What lube for Lee Molds?

[fireflyfather]

OK, got a 2 sets of lee molds on the way, both are tumble-lube type molds. I also ordered the liquid alox, but no regular lee bullet lube. I have no other bullet lube on hand unless I want to scrape some out of/off of magtech or silver state bullets I intend to load and use.

The instructions say to lube the mold in various places with lee alox lube (NOT liquid alox). Is there a simple replacement that I am likely to find locally? (I can get case lube, candle wax, etc. Maybe even RCBS bullet lube).

Thanks.

[dromia]

Bull plate lube from the Bullshop, link at the bottom of the page under "Shooting Links".

A bottle lasts for a loooong time as you don't use much and its the bees knees for moulds, use as instructed and you'll be a happy caster.:-D

[utk]

I use beeswax

[randyrat]

Bull plate lube from the Bullshop, link at the bottom of the page under "Shooting Links".

A bottle lasts for a loooong time as you don't use much and its the bees knees for moulds, use as instructed and you'll be a happy caster.:-D OOOOOHHH yeh good stuff. The links at the bottom are in blue. Or try some Permetex anti sieze until you can some Bull Shop sprue plate lube.

[fireflyfather]

Um, the whole point was to not have to order anything else....hence "something I can find locally". Beeswax might work...any suggestions on places that might carry it?

[utk]

The reason I use beeswax is because that´s half the ingredient of Alox lube (not LLA).
Maybe paraffin or candlewax would work? Do you have a candle? (They are usually made of paraffin, stearine or blends of it).

[montana_charlie]

Um, the whole point was to not have to order anything else....hence "something I can find locally". Beeswax might work...any suggestions on places that might carry it?
I don't know a single thing about Alox. I don't know what it's melting point is, or at what temperature it carbonizes. But beeswax turns to 'hard brown crud' in the heat range where moulds do their work.

The lubricant put on a mould is there to prevent simple wear between moving parts, to prevent galling as two hot metals rub against each other, and (in the case of screws) to prevent threads from seizing up and making removal difficult.

The Permatex anti-seize mentioned earlier (or any other hi-temp anti-seize compound) should be available at your local auto parts store. A four ounce bottle will last you for your entire life.

The interesting thing about anti-seize compound is that it is an actual lubricant...and it is engineered to remain as a lubricant when the temperature exceeds one thousand degrees. Beeswax starts to lose it's lubricating quality when it gets hotter than boiling water.

It is common (when beeswax and bullet lubes are used) to touch the sprue pivot screw with the 'lube' whenever the plate starts to feel 'sticky'. That might happen more than once during a casting session. That's because whatever lubricating quality the 'lube' had as it melted is quickly lost as it smokes.

On the other hand, work a tiny dab of anti-seize into the pivot screw area, and you won't have to do it again until the next time you totally degrease the mould.
Why does it last so long? Because it is made that way...and it doesn't turn into 'hard brown crud' when it gets hot.

Do not use it on the bottom of the sprue plate, or anywhere that lets it get in contact with the bullet or the cavity. Use a graphite pencil for the sprue plate until you can get some Bullplate or spray-on graphite (also available at the auto parts store).

Now, to answer your actual question...
If you must use something that you could hope to find around the house...something that doesn't have to be ordered...try Pam.
You wife probably has some in the kitchen, and it is intended for temperatures that could be considered somewhat 'high'.
I have never tried it, but your request made me start wondering what a person might already have around that could be used...

CM

[MtGun44]

Save yourself a whole lot of trouble and order the tiny bottle of
BullPlate Lube from the Bull Shop. Many folks have tried many
things and 'the answer' is Bull Plate lube. Nothing else is even
close, it's cheap and if you don't spill it will last about 40 yrs of
casting. :)

I have no connection to Bull Shop except as another of many
very satisfied customers.

Bill

[fireflyfather]

Update: Spoke to someone at Lee Precision. According to them, if you find yourself in my situation (Lee aluminum mold and no stick type bullet lubricant), the next best thing is beeswax. Following that something called "never seez", an automotive anti-seizing lubricant. They really stressed that the stick lubricant is best (of course).

