Using Sprue Plate Lube in mold faces

[happy7]

This may have been discussed before, but I thought I would share a little tip I have found to work for me. I have some molds where I have issues with lead sticking to the faces of the mold. This is especially true with boolits in excess of 500 grains, but it happens with smaller ones as well, especially when a mold has cast a lot of bullets. So what I do is put a thin coat of sprue plate lube on the faces of the mold. I find that I really only have to put it on one face. The key is to make sure it is a real thin coat as you don't want it migrating into the cavities. Sometimes it will give me wrinkles at the part lines for a few casts but the payoff is worth it. I only put it on one face because putting it on both tends to leave too heavy of an application. I sometimes alternate faces then when reapplying. The benefits are that any lead that ends up between the faces comes off very easy because it can't really stick to the oiled metal of the mold and also I find that it retards or even in some cases fixes the cases where lead adheres to the mold makes release of the bullets difficult. Again, all I want is a very thin coat that does no more than make the metal damp.

[Bent Ramrod]

Good tip.

Also those alloys that take longer to harden and tend to break and stick at the cavity edges or smear over the top of the blocks and under the sprue plate can be cast a lot faster with judicious application of such lube. Enough Bull Plate Lube to just add a slight bluish cast to a Q-Tip, rubbed on the top, the sprue cutter and the faces of the blocks, keeps the rate up. I don't do this with brass or aluminum moulds,only ferrous. Bull Plate is the only stuff I've found that, properly applied, doesn't migrate around on hot surfaces.

[bangerjim]

I have used blue 2 cycle engine oil for a long time as pin/screw/face lube. I just rub some on the sprue plate and mold face with my finger and go at it. I use a hypodermic syringe for the joints and pins. I have never had oil cause wrinkles.....ever. Cold molds and cold lead cause wrinkles....not oil and grease. And it DOES get down into the cavities. No big whoop! If you are reeeeeeally paranoid about a little oil in your molds, wipe the cavity out with a q-tip and acetone.

Works for me for a looooooong time.

banger