lyman mold tune up tricks

[barrabruce]

O.k. got a new lyman mould to me.
311466 single.

O.k. it cast well ish but.......
Can some one give me tips or direct me to the sticky that explains all.

My search "foo" is dismal.

It appears to have been dropped on its corner at one stage and dinged a bit.
I beat the aligning pin back in and cleaned off the burr that had been kicked up around there.Than filed the corner flat again which allows the mould to close a lot better. Tapped the pin so it mated properly.
So fingers crossed.

The sprue plate tended to cut but rub over the sprue and leave a knob when I first tried it out.

I have tightened it a bit as per destructions but it can be flexed up with thumb pressure off the blocks.
Is it supposed to have a flat washer under the split washer??
And is this normal??

I can see faint light through the mated blocks but it appears to be the vent lines as the light is broken.

I only got to check it out cos it is casting slightly out of round and thicker on the block edges by a couple of thou.

I have to go now and cast some to how I went.

I can't find a "sticky on tuning steel block moulds".

This is my first one and I have had to search through a lot of threads to find the info I have.

I'm not an expert or such and like many ...every now and again need help to figure out whats what .

Even if I have forgotten what I did know'd.

If there is one please direct me. [smilie=s:

Barra

[ElDorado]

http://www.castpics.net/subsite2/MoldMods/default.html

Specifically:

http://www.castpics.net/subsite2/MoldMods/LymanMoldTuneUp.pdf

[barrabruce]

Thanks Eldorado that's exactly what I need.

The only trick I can pass on is to use hard card board with the machine marks to get lead smearies off if you get excited and start speed casting.
Just finished a few hand full of castings and mic'ed a random sampling. It seems pretty well spot on now.

Now I'll have to go through read the threads and continue one as where need be.

Thanks :cbpour:
Barra

[Smoke4320]

Thanks for those links .. I was looking for the same thing
just tryed 2 days to cast with a lyman 314299 mold and I have to knock the devil out of ther mold to get it to drop bullets ..
running 98/2 COWW at 730 and mold heated to 600 degrees .. spews frost at about 4 to 5 seconds .
bullets look great but the hammering is worrying me..
Have rubbed the cavity edges with an oak stick pushed hard several times and that has not done any good
so areading I go
Thanks

[barrabruce]

Try rubbing the mould with a lead pencil softer is better like a 6b.
I do the inside and the block tops and sprue plate.
When I get sticky bullets I hold the mould tight while pouring and let the pressure off when cutting the sprue..other wise I tend to dig in or want to tighten the blocks when I cut it. Maybe jamming it into the blocks...well it seams like that.

Found that helped me a bit.

Haven't a thing but a kero stove and bottom pour dipper...but the solidifying in about 5-6 seems right.

Have you fooled around with pressure pouring or lack there of????
Mine seem to want to cast differently to one another.Or change slightly when well up to temp.
If your getting stickies the blocks could be too cold and the leads shrinking on the lube grooves holding it in the corners...that's where the lead pencil comes in to fill the corner a bees willy.
I cast slightly frosty when it heats up to what I call temp.

[barrabruce]

314299 that should be easy to cast with only a couple of grooves!!!!
Try a cold mold and wrinklies should just fall out.
I'd scrub the mould with methylated spirits and a tooth brush.
use the graphite and try again. lead will keep sticking to itself.
Part from that you'll have to wait till some one who knows better comes along.
Hope it helps if any
Barra.

[bhn22]

To eliminate the bullet base bump, try breaking the sprue with a gloved hand, insteas of using the commonly suggested big stick. Push down on the sprue plate handle as you cut. Single and double cavity sprues should break readily by hand once the mold is at operating temperature.

[barrabruce]

Thanks bhn22 I started out with my small whacking stick then went with the gloved hand.
Yep right as rain now....thanks.

[detox]

Moly powder or graphite works good at preventing sprue plate gaulding. I use Q-tip to apply