Used moulds

[nueces5]

I contacted a man who wants to sell some used molds that belonged to his father, who died some time ago. It has some Lee, others brass and others steel. Any advice not to buy a mold in poor condition?
I think that one of steel has a small layer of rust, but I can not see more in the photos.
advice is accepted

[Dieselhorses]

Pictures would probably help. Molds "can" be resurrected (or at least some). Also what you pay for them has a lot of bearing. If he wants little or nothing I'd definitely take a chance.

[country gent]

A hands on inspection is best. Not saying your gentleman will do it but pics angles lighting and focus can distort or hide damage or the extent of it. My thought on this are on Lee moulds they need to be good at the purchase point of a new lee mould how much work can you put into it? Lyman rcbs and currently made steel moulds need to require little work for the same reason. Custom made moulds or discontinued are a different issue as they normally cost a lot more and may be harder to get so more work time to restore them is justified.
Look at it in this way, You buy a used Lee mould for $15.00. it has some small dings and burrs present. You spend 2-3 hours working it over and getting it casting. Now figure a very lowly $10.00 and hour. $15.00 and $30.00 is $45.00 in a mould you could purchase for $30.00.

I have reworked some old ballard moulds for members and other discontinued moulds back to useable status It is rewarding to bring that piece of history back to life Its is also tedious work smoothing ding out with a punch and small hammer. Adjusting pons and sprue plates is one thing and to be expected even on new moulds. Reversing pins, removing dings and burrs, straightening sprue plates, fixing threaded holes are all above and may be hard to do

[Echo]

Find some Evap-O-Rust for the lightly rusted iron mold. Works FINE - at least, for me it has. I pour a mason jar 1/2 full and stick the mold (on handles) down in for maybe 30 minutes - remove, rinse off w/H2O, put under a small fan to dry, and VOILA! Rust free - no drama...

[nueces5]

manual inspection, a small piece of wood for the cavities and if the money is right, I will take the risk
thank you

[Bazoo]

Surface rust on an iron mould is not an issue in most cases. You can use a bronze bore brush chucked in a drill to scour the cavities and a bronze toothbrush on the faces and top. Steel wire brush or steel wool on the exterior. I'd be much more concerned about abuse or wear to the faces or alignment pins than light rust.

Cleaning up moulds is as much of the hobby as casting for me.

[RED BEAR]

If the price is right i would go for it the vast majority of my molds were used . If you are like me with a lot more time than money then some work is not a problem. Lee molds are cheap so don't give much at all. As long as rust is light it should be easy to clean up.

[nueces5]

Well, here is my purchase. Pay $ 60 for the RCBS handles and the three molds. The only one that has rust is the RCBS, the two lyman are very good. I think I did a good business. Early today I was casting some boolits with 452389, and it was a bit difficult to fill the cavity with lead. I think the aeration lines should be covered with the rust. Is it a good idea to clean the rust with core boy and WD40?

https://i.ibb.co/4SGVsPt/49-B197-BE-B899-44-E7-A0-EC-F009-A71-EDF29.jpg (https://ibb.co/n1vL3zm)

https://i.ibb.co/3T0wZ4V/4-AA83883-51-F2-4261-A664-AA73-D5091-E00.jpg (https://ibb.co/BfgmMcv)

https://i.ibb.co/ZWgVpdS/0-B31-AC9-E-4481-4-BF8-A5-CE-4522-EF09-D79-A.jpg (https://ibb.co/hDdyJsc)
https://i.ibb.co/F4VHkrZ/F9-B71-F52-C9-E4-4-C7-E-BFBF-92-D55-A7-D60-C4.jpg (https://ibb.co/fdvDVg6)

https://i.ibb.co/7QKjLv9/E8-C47-C31-211-C-4-FDD-A258-6-CBC8-A946-A3-B.jpg (https://ibb.co/HCqB37J)

https://i.ibb.co/J5fXgpV/E28460-F9-EC79-49-E4-ADA6-017-E08-D38355.jpg (https://ibb.co/4P6B3Sz)

https://i.ibb.co/VqyNk7q/CD00-F25-B-B294-492-D-83-E2-E6-B960059249.jpg (https://ibb.co/QKBcx2K)

https://i.ibb.co/QMYQDDz/7397-DFD7-1-FA5-4980-AA74-65090-E356-F05.jpg (https://ibb.co/pd4whhG)

https://i.ibb.co/s6s2HP5/5-BE608-FB-89-C7-475-E-AD4-D-51-E3-FCC15646.jpg (https://ibb.co/D8wtpbG)

https://i.ibb.co/DkP2wLY/0-ADAD1-BF-1-CE6-484-D-8-E67-764-D839-E3-EF3.jpg (https://ibb.co/RPGwQ7N)

[Blammer]

good deal!

take a pencil, use the lead part and 'draw' the vent lines in the mould, it will empty the groove and fill it with graphite of sorts, then take a toothbrush and use some brake cleaner and scrub the vents and the mould. Try that, should help out some.

[nueces5]

And that rust patina will be there?

[country gent]

A light cleaning with a tooth brush and dish soap will remove a lot. I draw a point thru the vent lines to clean them, bamboo skewer, pencil, awl, scribe all work to clear the vent lines. Use a light touch. Very fine steel wool backed on a flat surface to clean faces light oil if needed. They all look good and can be brought back to use.

[Bazoo]

It won't hurt to use a bronze toothbrush on them. On the cavities you can spin a bronze bore brush in a drill and use it on each half separately. A brass core brush is best as it won't slip and damage the edge. I spin the brush right for one half of the cavity and left for the other half, so that the bristles are coming up from the edge of the cavity side. It makes quick work of a tedious job.

[Bazoo]

Nice deal by the way!

[Green Frog]

That 452389 is one of the great under appreciated moulds. It makes wonderful bullets for Bullseye rounds for a 45 “wad gun.” It is definitely worth the little bit of cleaning effort you will need to expend, but remember the prime directive, “Do no harm. Clean slowly and gently.” :cool:

Froggie

[gwpercle]

You did great....all the moulds will clean up just fine. 0000 steel wool and lubricant .
No pitting and surface rust will be easy to remove. Work slow and don't use a dremel tool or power anything on them.
Gary