Help, wrinkles.

[Casull]

New member here. I've been lurking and learning here for awhile, but this is my first post. With all the knowledge I've seen expressed here, I'm sure someone can a help a new fellow caster. I've been shooting and reloading for about 35 years, but recently decided to pursue the cast boolit. Problem is that I'm getting wrinkled boolits. I know that is usually an indicator of not enough tin or too cold a mold, but I don't think that is the problem. Here is my setup: Lee 10lb bottom pour furnace running at about "7"; Lee six cavity 310 grain round flat nose mold that I "beagled" to get the diameter up to about .434; alloy of about 4 parts pure lead to 1 part foundry type (which should put my alloy at about 3% tin, 4.5% antimony and 92.5% lead). The boolits are coming out wrinkled even as they get hot enough to "sizzle" when dropped in water. The wrinkles aren't what I would call excessive, but I've been remelting them because I just want better looking bullets. The kicker is that when the mold gets hot enough that the bullets come out lightly frosted, they are filling the cavities very well and producing beautifully formed "keepers". Any help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

[robg]

Frosted. Is fine ,as long as the bases are good should be fine

[DerekP Houston]

Have you tried degreasing the mold again? I usually get bad wrinkles for a few casts if any type of oil gets in the cavities. I'm a little too liberal with the sprue plate lube. Scrub it out with *hot* water and dawn.

[Casull]

Yeah, the problem is two fold. First, I don't know why I can't get "shiny" boolits to come out of the mold like that, and two, when the mold gets hot enough to start frosting the boolits, they don't drop out as easily.

[Casull]

I've actually scrubbed the mold twice (hot water and dishwashing liquid with an old toothbrush) and then wipe it all down with alcohol swabs and then air dry.

[Walter Laich]

my Lee molds have to be 'broken in' by casting for 15 minutes or so and then allowing to cool off. Most times 3-4 sessions will do it

agree on ideas of degreasing again--hard as it is to believe Kroil oil will do the job and even though it's an oil not interfere with quality bullets coming from a mold

[CASTER OF LEAD]

First off, Welcome to the Addiction. This sounds to me like it is a combination problem. Mold temp and cavity contaminants ( oil most likely). Being a six banger mold it is tougher to maintain an even temp between the cavities with a 10 lb. Bottom pour. Not saying it can't be done , by no means. However it can cause some wrinkle issues. As was stated earlier some light frost is fine, hurts nothing. I'd scrub the mold with hot water, Dawn, and a toothbrush,as also mentioned earlier. Do a final cleaning of the cavities with brake cleaner and a soft rag. Let dry and tyr it again. No wrinkles : problem solved.
If it still wrinkles them it is either an alloy temp issue, or mold temp issue. As for boolits not releasing freely check the mold for any small burrs around the edges of the cavity on both blocks. I use a small piece of pine board and lightly polish off any i find. Hope this helps - CASTER

[Casull]

Well, you've given me some things to think about. Kudos for such quick responses to a new member. I think I'm going to like it here.

[armexman]

Mr. Casull
COSTCO has Oil of OLAY on sale almost every week! You'll be wrinkle free in no time!
Seriously; take that toothbrush and some toothpaste and give a good long brushing to the inside of your mold. this will help in removing some of the burrs from the CNC or cherries that made your molds.
I use denatured alcohol to clean my molds and dip the corner for one short song on Pandora before I cast my first boolit.
HTH

[DerekP Houston]

Well, you've given me some things to think about. Kudos for such quick responses to a new member. I think I'm going to like it here.

If all else fails just keep trying , I've had some problem molds that just needed a few heat cycles and then started performing beautifully. Most of mine require a good tap or 2 with a wooden mallet to get the boolits to drop out. All your rejects can be hidden in the melting pot again, no one knows my reject rate at the range .

[Casull]

Mr. Casull
COSTCO has Oil of OLAY on sale almost every week! You'll be wrinkle free in no time!
Seriously; take that toothbrush and some toothpaste and give a good long brushing to the inside of your mold. this will help in removing some of the burrs from the CNC or cherries that made your molds.
I use denatured alcohol to clean my molds and dip the corner for one short song on Pandora before I cast my first boolit.
HTH

What is the Oil of Olay for?

[WALLNUTT]

Might be a joke.

[Casull]

Might be a joke.

Chalk it up to the "duh" factor. That one went right over my head.

[David2011]

Casull,

Welcome to Cast Boolits! We've all fought wrinkles at one time or another. As said, wrinkles can be from a cool or a dirty mold. Once you get the boolits looking good start lowering the pot heat. Let the poured boolits sit until the sprue is dull gray. The time to freeze will get shorter. Continue cooling the melt and mold until the boolits get shiny. Work with the pot temp and casting pace until you find an easily maintained sweet spot that gives shiny boolits. You can make frosted boolits faster than shiny but who doesn't like a little bling?

[MyFlatline]

Another option might be...holding the mold to far from the pour spout. I had that happen to me and took forever to figure it out.
Good luck.

[Casull]

Another option might be...holding the mold to far from the pour spout. I had that happen to me and took forever to figure it out.
Good luck.

How far is too far? I've been holding the mold about 1" to 1 1/2" below the spout.

[guicksylver]

you've got a good alloy that should make "shiny bolts"..

Of my two dozen or so molds most if not all wrinkled until they come up to temp (around 350)....alloy around 700-725...

Those that continued to wrinkle at those temps had their cavities simply "lightly" smoked with a butane lighter..instant shiny bullets..literary instant ...doing this for the first couple of casting sessions will take care of the problem...as a matter of fact Al at NOE recommends it...quite common..

it works so great that i've had a couple of friends bring their "problem" molds over and fixed them as they watched..try it.. guaranteed to end your problem

[Tom W.]

310 gr. boolits x 6 from a ten pound pot is a fast drain... I bet you are having temperature problems with your melt. By the time it's just getting good you probably need to add more alloy, which will be cooler than the stuff already in the pot..... causing wrinkled boolits.....

[country gent]

You might try "pressure" casting with the mould, hold the sprue plate tight to the pots nozzle while pouring when you see the lead start to come lower the mould and handle together forming the sprue. Also try holding the mould closer to the spout 3/8" - 3/4" a block can be made that sits on the base to hold this height with the mould from wood or metal. A lead thermometer will answer a lot of questions on to hot or to cold. Your alloy should cast good in the 675* - 750* range depending on your cadence.
Clean the mould good with acetone or solvent then again with hot water and dawn dish soad to remove any remaining contaminants. Lightly lube the inge points and the sprue plate. Pre heat the mould to casting temp or a little higher. I also sometimes dip the edge of the sprue plate in the lead to make sure its hot enough, the sprue plate can suck a lot of heat out of the stream.
Wrinkles and poor fill outs can also be from poor venting or clogged vent lines. clean these with a awl, scribe, or heavy darning needle. Just lightly drag it thru the lines to clean. sometimes a light bevel on the tops of the blocks helps.
The big thing is when casting, cast Keep the cadence up and don't try and sort and cast together this slows things down to where the mould cools to much. Your alloy at 3% tin has plenty for good fill out, most use 1%-2% for the fill out.
On the electric pots the "number" really dosnt dictate a temp, but does allow you to repeat on by the setting. IE 7 may be 625* but by returning to 7 you will get 625*. This is where the thermometer comes in handy. The PID controllers are good for this also.

[Casull]

Some very good ideas from some very smart fellows. Given me some things to check. A thermometer may be my next purchase. Thanks guys.