Little buggers

[georgewxxx]

It does make a difference as to what you're using to smoke a balky mould. The carbon build-up insulates it and the more you keep on the surfaces, the hotter it'll stay. Try different types of matches. Wood ones seem to leave a bit more carbon. I've had Lee's that needed to be re-smoked every 25 cycles to keep making usable boolits. Seems like after a while they'll start working without having to do so. Also never set the mould down on a surface that'll act as a heat sink.

[TexasGrunt]

I've been using a butane lighter.

The secret to that particular mold is get it HOT and keep it HOT. If it starts to wrinkle it needs a light touch of smoke. If I could figure out the problems at the base of the boolit it would almost be 100%. The base problems seem to happen totally at random.

With all my larger molds I can run the pot about 675, with the .22 cal mold it's got to be about 725 to keep the mold hot enough. At 675 there's no way I can cast fast enough with those two little cavities to keep the mold hot enough.

[georgewxxx]

Don't be deterred by some surface blemishes. Those little pills seem to overcome some of your mistakes or rejects. I cast .22 boolits using 15 different moulds and found they still can be quite accurate. One mould in particular, a old Modern Bond hollow point that someone damaged and tried to repair, before I ended up with it, outshoots most all the others with some nasty squiggles on the bottom lube ring.

[TexasGrunt]

Don't be deterred by some surface blemishes. Those little pills seem to overcome some of your mistakes or rejects. I cast .22 boolits using 15 different moulds and found they still can be quite accurate. One mould in particular, a old Modern Bond hollow point that someone damaged and tried to repair, before I ended up with it, outshoots most all the others with some nasty squiggles on the bottom lube ring.

Thanks! I'll get some pics up so I can get some advise. I've been trying for perfect. Perhaps too much so since most of these will be used with reduced loads.

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

Sometimes a cure for base fillout, is to "break" the top edge of the faces of the mold block with a fine file or fine(320) sand paper, it creates better venting.

[skeettx]

YES.
Hot plate with iron cover for the mould to sit on,
pre-heat the mould ( I use a propane tourch with wide flame constantly moving),
cast with only that mould to keep it HOT,
smoke as necessary, proper tin mix. Higher temp on the lead pot.
In this case, heat is your friend.
Mike