Very first mold!

[reddog81]

I use acetone to clean the cavities and then start casting. Pouring 750 degree lead into the cavities will heat treat that mold just fine. Going through a ritual might make some people feel good, but it isn't necessary.

Once the mold is clean and free of oils there's no need to clean it again and again with different chemicals.

[quilbilly]

I am even lazier. I don't even clean my Lee molds. I just start casting boolits and discard them until the mold is good and warm then smoke the mold with a BBQ fir lighter. Don't smoke the mold until it is is hot enough to vaporize the moisture in the carbon from the lighter or the tinsel fairy will pay you a visit. This does not apply to iron or brass molds which I do rub down with acetone to clean before first use.

[lightman]

First Mold, well you're hooked now! When you get your melting set up perfected you'll be ready to go.

[gwpercle]

Lee claims the heat cycling is done to set and hold the new locating pins in place.
I'm not sure if this is true but none of my pins have come out.
I feel the heat cycling seasons the mould cavities so you don't have to smoke them .
Gary

[kmw1954]

So I didn't get to try out that new mold today but I did get to finish up rendering and cleaning all the COWW's. This bucket netted 80# of COWW's and I still have 20# of SOWW's.

Had to quit for the day as I got very tired and it looks like rain is moving in. So I'm packing it in for the day. No longer feel like a virgin and actually gained some real perspective on this whole process.

[megasupermagnum]

Lee claims the heat cycling is done to set and hold the new locating pins in place.
I'm not sure if this is true but none of my pins have come out.
I feel the heat cycling seasons the mould cavities so you don't have to smoke them .
Gary

I've never had pins move either. When I first started casting I followed LEE's instructions. I don't remember heat cycling, I must have done it though. I also smoked the cavities. I think I did two molds like this until I started reading. Since then I have not smoked any molds, and have no problems having bullets drop out even on a brand new mold. Heat control is the only thing that has any meaningful effect on bullet quality, and bullet sticking in my experience.

The only mold maker I can think of that recommends heat cycling is NOE. Tom at Accurate molds specifically says it is a waste of time. He even sonic cleans his molds, and says you can run them straight out of the box.

[DukeInFlorida]

Congrats on the COWW's. Those would be good for casting your first boolits. Please note that the stick on wheel weights are just about PURE lead, and won't make good pistol bullets. I use those for making the black powder projectiles, which need very soft lead.

[mdi]

Well, yer hooked now! Better create an account with a mold manufacturer/vendor 'cause there will prolly be more to follow soon.

I start with a hot water/dawn wash and dry. With nothing on the mold, I "cycle" it on my hot pate several/a few times. Hot plate on high, heat mold until it is as hot as it's gonna get then cool. Repeat several times. Then I'll use a q-tip dampened with 2-cycle motor oil to lube the pins and sprue plate hinge screw. I carefully wipe the underside of the sprue plate, keeping any oil from getting in the cavity. Then I start casting. I preheat on the hotplate @ medium and rarely do my boolits fail after 3 or 4 casts, and some will start dropping keepers right from the start. I often will squirt the cavities with brake clean (I use non chlorinated in my shop) before each session. I put noting in the cavities except my alloys, no smoke soot, no mold release, nuttin'.

[kmw1954]

Sincere thanks to everyone that has provided help and guidance, if I do not respond or reply doesn't mean I'm not listening. There are just so many differing views and opinions. I think I've settled on a procedure that I am going to try and that is this; I have already soaked and brushed the mold in mineral spirits so now I will wash it in very hot soapy water only because I misplaced a can of metal parts cleaner that is also used to clean electrical contacts. Then I will try the hot plate preheat on high then cool ten reheat before the 1st pour. Will also try extra large sprue puddle to help heat that up, then see what happens.

[cwlongshot]

You will Learn with time and experience.

Here is a tip, Tin in your allow helps with fill out. NOT a issue with hard lino mixes as there is enough tin. But as we use range lead recycled tin is in smaller and smaller amounts. Many of us buy pewter and portion it so we can add some if we find a pot not acting as we like.

Large puddles can help heat but more often if your cadence is rapid you will OVER HEAT a mold. At the same time a adequate puddle is needed for fill out and complete base fill out.

Good luck and have fun!

CW

[Celto]

observations of a beginner caster....got my lyman mold cleaned it and brought it to temp a few times on the pot and casting,,,,i have cast round balls for bench rest for years but found these 50-70 boolits a little different cast 20 or so and was getting lots of wrinkles so experimented with temp a bit pot and mold and think mold temp is more important i found that when the lead puddled and stayed liquid in the sprue hole for a couple of seconds it worked best! tossed out 30 shiny clean boolits! when its right its right...all comments appreciated