Mold Lube

[schemer]

Hi,
I am new to all this and watched a video where someone was getting a mold ready for a casting session and he lubed the mold with an alox stick. He said that the aluminum mold would be ruined (galled) in short order (like 100 uses) if you didn't lube it. I am going to be making a mold from a Lee blank and was wondering what alox stick to buy if that is the purpose I am buying it for? I am in Florida and don't want one that melts at room temp.
Thanks,
schemer

[Caster Blaster]

One of the vendor sponsors sells/makes Bullplate sprue lube, (I think Bullshop is their name) some came with a NOE mold I bought and it works great. I have used solid beeswax in the past (apply when the mold is hot) and it worked fine, I'm in FL too, regular beeswax doesn't melt in my garage at least, but I wouldn't leave it outside for too long. Lee actually tells you NOT to use alox as mold lube. YMMV.

[462]

Schemer,
Cast Boolits will give you a much better education than what you'll ever get by watching a video made by someone of dubious casting knowledge dispensing misinformation.

This sub-forum contains two stickies (just above your thread) related to preparing (Leementing) a Lee mould. They contain much valuable advise...follow it and your Lee moulds will serve you well.

+1 on Bullplate. Another mould lube -- recommended by many members, and one I used prior to using Bullplate -- is synthetic 2-cycle motor oil.

Don't apply Alox to your mould.

[MikeS]

schemer: Do not use any kind of wax to lube your mould. You want to either get BullPlate, or the mold lube being sold on eBay, or a high quality synthetic 2 stroke oil. To use it, you want to put a very thin coating on the tops of the mould blocks, and the bottom of the sprue plate, as well as the alignment pins and ridges. Make sure not to get any in the mould cavities! Some folks say to apply it while the mould is hot, but I've had good luck applying it while the mould was cold. Also, by a thin coat, I mean one that's hardly visible! I take a Q-Tip and put a few drops of the mold lube on it, then use that one Q-Tip to coat both the blocks, and sprue plate, and alignment pins, then use the other side of it to go over all the parts you've just lubed (other than the pins) to remove some of the lube you've just applied, otherwise it will be too thick a coating.

Caster Blaster: Lee's instructions are telling you not to use Lee Liquid Alox which is NOT the same as an alox / wax based lube stick. LLA is formulated using a different Alox product than is used in making the traditional 50% Alox 50% beeswax boolit lube. In any case, as I said above, you shouldn't use either product to lube a mould!

[Pigslayer]

schemer: Do not use any kind of wax to lube your mould. You want to either get BullPlate, or the mold lube being sold on eBay, or a high quality synthetic 2 stroke oil. To use it, you want to put a very thin coating on the tops of the mould blocks, and the bottom of the sprue plate, as well as the alignment pins and ridges. Make sure not to get any in the mould cavities! Some folks say to apply it while the mould is hot, but I've had good luck applying it while the mould was cold. Also, by a thin coat, I mean one that's hardly visible! I take a Q-Tip and put a few drops of the mold lube on it, then use that one Q-Tip to coat both the blocks, and sprue plate, and alignment pins, then use the other side of it to go over all the parts you've just lubed (other than the pins) to remove some of the lube you've just applied, otherwise it will be too thick a coating.

Caster Blaster: Lee's instructions are telling you not to use Lee Liquid Alox which is NOT the same as an alox / wax based lube stick. LLA is formulated using a different Alox product than is used in making the traditional 50% Alox 50% beeswax boolit lube. In any case, as I said above, you shouldn't use either product to lube a mould!

I just use some graphite.

[schemer]

Thanks to all that replied. I wasn't expecting such a quick response. I guess I can use synthetic 2 stroke oil or graphite as I have both. And when the BullPlate is available again I can get some of that. I appreciate all the replies, info, links, and options.
Cheers,
schemer

[MtGun44]

Use VERY, VERY little of the synth 2 cycle oil, like a tiny bit on a Q-tip and wipe most off.
Put on the alignment features and on the top of the mold and bottom of the sprue plate.

Bill