Sure-Fire Lee-Menting Technique (Aimoo Post Revisited)

[IcerUSA]

Sorry bout the miss information it should read baking soda and not baking powder, the powder won't work, my bad, the soda is gritty and should polish and the powder will make a clump of stuff.


Keith

[Buckshot]

Sorry bout the miss information it should read baking soda and not baking powder, the powder won't work, my bad, the soda is gritty and should polish and the powder will make a clump of stuff.


Keith

..............I changed it for you, but you can edit your own posts. Just click on the "Edit" button.

.................Buckshot

[mauser1959]

I did not see the original , it had already been edited , that being said , toothpaste would probably be as good of a polisher as straight baking soda (most tooth paste use baking soda as the polishing compound). Baking soda is one of the most used chemicals in the world ... I used to have a cousin who worked in a trona mine. I really appreciate the fact that so many people here are willing to help people so much , I may have cast for a few years , but each new post has interesting information if for only entertainment value.

ON a slightly differnt note, baking powder would probably work as well as baking soda as it is composed of baking soda , Sodium Alumiunum Sulfate and Calcium Phosphate.

Also on a completely off vein subject , I have noticed that some have mentioned differnt grits of polishing compounds that can be used on moulds . I have found that most of those polishing compounds can be found for the cheapest prices at one place in the Rocks and GEMS magazines , there are several advertisers who beat prices that I have found anywhere else : with everything from cerium oxide to currumdum powder AlO2 (emery), with all kinds of grits availble. Not sure if that helps anyone , but just figured to throw that out.

[IcerUSA]

The main reason I suggested baking soda is that almost every household has some and the head cook don't usually get upset with a teaspoon of soda missing . Would have suggested tooth paste but alot of people use the gel stuff nowadays .

I use a lapping compound of green grease and carbide powder I got at work plus for finishing I have some 2000 and 8000 grit diamond paste plus the carbide lapping compounds do cut pretty fast as the baking soda would be more like a polishing agent I would think or tooth paste .

Think I even used some rubbing compound once , the stuff you use on auto finishes to make them shine and get rid of scratches .

The main jest I think was to use something that wouldn't enlarge the mould much and just remove the micro burrs that all moulds have, even the expensive moulds have them but they also have been prepped to drop the boolits well and you do pay for it, if we could look at any mould at 40, 60, 80, or 100X magnification the cavities would look like it had mountains in them . All in all we just need them to drop boolits out with little or no help so we can shoot .

Done ranting for know

and as always if the Mods want to they may delete if appropriate .


Keith

[mauser1959]

OK first Keith , why would a moderator want to delete your post? it was not in a mean spirit. Second question , with what you said , would cloverleaf valve grinding compound be a better polishing agent on the fine side... I know that my returned .150 grain mold is a ways out of round and it might take a while to get it to where it needs to be. A strange thing too , since I have had my mold returned to me from LEE , I have noticed that I have had to cast my bullets at a higher heat to get good fill out : not sure what that is about. I have cast 1000 bullets so far and still need to polish the molds ; losing 30% of the cast bullets due to improper fill out. And then next I have a couple of other molds that need polished ; as I do not want the same kind of thing to happen again.

[mauser1959]

OK , it has taken me a while to get to an auto parts store ; due to being disabled and down to only one car. But I looked for a spray graphite lubricant today . Does anyone have the name of the company or the name of the product that I need. I have both an O'Riellys and an Auto Zone here in town ; any and all information appreciated.

Since my last post I have cast a couple hundred more bullets and after getting my heat up a bit got a better fill out , but the bullets are still dropping hard ( ok I beat them out with a hedge baton on the henge bolt ( before this site I used to beat on the mold itself).

One other thing , years ago I found an old rusted steel mold , and today I spent a bit of time trying to find it ; I would sure like to restore that old mold , even though I do not know what caliber it is; though at the time I found it , I supspected a .22. or a .25 .

[IcerUSA]

OK, been awhile since I've been to this post , sorry bout that , back to the the polishing questions , I would use the Valve Lapping Compound for a real ruff cavity as the carbide in it will cut fast and hard , some times too fast , especially in aluminum , steel it will work a little slower (even had one mold that had new lines put on the nose of the boolit , over did that one a touch) .

All the auto parts stores carry the coarser stuff , 800 to 1200 grit usually , I use it on the rougher cavities or if I need to open one a tad . Then I start using the good stuff here for the smoothing of the cavities , I use a diamond polish that is used in injection mold finishing , can get it in grits upto 12,000 I believe , but I use 3,000 grit for my final polishing , just do a search on the web for polishing compound and you will find bunches of suppliers , go slow as stated before , cast a few and see how they fall out , if not to your liking just polish again and repeat , slow process but you get out of it what you put into it , I like the smile on my face when it gets to where I want it .

As a side benefit it sure does speed up the amount of boolits that drop , just think of the time it takes to pick up your tapping stick and knock out a boolit that is sticking .

Hope my ramblings make a little sense to you .

Keith

[mauser1959]

Yes , your ramblings made a lot of sense to me. And today I believe that I found the graphite spray that I needed at ace hardware... it is for locks , but came in a aresol can instead of an injector. I sure do appreciate all the help... it is a real bitch when a mold is not doing as it is supposed to. I should have gotten some anti- seize compound too , but was to happy about the graphite spray after going to the auto parts store. Tommorow I shall start the polishing process and if It takes more work than baking soda , then I will go buy some polishing compound. It is strange for the first time today I bought some corn cob polishing medium , always before I have used cracked corn or other medium.... maybe I am finally really serious. Once again thanks so much for the help; I sure appreciate the help from all you guys who have been though the ropes.

[IcerUSA]

As to the graphite spray I would make dang sure it hasn't got any oil base to it , bad-bad news if it does , I use the straight powder stuff on a q-tip to work into the work at hand , works for me .

