HP release

[Jeffjmr]

I’m embarassed to ask, as a search for an answer came up with nothing which means I am the only one having this problem.

I cannot get my Lee HP molds to release the boolit from the HP pin. I tried polishing it (not too much to change diameter and have alloy leak past), smoking, commercial mold release, banging it, and grabbing it with gloved hand. The gloved hand worked but had to twist and manipulate so much that the hollow is crooked. Same story on two different molds, .45 230 and .358 158.

Surely there is a trick I have failed to read about. I feel a ‘Doh! coming on, but I give up. Let me have it.

Jeff

[Time Killer]

I have a mold that is hollow base and is a challenge to cast with also. Try taking a pencil and rubbing the lead an the pin.

[Bzcraig]

The key is heat. There is a huge learning curve using molds with pin. The pins because of their low mass dissipate heat much faster than the mold blocks. When I first tried using a HP mold I kept a propane torch close by to heat the pins. Did I mention a huge learning curve?

[stubshaft]

+1 - When I cast HP I cast as fast as possible to keep the pin hot. Cull boolits later!

[MyFlatline]

Yep, what they said, hot and fast. If you have any fat pine, try smoking the pins with that. It's better than anything I have found yet..Best of Luck.

[Lloyd Smale]

I sometime even take a propane torch and heat the hp pin up.

[brass410]

fat pine???? not familiar with that type is there a more formal name for this type of conifer

[s mac]

I just dip the pin in the alloy in the lead pot when it needs a bit of heat, it's right there at hand.

[rintinglen]

I sometime even take a propane torch and heat the hp pin up.

+1 the key is heat which means cast fast, preheat the mold to hotter than normal temperatures raise the pot temperature 25-50 degrees and add a little extra tin to the melt. Your boolits should be frosty and you should dump them as fast as possible Ideally with 4 seconds or less between boolits. As soon as the sprue changes color, cut it and dump the boolit.

[Grmps]

Coat/cover the pin with #2 pencil lead (graphite)

[MyFlatline]

fat pine???? not familiar with that type is there a more formal name for this type of conifer

I could not figure out how to describe it so I did a google...

Fatwood, also known as "fat lighter," "lighter wood," "rich lighter," "pine knot," [1] "lighter knot," "heart pine" or "lighter'd" [sic], is derived from the heartwood of pine trees. The stump (and tap root) that is left in the ground after a tree has fallen or has been cut is the primary source of fatwood, as the resin-impregnated heartwood becomes hard and rot-resistant over time after the death of the main tree.

[William Yanda]

Mold release, or a graphite spray might help.

[country gent]

One thing that can affect release is if the pin isn't truly straight has a low spot in it or ring in it. Polish lines running around it can cause grip also polish lines should be parallel to the pin to aid release. A light polich with tooth paste flitz or simichrome by hand working parallel to the pin may help here.

The above issues arnt a sticking or heat issue but are a mechanical lock from the leads close fit to the pin.

[Gtrubicon]

I don’t have that problem with my map hollow point molds

[Gtrubicon]

Mp molds, darned auto type!

[Jeffjmr]

Thanks all. I have tried mold release spray. No help. I did polish the ring away, no help. I am curious how one would dip just the pin into the melt given it is sandwiched by the mold halves pretty closely even when fully open.

Gonna try the graphite and speed up the process if I can get one to release. Also will add some tin. Using mostly magnum shot as my alloy. Makes nice reasonably hard boolits.

Jeff

[s mac]

Dip the pin and then insert. Edit to add, maybe I misunderstand what style of pin you have. I am referring to a pin you pull out of the bottom All mine are that style.

[Beagle333]

Graphite (shade it good with a pencil) and then cast fast. Don't stop to look at them, don't stop to cull them, just cast like your arm was on fire and that'll keep the pin hot, since it isn't a removable pin. Faster casting is the key. Dump and go... just to the point before smearing the top of the blocks.

[Jeffjmr]

Dip the pin and then insert. Edit to add, maybe I misunderstand what style of pin you have. I am referring to a pin you pull out of the bottom All mine are that style.

Lee HP molds don’t work like that.

No way to dip the pin assembly alone, it is attached to the handles between the mold halves.

[Moonie]

Preheating on a hotplate is how I work with all my hp molds, NOE and Mihec, I do not have a Lee HP but it works for my 1oz lee slug mold as well.