After the session

[Half Dog]

When you finish a casting session, do you do anything special to your mold before storing it?

[Tailhunter]

Spray a thin coat of Ballistol.

[ukrifleman]

Spray a thin coat of Ballistol.

+1

ukrifleman.

[Hickok]

If I am putting the mold away for any length of time, I clean it up real nice with an old toothbrush and some solvent. On steel molds, I then take some Mobil 1 Synthetic grease and completely coat all metal surfaces and put it back in the box.

I agree with the above, Ballistol is an outstanding product.

[country gent]

For storage between uses on Steel cast iron moulds whiole still warm ( almost to hot to touch). I put a few drops of 2 cycle oil same as I use for sprue pivot and alighnment pins when casting this flows over the hot metal to a very thin coating. A small drop on each surface. For long term storage I Then seal it in place by touching a block of parrafin onto surfaces. I strat with the faces close and then the outer surfaces top of blocks then close sprue plate and do it. This seals air and moisture out and holds oil in. A mixture of parrafin and 10%-15% light oil might work very well also. When I get it done right and hot. Getting the mould out to use ussually takes a heat gun or warming to break the parrafins seal to open. Warm and brush then clean a couple times with dishsoap and water.

[tazman]

Iron molds I spray with Kroil. Aluminum I just lube the alignment pins and put them away.

[FISH4BUGS]

Maybe this is heresy, but I let them cool down, spray them with WD40 and wrap the mould and handles together in a plastic bag, then run a tape all around to close it. Never had a rusty mould in my life.
Usually once a year or so I go through all my moulds and make sure they are good, spray them again, the wrap them back up, handles and all, then tape it shut. Rinse and repeat.
Works for me.
To clean them I spray them with Brake Clean and wipe out the cavities with a QTip when still wet. The spray again and wipe down with a cloth. I don't wash them or anything.

[dragon813gt]

I let them cool off and then apply sprue plate lube to the plate and pins. They're stored in my basement where the humidity is kept to 60% max. I go through them twice a year and relube them if they haven't been used.

I've thought about spraying them down w/ Ballistol. But I don't want to have to clean them before using them again. Used carb cleaner daily, for half the year, over the past twelve years. I use solvents sparingly since I know I've been over exposed.

[runfiverun]

I cool them off and put them in a drawer.
if your in a humidity area then a coat of oil is probably best.
it rarely gets over 30% here so I don't worry about it.

[dale2242]

I live in a high humidity area.
If I am going to store them for a long time I oil the iron molds.
Aluminum molds are not.....dale

[Hickok]

I know putting grease on my molds seems drastic, but we seem to get rain and humidity in buckets.

To get my molds ready to cast, I get some lighter fluid, Q-tips and an old tooth brush, give a scrub in a small plastic bowl, then hit again with some alcohol and Q-tips for good measure and I am ready to go.

I just don't trust oil by itself.

[lightman]

When I finish casting and after the mold cools off, I'll spray it with whatever type of gun oil that I am using, wrap it in an oily rag and put it back in the ammo can where it lives. This requires degreasing before use, but its pretty humid here.

[Half Dog]

Is there special care needed for aluminum molds?

[country gent]

On my brass and aluminum mould I lightly brosh clean them then a light coat of preservative wax or oil just in case. even brass and aluminum moulds have steel alighnment pins sockets and sprue plates along with the handles that need perserved also.

[tazman]

Is there special care needed for aluminum molds?

You need to make sure the alignment pins or hollow point pins don't rust. Other than that, not much.

[Half Dog]

It seems like we are concerned with rust between casting sessions. Is there a prefered cleaner to use prior to casting again?

[imashooter2]

I let them cool and then put them in a dry box with desiccant. I just don't understand putting oil on a mold that you spent time cleaning the oil off of in the first place...

[tazman]

I let them cool and then put them in a dry box with desiccant. I just don't understand putting oil on a mold that you spent time cleaning the oil off of in the first place...

If you use kroil, you don't need to clean it off. Just bring the mold up to temp and go.

[Dragonheart]

On my steel molds I use Kroil Oil. If they are not going to be used soon I put them into a clear plastic bag, the put that bag in a vacuum seal bag and vacuum & seal. The double bag protects the vacuum bag from getting punctured for any sharp corners or points. I bought my vacuum sealer with some starter bags at Costco for $49.

Steel molds that won't be used for a long time, maybe never, I pack them in wheel bearing grease and do the same vacuum seal. I can monitor the condition of the molds at any time by looking through the clear plastic.

Brass molds I just use the NOE Sprue Lube on the steel parts and then seal if it's not going to be used soon.

I use my vacuum sealer for a lots of other things like long term storage of ammunition, tools, etc. etc. anything I want to keep preserved and DRY! As an old restoration contractor you can't imagine the things I have seen ruined when people have returned to find roof leaks, water pipe breaks, AC leaks, broken lines & valves on fixtures and appliances, while they were out of town or on vacation. The vacuum seal not only keeps air out it keeps out water because things happen.

My wife tells me some people actually use a vacuum sealer to keep food fresh.

[gwpercle]

Clean it really well, inside and out , spray it with a coat of Liquid Wrench Dry Lube, inside and out. Now ready for next session.
I used to not clean them and they would get all cruddy and with built up stuff then don't work well.
Easier to clean after one session than letting them get all built up. Stuff bakes on and is hard to remove.
Gary