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Thread: Can this mold be recovered?

  1. #21
    Boolit Master
    Bent Ramrod's Avatar
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    Unless the “baked-on grime” keeps the blocks or the sprue plate from closing right, ignore it and keep on casting.

    Keep mercury away from aluminum! The only reason aluminum metal exists is because it forms a thin, hard, invisible coat of aluminum oxide on its surface when exposed to air. This coating protects the rest of the aluminum.

    Mercury will amalgamate in the surface of the aluminum, bringing fresh aluminum to the surface to be oxidized. The oxide, which would normally stay on the surface, will slough off, allowing fresh aluminum to be oxidized.

    I read up on this after an ill-starred attempt to get mercury out of mercury batteries. I ran the paste through an aluminum funnel at one point, and then occupied my attentions to further separation attempts. After about an hour, I happened to glance at the funnel, and saw that it was full of white “feathers” and too hot to pick up with my hands.

    After frantic washing, oiling, and rechecking to make sure the reaction had stopped, I saw that the inside of the funnel had been etched and pitted. Didn’t ruin the funnel, but it would have messed up a mould cavity.

    Mercury doesn’t amalgamate iron or steel, so you can use it to get lead off that. But don't try it with brass or aluminum.

  2. #22
    Boolit Master

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    hummph! I would swear I have used Mercury on Aluminum blocks, but better to err on the side of caution and not do it. I have used it many times on steel or iron blocks and barrels.

    I stand corrected

  3. #23
    Boolit Man
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    Welp i've done goofed up my 2nd mold in the same month. Starting to feel bad for abusing Amazon's return policy and the free shipping included. Ordered a 3rd for the 457-405 and picked up a 6 hole mold for 45's. I'm not quire sure what caused that chunk of aluminum from the mold to come out, could be the pliers i used for extracting very stubborn bullets or the wacking from a wooden mallet on the back of the blocks. At one point the mold was really hot and freely releasing the bullets and that was achieved by speed casting a dozen or so without inspecting bullets so that i dont lose the heat in the mold block. yeah i know im pretty bad at this but i'll get it eventually. Also returning the hot plate because it just doesn't get my mold hot enough. I just remembered i have a hot air station i can hover the mold to directly head the inside as opposed to heating from the outside with a hot plate.


  4. #24
    Boolit Master
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    As my old Department Head used to say:

    “Experience is gained in direct proportion to the amount of equipment ruined.”

    There’s always a “lab fee” for getting up and running. You will get there eventually.

    I am surprised the boolits were sticking that badly. Haven’t had the problem on even Lee moulds. I find with aluminum moulds that it does help to smoke the cavities, faces and top with a BIC lighter before use. Or get some Mould Prep and spray that on.

  5. #25
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    If a stubborn bullet will not extract with a gloved finger the mold is too cool. I suggest you stay away from the pot for a few days and spend a few hours in the "stickies". Get the mold warm, especially with a 6 cavity pour one cavity then empty it adding another after the third pour. Go over your mold with a magnifier and get rid of all the burrs. Get some sprue plate lube. Never hit a mold anywhere other than when cutting the sprue, with a lee 6 use their handle. If the bullets stick, hit the handles at the joint.
    [The Montana Gianni] Front sight and squeeze

  6. #26
    Boolit Master

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    Wow !

  7. #27
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    Yes +2 on studying the stickies. I am going to give some very basic advise here: HEAT UP YOUR MOLD. KEEP IT HOT. IT WOULD NOT BE A BAD IDEA TO SMOKE THE MOLD. When I first started, until I got better at it, I smoked the mold. It helps a lot to release the boolits. Once you get the process down you will not need to do it anymore.

  8. #28
    Boolit Grand Master

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    And another vote for get the mould hotter!

    I pre-heat the mould until the sprue plate lube just starts to smoke which is a bit too hot. The mould should (in my opinion) be almost at the melting point of lead when you start to cast. The first few casts take a while to harden then the mould settles in and I can cast a a steady rate and that's another pointer, don't keep stopping to inspect boolits, Get casting at a good and steady rate then after you have a pile put the mould on a hot plate and take a look at the boolits. If wrinkled turn up the heat some and cast faster. If good then carry on.

    If you keep stopping to inspect you will not keep the mould hot enough.

    Also, don't bash on the mould blocks. If you have to persuade boolits to leave the cavities tap the mould handles at the pivot screw. That will shake the mould blocks without harming them and boolits should drop out fairly easily. If they don't the mould is too cold or there are burrs. If there are burrs read about "Leementing" or lapping in the stickies to solve that.

  9. #29
    Boolit Grand Master

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    Tap the hinge pin in the handles to release bullets. A hammer handle ( no head) held backwards works well. A piece of dowel rod 1"-1'1/4" works good also, if you want to get real fancy with it a piece of tygon tubing that fits snug over each end provides good grip and added cushioning. A 8onze dead blow hammer works really nice also. For really sticky bullets a ice pich with a chisel point 1/8" - 3/16 wide flat and an edge can be used to push them out by the base only. Put the edge in the sprue cut out and lightly push

  10. #30
    Boolit Man
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    I've used a propane torch to heat my molds, have other times left the sprue plate open and poured directly into the cavity, and let it set for a few seconds before opening. true the sprue plate doesn't get heated this way, but I haven't found it to be an issue. I use 2 and 6 cav. lee moulds.
    Oklahoma. Quite possibly the reddest state in the U.S.A. 77 counties, 2 elections, and not a single one went for B.O. Uh make that 3 elections, we didn't care much for Hillary either.

  11. #31
    Boolit Master

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    I had a new mold that looked just like that. I tried several things without success, then as a last ditch effort I used a burnzomatic torch and heated up the blocks and when hot, wiped them with a clean rag. The mold has been working ever since.

    Ken

  12. #32
    Boolit Master LAKEMASTER's Avatar
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    This situation constantly happens to me with my RD NOE mold.

    An old credit card pops everything out.

    I had this happen to me with my 6 cavity lee mold during the first use.

    Same remedy.
    Lake Havasu City... Born and raised

  13. #33
    Boolit Man
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    Both new molds arrived and i prepped them and the six cavity drops all very easily, once it got hot enough there were no wrinkles. the new 45-70 dropped them easily at first but they were wrinkled. once it settled in, i had to vigorously shake the handles but they released without any hitting and they were clean looking. First casting session that wasn't frustrating.

  14. #34
    Looking for Such Info Since Long time. Thanks

  15. #35
    Boolit Master
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    I dont normally give warnings.............If you vaporize mercury you will have a situation...to put it mildly.

  16. #36
    Boolit Grand Master In Remembrance
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    Welp i've done goofed up my 2nd mold in the same month. Starting to feel bad for abusing Amazon's return policy and the free shipping included.
    Did the vendor send you a citation for the condition of the mold stating: Assault with a deadly weapon and attempted murder?
    Regards
    John

  17. #37
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    Quote Originally Posted by AmandaThompson01 View Post
    Looking for Such Info Since Long time. Thanks
    I take it you are a foosball person. I was into foosball in the 70's. We played on Garlando tables. Don't even know if they make them anymore. I never did get used to the other brands. Garlandos had the all same color men. No multicolored paint.

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Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check