seasoning

[white eagle]

normally I can cast with a new mold after about 5-10 mionutes
of trying putting all the rejects back in the pot as I go
now I have a new mold from Miha a 6 cav and I can't get it
to throw good boolits out of all cavs may get 3 at most
more seasoning is what this bad boy is going to take
what say you how many times before you get good boolits?

[country gent]

I normally heat cycle a new mould 3-4 times before trying it but mine are steel or brass. I would heat cycle it 3 times and try it again. I normally bring them up to 350-400* let cool in my mould oven then heat again 2-3 times.
Sometimes Lightly smoking mould and running it warm the first few times gets it throwing good bullets also.

My normal new mould procedure is
Clean blocks first with a solvent then dish soap and water dry
Heat cycle to 350* -400* 3-4 times. When doing this I lightly wire the blocks together. It just makes them easier to handle. This helps to start the patina that moulds need. and also gives a little stress relief to the blocks.
When cooled after last cycle un wire lightly wipe down mount on handles and lube pins and pivots. Pre heat before casting.

[white eagle]

it took till the second session before I was casting
out of 6 cavities
man that makes a pile of my favorite 44 cal boolits fast
now to powder coat them

[Burnt Fingers]

Brass molds tend to hold the machine oil.

I scrub it with hot water and Dawn.

Then I heat cycle it three times at 400° in the oven. Leaving it in the oven while it cools.

[Froogal]

My newest mold from Lee, a .452, 228 grain roundnose, 2 cavity, made good bullets right from the get-go.

[gwpercle]

Three complete heat cycles , from slow heat up to slowly cool down overnight. Clean with acetone before each heat cycle .
Start casting boolits , usually by the second session the mould is up to speed.

I do soak my moulds in acetone for 3 to 4 hours (or overnight) to pull out the deep machining oil in the pores.
Don't skimp on cleaning and don't rush the seasoning process . Aluminum and brass need it most .
Gary

[country gent]

A lot of moulds will cast "good" bullets in the first session, they do get better after a couple sessions of casting. Usually drop out and consistency improve over use. Also learning the mould over these sessions help

[sigep1764]

Boiling the mold in pieces with some dawn dish soap in the mix has worked for me. Just heat cycling never gave me the patina I was hoping for.

[Dragonheart]

As already suggested really clean the mold! I long term store all my molds with gear oil and sealed in a vacuum bag. When I break out a stored mold I first spray with a product called "Oil Eater", brush it down with a hot tap water rinse a couple of times. Then I give it the same treatment using "Dawn dishwashing liquid". The mold must be oil free.

Once clean try coating the bullet cavities and block faces with graphite using a #2 pencil. A carpenters wide lead pencil makes the process faster and a sharpened to a point standard pencil will get into the bands. Once coated brush off the excess with a clean toothbrush used only for that purpose. This thin layer of graphite will not change the bullets dimensions, but will make a huge difference in dropping the bullets and keeping off lead deposits.

Next heat the mold using a hotplate. Turn your pot up to approximately 800-825 degrees and check the temp to make sure it is there before casting. Brass molds have to run hot or you will not get a good fill on multi-cavities. Pour a heavy sprue to help the mold heat faster. You may have to make several pours to get the mold hot enough, but shortly you should be dropping all keepers. After that, adjust the temp to your liking.

I personally run two molds simultaneously, which ups my production and eliminates cutting the sprue prematurely. I also prefer a light frosted bullet as it fills out better and they appear to run more uniform in weight. I powder coat and they group as good as a cast will do.

The brass molds, although heavy, do produce good looking bullets I am sure you will be pleased.

BTW: If you want an instant patina on a brass mold rub it with a Q-tip dipped in a 50/50 mix of standard white vinegar and standard 3% hydrogen peroxide. This mixture will also dissolve lead deposits on molds or in gun barrels but handle carefully as lead is toxic, always use liquid proof gloves. It will also cause steel to rust.