Oh golly I buggered up my mold, how do I fix this?

[Whiterabbit]

So I'll admit I made a bad decision. I placed a filled mold onto my mold heater which was set too hot. The lead melted and the mold was a crack open. Now I have this mess on my hands:

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=57942&stc=1&d=1357682755

Don't even know what to do about this. A q-tip isn't gonna cut this one.

How do I clean this up?

[sh00ter787]

if all of that is lead, then i would heat that mold up a lot then "brush" off the lead, maybe judicious use of a torch for stubborn bits

[cbrick]

If your mold heater will get hot enough to that then put it back on the mold heater and get it that hot again or even a touch hotter. A brush or a single edged razor blade should remove it. Be careful not to damage or cut the aluminum. It should be savable.

Rick

[Smitty's Retired]

What Shooter787 said!! I had the same thing happen, heated the mold up, and the lead deposits came right out. I then put some kroil around the sprue plate, where a couple of tiny deposits were, let it set for a day, then cleaned the same with brake parts cleaner and a nylon bristle brush and all was good. Ready to smoke and reuse.

[cbrick]

Ready to smoke and reuse.

What's the smoke for?

Rick

[M Hicks]

Rick,

Smoking the cavities, usually with a match/butane lighter, helps some molds release better. It is done by holding the flame just close enough to put a layer of black suet (sp) in the cavities.

[deltaenterprizes]

Smoking also helps with fill out.

[cbrick]

Rick,

Smoking the cavities, usually with a match/butane lighter, helps some molds release better. It is done by holding the flame just close enough to put a layer of black suet (sp) in the cavities.

Yes, I understand the old wives tale well, I was being a smart *ss.

Actually smoking a mold is just that, an old wives tale passed down from the black powder days and holding the mold in the camp fire to "smoke it" which more than likely did nothing but get the mold hot enough to use. IF and it's a big if it helps do anything it is simply covering up problem and it is a far better thing to find and fix the problem as opposed to an attempt at covering it up. What it is more likely to do is cover up, plug the vent lines. Some people spray enough goop into their molds to actually cast smaller boolits. Others swear by using a candle to "smoke" their molds which is about like using oil.

The best boolits will fall from a "clean" mold.

Rick

[John Allen]

Be Careful when you heat the mold not to overheat it or you risk warping it. Just go slow and piece by piece.

[Von Gruff]

Another way of getting small amounts of lead off the mould (passed on from Verel Smith) is to sharpen a carpenters pencil to a wide flat tip and gently scrape with this. it will remove the hot alloy without damaging the mould.

[longbow]

I have had much the same happen but with an iron mould and actually had a bit of tinning going on. I just reheated until the lead melted then wiped with a paper towel. That took off the majority and the rest just came off with regular casting "wearing" it off. After a bit of use the shiny areas took on a heat blue oxide layer and I never had a problem with that mould again. With aluminum, the lead should wipe off easy but as mentioned, use something softer than aluminum! I would start with a rag or paper towel then if there are some stubborn bits use a wood toothpick or skewer or a pencil and work it off with that but keep the mould at or a little above the melting point of the lead. Not too hot or you could warp it.

Longbow

[Ben]

As to smoking molds................

It is like cheating on your taxes, if you're doing it, it is best to keep quiet about it.

Even if you find it makes a dramatic difference in fill out, it is still best to keep quiet about it.

Ben

[runfiverun]

i find it waay easier to just fix the burrs,open the mold and shake the boolits out.
just heat the mold up and wipe the lead off with a rag.
since you got it that far you might as well cast with it,if you were using a bit of bullplate or pencil lead or antisieze the lead wouldn't have stuck to the top of the mold.
you could have just wiped it off to begin with.

[Whiterabbit]

really, you guys will graphite up your mold tops?

[gandydancer]

I quit smoking molds years ago. they stopped making my brand. And I could never keep them lite. GD :kidding:



As to smoking molds................

It is like cheating on your taxes, if you're doing it, it is best to keep quiet about it.

Even if you find it makes a dramatic difference in fill out, it is still best to keep quiet about it.

Ben

[41 mag fan]

What's the smoke for?

Rick


Rick,

Smoking the cavities, usually with a match/butane lighter, helps some molds release better. It is done by holding the flame just close enough to put a layer of black suet (sp) in the cavities.


Smoking also helps with fill out.


Yes, I understand the old wives tale well, I was being a smart *ss.

Actually smoking a mold is just that, an old wives tale passed down from the black powder days and holding the mold in the camp fire to "smoke it" which more than likely did nothing but get the mold hot enough to use. IF and it's a big if it helps do anything it is simply covering up problem and it is a far better thing to find and fix the problem as opposed to an attempt at covering it up. What it is more likely to do is cover up, plug the vent lines. Some people spray enough goop into their molds to actually cast smaller boolits. Others swear by using a candle to "smoke" their molds which is about like using oil.

The best boolits will fall from a "clean" mold.

Rick


Ohh man was I waiting for this from Rick....
:popcorn:

Like going to the movies and watching a good flick!

[Willbird]

Yes, I understand the old wives tale well, I was being a smart *ss.

Actually smoking a mold is just that, an old wives tale passed down from the black powder days and holding the mold in the camp fire to "smoke it" which more than likely did nothing but get the mold hot enough to use. IF and it's a big if it helps do anything it is simply covering up problem and it is a far better thing to find and fix the problem as opposed to an attempt at covering it up. What it is more likely to do is cover up, plug the vent lines. Some people spray enough goop into their molds to actually cast smaller boolits. Others swear by using a candle to "smoke" their molds which is about like using oil.

The best boolits will fall from a "clean" mold.

