wow, what a $25 dollar casting equipment score

[oley55]

I have been collecting lead and whatever and always watching for some inexpensive molds n stuff to start learning bullet casting. I was checking the "Florida Gun Trader" web sight last night and found these 6 molds, dipper, and everything seen in the pic for ONLY $25 bucks. https://floridaguntrader.com/index.php?a=2&b=656269 Sent the guy a text and met and then became the proud owner this morning.

A bit of surface rust/corrosion here n there but not bad (or so me thinks). molds are 4 Lee and 2 Lyman (4-358, 1- 430, and 1-9MM), pretty much what I do all my blasting with.

does anyone know if naval jelly for the steel molds and aluminum jelly for the aluminum can be used without harm to the molds?


193952

[skeettx]

Just clean them up with a toothbrush and cast with them
I use Ballistol with the toothbrush and Q-tips

I would bet they will cast great bullet if the insides are just cleaned

Mike

[rintinglen]

I have used Evaporust on a pretty grungy mold and was quite pleased at the results. There are a few pits, but the boolits cast well and shoot straight after sizing.

[Calamity Jake]

"Evaporust" found at many auto parts stores will remove rust from the steel molds and parts without
removing any metal, works real well, it will remove the bluing but that doesn't matter.

The aluminum will need to be cleaned with a tooth brush and some kind of mild abrasive
like ajax cleaner or baking soda.

[merlin101]

You got a great deal!

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

Just clean them up with a toothbrush and cast with them
I use Ballistol with the toothbrush and Q-tips

I would bet they will cast great bullet if the insides are just cleaned

Mike
I would avoid chemicals for the first attempt at cleaning and casting.

I'm with skeettx, I would start with: Toothbrush, dish soap and real hot tap water. Wash/brush and rinse, and repeat a few times.
then try casting, if you have an issue with a certain mold, post close up photos of it, and the details of the issue, then we can walk you through a fix. It's easy to screw up a mold if you don't know what you are doing.

PS, yeah, what a great deal, the lyman ingot mold is worth that price.

[kungfustyle]

I check it every day. Nice Score!!!!

[oley55]

yea, I'm way guilty of being an instant gratification guy fer sure. But in this instance I have been sitting on the casting fence for almost three years, just hoping for a really good deal. fer my dime, this qualifies.

after a closer look the Lee aluminum molds were/are in great shape. the two Lyman steel/iron molds needed a little attention and I have been hand cleaning all day and feel pretty sure I don't to do anything else except start casting.

[scattershot]

I notice that one of the Lee molds is a single cavity. A while back, they were offering to trade a doulble cavity mold for a single. Sounds too good to,be true, but I did it. You might check with Lee.

[pjames32]

Great find. Clean with non-abrasive cleaner and try them out. Ingot mold works best with a little surface rust.

[MT Gianni]

I would go over the lyman molds with a wooden #2 pencil. Sharpen it and put graphite/lead on all surfaces, then break off the point and rub it off with the wood. At one time, per Felix, the wood in a yellow stick pencil was osage orange. If that doesn't clean it up and lube it try a toothbrush.

[james23]

has anyone used a liquid sonic cleaner to clean moulds?

[skeettx]

No, but if I did try, I would only put in a half block at a time

[CHeatermk3]

Toothbrush Dawn and hot water--hot enuff that it gets the mold too hot to hold in your hand. Then wipe off with a towel or paper towel and let the heat of the mold finish drying it. Get yourself a thermometer so you can control the heat of your melt, and go for it!!

[lightman]

Nice Score! I agree with using a tooth brush and hot soapy water on the molds. A wire brush in a drill will work well on the insides of that casting pot. The ingot mold will work fine with a little rust in it but I prolly would give it a squirt of oil to retard any severe rust. Congratulations!

[mazo kid]

You can use any of the above listed methods for cleaning the iron molds. Some oil on 0000 steel wool will take off the light surface rust. If there is rust in the cavities, just cast some boolits and many times the rust will come out. For stubborn rust I have used a pencil eraser to clean the cavities. It won't take any pits out but will polish the cavities a bit without changing any dimensions.