Most of the corn cob , actually all of the corn cob I find around here is a little on the large size for me , packs into bottle neck cases really bad sometimes , I have since went to ground walnut , 20/12 size I think it is and am very pleased with the results with it .

Good luck with your mold (mould) and when you get it to behave like it should I would like to see the smile on your face , I know mine gets pretty big .


Keith

[mauser1959]

I am still curious on why some molds are called moulds and some places list them as molds ( I was recruited to a major univisity while quite young to study molds and fungi) but they do not seem to cast boolits worth a damn . I know that is a strange question , but it has fascinated me as to why differnt people spell moulds/molds the way that they do. Sure I know that if off the topic , but it still bothers me a bit.

BTW Icer , I really appreciate the help , besides glen and LAH , you have helped me as much as anyone else has... means a lot to a newbie. I love how the casting communty comes together so well to help the newbies, even if at times I feel like I have been taken to school. And the graphite spray has supposedly just a hydrocarbon propellant that completely eveporates so as not to leave a residue. And the corn cob medium came from wally world for animal bedding , cost more than 50 lbs of cracked corn or wheat, but I do not have a ready access to walnut hulls until one of my buddies goes down to graf or midway ... and that crap is expensive ; but might still be the way to go.

[IcerUSA]

Check at your locale pet supply store or a granary in your area for the crushed walnut , you want the stuff that is small enough not to clog up an unprimed case , just incase you get a couple in the tumbler , the pet store - Wally World corn cob to me is too coarse , especially in bottleneck cases , way too much work to get it dislodged .

Keith

[Bad Water Bill]

I think this has got to be one of the longest running topics. Try Lapidary Journal and Rocks and Gems and you will find diamond paste up to 100K grit. Also you can get silicone carbide from 12 ( really cuts fast ) to at least 1200 grit. You will also find many oxides either in paste or powder forms. Beware rock hounds sometimes go crazy and buy the grit in 100 # lots. Do NOT ask me how I know.... Check out some of their tumblers as they are very dependable. Mine has been running in my house for over 20 tears and I bought it WELL used. BWB

[PineTreeGreen]

WOW the information available here is unbelievable. I fought with an RCBS 30-115 mould for about 2 months. One cavity would drop fine ,the other gave me fits. Also had a Lee 30-130 that sticks a little.
With a little abrasive that my father used to tumble rocks ,a few drops of motor oil ,a couple boolits ,and the Lee mould showed signs of a new life. If it didn't work it was going in the trash.
The process worked so good on the Lee that I decided to do it to it on the RCBS ,that also has a new life. The RCBS may need a LITTLE tap once in a while ,but most of the time they just fall out when the blocks are opened. I am thinking of doing it to every mould I own.

[ForneyRider]

Pics would be great for this thread.

[shotman]

The BBQ grill paint will work but you need to be very carefull to get a LIGHT EVEN coat . Here is what I did clean mold do the prep as said If it dont drop fair. I like MEK there is no film left . Heat mold with a torch to where you cant hold it [around 200] if you want take hinge bolt out . lay mold on bottom where you can get a good look at face . Take the spray and a piece of card board . Start your spray on the card board and move till it looks light and even then cross the mold. This has to be ONE pass, if it dont work the first time you need to clean and do it again. I you do this right it will last a long time . Most of the paints say to fire the grill I just heated mine on the top of furnace. rick

[docone31]

What I do,
I take a 1/4 20 machine screw nut. Slide the sprue plate out of the way, heat my mold waaaay up. I pour into the mold thru the nut. Let it freeze and remove.
I do this twice.
I got some valve grinding compound, the fine stuff, smear a little on the casting, get my electric drill with a nut driver in it, and spin the casting in the mold. A couple of seconds will do it.
I do this to the other hole with the other casting.
I go real light on the grit. The next thing I do is sharpen the bottom of the sprue plate. I just slide the plate off the mold, and take a few strokes with a stone on the bottom of the openings. There are always feathers there.
Clean with brake cleaner, smoke the mold, and cast a few.
Seems to work fairly well for me.
I remelt the original castings.

[Rocky Raab]

Mauser, anyone who properly uses the word "shall" deserves an explanation of "mould" versus "mold." (Although a website that bastardizes bullet to "boolit" may not give a rat's patootie...)

A mould is a shaped cavity used to produce cast objects.

A mold is an object cast in a mould.

So bullets are the molds produced in our kind of mould. (Or - Webster help us - "boolits")

[waksupi]

Now Rocky, don't be running down the term "boolits". Bad juju, ya know?

;o)

[HamGunner]

I use Rapine Mould Release on my iron moulds. I recently started using some of Lee's aluminum moulds and it works great on them also. No sticking problems and they fill out great. I usually get good bullets with the first pour but the stuff needs to be put on when the moulds are cold.

I also never oil my iron moulds, I just coat them inside and out with the Rapine Mould Release after they are cooled down, just before putting them up. They are then ready to cast when you are. No cleaning needed. Of course, if one were to want to store an iron mould for some extended period, it would be best to oil them, just in case.

[crashawk]

great information. gonna use some of it to help a couple of my moulds. Lee's quality must be getting a little better, I have two new ones, a .452 and .356 six holers that the bullets drop out on opening just great. I've used the cast off mold release with some success before but am out right now, havent seemed to need it lately. recently I found that I can use parrifan wax to lube the allignment pins and the sprue cutter while it's hot. drag it across the sprue cutter and just touch the pins once in a while between drops. I was having trouble with my new ones sticking together at the pins and this cured it. the sprue flies off with the wax, before I had to hit it or once in a while pick the sprue off. my new moulds fill great once they are hot.
this is a great forum, glad I found it.

Jason