After much frustration, I think I have an idea what caused the problem

[ssn vet]

Trying out a new mold today.... Casting WWs with a Lee 2-up TL356-124-2R mold, from a 20# bottom pour production pot.

The problem.... Wrinkled bullets!!

Mold was clean... Properly smoked... wrinkled bullets.
Tried the Franklin drop out spray....wrinkled bullets
Bumped up the heat to close to 800 deg......wrinkled bullets
Dropped the heat down to 650 deg....wrinkled bullets
Added 95/5 solder....wrinkled bullets
More solder.....still wrinkled

One other little frustration was that the mold filled so fast, I was getting huge sprues, some that would dribble over the sprue plate and hang up on the stop tab. I chalked this up to the mold being quite a bit smaller than the 230 and 160 gr. bullets I usually cast....

But then something happened. After making a LOT of bad bullets..... and the level of the lead got below the 1/2 way full, the flow slowed down with the reduced head, and I finally was able to control it.

Hurray... At least I wasn't over flowing the mold so much.....

But wait....what's that I see? Perfect bullets dropping! No more wrinkles.

Though I had just about enough and was ready to throw in the towel... now I wanted to "make hay in the sun". And I proceeded to drop some 200 very nice bullets.

I think I'm going to chalk the wrinkles up to the flow rate being to fast and either creating a hot spot in the mold, or splashing around in the hole.

What do you guys think about that theory?

[Wolfer]

Sounds good to me, whatever works. It's possible it couldn't vent fast enough.

[Tatume]

I've had this trouble with every brand new mold that I've gotten, and I have several dozen. No matter how I scrub them, nor with what, they always perform like yours for a while. I've gotten used to it. Maybe it's just me. I have found that a good scrubbing with a brush and dishwashing detergent, followed by a flush with brake cleaner, minimizes the misery. If you're like me, when your mold starts working well it's hard to stop; I usually cast until my arm feels like it's going to drop off!

[Cherokee]

The flow rate can be too fast for the small boolits, which is why Lee includes that little screw next to the top of the plunger. Turn it down to decrease the flow, turn it up to increase the flow. Venting can be a problem with fast flow. Some moulds take a few uses to start acting right.

[docone31]

I do not smoke my molds. I use mineral spirits and soak them for two days, then cast. I also heat soak the molds. That is why you got wrinkles. I have that mold. I also have that melt pot.
You want the sprue to freeze up at six seconds. Too long for freeze, cool it, freezes too fast and the mold is too cool.
When the mold is clean, and up to heat, I get immaculate castings.
I use 25% WW, and the rest pure lead. My 9mm likes the casting. I water quench on dropping out, and pan lube.
That is one of my favourite molds.

[cbrick]

You smoked the mold? :roll:

You used Franklin drop out spray? :groner: [smilie=b: :veryconfu

Neither of these things could do what you wanted them to do and in particular the spray stuff. Best it will do is gunk up the mold and plug the vent lines. In fact that could be part of
your fill out problem. You are always better off with a clean mold, always. Odds are that you simply didn't get it as clean as you thought you did before you started casting. I clean my molds with denatured alcohol and a tooth brush, vigorously. Even brand new molds drop good bullets once properly warmed up to casting temp.

As mentioned already, adjust the flow from a bottom pour to the cavity you are filling. A generous sprue puddle is desirable.

Rick

[ssn vet]

Oh, my sprue puddle was certainly generous .... More of a lake than a puddle.

I've had mixed results with the Franklin spray... I hit the cavities with a light shot and then wipe it off of the face with a Q-tip wet with solvent. I think I'm ready to pack it in though.

I weighed and measured a batch of ten. All were within a band of 124.5 gr. to 125.5 gr. which I think is pretty awesome.

Diameters were from .3565 to .358 though. I was hoping to TL and shoot them without sizing.

Time to slug my BHP barrel.

[MtGun44]

I think you may have had the mold finally come up to temp or clean
up.

The standard answer to caster question #1 is: "Because your mold is
too cold or dirty." Always.

Scrub the cavities with Comet and a toothbrush and try again.

Bill

[captaint]

ssn vet - We've all been through this, believe me. Throw out the spray release, clean the mold good - again. Next time remember how long it took you to get the mold up to temp. It's a great idea to get a cheap hot plate to warm the mold up on prior to casting. Saves many wrinkled boolits. AND it's not a good idea to run your pot at 800 deg. I know the frustration, believe me. This is how we learn. It's a beautiful thing when the mold gets right and the boolits get right, eh ?? Keep at it, you'll see...... enjoy Mike

[btroj]

You LEARNED. Plain and simple. You made an observation and gleaned knowledge from it. That is the way to start casting better bullets. Don't ever stop doing it, you will be amazed how much you continue to learn IF you pay attention.

Flow rate is a big factor. More important than that is mold temp. Cold moulds just won't give good bullets. Don't care how hot the lead going in may be, the mould met be of a proper temp to give good fill out.

[ShooterAZ]

Try pre-heating your mold on a hot plate before casting. Clean it well first and heat it up while your pot heats up.

[ssn vet]

Thanks for the tips guys...

I've got another new mold (Lee TL358-158-SWC) that I'm itchin' to try out next.

And I've recruited my lovely wife to scout the thrift stores for a hot plate.

[41 mag fan]

ssn vet, what everyone has posted has been onspot advice. I got a Lee pot also, and noticed my casts will produce better if i control the flow. On a full pot, I turn it down to a slower stream, and increase it as it goes down in pot volume. This has worked for me for quite awhile till I upgraded to my Lyman furnace, and the Lee sits now.