the impurities. So later when casting boolits, I only flux once and then I empty the pot.

[Bwana]

Lee pins come out. It just happens. Put it back in and peen the aluminum over it to keep it in place. The dust is most likely just impurities in the melt. Stir and scrape thoroughly, flux, stir and scrape, flux. Cast some more. Repeat as necessary. Dirt in the lead will continue to come out of suspension over time.

+1.
And it does seem to happen more often (the couple of times it has happened to me) when the mold is hotter than normal.
A

[44man]

The two best friends a Lee mold has is a small hammer and a punch! :drinks:

[cbrick]

Second problem, in my furance, there seems to be a lot of a orangish dust powder type substance. I keep scooping it out but more and more appears, I flux and it doesn't help. Any idea what is causing this or what it even is? Thanks

What is your alloy? What are you fluxing with and how are you using the flux?

LEE molds? A lot of folks here keep saying what a great deal they are. For me aggravation and frustration are not a great deal at any price, I too quit buying them years ago. When the advice given is a molds best friend is a hammer should at least make you think.

Rick

[captaint]

That's the chance we take with Lee molds. Some are good, some, well........ I'm sure Mr. Lee has
heard enough stories of his newer style molds coming back for this problem. They SHOULD have this issue straightened out. Mike