They make a point of saying NOT to use the liquid alox, as it will bake into/onto what you are lubricating, and harden up instead of lubricating.

[Buckshot]

..............fireflyfather, you're smart to be interested in keeping your Lee moulds lube. The aluminum gets a bit sticky at it's wroking temp range. The steel sprueplate (on it's underside) may gall the aluminum or pickup lead. The horizontal alignment surfaces (the 'V's on either edge of both blocks) is very large and they must do some easy slidding to help the vertical steel roller bearing alignment pin below the cavity(s) to ease into it's mating slot in the opposing block half.

I used to keep lube that naturally finds it's way out of the lube-sizer press, and put it into a plastic 35mm film can. This sat next to the lead pot, and I used a small jewelers screwdriver to dig out a bitty bit to judiciously apply to the blocks in various and sundry places. So, what about boolit lube?

It's good points:
1) Cheap
2) On hand
3) Worked

It's bad points:
1) Doesn't work very long
2) Can NOT be used on sprueplate underside
3) Possible capillary action will draw it into a cavity if used to lube pivit pin. Nice hotted up mould ready to go, but raisen looking boolits. Not good, waste of time, lube, carb cleaner.
4) Accumilative brown residue
5) The hotter you run the blocks the worse all the above becomes

The Bullshop Bullplate lube

The good points:
1) None of the above. VERY effective and long lasting. Clean.
2) Cheap

The bad points:
1) Not on hand unless you order some :-)

.................Buckshot

[ebner glocken]

I have been using cheveron EP-2 grease. Just a little smudge of it where needed then heat up the mold where the simi liquid runns off and a dry film is left. I'm sure you can find it at any autozone or such in your area. The main reason I use the synthetic bearing grease is that the solids stay on quite well after the liquid part burns off. Lithuim grease will just burn up and run off.

[lee n. field]

The Bullshop Bullplate lube


How do you order? I looked at his website, saw the price list, but didn't see any way to order online.

[Bullshop]

Use the contact link and send an email. That way Tina will get your order and not me. If you just give it to me Lord only knows what will happen to it.
BIC/BS

[montana_charlie]

I thought the 'Bullshop' was closed for the winter...?
CM

[lee n. field]

Use the contact link and send an email.

Done, thank you.

--the obviously pseudonymous "lee n. field"

[Bullshop]

Change in plans Charlie, we are gonna stay here and trap but pretend not to be here.
Its time for my boys to learn to trap so selling boolits is taking second place this year.
I will fill orders on a limited basis, read that SLOW as in no hurry. Lube and stuff like that Tina can handle, no problem. Season started today.
BIC/BS

[fireflyfather]

Well, the anti-seize grease seems to be doing the job along with the graphite pencil, at least for the time being. Thanks for all the help. I broke in my Lee TL158SWC-2C tonight. Took about 20-30 casts to break the damn thing in (even with smoking, cleaning w/ mineral spirits, etc), but I finally got about 50 or 55 good boolits out of it. Towards the end was making good stuff. Tumble lubed em and we'll see how they load in the morning.

Again, thanks for all the help for a new caster.

Of course, pics will be coming soon.

[fireflyfather]

OK, now that I've lubed the darn things, I am experiencing the pain all new casters feel, and I don't mean burning flesh.

I cleaned with paint thinner, lubed and smoked the molds. Fiddled with both the mold temp and alloy temp. Am pouring onto the sprue plate bevel, not into the sprue hole itself. I can't seem to get decent bullets. I finally got the mold worked in, giving off 75% good bullets after say, about 40 casts, but today I couldn't hardly get any at all.

The edges are nice and sharp, so I don't think it's zinc in my alloy (clip on WW). I'm mostly finding "scars" and areas where it looks like maybe air got trapped in the nose, or somehow the mold didn't fill out properly. When I get the yellowish residue from the matches (see below), it is much worse, so I'm thinking either grease or some kind of moisture is in there. I know it isn't the alloy, because I am using the same batch of alloy (I only cast 50 or so good rounds last night, so there is plenty left).

