Is this mold toast?

[302w]

I inherited this Ideal 311316 (which oddly enough says 311311 and was restamped 311316).

It appears that someone ruined one cavity. One appears sharp and the other appears worn. Is that cavity toast?

Once I cast with it if the one cavity is indeed ruined, can I just fill the sprue hole with JB weld and use it as a single cavity?

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y38/SSOK/Mobile%20Uploads/20160605_124825_zpsxnbp8khx.jpg

[Buckshot Bill]

cast with it and see how the boolits look

[bangerjim]

Clean the RUST (!) off the faces first. That could cause flash at the joints.

Then cast with it. Always PREHEAT on a hot plat to full casting temp first.

If one cavity will not work for you, just do not use it! Why mess with JB weld?????? You probably will be creating more problems for yourself.

banger

[longbow]

I'd clean it up with something like Naval Jelly or hmmmm there is one several people rave about (Evapo-Rust?) that can't etch the mould but if Naval jelly is used properly it won't hurt either and it dissolves rust.

You will have to heat blue or use cold blue to protect the mould after. Sometimes after lapping I'll just cast right away and make sure the mould gets good and hot and that will return the heat blue, then oil after it cools.

Yeah, what banger said... why bother with JB weld. if a cavity is no good them don't use it. I am pretty sure JB weld will burn off anyway. It is epoxy.

By the way, the cavities don't look bad to me, just the mould faces and cleaning that rust off should fix that.

Longbow

[tazman]

The crimp groove is the only part of that cavity that looks effected. I really don't think it will make much difference.
Try it out and see how it shoots. Worst case, you have some small lead ingots that need remelted and cast.

[shooter93]

I wonder if you could try "lapping" the bad cavity enough that it would be sharp again but cast a larger diameter bullet. Might be handy some day if it worked.

[big bore 99]

Try it out first. If bad, just mark the sprue plate and don't use that side. JB weld will melt into a gooey mess.

[Artful]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y4yYF8gSHdA

[imashooter2]

It looks like someone took a drill to one cavity to try and remove the lube grooves. It also looks like they did so off center and hit into the ogive on one side. While trying to cast with that cavity and seeing what you get is free, what you'll get is dung.

You have a single cavity mold. I wouldn't plug the sprue plate with anything. I'd just pour the good hole.

[mold maker]

While look are somewhat important to the caster/user, the intended target won't know the difference.
The loss of the lube groove makes it a candidate for BLL lube.
Cast away, they'll be easy to separate if necessary.

[gwpercle]

I've rescued much worse looking. A good cleaning , be gentle , use a loot of TLC (tender loving care) , get all the crud gently removed. NO wire brushing , NO Dremel tool with sharp stones , wire wheels or anything that can damage the surface.

I have used a bullet shaped polishing bob with a little metal polishing compound to clean and remove the built up stuff from insides the cavities. Even light surface rust. Your cavities look pretty good. Inside the cavities is where you must be gentle.

The faces of the blocks can be stoned flat , with a good coat of oil , cleaned with 0000 copper or steel wool or other method that will leave the blocks as flat and smooth as possible.

[imashooter2]

I can't believe everyone is looking at the same picture I am...

[725]

I've used worse. Cast and see how it goes. Do remove the rust.

[country gent]

The picture dosnt come up for me here so the basics first. A good cleaning with tooth brush solvent and the soap water. Work it over gently removing any deposits build up with a Bamboo skewer stick lightly rubbing them off out. When the mould is clean look it over good with a magnifier lense, and cast a few to see what they look like. If they are to size ( better is min to a little small) and dont appear to far gone shoot a few from that cavity and see what they do. You might be able to get an idea or what and how much its been changed with a bullet from the other cavity. Scraping blue or grease applied to the good cavities bullet inserted into the other cavity may show where changes have been made to it. What to do is going to be determined by the above and what is seen. Using a bullet from the good cavity to lap the other cavity may get squarer edges and help if theres room on the dia.

[P Flados]

With rust removed, the one cavity still looks good for the standard bullet.

The other one does look to be poorly modified. You do not need lube grooves if you tumble lube or if you powder coat. You do however need round (or at least symmetric).

If you want to "save" the modified cavity it is likely that some lapping would be in order to restore it to round. Once round, it may or may not be useful depending on diameter and on what lube options you are willing to use.

[dubber123]

I can't believe everyone is looking at the same picture I am...

Me either:) That cavity had a chance encounter with a dull hand drill. It might be useful to make pure lead slugs for barrel measuring, but that's it. Just use the one good cavity.

[302w]

This is disappointing. Not unexpected however.

What annoys me the most is I'd love to buy a Lee mold, but the one I had in 9mm was such garbage. I may return it through their CS and see if I get a good one in return. A single cavity will never get me anywhere on a plinker with big mags.

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y38/SSOK/Mobile%20Uploads/20160606_210105_zps8jm7egaa.jpg

[dubber123]

LEE makes a little 110 grain that looks similar, commonly known as the "soupcan". It is a well regarded design. I have had excellent results with my last 3 LEE's, that hasn't been the case in the past with me, but I just ordered #4 yesterday. We shall see if my luck holds.

[richhodg66]

LEE makes a little 110 grain that looks similar, commonly known as the "soupcan". It is a well regarded design. I have had excellent results with my last 3 LEE's, that hasn't been the case in the past with me, but I just ordered #4 yesterday. We shall see if my luck holds.

I believe this one can be had in six cavity version too. I was quite the hater of Lee molds too, until I tried a six cavity one. Now I'm trying to replace as many of my molds as possible with designs that can be had in those six cavity Lees.

Not sure if the soup can will cast big enough for your specific application though. It's designed for .308 bore rifles.

[Good Cheer]

Is that a candidate for a 8mm paper patch?

[imashooter2]

Is that a candidate for a 8mm paper patch?

That off center chunk of dung isn't a good candidate for sling shot ammo.

[Dragonheart]

There are some things that are just not worth your time and effort. I think this mold falls into that category.

[Roha Waha]

Clean it , smoke the cavities, and get it hot before casting . It will be fine.

[dubber123]

Clean it , smoke the cavities, and get it hot before casting . It will be fine.

Did you miss the pic of what comes out of that mold? ;)

[Sasquatch-1]

As mentioned earlier, could be a candidate for a paper patch or ream out to just below the top of the drive band and tumble lube.

[302w]

The unmolested cavity works well and will get me into casting for 30 carbine. I will buy a Lee soup can if I like it.

I had fun cleaning and bluing the mold too.

[dubber123]

The unmolested cavity works well and will get me into casting for 30 carbine. I will buy a Lee soup can if I like it.

I had fun cleaning and bluing the mold too.

Good deal, I had the same # mold, and mine was a factory problem child. It worked nicely to make into a .50 cal paper patch mold though. :)

[wiljen]

I think I'd drill a small hole through the bottom that you could thread a swivel through and turn it into a sinker mold. As a bullet mold its days are past.