Mold lube

[archeryrob]

I never thought of lubricating molds when black powder casting. I guess I just didn't do it enough to matter. So started regular bullet casting and a lee 452 6 cavity was my first and was told to lube with beeswax. Yes it worked but it burnt all over it. What is the best way to clean it now?

I think next one will use 2 cycle oil lightly on it. I have a NOE 311 185 grain one in the USPS now.

[Cosmic_Charlie]

Try a tooth brush and turpentine. I lube my pins and sprue plate very sparingly with 2 stroke oil.

[PBaholic]

I use 2 stroke oil. It won't boil off as easily as regular oil.

[Conditor22]

I never thought of lubricating molds when black powder casting. I guess I just didn't do it enough to matter. So started regular bullet casting and a lee 452 6 cavity was my first and was told to lube with beeswax. Yes it worked but it burnt all over it. What is the best way to clean it now?

I think next one will use 2 cycle oil lightly on it. I have an NOE 311 185 grain one in the USPS now.

it burnt all over it nylon brush and some solvent ie brake cleaner/acetone/carb cleaner/---

Don't forget to clean well then heat treat the new NOE mold (heat to 400°, let cool completely, repeat 2-3 more times, this build a patina helping the mold release better)

I like using synthetic 2-stroke oil fuel additive and a q-tip for the top of the mold (with the boolits still in the cavities), the bottom of the sprue plate (wait 5 seconds then wipe all the oil off), and the alignment pins. I use a needle-tipped bottle to apply a small drop to the sprue plate hinge.

[MT Gianni]

If it is just beeswax dip a corner in the lead pot and let it smoke off. Option two is to cast until it is gone, tossing all bullets in the recycle can until it casts clean.

[gwpercle]

Yes ... the burned on beeswax is JOB to remove ... along with lighter soot from smoked cavities and that God Awful black spray on mould release Miday used to sell .
0000 steel wool and acetone along with a Oral-B tooth brush (they won't melt) got them clean after a lot of scrubbing . No steel wool on-in the cavities ... only toothbrush and acetone!!!

Synthetic Two-Stroke oil from Wally Mart ( Super-Tech full synthetic $1.22/ 2.6 ounce bottle ) small bottle ... apply oil Sparingly with a Q-Tip and it should last years ... apply Sparingly ... I kept using too much .
Gary

[gnostic]

I use ATF on a Q-Tip with very good results...

[Mk42gunner]

Lately on my Lee molds, I've been using aluminum anti-seize compound. Seems to work fine and last long enough for me.

Robert

[John Boy]

The only lube needed for a mold is to lube the pins and use paraffin wax ... it doesn’t burn and leave a residue

[justindad]

I recently burned beeswax into cavities while cleaning off tinned spots. I was not able to burn it out by casting. Boiling the mold in water & washing with dish soap did not help. Internet search for “wax solvent” revealed vegetable oil as a non-polar solvent, which is good for wax. I used some MCT oil, since it is the shortest molecule oil I have (smaller molecule = better solvent) and it got better. Just use the lowest melt temp vegetable oil you have - canola oil should work. I let the oil soak on the surface for 10-ish minutes, and scrubbed with a toothbrush. Washed the oil off wish soapy water.. I then sprayed liberally with brake cleaner. I got a small amount of brake cleaner on a rag, and scrubbed the cavities. Beeswax is gone.
*
Do not use carb cleaner, because it leaves a residue. Use brake cleaner. That stuff causes cancer, so don’t breath it, wear gloves, and don’t use a toothbrush with it (that would atomize it),
*
Side note - the burning of the bees wax added a blue-green patina to my brass mold. Counterintuitive, since beeswax is a reductant.

[No_1]

I use synthetic 2 stroke oil.

[greenjoytj]

I would guess that the best oil to use to lube a hot bullet mold would be a oil with the highest temperature rating. Ideally an oil that wouldn’t burn or turn to varnish till it’s over 200* F beyond the melting point of your bullet alloy.
Beeswax that can scorch at about 145* F during lube making, would definitely not qualify as a mold lube.
I have some G96 RFG & M-Pro7 gun grease that supposed to be rated to 500*F that I may try it during my next casting session.
Currently I use a top brand name racing grade 2 cycle motor cycle oil, l don’t know what it’s temperature rating is but racing engines do run hot, a racer would not want to have a lot of ash or varnish building up in his engine.

[LEADHOPPER]

For sprue plate lube and alignment pins try Permatex high-temp brake caliper slide lube, the stuff in the green bottle. It's a high-temp synthetic grease that has no drop point, meaning it won't melt, ever. It will reach it's flame temperature without slumping or "dropping" as it's called. Just use a q-tip to apply after you get fill out on all your cavity. You can get it at most auto parts stores.

[Buzzard II]

I use synthetic 2 stroke oil.

Which one?

[Dom]

I use wheel bearing grease with enough powdered graphite mixed in to form sort of a paste. A wood tooth pick to apply a "little" on the alignment pins & the openings they fit into. Has worked for me for years.

[Buzzard II]

Yes ... the burned on beeswax is JOB to remove ... along with lighter soot from smoked cavities and that God Awful black spray on mould release Miday used to sell .
0000 steel wool and acetone along with a Oral-B tooth brush (they won't melt) got them clean after a lot of scrubbing . No steel wool on-in the cavities ... only toothbrush and acetone!!!

Synthetic Two-Stroke oil from Wally Mart ( Super-Tech full synthetic $1.22/ 2.6 ounce bottle ) small bottle ... apply oil Sparingly with a Q-Tip and it should last years ... apply Sparingly ... I kept using too much .
Gary

Gary,

Thanks so much for this info! I'll be taking a trip to Wally World soon to pick up some. Most of the higher priced 2 stroke oils have a fuel stabilizer in them, which is no good for our purpose. Thanks again!
Bob

[John Boy]

Paraffin, that doesn’t burn off and leave any puddles on the molds

[Buzzard II]

I paid $1.00 for Black Max 2 cycle full synthetic engine oil 2.6 oz. Lifetime supply. It was mismarked on the shelf so that is what I paid for it (including tax here in Numb Jersey). Price should have been $1.76 plus tax, so I'm very happy and content. Thanks for info John Boy.