Mold Help?

[Thomas Traddles]

I "won" an RCBS 38 140 WC on Ebay earlier in the week and received my prize in the mail today. The mold looks as if it has never been used. I have discovered, however, that one of the mold handle pins is frozen in place and will not budge. Unlike the new mold handle style pins which are two pieces (pin and set screw) this older style mold handle pin is one piece. Anyone have any suggestions as to how I might loosen the pin so as to get it out? Thanks

[Yodogsandman]

Squirt with Kroil, leave it overnight and heat it up before attempting removal again.

[Grendl]

+1 on the kroil , if that doesn't work rinse and repeat

[gunshot98]

That will do it every time. that Kroll is some of the best stuff i've ever used.

[Thomas Traddles]

I've got no Kroil, gents. Will WD40 work?

[dragon813gt]

WD40 is a weak penetrating oil. Have any other type?

[Thomas Traddles]

I've got some 3in1, that is about it.

[country gent]

3&1oil freeze and warm cycles. A few drops of 3&1 oil put in freezer for severl hours then set out on counter and allow to warm to room temp, do this cycle several times the cold hot will help pull the oil into the threads and crevices. Clamp in soft jawed vice and slowly heat area evenly with a propane tourch. with a tight fitting driver lightl;y tap on the driver while turning the driver this vibration will help to free the screw also. Otherwise drilling it out is the only option. If it comes to this if possible use a left hand drill in a drill press mill that will run in reverse. Or take to local machhine shop with good screw and pin so they know what they are working with and have them remove it.

[bangerjim]

"Buster" from Lowe's is the best stuff I have found for penetrating fluid in a handy spray can.

WD40 is (literally) "Water Displacement formula #40" developed shortly after WWII to dry off metal stuff. (after 39 failed trys!) It does not work as a penetrant well at all in my workshops. And totally evaporates. They have marketed it as such for years. I used to use it as starter fluid until they took all the good stuff out of it because of the "greenies".

Even transmission fluid and acetone will work better!

3 in 1 is another horrible product. It can gaul things rather than lube it! Much better light lube oils out there than that stuff. I do not allow it in my shops.

Make a trip to Lowe's or Home Depot! You will ALWAYS need good oils in your shop.

[leadman]

Make sure you lube both the top where the threads are and the bottom where the pin goes into the mold. WD40 is about 90% Stoddard solvent which is basically paint thinner. For awhile they were using propane for a propellant until some joker stuck his can to a starter post! Then they started using HFC 134a (new freon) as the propellant.
I had a pin stick in one of my RCBS molds so I lubed it with a penetrant and let it set a day. No joy, so lubed it some more and stuck it in one of my toaster ovens in the garage and heated it up and then shut off the heat. It came out.

[Mal Paso]

50/50 ATF and Acetone beat Every Name Brand in all tests I've seen.

[John Boy]

To unfreeze that pin, soak it in a solution of 50:50 ATF & Acetone. Let it sit for a few minutes, then work the handles slowly back and forth
...............................................
Machinist's Workshop magazine tested penetrates for break out torque on rusted nuts. They are below, as forwarded by an ex-student and professional machinist, Bud Baker.

They arranged a subjective test of all the popular penetrants with the control being the torque required to remove the nut from a "scientifically rusted" environment.
*Penetrating oil ..... Average load*
None ...................... 516 pounds
WD-40 ................... 238 pounds
PB Blaster ............... 214 pounds
Liquid Wrench ......... 127 pounds
Kano Kroil .............. 106 pounds
ATF-Acetone mix.......53 pounds

I keep a quart of it in the gun room and it has not let me down yet. Latest was unfreezing tang plugs for the vernier holes on an 1886 JM Marlin Ballard rifle

[Thomas Traddles]

Thanks for the replies. My neighbor had some PB Blaster. I will try that. If it does not work, I'll try the ATF and Acetone since I have it on hand. If that does not work, I'll try Kroil.

[WRideout]

If you only need a little bit of acetone, that is the ingredient in the non-oily fingernail polish remover (I used to work in a hospital, where all the surgery patients had to remove polish and rings.) FWIW.

Wayne

[Mal Paso]

I knew about the ATF/Acetone tests long before I found a way to make it usable. A container that would prevent the Acetone from evaporating and make it easy to apply. About $32 on Amazon. I filled and pressurized it (air compressor/tire pump) over 6 months ago and after many uses it is still holding pressure. Good to over 100 psi I found 30-40 plenty for the mix. Just shake before using.

[Thomas Traddles]

Well, the threads on the screw stripped before I could get it loose. So I had to take the block to a machine shop to have it fixed. Finding a machine shop that deals with little things like this is not easy and time consuming. So, with all my running around and the 20 -- 25 buck fee for the machine shop, I didn't save a dime going the ebay route over buying a new mold. I thought I had a deal last week. Not so much this week.

[pjames32]

Glad you out bid me!
PJ

[Thomas Traddles]

:-)

There was an identical mold that I let go because I did not bid high enough, so I thought I would snag this one. Should have gone for the RCBS 38 148 WC that was running at the same time. I would have had two molds of that bullet and increased production. I like that particular mold as the bullet shoots accurately for me. But, the rest is history, as they say.


Glad you out bid me!
PJ

[gwpercle]

Good old Liquid Wrench penetrating oil is usually available . I looked high and low for Kroil and never found a source around my area.
Gary