Mold prep when done casting.

[HWall3240]

Hi everyone, this will be my first post here. I need suggestions on what you guys do with your molds when your done casting for the day. And maybe you won't be setting up for another session for a week or so. Leave a boolit in the mold or not? Spray with WD-40 or gun oil? I read the suggestions on the ASSRA forum but what do you guys do? Thanks alot. Dale.

[littlejack]

HWALL:
Welcome to the CastBoolits.
I keep my moulds in the house, where the temperature is a constant, and the moisture in
the air is at a minimum.
I live in the Willamette Valley in Western Oregon where the climate is damp most of the year.
I do not have any trouble with rust, because of my procedures.
I used to leave a boolit in the cavities, as that was what was told to me years ago. I have
stopped that practice some time back because I cannot redily open the moulds and see if
anything bad is taking place.
I do not oil my moulds between castings. Just keep them dry.
I have desicant (SP) in with the moulds that are in there original boxes.
Jack

[BulletFactory]

Get a brass one, you won't be sorry.

[462]

Welcome home, HWall3240! 615th TFS weapons mechanic/load crew, Phan Rang AB, RVN, June '68 - June '69

I don't keep boolits in the moulds, don't do anything special to aluminum moulds, and wipe Bull Plate on the exteriors and both sides of the sprue cutter on iron moulds.

[HWall3240]

Thanks 462, But what is Bull Plate and where do you get it? Dale.

[Le Loup Solitaire]

Hi and welcome to the forum. Brass and aluminum molds don't rust. Iron will rust and so will steel sprue plates if they are left exposed to air...especially in higher humidity climates. You have to decide how you want to store the molds involved to prevent any rust. There are a few methods. In the opinion of quite a few folks, leaving bullets cast in the mold doesn't work. For me once...it didn't, but I caught it in time. Oil or any product that has hydrocarbons will afford good protection, but the stuff has to be thoroughly cleaned off/out or you will get wrinkled bullets when you go to cast again. The use of dessicant/drying products in a plastic seal-able bag placed in a GI ammo can will do a good job of preventing any rust. I don't mind cleaning a mold with a solvent like acetone or paint thinner so I coat my molds and cavities with a gun cleaning thing called "Cleanzoil", put them in a zip-lock bag and then in a GI ammo can. That may be considered by some as over-kill and a pain in the tush to re-prep the mold for my casting, but I have never had a rust prob. In the final analysis it is your mold(s) and your call; "an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure". LLS

[williamwaco]

HWALL:
Welcome to the CastBoolits.
I keep my moulds in the house, where the temperature is a constant, and the moisture in
the air is at a minimum.
I live in the Willamette Valley in Western Oregon where the climate is damp most of the year.
I do not have any trouble with rust, because of my procedures.
I used to leave a boolit in the cavities, as that was what was told to me years ago. I have
stopped that practice some time back because I cannot redily open the moulds and see if
anything bad is taking place.
I do not oil my moulds between castings. Just keep them dry.
I have desicant (SP) in with the moulds that are in there original boxes.
Jack



+ 1.

I could have written this and it would be word for word.

.

[462]

Bull Plate is available from member Bullshop. It is very lightly applied to the sprue cutter, screws, alignment pins, and mould tops. It allows quicker cutting of the sprue without lead smearing, prevents baldness, reverses aging, and insures eternal happiness.

[HWall3240]

If it reverses aging, I had better get some. Thanks again 462. Dale.

[HWall3240]

And to everyone that has replied, I appreciate it. Dale.

[John Boy]

Go to the drug store and ask the pharmacist to save you desiccants that are in the drugs received from the manufacturer. They are free.
Put one in the box after casting with no oil on the mold

[No_1]

I coat mine in Bullplate then clean them with carb cleaner before I use them. I never have a problem in Fla humidity.

[HWall3240]

Thats another question I have. Is carb cleaner and brake cleaner the same? I just received a new mold from David Mos the other day and haven't cleaned the oil off yet. Whats best? Dale.

[runfiverun]

they aren't the same.
paint thinner is mineral spirits, it is about 7 bucks a gallon and is excellent at removing oil from a mold.
i have sprayed my molds with penetrating oil and kroil and have left them sit in a shed for 7 years without any issues [hopefully i won't have to do that again]
the mineral spirits is also good at thinning out alox and for making 45/45/10 lube.

[stubshaft]

Spritz it with Kroil and put them away.

[MBTcustom]

I live in Arkansas in a swampish part of town. We sit out side and count watch cars wade through the mosquitoes while we play the banjo for entertainment.
I probably should oil my molds, but I dont know any better. I keep them dry and put them in a cabinet in my garrage year round. So far, no rust. Sometimes I wonder if the way we use the iron doesn't make it resistant to rust somehow. I know they can rust, but mine haven't yet.

[HWall3240]

Once again, thanks to all who replied to my question. Dale.

[keyhole]

protectant removal question...

I bought a Saeco mold from a fellow forum member. He lives in Florida and coated it inside and out with Lee Liquid Alox. He felt that it was a good way to protect it in Florida humidity and I am sure he is correct. What is the best way to remove this prior to casting?

thank you

Keyhole

[runfiverun]

alox will mix with mineral spirits....
i have had to warm the alox to make it more effective mixing though.

[smoked turkey]

Good Evening Dale:
Welcome to the wonderful world of Cast Boolits. Thank you for your service to our country. I asked the same question regarding brake cleaner or carb cleaner at our local gun shop a few days ago. I cannot speak for the truth of the statement but the local shop recommended brake cleaner over carb cleaner for degreasing jobs. I believe he said it was not as harsh what ever that means.
As to the storage of molds I figure if the safe with a golden rod is safe for keeping my firearms rust free, that it will work for my iron molds too! It does for me. I usually don't reoil them, I just wipe them down and put them away. For the investment in molds the safe is not a bad place to keep them anyway.

[MikeS]

protectant removal question...

I bought a Saeco mold from a fellow forum member. He lives in Florida and coated it inside and out with Lee Liquid Alox. He felt that it was a good way to protect it in Florida humidity and I am sure he is correct. What is the best way to remove this prior to casting?

thank you

Keyhole

Well, you can wash the mould down with mineral spirits, that should remove the LLA, or carb cleaner should too. Or, you can do what I always did, just preheat it, and start casting. The coating of LLA on the mould is very thin, and so shouldn't make the boolits cast undersized. Leaving it on, and even giving it another very thin coating when done casting sort of seasons the mould.

[HWall3240]

Hi Smoked Turkey, Yes, this is a great site. I think also brake cleaner is the way to go. Also I think that I will go the way of what littlejack wrote. Makes sense. Dale.

[captaint]

I won't even let WD40 come in my house. It has to wait outside. Mike

[DLCTEX]

WD 40 will not prevent rust. I learned that the hard way 40 years ago with a new shotgun. Kroil is not really a rust preventative either.