Had a really hard time casting yesterday

[boman250]

I am hoping you guys can sort me out.

I am using a 4 cavity HP mold from NOE. .453 cal 200 grain.

The last time I used it mold, it was great, put out a pile of bullets and all was right with the world.

Yesterday, I pulled it out and after preheating it, focusing on the pins and everything, the bullets welded themselves to the pins. I had to melt them off with a torch.

After more preheating, more melting bullets off with the torch, I finally got to the point where it was casting. Not fast, not smooth, but I did make some boolits. Lots of slow downs though.

I added a few more ingots, waited till temp was back up, preheated the mold a bit more with the torch and all of a sudden the sprue was so hard to cut, I broke my mallet. Nothing I could do could get that mold to cast good again.

So, I shut it down an pulled out a 2 cavity 9mm HP mold from NOE. Casted fine, bullets practically flew out of the cavities.

Alloy was at about 625 degrees according to thermometer. Around 700 degrees, the sprue was taking forever to cool. Was my alloy too hot to come off the pins or get cut by the sprue plate? Should I cool it down under 625? I plan on polishing the pins with some sand paper and steel wool today...

Help?

[Mal Paso]

Cold Sprues are hard to cut. The mold or alloy is too cold or you waited too long.

I start casting about 700F and drop the temp to keep the sprue freeze time around 10 seconds.

Use a hot plate, a torch is too inconsistent. Your sprue plate was too cold after torch heating.

[AlHunt]

Some days, casting is just a bear.

You didn't talk about how or if you cleaned the mold. If it cast fine one time, I wouldn't clean it before casting again. It doesn't sound like you did. I recently got better results by not holding the mold right against the spout on my bottom pour pot. I think some weight on the sprue gave me better fill out.

Maybe vary how you fill the mold? If you're holding perfectly vertical, tip it so the alloy doesn't drop straight on the pin. Or vice versa.

That torch, I'm afraid, would make heat in the mold rather uneven.

625 seems way low to me. I usually start at 750. You said the sprues were taking a long time to cool. That sounds like too hot of a mold, to me. For me, even at 750, it's 3-2-1, cut.

MAYBE some graphite on the mold pins? I've had it create as many problems as it's solved though so I no longer use it.

Just some rambling thoughts, I guess.

[boman250]

I did clean the mold before use, Just a bit of steel wool on the sprue plate and pins and used a dry paper towel on the cavities and the faces.

I started out with a hotter alloy to get molds up to temp, about 750. Then dialed it down slowly till I wasn't growing a beard between each cast.

I use a hot plate to heat my molds, but with the NOE, they do not sit well on the plate and rarely get hot enough to cast with. My other HP molds do well sitting on the plate for a while, then the torch to heat the pins up before the first pour.

Maybe I will give it another go today... Maybe not. I think we need a break from each other, a bit of time apart to think about our relationship.

[FLINTNFIRE]

I prop the NOE molds up and they get hot the pins are a nuisance to have set on the hot plate so it takes something under the handles , then the pins along with the mold will come up to temp. And I run alloy hotter then that and a steady pace , to keep pins up to temp so bullets drop right off .

[Burnt Fingers]

I did clean the mold before use, Just a bit of steel wool on the sprue plate and pins and used a dry paper towel on the cavities and the faces.

I started out with a hotter alloy to get molds up to temp, about 750. Then dialed it down slowly till I wasn't growing a beard between each cast.

I use a hot plate to heat my molds, but with the NOE, they do not sit well on the plate and rarely get hot enough to cast with. My other HP molds do well sitting on the plate for a while, then the torch to heat the pins up before the first pour.

Maybe I will give it another go today... Maybe not. I think we need a break from each other, a bit of time apart to think about our relationship.

Steel wool has oil on it.

Clean those pins. If boolits are sticking to the pins and they are hot then a light smoke should cure the problem.

[lightman]

Some days things just be that way. If we only knew ahead of time when that day was coming we could just stay in bed!

But in all seriousness you got some good advice and suggestions in the above post. Casting hollow points or hollow bases adds a little challenge to things.

[Targa]

I had a similar event the other day. I was lazy cleaning “thoroughly cleaning” my brass Arsenal mold and it took ten lbs of casting lead before it started casting bullets well. I will not do that again.

[Wheelguns 1961]

To preheat my noe hp molds, I use a short piece of angle iron on my hotplate to make it sit level. I also made a cover for my hotplate that kind of turns it into an oven. This has worked great. I cast hollow points at 750 degrees, and after cycling the new mold 3-4 times, have not had any problems. Sounds like you got your sprue plate too hot with the torch. The noe hp molds are a little different, but all the same principles apply. I would not use the torch. I would be worried about warping the sprue plate. I would not use any steel wool on a mold either.

