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Thread: Lead build up on Mould faces

  1. #1
    Boolit Buddy
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    Lead build up on Mould faces

    Hello Guys,
    Im getting lead build up during the casting session on the edge of the cavity's per the pic shown, the moulds are Magma 180 grain RNFP 45lc and are hand casted with two moulds simultaneously at around 125 cycles a hour each for usually 4 hours, I run the pot at 700 f and are using Wheel weights with 14.3 Brinnel hardness, before use the moulds are scrubbed with mineral spirits and vents lines etc are all clean but still seem to get this build up ? Any ideas to help eliminate would be appreciated

    Cheers

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  2. #2
    Boolit Grand Master

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    It's probably more tin than lead. While the mold is still at casting temp, touch a tiny bit of beeswax to the area and wipe it hard with a piece of burlap or denim. It'll scrub right off. If the mold is really hot, you might be able to just scrub it off with the burlap, but usually the beeswax helps.
    KE4GWE - - - - - - Colt 1860, it just feels right.

  3. #3
    Boolit Master
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    As far as getting these small deposits off try rubbing them with a Q- tip then pencil eraser, both dipped in a 50/50 mix of white vinegar & hydrogen peroxide. Be sure to immediately wash the solution off after it has dissolved the lead as left on it will cause rust.
    Then check out the post in the Coatings Forum "Avoiding Oil Contamination of PC Bullets" to help keep it from happening in the future.

  4. #4
    Boolit Master
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    Iron moulds are easy..............just use OOOO steel wool. I keep it handy at my casting bench. Works hot or cold. Brass or aluminum moulds is a different story. I rub it off with either a bamboo skewer or a piece of lead alloy.

    Winelover

  5. #5
    Boolit Master
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    Try running your alloy temp a little cooler. I get lead on my mould faces when I'm running to hot.

  6. #6
    Boolit Buddy
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    Clean the molds, then rub powdered graphite into each mold face.

  7. #7
    Boolit Grand Master
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    Bronze brush while it's hot. Just like brushing your teeth.

  8. #8
    Boolit Grand Master

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    Quote Originally Posted by Dragonheart View Post
    As far as getting these small deposits off try rubbing them with a Q- tip then pencil eraser, both dipped in a 50/50 mix of white vinegar & hydrogen peroxide. Be sure to immediately wash the solution off after it has dissolved the lead as left on it will cause rust.
    Do not do this. It creates lead acetate which is highly toxic. It’s known as “the dip” and is hazardous waste. I honestly can’t believe someone is recommending this method. You can be poisoned just by touching lead acetate. It’s not something to mess around with.

  9. #9
    Boolit Grand Master

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    Quote Originally Posted by dragon813gt View Post
    Do not do this. It creates lead acetate which is highly toxic. It’s known as “the dip” and is hazardous waste. I honestly can’t believe someone is recommending this method. You can be poisoned just by touching lead acetate. It’s not something to mess around with.
    Agreed!! Don't do it. Just don't. This stuff will go right through your skin like it was cheesecloth.
    KE4GWE - - - - - - Colt 1860, it just feels right.

  10. #10
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    While most folks have addressed how to get rid of the lead buildup when you are casting, or even after casting & that is great, I think I would want to know why it is happening too in order to fix the "cause" of it.

    The first thing I would do is when the molds are cool/cold would be to make sure the mold is closed & clean. Mold faces, cavities, alignment pin & pockets, etc..
    Then I would hold the mold up to a bright light to see if the halves are meeting the way they should. There should be No light visible when the mold is closed. Then if nothing is apparent while cold, I would then likely pre-heat the mold & maybe even cast a few times to get to where it is throwing at the usual temp & then look to make sure there is no build up & test against a bright light again.

    What I would be looking for is a small "warp, in one or both sides of the mold, as well as possibly a small "burr"/burrs that is causing the mold halves to stay apart cold or hot. It might even be that one of the alignment pins has moved out just a touch ( or does so when hot, if possible), or has a small burr or even a little bit of lead on the face(s) of the mold or in the alignment parts, causing it to happen, or even some in the pocket that the pin sits in.

