How often to lube the sprue

[BCM45]

How often do you guys lube the sprue on your Lee molds? Every use, every other use, or once a year?

[selmerfan]

Every time I heat up the mold it gets a THIN coat of Bullplate on the first mold fill. I have ZERO smearing.

[Springfield]

About every 250 bullets seems to work well most of the time.

[462]

At the start of each casting session. After that, it depends on the particular mould.

[BCM45]

Do you remove the bolt each time or just put some close to it and let the lube work it's way in? DO you lube the whole sprue or just under the bolt?

[462]

Mould bolts and screws receive an one-time application of anti-sieze. The plate gets re-lubed as needed.

If you loosen or remove the cutter bolt, you will need to drill and tap and install a set-screw (8-32X3/16") to keep it in place. Look for the leementing sticky, or do a leementing search.

[stubshaft]

At the start of each casting session. After that, it depends on the particular mould.

+1 - After that as needed. Usually on long casting sessions when the lead starts to streak.

[btroj]

I just rub a slightly damp , with Bullplate, q-tip around the screw and under the sprue plate. It creeps enough to get where it needs to be. I use it at the beginning of a session and anytime the plate looks like it needs it.

Brad

[gtivan]

Why didn't i read this 5 hours ago?[smilie=b:

Like before i broke the screw off in my mould.

[DeadHandRed]

oh dear..

[MtGun44]

+1 on stubshaft's comment

[timkelley]

When I first start with a new mold and then whenever lead starts trying to stick on the sprue plate.

[*Paladin*]

What Bullplate substitutes are there? One of these days I'll order some, but obviously there has to be a fairly suitable sub available at my local hardware or auto parts place. I've just been using Alox, because I don't have any grease in my garage that will survive the high temps.

[DeadHandRed]

One of these days I'll order some

no excuses Paladin.. :) i just received mine in the mail in New Zealand..

[cephas53]

What Bullplate substitutes are there? One of these days I'll order some, but obviously there has to be a fairly suitable sub available at my local hardware or auto parts place. I've just been using Alox, because I don't have any grease in my garage that will survive the high temps.

Have used Husky 2 stroke oil with good results. Just got my first sample of bullplate with a NOE mold, and it's all everyone says.

[wiljen]

What Bullplate substitutes are there? One of these days I'll order some, but obviously there has to be a fairly suitable sub available at my local hardware or auto parts place. I've just been using Alox, because I don't have any grease in my garage that will survive the high temps.


See other threads in the lube forum that have previously run.


ATTN: If this turns into another Bullplate vs. the others thread, I will lock it. DO NOT Start that up again.

[1Shirt]

I lube about every 200 bls or so.
1Shirt!:coffeecom

[Shakey Jakey]

I bought a big can of never-sieze about 35 years ago, you know, the stuff that gets all over everything whenever you get the can out, yeah, that stuff. Anyway, I take a Q-tip and apply it on and around the sprue bolt, and a THIN coat all over the sprue plate and on the top of the mould blocks, then wipe it clean with a rag. Works great. What is Bullplate? What is that stuff some guys put on their aluminum moulds that looks like chewing tobacco spittle?

[Doby45]

Paladin that two-stroke oil will work for ya until you Bull Plate arrives. I used the two-stroke for about a week while waiting on my Bull Plate, it does not last as long and tends to "creep" more, like into cavities. This was using the exact same application directions as Bull Plate.

[HeavyMetal]

I have been using antisieze for years.

Each "new"mold recieves a tear down and inspection when it arrives home the obvious burrs and such are taken care of and the sprue plate lubed, lightly, with antisieze.

Lee molds are treated the same way but get a set screw drilled and tapped to keep the sprue plate screw in it's correct position once everything is put back together.

Now antisieze will work to way hotter temps than my lead pot will ever reach but it does have a tendency to "dry" out as time moves on.

Since "discovering" Bullplate lube life has gotten much better! I keep a needle oiler filled with Bullplate lube on the casting bench and "spritz" a touch of it on the pivot point of the sprue plate when ever I think the particular mold I'm using needs it.

This has been a great combo and I don't see the galling of molds like I used to with this set up.

[JIMinPHX]

When I first started casting, I used pencil lead or soapstone as a sprue lube. With that stuff, I lubed every 5-10 castings. I then started fooling around with other lubes. Hi-temp grease from the auto parts store + 20% never seize would work for a long time, but it left a nasty residue that I had to scrub off after every casting session. Long term use of that would probably lead to eventual mold damage from all the cleaning. Then I got some Bullplate. After lubing up according to the instructions the first time, I then relube at the end of every casting session, while the mold is still hot. Then I put it away & it is ready to go the next time I start casting. I usually cast 10-20 pounds of lead at a time, so I guess that you could say that Bullplate lasts me through 10-20 pounds of lead.

The only time that I take the sprue plate off a mold to lube it is when it is new. At that time, the pivot bolt gets a mixture of hi-temp grease & never seize. After that, it's just Bullplate on the mating surfaces without any disassembly. I've been doing it that way for a couple of years now.

I keep a little Bullplate on the casting bench in one of those little grease jars that you normally find in the butt stock cleaning kit of an M-1. The big bottle is just too easy to spill with a gloved hand. The little grease jar doesn't hold enough to worry about it if I do spill it. It holds enough lube for about 10 casting sessions if I don't spill it.

[montana_charlie]

Why didn't i read this 5 hours ago?[smilie=b:

Like before i broke the screw off in my mould.
Do you cut the sprue with a hammer?
CM

[gtivan]

Do you cut the sprue with a hammer?
CM

Stick

[GP100man]

I just rub a slightly damp , with Bullplate, q-tip around the screw and under the sprue plate. It creeps enough to get where it needs to be. I use it at the beginning of a session and anytime the plate looks like it needs it.

Brad

+1 & when the sprues want to stik a little

[*Paladin*]

See other threads in the lube forum that have previously run.

ATTN: If this turns into another Bullplate vs. the others thread, I will lock it. DO NOT Start that up again

Wiljen-
I didn't mean to stir a potential hornets nest. I didn't know there was issue with Bullplate vs. substitutes threads in the past. I just figured this thread was a good place to ask...

[montana_charlie]

Do you cut the sprue with a hammer?
CM
Stick
Same difference. If you turn the sprue plate with your hand, you won't break screws.
CM

[Spector]

I use Bullplate and love it. I also wear woven kevlar gloves when I cast and love them too.

I use the heal of my hand to push open my sprue plates. I dump the sprues into my gloved hand and imediately return them to the pot. If I over-run the sprue plate I can easily remove the lead from the side of the mold and sprue plate. Sometimes a boolit will hang in a mold and I can easily nudge any boolits out of the mold with the other gloved hand and either examine them in my gloved palm or rotate in my fingers or drop them into water or onto a towell.

I have had leather gloves get so hot that I tried desperately to sling them off my hands. The kevlar gloves allow me better dexterity and they have me impressed with how much more slowly they seem to heat up and how fast they disipate heat. I wipe off the spout on my Lee pot with my gloved hand after cleaning it with a piece of wire.

I was given these gloves by a heating and air conditioning contractor. They seem tough and extrememly well made. I'll never pound open sprue plates again and Bullplate aids in this ease of opening.

I want to find a very small needle oiler for applying Bullplate to the sprue plate screw as that seems like it would be easier that applying it with a Q-tip and letting it creep into the bearing area. The first time you spill your bulplate you'll want to get a small needle oiler too. ha ha It will even aid in applying just enough to a Q-tip for wiping the sprue plate surfaces........Mike

[degruix]

I apply Bullplate about every 50 throws. When I start getting lead smears I reapply.