First Iron Molds - Any tips?

[Hanzy4200]

I had a dual cavity Lee mold "go bad" on me in pretty short order. Irritated me enough to buy a Lyman. It's a used but very well cared for dual 95 gr 9mm Mak mold. I have a dozen or so Lee's, but no iron molds. My main concern is lubing and general use. Do I need to lube with beeswax? Is a spray of Rem oil after casting ok for storage? Any tips?

[toallmy]

If you go to forum at the top left side of the page , then go to mold maintenance and design , there is a sticky - sprue plate and mold lubrication that is very helpful . Don't forget to lube the alignment pins , and the sprue plate screw . I think you will enjoy a hard metal mold .

[oger]

Iron molds have very few problems with lack of lube like Alum. ones. I personally don't lube any of my iron molds.

[ShooterAZ]

I put NOE's sprue plate lube very sparingly on the underside of the plate, the hinge and the alignment pins. A tiny amount is all that is needed. Your iron molds will last virtually forever if properly cared for.

[john.k]

Ally molds are wrecked using them,but most iron molds are wrecked by rust in storage.More recent Lyman molds are steel,earlier ones are cast iron.The steel ones are more susceptible to rust.Which means they must be oiled or greased in storage,then cleaned before use.Some claim they leave the last bullet cast in the mold,and that is sufficient.I wouldnt risk it.

[country gent]

On my iron and brass moulds I do lube with 2 cycle motor oil. I clean them the night before casting with hot water and dish soap scrub with a tooth brush good and rinse well. I dry them with a heat gun or heat source for speed. I then lightly lube the bottom of srue plate and top of blocks with a qtip and 2 cycle oil. I wipe a light coat on then wipe that down with the clean dry end of the q tip. I then lube the alighnment pins lightly these can be left with the light wipe as is. Then a drop of oil on each block screw handle and a couple drops on the handles hinge pin. I don't use anything is the cavities.

[country gent]

As to storage rust prevention. a good oil is fine as is other means. I have used a mix off paraffin and oil for awhile. Melt it together in a double boiler and pour into sticks. While mould is hot after the session wipe down lightly brush with a brass brush to remove any build ups. If oil coat If the paraffin wax lightly touch the bar to the moulds each fave and cavity close and touch to to[p of blocks and bottom of sprue plate and close. same with outside of blocks and let cool. This coats and seals the blocks from air and moisture. If you oil or wax then the moulds need the cleaning before casting also.

[Grmps]

An aluminum mold will last a long time if cared for and not abused.

People fail to lube the pins/sprue swivel and occasionally lube between the sprue and the mold.
If the mold is properly warmed and not hammered on it will last a long time.

I liked the old Ideal/Lyman molds but would never buy a new one. I've seen too many less than stellar Lyman products/warranty and customer service in the last few years.
You can get better quality/warranty/customer service from RCBS, NOE, SAECO, MI-HEC, LEE.....

[Tom W.]

I'll squirt some RemOil on mine after they cool. It burns out pretty quickly at the next session. I'll most times leave the last bullets in the mold. Supposed to help maintain alignment., at least that is what was printed on the literature that came with my T/C molds.

[Hanzy4200]

Thank you all for your input. My pot is warming up. We'll give her a run here in a minute.

[John Boy]

* Clean the mold with hot soapy water
* The only lube needed is on the pins and use paraffin which does not leave any coating on the mold because it is an Alkane. Do Not Use Beeswax - it will leave a burned coating on the mold that you will not be able to remove!

[Buckshot]

..............First thing I do with any new mould (iron or not) is to modify the SP hold down/pivot bolt as below:

http://www.fototime.com/AFDED95A2C82A1E/standard.jpg

I place a Brass washer against the SP and then replace whatever pressure device is provided with a 'wave washer', unless it's provided to begin with. I abhor Lyman's modified lock washer and don't like RCBS's Belleville washer.

