Curious

[ReloaderFred]

I was wondering if anyone knows what the spray mold lube that Magma sells contains? It's the white semi-solid that you mix with denatured alcohol and spray on the sprue cutters. They've raised their price to $40.00 for the 16 oz. size, so I'm looking for a cheaper source.

Don't get me wrong, I support Magma, having ordered over $2,000 worth of parts from them in the last two months, but the price of this mold lube is a little high, especially when it was about half that last year.

Thanks in advance,

Fred

[theperfessor]

Bullplate from the Bullshop here.

[ReloaderFred]

Can the Bullplate be sprayed on the sprue cutters while the machine is in motion? The mold lube needs to be applied to the sprue cutters every so often so the sprues will fall into the collection bin, rather than holding on and ending up in the bullet bin, which slows down production.

Thanks,

Fred

[theperfessor]

No, its similar to a synthetic two stroke oil in texture, its not a spray-on. Sorry, missed the implied use for machine casting.

[ReloaderFred]

Oops! I should have been more specific. Yes, it's for using on a Mark 6 Bullet Master machine with 8 molds.

Thanks,

Fred

[LUBEDUDE]

Fred, bite the bullet and buy the gallon size (ouch!). You come out much cheaper that way, and it will last longer too!

Good Luck

[ReloaderFred]

The gallon size is $200.00!! This thing is getting more expensive all the time...........

I probably will, if I can't find out what's in it.

Fred

[justcharlie]

fred i have two of there machines and i just use bullet lube the blue just a little dab on the bolt
works just fine
justcharlie

[Carolina Cast Bullets]

The gallon size is probably enough for two or three lifetimes

Jerry
Carolina Cast Bullets

[ReloaderFred]

Jerry,

You're probably right about it lasting a lifetime. I think this whole thing is going to kill me!

justcharlie,

This is the spray for allowing the sprues to drop off the sprue cutter and into the sprue collection bin. It also lubes the bolt, but it's main purpose is to allow the sprue to drop off freely and not end up in the bullet bin.

On another note, we got a visit from our friendly regional ATF agent last week and were informed that we could not sell one cast bullet until we registered with the U.S. State Dept. for ITAR, at $2,300.00 for the first year, and $2,700 each year thereafter. We already have a Class 7 FFL, which allows for the manufacture of both arms and ammunition, but the ITAR for the bullets is above and beyond that.

It seems our friendly government is in the business of running little guys out of business, but we're determined to make a go of this, so we'll cast bullets and get them ready, and apply for the ITAR. Once we're in order, we'll have product to sell, since we've already got customers lined up, but can't sell to them yet.

On and on it goes.........

Fred

[joiner]

Fred, I thought you could sell the bullet lead without the ITAR as long as there were no primers or gun power with them????? Is that incorrect???? Russ

[ReloaderFred]

Joiner,

According to the ATF agent, ITAR registration is needed for selling cast bullets, or for that matter, any bullets that we manufacture. It also requires at least a Class 6 FFL, but we have a Class 7, which includes bullets and ammunition, along with firearms. The ITAR registration is with the U.S. State Dept.

It's more government red tape and another way to squeeze more money out of us. The ATF agent told us that they're "making examples" of violators right now, and are again trying to reduce the number of FFL's, just like during the Clinton years. He cited one example of a guy selling a "hi-cap magazine" to a California resident and getting a five year sentence for it. I don't know if he was blowing smoke, or if it was an actual case, but we've chosen not to be made examples of..........

Hope this helps.

Fred

[Brenden]

Is what your after their Master Lube? When I bought my Master Caster the lady at Magma talked me out of buying any, my thought was for mold storage/rust prevention. She told me to use Pam cooking spray, this DID NOT work, I hosed down my molds with it and had much frustration with wrinkled bullets. But today I was having trouble with sticking sprues so I over filled my mold and shot a quick dab on and it worked great. Sprues no longer stuck and it worked down into the pivot bolt and the mold became easier to operate. No wrinkled bullets, I think she misunderstood my intended use. Hope this helps.

[ReloaderFred]

Brenden,

Yes, that's exactly what I'm talking about. With my Master Caster, I spray the mold with the sprue cutter open, but the cavities full. That's also what we've been doing on the Bullet Master, but you have to be quick, or stop the carrier for each mold. I've found that keeping the lube out of the cavities prevents wrinkled bullets for the next several pours.

I may give the PAM a try as a sprue cutter lube. I guess the butter flavor would even smell better........

Thanks for the idea.

Fred

[Brenden]

I over filled to keep it out of the mold, the hot lead I believe also opens the pores of the sprue plate and it sticks around, I poured about 2000 bullets after treating the mold with no problems.