    One thing to consider is something is going on with any handles you are using & they are not allowing the halves to close tightly when the mold is closed.But, you would have to test the mold faces against light once again to notice any issue with the handles closing properly to get the molds to close tightly to find out, I am thinking.


    Looks to me from the pics in the OP that the right mold half( "right one in the pic)mold is "open" a bit more to the left side than the right as the buildup seems less on the right cavity vs the more build up on the left cavity. The Left mold half "in the pic" shows a "mating" & similar build up to its other "right half in the pic", to establish why I am mentioning it. ( Although I do wear glasses & I may just not be seeing things correctly in the pics)



    At least doing those would remove those possible causes for the issue due to those factors & if there is an issue discovered by doing those things, then steps might be done to eliminate the issue.

    I am not going to offer what steps those might be, since if you are not going to try what I have offered, then it would be a waste of time to mention any of them I could think of right now.
    LOL


    Anyway, G'Luck! in figuring it out & I wish ya the best, whether ya do something like I suggested or not.
    2nd Amend./U.S. Const. - "A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed."

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  11. #11
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    Like JB said, removing the lead isn't a problem I've used a razor scraper (on steel molds only), rubbed them with a lead ingot, opened the mold and stuck it in my casting pot full of lead, hit it with a torch, used a hardwood dowel, used a green scotch brite scrubber....

    before you do anything, clean off the mold and:

    make sure the mold faces are completely clean

    make sure the pins aren't sticking out too far

    What I do with sprue plates, mold tops, and mold faces that aren't flat is put some 400 grit wet-dry sandpaper on a piece of glass or tile holding the object flat I sand it a little and see where the problem is and see if sanding can fix it. if so, I'll sand it almost flat with 400 then work up to 800. Take your time, keep things perfectly flat and frequently check your progress.

  12. #12
    Boolit Buddy
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    Thanks guys for all you input and suggestions, Today I cleaned the storage oil off the moulds and held them against light and with just finger pressure on them no light visible between the blocks, also the edges of the cavity's are also burr free, next step Ill heat them up with their handles on and check for light between the blocks and see if something changes there,

    One thing I didn't mention in original post was that both moulds are this build up , not always the same but both are similar

    Thanks again and cheers

  13. #13
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    The biggest cause is when one doesn't grip the handles tight enough. After hundreds of casts, your hands fatigue. I know mine do and that when I notice the buildup starting.

    Winelover

  14. #14
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    Quote Originally Posted by Leadmad View Post
    Thanks guys for all you input and suggestions, Today I cleaned the storage oil off the moulds and held them against light and with just finger pressure on them no light visible between the blocks, also the edges of the cavity's are also burr free, next step Ill heat them up with their handles on and check for light between the blocks and see if something changes there,

    One thing I didn't mention in original post was that both moulds are this build up , not always the same but both are similar

    Thanks again and cheers
    Quote Originally Posted by winelover View Post
    The biggest cause is when one doesn't grip the handles tight enough. After hundreds of casts, your hands fatigue. I know mine do and that when I notice the buildup starting.

    Winelover
    Good that ya posted an "update" of your progress to find the "cause" of the issues. It has opened a "new door" on possibilities. With a simple "fix" if it is the cause of the issues.

    With your saying what ya did in the bold above, about it happening with both molds, I am gonna say that I think Winelover has likely helped find the issue & possibly "nailed it".
    .

    Unless you find something strange about what the handles do when installed cold & heated, & now I'd check for both molds, or that there is some visible issue when hot, as mentioned before, it most likely will be, as winelover said, "fatigue" in your hands.

    Your mentioning the other mold of the same type, doing a similar thing, rather than just the one mold, gives a clue that the issue is caused by something in common to the use of the molds. Namely, "you".


    Since you have two similar molds & they are doing the same thing, while the odds of them having the same issues is small, even with a slight difference in them with buildup, if one wants to discount the common issue(s), "you", then you should test them both the same to find out the cause.

