Cleaning MP brass mold surfaces - seam starting to appear

[8shot]

Have the MP Molds brass 4 cavity molds and beginning to notice a slight casting line on the bullets. Obviously the mold mating surfaces need to be cleaned (ie lead deposits).

What is the proper technique to clean brass mold surfaces?

Thanks

[Wayne Smith]

Hot mold and tongue depressor or bamboo skewer.

[8shot]

Hot mold and tongue depressor or bamboo skewer.

Thanks...makes sense

[gwpercle]

Hot mold and tongue depressor or bamboo skewer.

I saw "Hot Mould" and "Tongue " and immediately had this mental picture of ...sticking your tongue on the hot mould !!!
Then the word "depressor" appeared and I thought ... whew , that's better .
Gary

[onelight]

I have not used a brass mold but on iron and aluminum I heat the mold like I am getting ready to cast and wave a propane torch over it when the lead goes liquid I wipe it off with a dry rag. With brass I would be more concerned with this tinning the mold don't know if that is a legitimate concern or not but is one of the reasons I have never bought a brass mold.

[fredj338]

On iron molds I use a brass brush. On alum I havent had issues.

[Wayne Smith]

I've done it several times with MP brass molds. Bamboo skewers are really handy to have around.

[PbHurler]

Good information in this sticky:

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?213156-Lead-Adhearing-to-Mould

[winelover]

Bamboo skewer, but doesn't always remove tinning on a brass mould. Especially, at the edges of the cavities. I keep a large sprew, handy as an eraser...............when mould is up to casting temperature.

Winelover

[Beagle333]

Hot mold, popsicle stick, a little beeswax and some rough burlap. Get the mold to casting temp, hit it with a little beeswax and scrub with the burlap and popsicle stick, applying a little more beeswax every time it gets dry. That'll take off all the tinning.

[onelight]

On iron molds I use a brass brush. On alum I havent had issues.

On iron I have hammered a case mouth flat or to whatever shape in need and sand it to a sharp edge on one side to scrape with .

[Minerat]

I have had success using an alloy or pure lead ingot to clean the moulds once it is hot.

[mdi]

No brass molds here, but I keep it simple. I heat the mold to a bit over casting temp. and scrub the surfaces with a rough towel/cloth. Haven't tried popsicle sticks mainly because I'd have to get up and find them and I get all lead smears/deposits by scrubbing with a rag...

[bruce381]

hot mold and a cotton towel is what I use

[quasi]

apply sprue plate lube to cold mold where it has lead. Wait 5 minutes, scrape off with chop stick.

[hermans]

I put the two halves of the mold on my hot plate, turn the knob to maximum, and wait about 10 minutes for the halves to reach casting temperature and even hotter.
I then take a cotton ear bud with some mold lube, I think it is just normal synthetic 2 stroke motor oil. Apply that to the affected tinned areas with the ear bud and the deposit just wipes off normally when the mold is really nice and hot.
This method I got from reading a lot of posts right here....and it works for me!

[kevin c]

I have never been able to get the mold heated right to clean off lead deposits. The waxes tend to burn, as do the skewers, leaving deposits, and alloy bars just smear more lead. It was also hard finding a way to handle the heated mold block.

What I just did to several aluminum molds I'm reconditioning is use a cold alloy ingot on a cold mold block. It got the deposits off. A bit of deburring is in order, after which test casting will show me if I've salvaged or ruined the molds.

[DHDeal]

Everyone has a slightly different way depending on experience and available tools. Heat and some sort of non-aggressive scraper is a central theme. I use a carpenters pencil as my scraper.

A good way to keep a brass mold (wonderful things) clean is to not speed up when the mold is casting perfect bullets. This isn't an easy thing to do I assure you. I now watch my mold faces like a hawk and if I notice any buildup starting, I go after it while casting and everything is up to temp. I keep a piece of burlap on hand for this purpose.

Tinning is a fact of life for me and my brass molds, yet I've read how some never deal with it.

[winelover]

You are more apt to experience tinning, when you are lax, keeping constant hand pressure on the handles. That's why I been using locking mould handles, on my brass moulds.

Winelover

[GregLaROCHE]

You are more apt to experience tinning, when you are lax, keeping constant hand pressure on the handles. That's why I been using locking mould handles, on my brass moulds.

Winelover

This is the first time I’ve heard mention of locking mold handles. I’d like to hear more about them. Are they available commercially? Expensive?

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

This is the first time I’ve heard mention of locking mold handles. I’d like to hear more about them. Are they available commercially? Expensive?

Here is a thread:
https://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?327797-Cabin-Tree-Locking-mold-handles


available here:

https://cowboybullets.3dcartstores.com/ST-Machining-Products_c_17.html

https://shilohrifle.com/reloading-supplies/r-and-j-custom-mould-handles/

[Three44s]

I saw "Hot Mould" and "Tongue " and immediately had this mental picture of ...sticking your tongue on the hot mould !!!
Then the word "depressor" appeared and I thought ... whew , that's better .
Gary

Man, twisted minds think alike! That’s exactly what I thought!

Eeeegads!

Three44s

[GregLaROCHE]

Here is a thread:
https://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?327797-Cabin-Tree-Locking-mold-handles

available here:

https://cowboybullets.3dcartstores.com/ST-Machining-Products_c_17.html

https://shilohrifle.com/reloading-supplies/r-and-j-custom-mould-handles/

Those look pretty neat. I may just have to consider getting a pair. Which brand do you use?

[hermans]

Here is a thread:
https://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?327797-Cabin-Tree-Locking-mold-handles


available here:

https://cowboybullets.3dcartstores.com/ST-Machining-Products_c_17.html

https://shilohrifle.com/reloading-supplies/r-and-j-custom-mould-handles/

You are never too old to learn something new! I have been casting for 40+ years, and this is the first time I have heard about this......will definitely look into it. Thanks for sharing!

[winelover]

Cabine Tree handles, is what I use. IIRC, he sold the patent, years ago but the ones on the supplied links are similar.


280585

Winelover

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

Those look pretty neat. I may just have to consider getting a pair. Which brand do you use?

I don't use locking handles, I've just read about them.
They solve a problem that I do not have.
When my ulnar tendonitis gets worse, then maybe.

[GregLaROCHE]

I think those locking handles should take a lot of the fatigue out of casting.

[kevin c]

Looks easier, but maybe a bit slower?

JonB, lots of neat looking widgets on the cowboybullets site. Tempting...

[kevin c]

Looks easier, but maybe a bit slower?

JonB, lots of neat looking widgets on the cowboybullets site. Tempting...

[winelover]

I think those locking handles should take a lot of the fatigue out of casting.

They can be..................the handles are not light weight. I avoid using them with 4 cavity brass moulds. Perfect for two cavity brass or up to four cavity iron. After that they become counterproductive.

Winelover