[ReloaderFred]

We're basically doing the same thing on the Master Caster. I just open the sprue cutter with my gloved hand, leaving the bullets in the mold and the mold closed. I spray the top of the mold, then turn the sprue cutter the other direction as far as it will go, and spray again, this time including the top of the sprue cutter. This stops lead from smearing on top of the mold, and releases the sprue from the cutter. It also lubes that part of the sprue cutter next to the bolt, plus the bolt.

On the Bullet Master, the 8 molds are on a carrier and a knocker hits the sprue cutter to knock the sprue off. If it sticks, instead of falling off at that point and falling into the sprue collection bin, it continues on and ends up in the bullet bin. Then it takes time to pick out all the sprues. If I can keep as many sprues falling where they should, then it gives me more time to devote to the rest of the process, rather than picking them out of the bullets.

Fred

[joiner]

Fred, I did some research and you are right. Thanks for keeping me out of trouble!!!!!!!!!! Joiner

[ReloaderFred]

You're welcome, joiner. They make it harder and harder for people to start up small businesses. Now with kerry (not capitalized on purpose) signing the UN treaty on arms control, they'll use it as an excuse to make it even harder. I'm hoping reid (also not capitalized on purpose) will allow it to come up for a vote in the Senate, where it's sure to fail to gain a 2/3 majority. If he doesn't, then the president will probably violate the Constitution (again) and use his office to authorize ratification of the treaty, and we'll be tied up in court for years......

Hope this helps.

Fred

[dbosman]

If Pam works, the secret ingredient is Lecithin.
$27.00 / gallon
http://www.amazon.com/Liquid-Lecithin-Gallon-128-oz/dp/B0026DK4Y6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1380652713&sr=8-1&keywords=liquid+Lecithin+gallon

[bhn22]

It wouldn't be similar to Lee Case Sizing Lube would it? I know guys who cut that with alcohol and spray it on cases, and allow to dry before sizing. It is a white paste in a 2 oz. tube that sells for $3.49 retail.

[ReloaderFred]

I'll try the PAM on a mold in the Master Caster first. If it doesn't work, I'd rather have just one mold to clean, rather than eight. I'll have to buy some, since the only PAM my wife has in the pantry is the baking variety, with flour mixed in.

I've never used the Lee Case Lube, so I don't know. At $3.49 for 2 ounces, that makes it $27.92 for 16 ounces. Thanks for the thought.

Thanks, dbosman. If it works, that would be a cheaper way to go.

Fred

[Brenden]

I've tested this 5 or 6 times over the course of about 4000 bullets. One time I oversprayed the mold and got wrinkled bullets for about a dozen cycles.

[ReloaderFred]

Thanks, Brenden. That even happens with the Magma spray. I'm going to buy some PAM tomorrow and give it a try the next casting session.

Fred

[ReloaderFred]

The last time I was at the restaurant supply store, I bought the cheapest can of non-stick spray they had, $2.99 for a 16.5 oz. can. I've used it for three casting sessions on the Master Caster, since that's what I have here at home. The Mark 6 is in a shop about 30 minutes away, and we haven't cast in a couple of weeks.

The spray works just fine as a sprue plate lubricant. The only problem is controlling the amount. It's very easy to overspray the mold and get it into the cavities, even with bullets still in them. The non-stick spray is heavier in constancy than the Magma lube, so it sticks to the sprue plate and gets drawn into the cavities for the next couple of pours, producing wrinkled bullets, which is really no big deal, other than having to pick them out of the bullet bin.

The upside is it's cheap, and it smells like cooking popcorn. One can, at $2.99, will go a long ways. Thanks for the tip, Brenden. It works as you said it would. I cast 6,000 bullets out of three different molds and it worked on all of them, from .38 caliber to .45 caliber.

Hope this helps.

Fred

[Brenden]

The last time I was at the restaurant supply store, I bought the cheapest can of non-stick spray they had, $2.99 for a 16.5 oz. can. I've used it for three casting sessions on the Master Caster, since that's what I have here at home. The Mark 6 is in a shop about 30 minutes away, and we haven't cast in a couple of weeks.



The spray works just fine as a sprue plate lubricant. The only problem is controlling the amount. It's very easy to overspray the mold and get it into the cavities, even with bullets still in them. The non-stick spray is heavier in constancy than the Magma lube, so it sticks to the sprue plate and gets drawn into the cavities for the next couple of pours, producing wrinkled bullets, which is really no big deal, other than having to pick them out of the bullet bin.

The upside is it's cheap, and it smells like cooking popcorn. One can, at $2.99, will go a long ways. Thanks for the tip, Brenden. It works as you said it would. I cast 6,000 bullets out of three different molds and it worked on all of them, from .38 caliber to .45 caliber.

Hope this helps.

Fred


yeah that's why I leave the sprues in place to keep the spray out of the cavities.

[ReloaderFred]

Thanks again, Brenden. This old dog learned a new trick.......

Fred