i have 2 filthy lee 6 cav molds...how do you clean them?

[mozeppa]

yes! how DO YOU clean them?

i have grunge on the bottom...smeared lead on the tops of the mold and smeared lead on the cut side of the sprue plate.
did smoke the mold...
didn't use kroil before ...will now .

then after somebody es'plains the proper cleaning and prep of a filthy mold....lets sticky it!

i'm a newby ....found nuttin' on cleaning & prep of a nasty mold.

[Harter66]

Carb cleaner might take care of the grunge. The lead smear should come off w/a popcicle stick or a pencil . I have a couple of moulds that I have lapped the face of the plate to cure the smear, stick and gouge effects.
I haven't been to worried about the grunge that several moulds show from my early days of casting.

[Old Scribe]

Try hot soapy water and one of those nylon brillo pads. Let it soak then scrub away. Sometimes I have used WD40 to loosen and remove unknown grunge.

[CastingFool]

Remember, aluminum is soft and easily gouged.

[CRA]

I let mine sit in Mineral Spirits overnight. Then I scrub them with a brush and acetone. The key is to let them soak.

[shoot-n-lead]

I soak them and then use a little comet cleanser...works pretty good to clean those dirty alum molds.

[MT Gianni]

Get it up to casting temps and wipe it off with a burlap bag, soft cotton cloth or popsicle stick.

[longbow]

You already got some good advice here.

I will second bringing the mould up to temperature and actually beyond to just about the melting point of the alloy then use a rag and/or wood popsicle sticks or thin shavings to scrape the lead off the aluminum. That should take care of the lead without damaging the mould.

As for any "grunge" I will second carb cleaner. It takes off any kind of varnish (baked on oil/sprue plate lube), soot, etc. Mineral spirits or acetone or lacquer thinner should all work as well. Brake cleaner maybe but I have had better results from carb cleaner. I would stay away from anything like Comet or other abrasive household cleaner because not only is aluminum soft, but many household cleaner have corrosive substances in them as well.

You should check the underside of the sprue plate for burrs and remove by beveling the edges with a find stone, diamond hone or fine emery cloth on a piece of flat far. Also, it may help to flatten the bottom of the sprue plate by rubbing on a flat stone or fine emery cloth on a flat surface like a table saw or piece of glass.

Basically though "grunge" on the outside doesn't affect casting. Only splashes, build up of lead or dings on the mould faces, underside of sprue plate or alignment pins. I wouldn't worry about aesthetics too much.

My take anyway.

Longbow

[mozeppa]

thanks guys!

[Newtire]

I tried a product called "Cameo Aluminum and Stainless Steel Cleaner" from our local grocery store. Make into a paste and rub in with a sponge. I used a toothbrush for the cavities. Real great at cleaning stainless revolvers too. You won't believe the results.

[RobS]

Hot soapy Dawn water along with a Mr. Clean Magic Eraser and make sure it's the extra strength one.

[gwpercle]

Be careful, the aluminum is SOFT. I had a big aluminum "magnalite" knock-off pot and scratched the top with a green and yellow 3M scrub pad. Never thought aluminum would scratch with that but it did. Got the scratches out with metal polishing compound.

I degrunged some Lee moulds with a soft toothbrush and scrubbed with dawn and hotwater. Remaining grunge with acetone/brake cleaner and finished up flat surfaces with 400 / 600 wet-or-dry paper and oil, rubbing lightly. Be careful of any abrasive in the cavity itself.
Gary

[Echo]

Be careful re using carb cleaner - it will pit the aluminum if you leave it in too long. Repair shops don't run Al through the carb cleaner, or the hot tank, indiscriminately . . .