Tell me about aluminum molds and their care please.

[Dave Bulla]

Title says it all really.

I've got my first ever aluminum mold (or any mold for that matter) coming in the mail in the next week or two. I've been casting with a new friend I hooked up with here and all he owns are steel molds. Namely, Lyman or Ideal molds. He says he wouldn't buy an aluminum mold and just doesn't like them.

Well, this mold I have coming is already paid for and I'm hoping that molds are just like any other hobby where some folks like one version and some like another.

I'm looking for any tips you might have on using aluminum molds.

Is there anything I need to do to it before I cast my first bullets?

Anything special for storage between uses?

Anything I should NEVER do to it or put on it?

Is Kroil as handy on aluminum molds as it is on steel?

How fragile are they? Do ya whack 'em just like a steel mold to open the sprue plate?

Anything else I need to know?

Thanks,

Dave

p.s. I'm getting a 3 cavity mold from Swede Nelson on a group buy done here. Caliber is 9.3 and it will be a three cavity mold with one plain base, one gas check and one hollow point plain base.

[geargnasher]

Title says it all really.

I've got my first ever aluminum mold (or any mold for that matter) coming in the mail in the next week or two. I've been casting with a new friend I hooked up with here and all he owns are steel molds. Namely, Lyman or Ideal molds. He says he wouldn't buy an aluminum mold and just doesn't like them.

Well, this mold I have coming is already paid for and I'm hoping that molds are just like any other hobby where some folks like one version and some like another.

I'm looking for any tips you might have on using aluminum molds.

Is there anything I need to do to it before I cast my first bullets? Maybe yes, maybe no, depends on whether or not it needs it. Check out the sticky here on Leementing, or the article at Castpics dot net, then closely inspect your mould to see if it needs any work.

Anything special for storage between uses? Nope.

Anything I should NEVER do to it or put on it? Don't beat on it with a mallet, and never put anything on it but Bullplate sprue lube, silicone oil, or anti-seize compound. See the Lee-menting sticky for directions. DO NOT use boolit lube on it like Lee says to do.

Is Kroil as handy on aluminum molds as it is on steel? Even more so, you need to soak all the cutting oil out of the pores in the cavities before casting our you'll get wrinkled boolits.

How fragile are they? Do ya whack 'em just like a steel mold to open the sprue plate? You'll probably need to cast faster than you do with a steel mould because the aluminim loses heat much faster, so your sprues will cool faster, too. Try not to hit the sprue plate with a mallet, but preheat it by dunking the tip in the melt until lead no longer sticks to it, then cast and cut the sprue before it gets fully set up, but when it has set enough not to smear molten lead on the blocks. I wear a glove on my right hand when casting and cut the sprue by opening the plate with my gloved thumb, no mallet required. One more thing, if you don't close the blocks before closing the sprue plate, you can damage the right-side block with the edge of the sprue plate when closing. Aluminum is fragile, but it will last a long time if you're careful with it.

Anything else I need to know? Yes, DON'T smoke the cavities like Lee says to do, you want your cavities absolutely clean and oil-free for best results.

Thanks,

Dave

p.s. I'm getting a 3 cavity mold from Swede Nelson on a group buy done here. Caliber is 9.3 and it will be a three cavity mold with one plain base, one gas check and one hollow point plain base.

OOPS, missed the PS. NOE moulds come with Bullplate sprue lube and instructions, so just follow that, NOE moulds are ready to clean with your choice of solvent, heat, apply the bullplate, and get to casting!

Gear

[chris in va]

It'll have a thin film of oil on the whole thing. I just use a brush, Dawn and hot water to get it off.

You'll need to stick the mold in the melt for a minute before casting so it gets up to temp.

Watch the sprue plate screw after a couple thousand rounds. It tends to back itself out. Also have a look at the pins that attach to the handles. I've had two completely come out, sending half the mold flying. If the punch mark covering the pins on the back side aren't centered, go ahead and punch it yourself so they don't back out.

[btroj]

What punch mark over the pins attaching them to the handles? NOE moulds use screws to attach to the handles. Lee moulds can have the problem you describe on 1 or 2 cavity moulds but even Lee on the 6 cavity mounds uses screws.
I find on AL moulds that no matter how much I clean them before the first use they still give me wrinkled bullets the first session, at least for a short time. I scrub with hot water, an old toothbrush, and Comet. I like to Use the first session as a break in period. Get the sprue plate adjusted, although it will be pretty good when you get it. Lube with the bull plate and start casting. Once you get thru the residual oil that seems to ooze from the metal you will get great looking bullets.

Don't do anything stupid and that mould will last you a long, long time.

[Dave Bulla]

Thanks for the info guys.

