Water damaged molds NOE and MP...

[BK7saum]

My entire NOE and MP mold collection was recently water damaged, along with my guns, reloading setup, and just about everything else. The molds were wet for up to a couple of weeks before I could dry them out and oil them. some of the NOE molds have pretty severe oxidation on the exterior of the blocks, but the block faces and cavities look to be clear. So, maybe no issues or damage to the NOE molds. The MP brass mold blocks didnt oxidize, but some of the pins and retainers were rusted. I got everything oiled down and all appeared to operate freely.

Is there any issue with oxidation started on the Al blocks. will it continue to migrate in the presence of moisture now that it has started? Will I need to blue the MP pins or will they heat blue as they are used? Just looking for the best way to protect my stuff after it was water damaged.

I hope the primers dry out and fire fine. they weren't submerged, just rained on. Powder jugs dont appear to be clumped. Will definitely try to continue use for plinking and range use.

Reloading dies, all of them, have varying degrees of rust. They have been hosed down with CLP and might need a polish with flitz or 1200 grit sandpaper before first use.

Anyway just looking for advice
on mold restoration and upkeep. Thanks.

[poppy42]

I feel for ya. Lost our home to hurricanes in 2004 in Florida. One of the reasons I left Florida. Surface rust isn’t so much of a problem you can generally clean it off . Believe it or not things submerged as long as they are submerged they’re better off than things that are just wet and exposed to the air. less oxygen in the water and with no oxygen rust doesn’t occur as quickly. Anyway I wish you the best of luck I know what it’s like. I don’t have much and I don’t know what I could possibly do to help but let me know if there’s anything. Take care and good luck

[metricmonkeywrench]

I escalate my cleaning on dies and reloading tools depending on the severity, bronze brush and Hoppys to start, degrease and vinegar up next, pbblaster or other rust converter and lately evaporust (replacing naval jelly). Last resort are the mechanical methods of sand paper, wire brushes on Dremels or bench grinder wire wheels.

Hope this helps and good luck

[BK7saum]

Poppy42, thanks for the offer. The cause of my frustration was a tornado, and the dies and reloading stuff is the least of our worries. Lost a lot more stuff. we are all safe and starting to get stuff back in order.

Metricmlnkeywrench, I have oiled everything heavily with hope that really slowed or stopped the rust. I found my jug of evaporust and will probably detail clean the dies and put them in evaporust. I think most of the rust is superficial at this point, but sure looks bad.

[Conditor22]

Sorry about the water damage. I'd worry first about the guns. (were they insured?)

Douse the molds with/in 50/50 ATF/Acetone then worry about the family.

Is the house salvageable?

[jdfoxinc]

I'm still dealing with similar issues 3.5 years after the fire. I was locked out of my store for 8 days, (arson investigators too busy). By then the damage was done.

[tazman]

I would heat the molds up to casting temperature to make sure they were completely dry and free of any moisture, then oil them. As long as the moisture is gone, there should be no more corrosion.
I would use something like Kroil on the molds and handles.
As long as the oxidation didn't get into the cavities, the molds should be fine for use. Even if the faces have some spots of corrosion, when it is cleaned off, the molds should work as intended.
The steel locating pins should heat blue when they get used.
I once had a brick of primers get submerged for 5 days when my basement flooded unexpectedly(long story). I dried them out)it took a while) and they went bang.
The powder I had in jugs in the same location survived without any issues.
Fortunately, my guns were stored elsewhere.
My reloading dies got disassembled and dried out with a blow drier then oiled. No issues there either.

[BK7saum]

Conditor22,
The house is not salvageable as a house. It was insured. It suffered twisting and the doors/cabinets do not line up anymore. There was a lot of water damage to the house. Tornado took porch and leanto awning completely off,as well as 3/4 of sheet metal off roof. I plan to salvage it as a shop and a really nice one at that. Most of my stuff was insured as well, thank goodness. I know of several other folks who lost a lot and didnt have insurance. I really feel for them. Tornado was classified as an EF3, so I feel fortunate the house was still standing. it was a 2-story metal house with a wood frame structure inside. Had upstairs with 2x12 joists for 2nd floor. I think the extra wood framework really helped out.

[Greg S]

Sorry for your loss. I'm sure you lost alot of keep sakes, pics and one off items that are irreplacable. At least you are all safe and kicking. Take it a day at a time, i'm sure at times it seems overwhelming.

[BK7saum]

Greg S, thank you.

[6bg6ga]

I loaned out some molds years ago and they got wet. I used rust remover on them and they were usable but produced a bullet with small pits. Not pretty but they shot fine.

[redhawk0]

With the molds...here is what I would do. Heat them up to normal casting temperatures...this should burn off any moisture that is currently in the surface of the metal and in the pins. Then once they are cooled (DO NOT DO THIS HOT)....put them in a bath of acetone. If you have an ultrasonic cleaner...use it.....but what the acetone will do is breakdown any oils, grease, loose dirt and keep them from attracting moisture in the future. Then spray them down with CLP for storage.

You could do the same thing with the dies but I would be reluctant to heat them for fear that dimensional tolerances would change. So...forgo the heat treatment...just soak them in acetone and spray them down with CLP. Try using some Scotch Brite on a split stick and drill to clean the insides if you have surface rust. If pitting has started...toss them and buy new.

redhawk

[Bent Ramrod]

I’m sorry to hear of your losses.

With surface rust, if there is no serious pitting in the cavities or on the pins, I would just start casting. Eventually the red rust will turn black from the heat of casting, and the loose rust will wipe off or wear off with use.

You can also boil the rusty iron in distilled water. The red rust will turn black, the loose rust will wipe off with WD-40 and a rough cloth, and the mould won’t need breaking in again.

Unless you haven’t removed the condition that corroded the aluminum moulds in the first place, the corrosion shouldn’t continue. When aluminum oxidizes (and it does, just from exposure to air) the oxide forms a hard, impermeable layer that protects the metal underneath.

[cwlongshot]

I escalate my cleaning on dies and reloading tools depending on the severity, bronze brush and Hoppys to start, degrease and vinegar up next, pbblaster or other rust converter and lately evaporust (replacing naval jelly). Last resort are the mechanical methods of sand paper, wire brushes on Dremels or bench grinder wire wheels.

Hope this helps and good luck

. EVAPO RUST IS AWESOME STUFF!!

But know it removes bluing too...

Watch a video on uTube to see results. Its environmentally safe and can be used over and over!!

For after the fact. I really like EESOX OIL AND PRESERVATIVE.

CW


https://youtu.be/wTaTiFqBqRA