Rick

In my experience I agree, esp with Lee molds, I have cleaned them, then had to smoke, then cleaned them again, rarely (maybe once) cleaned as third time...when it is really clean it will work without smoking.

And smoking reduces diameter in my experience. If I would need to smoke, first I would use butane but after I got it working, I would take it in the house and clean it again :-).

The best way to clean a mold I have found is hot water and dish soap, and a toothbrush, no rubbing alcohol, no brake clean......Lee's coolant or whatever is in the new molds laughs at such things :-).

[Whiterabbit]

Worked.

Thought I re-buggered the mold. Heated the whole thing, wiped one side. Didn't help for the other mold half, so I helped it along a little. That worked, hen the mold blocks wouldn't close! Of course it was just thermal expansion. Get both blocks to the same temp and it's ready to rock again.

Thanks guys.

I don't think it's truly fixed cause it's dropping bullets at .465-ish, but it's just a smidge of lube groove I sacrifice when sizing down. Not like these things have lots of lube grove space anyways.

[captaint]

I haven't smoked a mold in years, since my early days of casting. Then somebody here told me it could actually CAUSE problems. They were correct. Not at all necessary - or beneficial. Mike

[Whiterabbit]

I stopped smoking molds when I realized they made bullets stick. Using an alloy with a smidge of shrinkage and waiting an extra four seconds to open the mold jaws on a SCRUPULOUSLY clean mold seems to do the trick for me. Makes then drop as if lubed.

[cbrick]

Worked. Thanks guys.

That's great, glad to hear it. As was mentioned, if you'll use a tiny bit of Bullplate on top of the mold and sprue plate this wouldn't have been an issue. But with no harm done it was a lesson learned.


I haven't smoked a mold in years, since my early days of casting. Then somebody here told me it could actually CAUSE problems. They were correct. Not at all necessary - or beneficial. Mike

Old wives tales die very hard, even some gun writer's are still preaching this one. The bottom line is that a perfectly clean mold casts best and if it doesn't there is a problem that should be addressed, not covered up.

Rick

[saint_iverson]

I like how this convo went from lead stuck to a mold to smoking it, again. Maybe as a suggestion, reversesmoke the mold (all but the block faces) to prevent the lead from sticking to the sides. If smoking is so good for a mold and release, try that.

Oh, and to get the old stuff off, i heat my mold back to temp and use a painters stir stick to scrape the softened lead off.

Cheers!

Clint

[Smitty's Retired]

Ohh man was I waiting for this from Rick....
:popcorn:

Like going to the movies and watching a good flick!

O.K. So I learn something I had not heard and will try on the next new mould I get. I've only been casting for a little over a year.(So yes still a newb and still leaning) The reason I smoked my moulds is
(1) That is what a lot of people that I talked to who had more experience than I instructed on doing with a new mold. But most said to use a butane and not candles or matches. And that after the mould is seasoned from several uses, that you shouldn't have to do it again. But if you clean the patina off, you may.
(2) That is what was instructed with the instructions that came with the moulds. (Yes, I do read instructions from time to time.)
(3) Any deposits I've accumulated on my mould, I was able to clean up with soaking some Kroil, then cleaning and yes smoked since it was after the first casting session.

Through all the searches & articles on bullet moulds, casting, etc., somehow I missed the Smokers v/s Non Smokers debate. :groner:

Granted, after I've used my moulds after 4 or 5 sessions, I've not smoked them again, as they cast fine. If this is a old wives tale than so be it. But I agree with the statement, that if there were no ill effects, and cast with good fill out, and no depreciable diameter loss, then all is good. Most of my fill out problems from the start were from not getting the mould heated properly, and proper alignment of the handles on a Lee. So if I steered anyone wrong with my statement then I digress.

I also did not know the offence for mentioning smoking a mold was comparable to cheating on your taxes.:shock: :kidding:

[41 mag fan]

The one thing about smoking a mold smitty, is if its a Lee, you can smoke it, cast a couple of good ones then Leement it. When you use comet and leement you can see where your places are to look for burrs. Seems lee is notorious for it.
After that then you're good to go, and shouldn't ever need to smoke a mold again.
My other mold NOE, Accurate and Mihas haven't needed smoked or any mold release or anything done to them.
I was when i first started casting doing the smoking thing, but i used wooden matches and or Bic lighter. Then i forgot to one time and noticed they were falling right out and actually looked better than without the smoking.
After some major research I came across the debate and settled on not smoking...and it works for me

[Whiterabbit]

I was when i first started casting doing the smoking thing, ....... Then i forgot to one time and noticed they were falling right out and actually looked better than without the smoking. I ..... settled on not smoking...

This also exactly happened to me.

[saint_iverson]

Fyi those cavities are huge, not a lot of aluminum left on the blocks! Lol

[Whiterabbit]

mold heater was needed. I can empty a pot REALLY FAST.

[GaryN]

There is also the debate about whether to use Kroil in the mould or not. Try it both ways if you want. I just keep my molds clean with nothing in the cavities and they do best. You do need a little bull plate or something similar on the sprue plate.

[saint_iverson]

Truth be told from using candles, matches etc: my first mold, I used a candle to smoke and the parafin that it left created an issue, that the boolits were oversized. The wax was so built up on the block faces or on the pins that the mold blocks didn't close tight and they dropped significantly larger, see beagling. After about the third session I think the wax migrated and the molds began to quit filling out correctly, likely vent holes clogged. Since then I took about 2 hours using a q-tip and denatured alcohol and scrubbed the wax off, very time consuming and takes a minute to get a good rhythm but they are polished now, and its the first mold to bat next cast!

It is all a learning experience, I have to learn some things the hard way, and I believe there is a place/circumstance for lightly smoking molds. But if you smoke the mold and life is made easier or ... something ... kudos! Its your boolit!