How should molds be stored?

[Lavid2002]

I heard on a youtube video that molds should be stored with the cavities full of lead and the sprue plate well "caked" over...

I also heard that the melting pots (Like the lee 4-20) should be stored with an inch or so of lead in the bottom.


Are these claims legitimate?

Thanks
-Dave

[Ben]

# 1 False - - A mold cavity can easily rust in a humid environment with a bullet left in the cavity.

# 2 True - - Start up will be quicker if there is some lead left in the bottom of the pot.

[Lavid2002]

So molds should be left empty... How should I store them? With a light coat of oil maybe?


The lead in the smelting pot is only for melting time next use? It makes sense with the increased surface area...

[jimmeyjack]

I store mine with a spray of kroil, then just wipe off when ready to cast again.

[94Doug]

I also put a small desicant bag in the box.

Doug

[johnvid]

I apply a liberal amount of Kroil and wrap the mould in plastic wrap. I store it in it's original container.

[mooman76]

I store mine as is but the humidity here averages about 10%. It depends on where you live and the climate.

[Thecyberguy]

I store mine with a spray of kroil, then just wipe off when ready to cast again.

"Just wipe off"?
No need to use a solvent on it?
I am new to steel molds and appreciate you guys' input.
Have a good 'un, Guy

[Shiloh]

I should try Kroil. Mine have a generous coat of Marvel Mystery Oil.

Shiloh

[462]

I live in a humid area, and conducted a test to determine if leaving boolits in a Lyman mould would prevent rust. It rusted...even wrapped in plastic.

I've gone the Kroil route.

[bootsnthejeep]

The old man claimed that he was told by a mould maker to build a adequately sized pine box to store the moulds in. Idea being the wood would absorb the moisture well enough to protect the moulds. But that was in Southern California. But anyway, the old man always stored his in the box he built on that advice, upstairs, in the non-heated garage thru Maine winters and never had a rusty mould. Now I keep them in a surplus ammo crate. So far, so good.

[jimmeyjack]

"Just wipe off"?
No need to use a solvent on it?
I am new to steel molds and appreciate you guys' input.
Have a good 'un, Guy

Check this out, it does work...
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=61126

[fatnhappy]

Now I keep them in a surplus ammo crate. So far, so good.

I keep mine in ammo cans with a couple small desicant bags thrown in. YMMV

[Thecyberguy]

Well, by gory...if tha ol man said so...then I betcha tis true enough..I am over heyah in tha foothills and things rust purty quickly...ayah....sides that...they couldn't rust up in winter....frost up maybe....LOL you have a good 'un, Guy

[dwebb210]

I put my custom molds in one of my wife's Tupperware containers, submerged in automatic transmission fluid. Why? Because it was available. Not a speck of corrosion after 5 years.

[montana_charlie]

I used to cast roundball and Maxi-Balls for a muzzleloader.
I stopped doing that in the spring of 1976. I became interested in casting for BPCR rifles in 2005, so I dug out my old equipment...which had not seen the light of day for 29 years.

My moulds were stored in a cardboard box that originally held a Redding powder measure.
One is an iron Lyman, and the other is aluminum made by a defunct company that called itself Shiloh. Both have steel sprue plates, and both were stored with the last bullet in the cavity and the sprue uncut.

Five of those twenty-nine years were spent in Biloxi, Mississippi...where it IS humid.

Neither mould, nor the handles, nor the sprue plates show any rust.

Your results may vary...
CM

[Ben]

This may be more time and effort than you want to put into it. However, since doing this , I have not had a single problem with rust on any of my molds and believe me it is super humid here in the south.

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=13322

Ben

[JSAND]

On my lymans I do like several others here have posted, I use a liberal amount of Kroil oil and wrap in plastic and put back in the original containers, I do live in a very humid Alabama and was thinking about getting an ammo can to store them in, but so far so good. With the Lee moulds I coat the Sprue Plate with the Kroil and store them in a cabinet drawer. I used to clean them with break cleaner before casting with them, until I read the sticky "Kroil in your Mould" and now just cast as is. I have more of a problem with a light surface rust on the adjusting bands on my Lee dies than anything. I have also started coating them with the Kroil.

[Bret4207]

I keep all my moulds and my powder in an old refrigerator with a large dessicant box and 24 watt light burning. No rust.

[Lavid2002]

Interesting. I dont have any kroil... I do have some barricade and other protective oils. Think I should use them or just puck up some kroil?