How do you store your Lee molds?

[woody2]

Do you leave them filled with boolits or empty? I've always left steel molds with boolits in them to prevent rust but since aluminum doesn't rust and I hate to subject the aluminum to the stress of pounding on the sprue cut off plate while they are filled with cold, hard lead, it it necessary to leave them with the cavities filled?

[jameslovesjammie]

I leave them empty and throw them in a small tote of other moulds and a (unused) baby diaper.

[Whistler]

All molds should be left empty, there's no real evidence that the cavities won't rust with lead in the cavities. For iron/steel molds you can more or less shower them in WD-40 or similar, but for aluminum and brass molds you just have to put a drop of oil on the iron/steel parts like hinges and screws.

[ku4hx]

Cool, empty and stacked no more than four high in the original box on their shelf above my work/casting bench.

[alfloyd]

ku4hx:
You must be one of those "Neat Freeks" I keep hearing about. :) :kidding:
You still have the original boxes? Mine are long gone.
I just pile all my molds in a plastic bin on the shelf.

Lafaun

[evan price]

Boxed if I have the box, otherwise just tossed on my gun safe in a pile.

[hedgehorn]

empty with sprue plate closed on top of the gun cabinet.

[ku4hx]

ku4hx:
You must be one of those "Neat Freeks" I keep hearing about. :) :kidding:
You still have the original boxes? Mine are long gone.
I just pile all my molds in a plastic bin on the shelf.

Lafaun

Oh Lordy ... I wish I were a neat freak. I have three locations for important papers: a stack on the top of a bookcase, the drawer to my computer desk and a legal box in the attic.

All my loaded rounds go into quart freezer bags and are kept in canvas mechanics tool bags. I have dozens of unused 50 round plastic cartridge boxes I wish I could find a good home for.

Not so much neat as just, well ... lazy. The original boxes just stack so easy and are pretty sturdy.

[Boerrancher]

All of my molds are stored empty, and all but two in their original box. It makes it easier to find the mold I want when it is in it's original box.

Best wishes,

Joe

[res45]

Lee molds are stored empty in the original boxes,iron molds stored empty,blocks coated with mineral oil, rubber banned together and kept in a old butter tube. Ed Harris gave me the mineral oil tip,it burns off clean while the blocks heat up and leaves no residue.

[sqlbullet]

I store mine cavities empty in a construct I call the "benchpile".

[mpmarty]

When done with a mold I fill it one last time, cut the sprue and store it with the boolits in the holes in its original box in a drawer in my shop. I did a kitchen remodel and took the old cabinets (lowers) and installed them in my shop.

[MT Gianni]

I store them empty as I do my iron molds. Too much evidence that there will be an air gap between the bullet and mold walls for me to keep the last cast in.
I have an old school desk I bought at a junk shop. I keep 22-30 caliber molds in the top drawer, 38 cal in the middle and 44-45 in the bottom drawer. It does help to sort them a little. All Lee molds get the caliber and weight written on the handle or sprue cutter.

[prs]

I just set them up on the shelf, empty and dry, right along with my RCBS and Lyman/Ideal moulds.

prs

[plainsman456]

The few boxes that I have get the molds-empty when finished casting.All the others get put in a storage box with lid empty.
It seems to me moisture could get between them if left in the mold.

[1Shirt]

Original Boxes!
1Shirt!:coffeecom

[woody2]

Wow, looks like I'm the only one who stores them with lead in the cavities. Based on your overwhelming response I'll start storing them empty. Thanks, everyone, for your responses. This is really a great forum!