Any suggestions....sticking mold blocks

[Targa]

Hi all, had my first casting run with my brass Arsenal mold. Everything went well, great bullets but when I try to open the mold blocks after my casts they are a real pain in the rear to open. I have pre treated the mold (cycle to 350-400 degrees on a hot plate 4 times), made sure the spruce plate and pins were lubed. My lead is just over 3% tin (10lbs COWW and 2 1/2 lbs Foundry type alloy), I am running my lead around 720. Any suggestions would be appreciated to get them opened a bit easier. Thank you, Darrin.

[Wheelguns 1961]

Sounds like you need a little more lube on your pins. Preheat the mold, then lube. Sometimes I need to lube a couple times per session.

[Targa]

I am using anti seize, do you think maybe going with 2-stroke motor oil instead would help?

[rancher1913]

I am using anti seize, do you think maybe going with 2-stroke motor oil instead would help?

use mold lube, your gumming up the line up pins with the antiseize. antisieze when it gets really hot turns into glue and becomes anti antisieze, we had to stop using it at work because of this.

[Wheelguns 1961]

Yes. I have never tried never seize, I always use 2 stroke oil.

[Targa]

Excellent, thank you both. I will clean the mold and get the anti sieze off the pins and out of the pin holes.

[hondo1892]

I think the Arsenal mold pins are a bit long for the taper they use on them. I just got two and used one yesterday and had the same problem. However if I hold the back of the mold as I open the mold it opened up much smoother. I wish the rear pin was shaped like my Accurate mold pins.

[country gent]

Try using a pencil lead to lube pins and holes. Pencils are graphite just lightly color the pins and holes. the graphite wont burn off and will be a dry lubricant on the pins.

[Targa]

I think the Arsenal mold pins are a bit long for the taper they use on them. I just got two and used one yesterday and had the same problem. However if I hold the back of the mold as I open the mold it opened up much smoother. I wish the rear pin was shaped like my Accurate mold pins.

Thank you for that Hondo, I will give that a try.

[hondo1892]

Targa I meant to say hold the front of the blocks. If the back end opens a bit first the blocks come apart easier.

[FLINTNFIRE]

I have to do a little tap and shake with my latest Arsenal molds , looks like less taper on female side of alignment and pins have little to no taper , the MP molds have the best alignment pins looks like a bullet and if you find a HM2 heavy metal mold there pins are fantastic on the 2 molds I have .

[Targa]

I have to do a little tap and shake with my latest Arsenal molds .

That I don’t mind at all, it’s the forcing them open that is annoying at best.

[Targa]

Thanks Hondo, I appreciate the info. I am going to try what others suggested, get rid of the anti seize and use two stroke oil. If that doesn’t work I’ll contact Arsenal and see if they can help out.

[FLINTNFIRE]

The tap and shake is opening them not dropping bullets , my back alignment pin sticks just a little and I am using 2 cycle in the hole for pin , like I said I wish they had a little more taper on end of alignment pins , but a tap with a dowel as I turn it over and a little wrist action for opening and closing and they make nice bullets .

[Targa]

Ahh thank you, I misunderstood. I will try that as well.

[Dragonheart]

I think the problem may not be with the mold, it is likely your handles are not operating properly and binding when opening.

[FLINTNFIRE]

I tried handles from another mold that worked , it is not the handles on mine it is the alignment pins and holes being straight with next to no taper on mine , they work but not as slick as most other molds , yes I heated the molds several times and used mold lube in holes and on pins lightly no there is no build up these were like this from new yes I have used my pair like this for 5-6 casting sessions and not short casting sessions , but try different handles as it only takes a minute to check that .

[John Boy]

Paraffin lubes and does not leave a residue to lube pins and sprue plate. Been using it for yeas on all my molds

[Slingin'Lead]

I had the same problem with my new Arsenal molds. Synthetic 2 cycle oil and a sort of push - pull on the handles worked for me.(push lightly on one handle and pull on the other side)

[hondo1892]

I don't think handles are the problem either. My Accurate mold blocks are the exact same size and work fine with the same handles I use for the Arsenal blocks. Only difference is the pins on the blocks.

[Dragonheart]

I mention handles because they control the force of opening and the direction that force is applied. Mold blocks are designed to separate when pulled directly apart in addition to freely pivoting on the mold to handle pins. It doesn't take much of a bind to cause that separation action to be off and a good reason to use handles designed for the mold, especially if it is a quality mold and the tolerances are close.

Handles may not be the problem, but on a new mold it is definitely the first place I would look, especially if I could separate the mold by hand easily. Why do you think the H&G company always fitted handles to the mold and a good reason not to buy an H&G mold where some sleazebag separated the original handles so he could sell them separately.

[Targa]

Hopefully I will get a chance to cast with the Arsenal in the next couple of weeks. Thank you all for the suggestions, I will try them the next time I cast and give a report.

[Targa]

Update on the sticking problem, the alignment pin will no longer go into the corresponding hole. It is not the pin but the front hole itself.268715

[Dragonheart]

I think you have reached the point of returning the mold back to the maker and let him diagnose the problem. Warped mold comes to mind, the most common cause is uneven heating, but the stress of machining can leave some with an inherent likelihood of warping.

I own about a dozen NOE brass molds and I run them hotter that what you have posted, but I don't use a hot plate to preheat.

[Targa]

I agree, I am mailing it back to Arsenal tomorrow.