    In the end, "you" will have found out if they both have a similar issue with alignment to cause the build up, or not.... Or, that indeed the cause is just "you" are getting tired from running 2 -2 cavity molds for a long enough time (Or, even running other molds before you use these 2 to make your hands tired), that your hands are just getting tired.


    Please return when you are done testing the molds & share your results!

    It will certainly be helpful to the next person who may have a similar issue figure out "their" cause for having the same type of issue.


    G'Luck!
    2nd Amend./U.S. Const. - "A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed."

    ~~ WWG1WGA ~~

    Restore the Republic!!!

    For the Fudds > "Those who appease a tiger, do so in the hope that the tiger will eat them last." -Winston Churchill.

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  15. #15
    Boolit Buddy
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    Well I used the Moulds today and same deal with build up in same spot after casting , also after the moulds up to temp they do have a gap showing when held against the light, I had a good look at the alignment pins after casting and can see the section on them where there is contact so maybe they are holding them apart a fraction when hot Im not sure, Perhaps I could tap one or either side in a wee bit deeper and see if that makes a difference or pinch a bit in a vice when their hot ? Anyway tomorrow will clean them up and reheat and investigate a bit further

    Cheers and thanks for help and suggestions

  16. #16
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    .............A good, cheap way to deal with lead smears, splatters, and such on iron blocks is to simply get a 4" long (or so) piece of 1/4" copper water pipe. Mash (technical term) one end flat. The flat end can be like a bulldozer and the 2 end corners are 'Vent line' scraper outters (sorry, another technical term). Very handy, but not so bueno (foreign lingo) on the Aluminum jobs.

    ................Buckshot
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  17. #17
    Boolit Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by Leadmad View Post
    Well I used the Moulds today and same deal with build up in same spot after casting , also after the moulds up to temp they do have a gap showing when held against the light, I had a good look at the alignment pins after casting and can see the section on them where there is contact so maybe they are holding them apart a fraction when hot Im not sure, Perhaps I could tap one or either side in a wee bit deeper and see if that makes a difference or pinch a bit in a vice when their hot ? Anyway tomorrow will clean them up and reheat and investigate a bit further

    Cheers and thanks for help and suggestions
    Thanks for the update! Keep us filled in, as I for one, am curious to know how it works out.
    2nd Amend./U.S. Const. - "A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed."

    ~~ WWG1WGA ~~

    Restore the Republic!!!

    For the Fudds > "Those who appease a tiger, do so in the hope that the tiger will eat them last." -Winston Churchill.

    President Reagan tells it like it is: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c6MwPgPK7WQ

    Phil Robertson explains the Wall: https://youtu.be/f9d1Wof7S4o

  18. #18
    Boolit Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by Beagle333 View Post
    Agreed!! Don't do it. Just don't. This stuff will go right through your skin like it was cheesecloth.
    Check it out! Mixing white vinegar and 3% hydrogen peroxide gives you Peracetic Acid a disinfectant and cleaner. First registered with the US EPA as a disinfectant in 1985.

  19. #19
    Boolit Master MGySgt's Avatar
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    Something worth checking - what happens if you reverse the molds on the handles? Yes I know the sprue plate is now towards you instead of away - but it might just tell if it is you or the molds, or the way the handles fit. The handles might not be letting the mold close properly when it gets hot.
    Big Bore = 45+

  20. #20
    Boolit Grand Master

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    Quote Originally Posted by Dragonheart View Post
    Check it out! Mixing white vinegar and 3% hydrogen peroxide gives you Peracetic Acid a disinfectant and cleaner. First registered with the US EPA as a disinfectant in 1985.
    I got my information from the link below. If it's wrong, I apologize, I'm not a chemist.
    https://www.thefirearmblog.com/blog/...ilencer-parts/

    and this one:
    https://www.ar15.com/forums/Armory/C...Dip/20-493202/

    as well as many others if you search for "the dip + lead remover".
    KE4GWE - - - - - - Colt 1860, it just feels right.

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