I lube the mould before use with 2 stroke engine oil. I use an old hypodermic syringe (we had horses so I have a few :-)) A tiny drop is added through the wave washer to the pivot bolt. It finds it's way down the pivot bolt. You don't want to swing the plate and see a smear of it on the block tops. I only apply lube to the alignment pin holes. I put a drop of lube on a cotton swab. After a bit it's applied to the holes.

After I'm done with the mould and it's cool, I wipe it down (externally only) with a silicone impregnated flannel cloth. It then goes into a small zip-loc type plastic bag along with a VPI chip. The bag is compressed and then sealled, and then it goes into it's box.

Commonly these VPI chips will protect 1 cu ft for a year or more. The plastic bag the mould is in is a heckuva lot smaller then a cubic foot. However once a year around new years every bagged mould gets a new VPI chip added. I've been using this procedure with the VPI chips for the past 20 some years. Rust is NOT a problem! No big prep is required to begin using the mould except for the pivot pin and alignment hole lubing and that takes less then 2 minutes.

................Buckshot

[ascast]

my 2 cents - I use graphite lube, NEI used to carry it. or make it guide pins and sprue screw. when done, I put them in a GI ammo can with some desiccant, or vpi stuff. I don't oil, grease or otherwise make more work for myself. The ammo can should pop when opened as the hot molds have created a slight vaccumm. I have done the for over 30 years and I don't have rust issue. Ammo cans can be found at harbor freight or tractor supply about $10-12 a each

[FISH4BUGS]

I clean my moulds with Brake Cleaner spray. I wipe them off after spraying (do this outside) and QTip the cavities when wet. That cleans them well.
I don't use any lube although I probably should.
When done, and the mould is cooled off, I spray it with WD40, wrap the mould and handles in a plastic bag, then tape the bag shut. I write on the tape what the mould is.
They are stored in a Tupperware snap lid container....about 6 per container. Most are 4 cavity moulds but some 6 and a couple of 10 cavity moulds.
I have some 15 or more H&G moulds, a few Lyman and RCBS moulds and even a few Lee 6 cavity moulds, and they all get this treatment. never had a problem of any kind.

[lightman]

I spray mine with brake cleaner and gently brush the cavities and vent lines with a tooth brush. Then I lube it about like it says in the sticky under mold lube. After I finish casting it gets sprayed with whatever oil that I use on my guns, wrapped in a shop rag and stored in a MTM dry box.

[gwpercle]

Don't drop them on the concrete floor....they don't rebound well.

[3leggedturtle]

Start saving your money, because 1 old classic mold usually turns into a dozen or more.

[D Crockett]

what I do is look up the recipe for Edd's red and dip your mold in it after use every time I have been doing that for over 10 years and no rust on my Magma molds to clean it off I just use break cleaner or carb cleaner on it D Crockett

[Wayne Smith]

If you don't have one get a hotplate. Mold temp is one of the big issues with iron molds.

Is Lyman no longer using Meehenite?(sp?). Leaded iron, that is.

[AllanD]

I store my Iron molds In a quart sized Ziploc FREEZER bag(heavier plastic and in turn store
that in a 2lbsized WalMart Deli container (Rectangular Potato Salad container)

Also included inside the Bag I use a Desicant bag originally packaged with Military Electronics
These are about the size of a Knish (they are shaped like a pillow about 3" square)

Another thing you can use in a SEALED container is one of those disposable hand warmers.

Most aren't aware of this, but they efficiently absorb both oxygen and moisture when opened.

[3leggedturtle]

AllanD, is that before or after u use them? Do your molds stay rust free that way? Todd/3leg

[John Boy]

Do I need to lube with beeswax?

Is a spray of Rem oil after casting ok for storage?
Beeswax lube burns and leave a residue that can't be removed. Use paraffin, it is an alkane - doesn't burn and leaves no reside
Yes on the Rem Oil