mold release information

[JMtoolman]

Being an older bullet caster, been doing it for over 50 years, I realized the other day that I do something that I have never seen in any of the casting information on our site. I have always used a release agent called neolube on my mold blocks before casting. This is a coloidal graphite in Isopropyl Alcohol. I use a q-tip to apply it to all surfaces of my molds while the pot is heating up. The alcohol dries fast and leaves a flim of graphite on the surface and penetrates into the surface of the molds. This has a couple of advantages, one it makes the lead fall out of the machined cavities, and it also acts as a moisture barrier on the metal. In 50 plus years of casting I have never had a mold develope any rust when covered with neolube. It holds up very good while casting, providing a sliding lube for the sprues and sprue plates. And it keeps lead splatters from sticking to any of the mold surfaces. I can cast at least a thousand bullets at a setting without the material being worn off of the blocks. I reapply it before casting on a cold mold each time though. It is not a answer fo a release agent if your molds have burrs, but it really helps on all blocks that are well machined. Best regards, John the toolman.

[sundog]

John, we've tossed this around before about mould release, more often a product called drop out, and a similar product from NAPA sold as a spray graphite lubricant. Your q-tip application is exactly how I do it. I do not spray directly onto the mould. My experinec has been the same as yours as to durability and rust control.

Thanks for the 'heads up' on yet another product that we can try. I think I'll take a look see in the hobby shop, and might try it just for grins one of these days. I did find a web site:

http://www.micromark.com/NEOLUBE-2-FL-OZ,8383.html

[lwknight]

The Frankfort Arseonal mold release is exactly that. Suspended graphite.
I did not like it sprayed on, it stopped up the air vents and made a lot of poor shouldered bullets.
It did make the boolits fall out and I will try it again only this time applied with a Q-tip.

[dromia]

NEI have a similar "Q" applied product.

Personally I've never found mould release to be of any use as a mould release, however I can see its protective benefits.

[sundog]

Another technique with graphite which works well is 'coloring'. I use carpenter pencils on block tops and sprue plates with great success. A sharpened writing pencil works well in the cavities, especially at junctures in driving bands and groove recesses. Also works well for chasing vent lines.

[Shiloh]

Does the graphite stick or bond to the mold metal??

Shiloh

[mpmarty]

I have discovered (right here on this site) an easy method of prepping molds:
cold LEE six cavity mold, keep mold tightly closed, swing sprue plate away from mold, direct a small oxyacetylene torch into the cavities with the oxygen shut off. Wipe off the top of the mold and pre-heat normally. Apply bullplate lube to alignment pins and sprue cutter pivot as well as the top surface of the mold or the underside of the sprue plate. Done! It works great for me. Once smoked with the torch the mold will cast literally thousands of boolits without retreatment. I do re-apply the bullplate lube as needed.

[bohokii]

I have discovered (right here on this site) an easy method of prepping molds:
cold LEE six cavity mold, keep mold tightly closed, swing sprue plate away from mold, direct a small oxyacetylene torch into the cavities with the oxygen shut off. Wipe off the top of the mold and pre-heat normally. Apply bullplate lube to alignment pins and sprue cutter pivot as well as the top surface of the mold or the underside of the sprue plate. Done! It works great for me. Once smoked with the torch the mold will cast literally thousands of boolits without retreatment. I do re-apply the bullplate lube as needed.


i kind of do the same with a propane torch with the air holes covered

acetylene makes massive soot i would worry about making stalagtites with all that carbon

i like the pencil idea i got to try that

[HORNET]

As a reminder, you DON'T need much smoke. Pre-heat the mold forst to improve smoke adhesion. If you can see it, you've probably got more than you need. Excessive amounts could result in some biuld up in the cavities and reduce the size a little. Unfortunately, it's never enough for oversize molds and never where you want it anyways. After a few uses, they probably won't need to be smoked any more, except under special circumstances.

[Bret4207]

I see no meed to coat or smoke a mould unless it NEEDS it, and that is a rare case. Anything in the mould gives a smaller diameter boolit and insulates the mould from the needed heat. Sometimes you have to use something, but that's rare in my experience.

[Calamity Jake]

I'm with Bret here, Although I use Midway mold prep on the out side to help control rust, nothing on the inside but hot lead.
I have a few of the group buy lee 6 cavs that require a little smoken. All the rest are A OK without.

[lwknight]

Smoking the mold only takes a few millionths of inch out. It is really nice when you open the bold and all boolits just fall out. You will be casting so fast that you will have to cool the molds on a wet towel or something.