My questions are these:
1. Do you have to resmoke the mold every time you use it?
2. When I smoke the mold with kitchen matches, sometimes a yellowish LIQUID forms in the mold cavity. WTH is that, and what do I have to do to clean it out?
3. Do I have to start over and degrease the mold cavities/interior surfaces of the mold?

Thanks.

[Dale53]

I just broke in a new Lee Six cavity mould this morning (Saturday). I took an old toothbrush (if you don't have an old one, your wife's toothbrush will do fine:mrgreen:) and using liquid hand soap liberally applied scrubbed the dickens out of the mould paying particular attention to the cavities. Rinse with very hot water and do it again. In fact, a third time would be time well spent.

Then, I pre-heated the mould on a hot plate that I have for the purpose. I cast about fifteen minutes before things started working well. After that, it was clear sailing and nothing but good bullets rolled out of that VERY nice .430" 200 gr WC mould.

After these things are broken in, they will do fine without smoking or ANYTHING. EXCEPT, you do need to lightly, and I mean LIGHTLY, lube the proper areas. I use and recommend Bull Plate Lube as, by far, the best stuff for the purpose.

I will hit the casting shack again tomorrow and I expect to do nothing but run LOTS of VERY nice bullets.

Good luck!
Dale53

[Buckshot]

...............fireflyfather, as Dale53 suggested, clean the blocks again. Ditch the kitchen matches, candles, paper book matches, etc for smoking the cavities. Use a Zippo, or Bic type butane lighter. All those other type things can or could have wax on'em and it gets deposited along with the soot.

The cavities do not have to be loack with it. Just discolored is fine. So far as being required to do it everytime you use the mould, prolly not.

This is the way I start with a mould. New or otherwise. After the alloy has come up to speed, I will set the base of the blocks (if possible) on the hot alloy for a 20 count. If the blocks are too long to set the base on the alloy, partially submerge as much of the bottom half of the blocks in the alloy as possible. Once alloy stops sticking to the blocks their temp is right.

Begin casting. You will probably have to wait a bit before striking the SP over as it will take a bit for the sprue to set up. When you drop the boolits they'll be sharp, well cast and frosted. As you continue casting the surface will lose the frosted appearance, but should remain well cast.

If, while maintaining your casting tempo you begin to get rounded features either:
1) Cast faster
2) Increase the alloy temp

The fact that you got good castings before tells me there is no issue with your alloy. Since you're casting pistol boolits you may not have to 'swirl' the alloy into the cavities. Try running the stream straight in. Yuo shoudl see the alloy 'bounce' up out of the hole when full. Go to the next one.

..................Buckshot

[Bret4207]

Run the lead right into the mold, nit the edge of the sprue plate. Cast hotter and faster. Look up the "Bruce B speedcasting method" here to learn how to cool the sprue. Welcome to the clan!

PM headed your way.

[fireflyfather]

Got it figured out. Cleaned per your guys instructions. Resmoked using butane, and voila! No yellow, waxy residue. Still cast crummy bullets until I got the temps right for mold and alloy. Then it was a nice clean run for about 50 projectiles with VERY few rejects. Been moving house today, so don't have much time for foolin about, but will get back with pictures once I have time. Thanks again for the help, folks.

[Ken O]

For the mold lube just a candle will work, it doesn't mater what kind, just whatever is around like a birthday candle etc.
I must be the only one that doesn't smoke the molds, if they drop good it doesn't seem to mater if its smoked or not. I have a troblesome Lyman mold that had a couple cavities that wanted to stick. I "leemented" them, but instead of using Comet on the bullet, I used valve grinding compound. I just took it easy, and the bullets drop out real nice. There is nothing more frustrating then having to bang out the bullets each time. With the Lee molds I just go ahead and leement (with Comet), there is always going to be a least one cavity that just doesnt want to give it up.

[fireflyfather]

Update: almost good 500 rounds cranked out and lubed. Preheating the mold on hot plate was the finishing touch. Averaging about 200 rnds per hour not counting melting time. Unfortunately, that's in half hour casting sessions. Hard to get more than an hour at a time right now, but darned if you guys haven't helped make this a success.