Geargnasher, one question regarding your post...

Where I asked about using Kroil, I'm not certain I understand your answer. Are you saying that I CAN or CAN'T use Kroil? Kroil is a penetrating oil and you are saying I'll need to get all the oil out. So..... just want to clarify. I suspect you are talking about using the Kroil to float out the thicker cutting oil and or protective oil that might be on the mold but will the Kroil itself be an issue?

I'm guessing from things said in the replies that Lee molds are also aluminum so I can look up questions about Lee molds and find info that might apply to mine to eh?

And by the way, thanks for all the answers.

[peerlesscowboy]

Aluminum moulds are like a Timex watch.........use 'em 'til they go bad & then throw 'em away [smilie=f:

[geargnasher]

Thanks for the info guys.

Geargnasher, one question regarding your post...

Where I asked about using Kroil, I'm not certain I understand your answer. Are you saying that I CAN or CAN'T use Kroil? Kroil is a penetrating oil and you are saying I'll need to get all the oil out. So..... just want to clarify. I suspect you are talking about using the Kroil to float out the thicker cutting oil and or protective oil that might be on the mold but will the Kroil itself be an issue?

I'm guessing from things said in the replies that Lee molds are also aluminum so I can look up questions about Lee molds and find info that might apply to mine to eh?

And by the way, thanks for all the answers.

Kroil is a very light oil with a high flash point, it's just about gone by the time your mould gets up to casting temp. Kroil will help float out the cutting oils/emulsions and what's left behind likely won't be a problem, but you can soak it in Kroil for a day or so and after that scrub it with hot water and detergent to be sure it's gone.

Keep the Bullplate out of the cavities or you'll have wasted your time cleaning the mould!

Gear

[geargnasher]

Aluminum moulds are like a Timex watch.........use 'em 'til they go bad & then throw 'em away [smilie=f:

I disagree. NOE molds are not disposable, if properly lubed they won't wear at any point. Lee two-cavity moulds are disposable since they eventually wear out the alignment points, but it takes tens of thousands of pours to wear out a propely cared-for mould.

Timex says they "Take a lickin' and keep on tickin'", aluminum moulds won't handle abuse.

Gear

[Recluse]

Aluminum moulds are like a Timex watch.........use 'em 'til they go bad & then throw 'em away [smilie=f:

Maybe. But if you take care of things. . . I have a Timex that still works that my grandpa gave me back in 1966 and I have Lee two-cavity molds that have cast thousands upon thousands of boolits.

Both watch and (Lee) molds are still functional and have had absolute zero problems.

Some folks, on the other hand, can tear up an anvil inside of a day and seem to take some sort of perverse pride in it. :veryconfu

Casting and reloading are among my most enjoyable hobbies, so I tend to fuss over my tools and equipment maybe more than some. But then again, I was taught to care of my equipment and it would take care of me.

:coffee:

[451whitworth]

i prefer alluminum molds to any other material. i have 22 alluminum molds from NEI (Walt made), LBT, Rapine, and BRP. they cast perfect bullets almost immediately and speed production compared to iron molds in my hands. i think people equate alluminum molds with only Lee. my alluminum handgun molds have cast hundreds of thousands of bullets with no problem and are still going strong. i never understood the durability issue some make of alluminum (disregard Lee). i have about a dozen Lyman's from the 1970's and although they work well, they are not as fast in production, have to be cleaned and oiled, and are tiring in a long casting session with the extra weight. my opinion.

[btroj]

I don't consider any mould disposable. I agree with Gear, a well cared for, non abused, Lee mould will last a darn long time. They will cast more bullets than most of us will ever shoot.
NOE moulds will last even longer. They are works of art that need to be well cared for and used properly. Lee 6 caveat moulds are almost the same. They will cast tens of thousands of bullets with o problem unless they are abused.

Like Recluse said, even a Timex watch will last about forever if not abused.

[peerlesscowboy]

I have perhaps thirty assorted Lyman and RCBS iron moulds that I've accumulated over the last 40 years some of which have cast multiple thousands of bullets, all still just as good as the day I bought 'em. Some years ago I was looking for something that'd cast .44 wadcutters and I took a fancy to a LEE design so figured it's time I tried one of their aluminum molds..........cast beautiful bullets! about 200 of 'em before the mould went to ****. Maybe my technique was too hard on those soft aluminum blocks?? Ordered another mould 'cause I REALLY liked the bullet design, vowed I'd baby this one a little..........got about 200 more cast before THAT mould went to **** too. Gave up on aluminum moulds :-?

John C. Saubak

[MT Gianni]

When you get that NOE mold, follow the instructions about putting it in the oven.