Excess Lead between my molds????

[cc676]

I casted my first bullets last night and started to get a build up of lead on the surfaces of my mold that close. That started to deform my bullets with a flashing or like a fin look. What wold be the best way to remove that excess so they will close tight? What kind of tool should I use that will not damage my molds?

[TomAM]

When that happens, simply wipe off the lead with a small cloth while the mold is hot. The way I'd remove it now is start casting again so it can be wiped off.

[Reload3006]

heat your mold on a hot plate and use a kitchen match stick or other wooden stick to scrape it off. If your mold is aluminum you may be able to just flick it off. If its brass or iron you will probably have to heat it off. A soldering iron and solder wick will remove it too if you happen to have an electronics shop close to you. But the least expensive way would be a propane torch and wooden stick. using the torch be very careful not to over heat your mold in one spot.

[John Boy]

What wold be the best way to remove that excess so they will close tight? What kind of tool should I use that will not damage my molds?

* Your mold has not been cleaned properly and also you may not be holding the handles tight enough
* Use a razor blade to lightly scrap the lead off the faces and in the vent lines. You could also buy lead cloth and wipe the surfaces when the mold is warm
* After you resolve removing the lead - close the mold and hold it up to the light to determine if you see any daylight between the halves. If yes, then the mold is out of alignment

All the sources are do to 'user errors' except possibly the mold being out of alignment

[40Super]

I keep a flat hardwood stick about 1/2" thick and 1inch wide next to my pot to "file" off the lead if it happens, when the mold is hot.

[44man]

Hold the handles tight. NO lead should get there.
Cast right and no lead should get anywhere on a mold.

[Calamity Jake]

^^^^^^ +1

[cc676]

Thanks I didn't want to use something that would gouge the mold. I put it on a side burner..heated it up enough to use my gloves to wipe clean. Thanks for all the tips I will put them to good use!

[Wayne Smith]

I keep a bamboo meat skewer by the pot for the same purpose.

[MikeS]

What kind of mould is it? If it's a Lee 6 cavity mould, do you hold all 3 handles? If so, stop doing that, and only hold the 2 that are the actual mould handles, only use the handle that's on the sprue plate for opening and closing the sprue plate, if you hold all 3 you can possibly open the mould slightly, and you wouldn't notice it as the sprue plate is covering the mould blocks.

[leadman]

I sometimes get these little flakes, especially if casting a high antimony alloy. I think they are formed when the sprue is cut and just fall onto the inner mold surfaces when it is opened to dump the boolits. I do not get this flaking with a lead/tin alloy. I get these little flakes on top of the mold and on the bottom of the sprue plate. I remove them when I see them either with a popsicle stick or a single edge razor blade, depending where they are.