[boman250]

I appreciate everyone's advice. I did fire up the forge today and did some more 9mm boolits. Smooth sailing. Used my traditional hot plate, torch on the pins for a couple seconds and my first pour was keepers.

Next chance I have at the 4 cav 45 mold, I will attempt to heat more, keep the melt hotter and be patient.

[Teddy (punchie)]

I had a bear of a time the first brass mold I used. Darn lead stuck to the brass. Used olive oil and seasoned it like a cast iron skillet. Worked okay after that.

[Phat Man Mike]

If your going to use steel wool for any polishing like that, clean it with brake parts cleaner 1st. It's soaked in oil to keep it from rusting.

[AlHunt]

If your going to use steel wool for any polishing like that, clean it with brake parts cleaner 1st. It's soaked in oil to keep it from rusting.

To which I would add, use only non-chlorinated brake parts cleaner. Not because it's environmentally friendly, but because the regular stuff leaves a residue. Try it for yourself, spray a little on your fingers and rub them together.

[Rickf1985]

To which I would add, use only non-chlorinated brake parts cleaner. Not because it's environmentally friendly, but because the regular stuff leaves a residue. Try it for yourself, spray a little on your fingers and rub them together.

That's your skin coming off! That was the GOOD stuff! I never noticed a residue with it but if the non chlorinated stuff works better go for it.

[AlHunt]

That's your skin coming off! That was the GOOD stuff! I never noticed a residue with it but if the non chlorinated stuff works better go for it.

No, it's a residue of some kind. I'd have to go read the can again. The non-chlorinated stuff is methanol, acetone, toluene and something I can't remember. I had trouble with some molds after hosing them down with the regular stuff and started digging into it. I've always been a big fan of brake parts cleaner. Still am for most things...

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

I am hoping you guys can sort me out.

I am using a 4 cavity HP mold from NOE. .453 cal 200 grain.

The last time I used it mold, it was great, put out a pile of bullets and all was right with the world.

Yesterday, I pulled it out and after preheating it, focusing on the pins and everything, the bullets welded themselves to the pins. I had to melt them off with a torch.

After more preheating, more melting bullets off with the torch, I finally got to the point where it was casting. Not fast, not smooth, but I did make some boolits. Lots of slow downs though.

I added a few more ingots, waited till temp was back up, preheated the mold a bit more with the torch and all of a sudden the sprue was so hard to cut, I broke my mallet. Nothing I could do could get that mold to cast good again.

So, I shut it down an pulled out a 2 cavity 9mm HP mold from NOE. Casted fine, bullets practically flew out of the cavities.

Alloy was at about 625 degrees according to thermometer. Around 700 degrees, the sprue was taking forever to cool. Was my alloy too hot to come off the pins or get cut by the sprue plate? Should I cool it down under 625? I plan on polishing the pins with some sand paper and steel wool today...

Help?

Boman,
Since you've successfully used this mold before, then the pins were just not hot enough.
NOE RG molds can be tricky, I have a couple and unless I get things hotter (to start) than a usual mold, I'll have problems too.

Smoke, which was already mentioned, is one thing that can help, BUT Myself, I prefer to apply sprue plate lube, with the same technique as when I apply it on the Sprue plate.

[AndyC]

I had a brief problem with a new mold casting wrinkled boolits after trying something new and spraying it down with parts-cleaner spray (GumOut containing Polyetheramine and Toluene).

The alloy was around 760F and the mold had been well pre-heated, so I let the mold cool completely and just went back to my old routine of toothbrush, hot water and dish-soap - worked like a champ.

[AlHunt]

Smoke, which was already mentioned, is one thing that can help, BUT Myself, I prefer to apply sprue plate lube, with the same technique as when I apply it on the Sprue plate.

Sprue plate lube ON the pins? I've never heard of it but I'll keep it in my bag of tricks if I ever have a problem with sticking pins.

[plainsman456]

The ones i have like to be hotter than any other mold i have.

Turn up the heat and try to cast some till they do right.

I use carb.cleaner on my new molds and after they dry i cast about 4 or 5 lbs.just to get them to turn out some good bullets.

The N.O.E. molds i have started casting good bullets after the first cycle.

Don't give up.

[Targa]

I use carb.cleaner on my new molds

Yes sir, that cleans em up quick, fast and in a hurry.