Mold preservation?

OK, so I have a pretty decent collection of molds. Some are not replaceable, Some not often used. I have tried various methods of spraying with oil, spraying with an Alox based rust preventative, (which is hard to get off) I am thinking of submerging my molds in some type of oil in sealed jars. Does anyone else do this? If so what would be good to use that wouldn't be too obnoxious to clean off when I want to use? I will disassemble screws, sprue plates. Or should I just spray them with something again ? I've had a little problem with rusting

I spray my Iron molds with Kroil (aerosol) and store in air tight food storage containers. The first containers I've found are made by "Lock-n-Lock", they were $4 each, but now are they are no longer made, I have seen are others like SnapLock and such. I look for one's with a silicone seal. The last ones I've bought were a no name brand container at ALDIs and were super cheap.

PS, the kroil cleans off easily with hot water, dish soap, and a tooth brush, no need to remove screws or sprue plate...just heat up soon after cleaning to cook off the water.

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Originally Posted by JonB_in_Glencoe

I spray my Iron molds with Kroil (aerosol) and store in air tight food storage containers. The first containers I've found are made by "Lock-n-Lock", they were $4 each, but now are they are no longer made, I have seen are others like SnapLock and such. I look for one's with a silicone seal. The last ones I've bought were a no name brand container at ALDIs and were super cheap.

PS, the kroil cleans off easily with hot water, dish soap, and a tooth brush, no need to remove screws or sprue plate...just heat up soon after cleaning to cook off the water.

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Have thought about spraying them, I have small mason jars to seal them in, then thought maybe submerging them might be good.

Similar to JB, I spray with Kroil, wrap in VCI Paper labeling each mold then store in plastic containers

https://i.imgur.com/y7H5D8Z.jpg?1

The Army stores steel repair parts for decades, merely by wrapping them in VCI paper and vacuum sealing them. Granted, they are typically not bare metal, but have a parkerized finish. VCI paper isn't inexpensive, so if you have a large quantity of molds or whatever, you might want to find an alternative. I would suggest covering them with grease, then storing them in a platic container. Cleanup would require a solvent bath or something similar.

I have a couple hundred - some of which don't see the light of day for years. I coat them with AMSOIL 2 stroke motor oil, hold them together with a zip tie and store them in Rubbermaid containers in a non-climate control garage (Florida) without issue. When I want to cast with one I clean it with carb cleaner followed by warm soapy water. When I am done with it I clean then re-coat it before placing it back in long term storage.

I think I will coat them with ballistol oil and seal them in the jars and stack those in a plastic tub. I just recently had some light rust issues and want to protect them before the issue gets worse. Some get used pretty regularly, some don't get used for used for years.

I store my 50+ steel molds in 50 cal. Military ammo cans that have a good seal, throw in a deciant pack, that's all they get. No rust, ever!!!
Always ready to use.

I use either Kroil or plain USP mineral oil from the pharmacy on my iron molds, place in ZipLok bags, then store in 20mm ammo box with dessicant canister. Never had a rust problem in the mid-Atlantic states.

I coat all my reloading dies that will not be used in the near future in LPS-3, it does contain bees wax so haven’t tried this product on molds may be harder to remove when needed to run again. We used this on our 106 MM recoilless rifles with good results no rust. Only thing it looks real nasty when in storage but it keeps out rust.


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All my molds(aluminum, brass, iron) are in my heated & cooled shop. All are in plastic containers of various persuasions, both salvaged from other uses or purchased solely for my molds. All the iron molds have a couple of desiccant packs that my pharmacist son saved for me. I change these out about every 6 months. I probably have a lifetime supply for a 40 YO and I'm 75. I don't coat any mold with anything.

I get humidity in my loading room from the propane heater. What ive come to do is I buy a can of that Frankfort arsenal mold release spray. When the mold is still warm I give the whole mold a light spraying and let it dry and put it away. Seems to work well and you don't even have to clean oil off the mold before you cast. works well if you don't mind black molds.

I get humidity because I live in Baton Rouge , Louisiana...the heat and humidity capitol .
I spray or coat mine with Liquid Wrench Dry Lubricant after they have cooled and before going back into a plastic tool box or steel ammo can.
The dry lube doesn't contaminate boolits and can be left on...
Next session just preheat and start casting ...no need to degrease, no wrinkly boolits, no rust . What's not to like !
Gary

I got a wooden shadow box from the craft store. Then got the little wooden balsa planks that are like ~.25 or 8th" thick to make dividers with. You can cut the wood with a razor blade. Glued in the dividers and painted it fire house red. Then using rubber compound I made a thin gasket for the lid and bottom to keep it tight. Added a latch to keep it all closed. It holds all my molds with space for a few more. Then added a desiccant. They also make those VCI papers or plastic (Vapor Corrosion Inhibitors) that I have thought about buying.

I live in Florida on a salt water river. I have been storing them this way for about 6 months. I pull them out, use them, let em cool and back in the box they go. Since storing them in the box I haven't had any further corrosion issues. I have 4 aluminum molds and 2 iron molds. The irons were spot rusting on me within a few days until I started storing them in the box with a dessicant. I though of coating them with a preservative but I didn't want to clean them before each use. Plus the added expense of buying a corrosion inhibiting compound.

I don't think it matters what you do. As long as your doing something to keep your blocks from rusting.