Mold issues

[Utah Shooter]

The faces of my mold are completely clean. After the 1st cast my bullets keep looking like this. I cannot see any lieght between the mold halces even during casting. A couple of casts in I can see lead starting to stick to the cavity furthest away and then a few more the next cavity and so on. Any ideas?

[Utah Shooter]

The faces of my mold are completely clean. After the 1st cast my bullets keep looking like this. I cannot see any lieght between the mold halces even during casting. A couple of casts in I can see lead starting to stick to the cavity furthest away and then a few more the next cavity and so on. Any ideas?
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170409/8a5bab459e50f48d311dc847107ccd96.jpg

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[country gent]

I don't see a pictures of the bullets. Is this an aluminum mould ( noe lee accurate ect) steel / cast iron or brass mould? WHat is the lead temps running at? As a first step on any of the above check for burrs on edges holding blocks slightly open. Alighnment pins to deep and or binding areas in handles and mount screws.

[Utah Shooter]

Lead temp is at 700 with brass mold.

[country gent]

Okay take blocks from handle and seat by hand feeling for Rock or tight spots binding. You may need to adjust the depth of one or more pins to get them to seat completely together. Other wise look for burrs on edges of blocks and cavities. rub lightly along edges with a cotton q-tip, pulled fibers indicate a burr and need a light rubbing with a pencil eraser or bamboo skewer to remove them. Also make sure mould is open enough when dropping bullets.

[bangerjim]

Did you season the brass mold B4 ever starting? Heat on your electric hotplate to full casting temp 4X, letting it cool completely between heatings. Mold should be a deep golden yellow, not bright brassy as it was when you got it. That oxide layer keeps the lead from sticking. Doing that on every new brass mold, I have never had any lead stick.

Your "flash" is caused by something on the face or burrs on the mold halves. Check as mentioned above. Your finger can feel 0.001 or better! So feel around the surfaces and edges.

And some look like you are opening the mold too soon. Brass molds like to run HOT!!!!!!!!! VERY HOT! Make sure you preheat mold to full casting temp on an electric hot plate B4 ever starting.

And play around with a higher pour temp.

Check the pins.

[runfiverun]

Joe is that the MP slick side?

I have been slowly working on one for another member here.
one of the things I still need to work at is the alignment pins.

I'm not 100% sure from the pictures, but they look similar to what I started with here.
the pins wouldn't quite go into the sockets and I was getting a little air gap.
the steel and the brass expands at a different rate and they little gap grows when the mold gets hot.
this slightly off sets the mold halves too.

check those alignment pins/sockets when the mold is hot and see if they are mating up properly you might need to put the squeeze on the mold or tap [one of] the pins in some.

[Utah Shooter]

Yes it is. I will have to look into that and see.

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[rototerrier]

I've run into this with one of my Mihec molds. I wasn't able to stop it until I dropped the alloy temperature to 670-680. Anything higher and I'd start to get build up. Simple thing to try to see if it helps you. Start casting at the absolute lowest temperature you can. Just where the alloy flows. Slowly start coming up in temp and monitor the situation. Of course, you have to start with a clean mold. Once you get build up, it just snowballs no matter what you do.

[Utah Shooter]

Interesting. Why do you think that is? Slight warping?

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[rototerrier]

I wish I knew and could tell. It's just something I tried while I was trying to figure it out. I don't think it's warping because I can still get the mold too hot from casting too fast, which is evident by smearing on the sprue plate, unclean cuts, etc. So I know i've gotten the mold just as hot for both hotter and cooler alloys.

All I can say is once I figured this out, I've cast thousands of good boolits and the mold is still spotless. I never have to clean it or do anything other than apply a little oil where the oil is needed.

I'm using a PID controlled RCBS ProMelt. I'm unsure I'd be able to hone in on the perfect temp without it. Built in controllers seem to have very wild temperature swings. I'd probably go mad trying to keep up with it without my pid.