Do you smoke brass molds?

[Stopsign32v]

Just curious, I plan to try out my "patina'd" MP mold tomorrow and wondering if I need to smoke it or not.

[rancher1913]

I only smoke a mold as a last resort.

[dondiego]

I can never keep mine lit.

[Shanghai Jack]

I can never keep mine lit.
Leave a bad taste in the mouth as well.
Seriously same as rancher

[RickinTN]

Very rarely. It has been my experience that brass molds like to run hotter than aluminum molds. I have to run some of mine up around 800 degrees. I usually run my aluminum molds just under 750. Just keep running the heat up until the mold acts right.
Good Luck,
Rick

[high standard 40]

I never smoke any mold. I tried that early in my casting career and never found it to be a benefit.

[dale2242]

I never smoke a mold.

[Thumbcocker]

Nope

[Wayne Smith]

Ditto, I haven't smoked a mold in years.

[charlie b]

Same here. I used to do that a lot in the old days. Then I learned that just cleaning them well and finding the right temperature for them is a better way to go, even for my Lee molds.

[Shepherd2]

I don't think I've smoked a mould in 25 years or more. I never felt it do anything to help and I learned that heat was the key to casting a good boolit.

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

I don't smoke 'em. I heat cycle my new brass molds several times, which starts the patina process, I would think that smoke would obstruct that process.

BUT, if a mold doesn't start casting good after 2 or 3 casting sessions, I'll then give the smoke thing a try.

Lastly, a boolit caster I respect very much will say to put a very lite smoke (using a butane lighter) on a new mold, I don't think you'd even see any soot from that? He claims the lite smoke will last long enough for oxides (patina) to develop, hence not needing a second smoke application...I don't recall if he does the heat cycle thing first or not?

[Tar Heel]

Like most above, I tried smoking a mold once but it really had no effect. Higher casting temp cured sticky bullets. Casting temp affects fill-out and diameter which can cause sticky bullets.

[ourflat]

Yes!

[Bigslug]

I can never keep mine lit.

I imagine the humidity from the bong water would rust the pins as well.

No. . .I never saw any benefit from mold smoking.

[lesharris]

Not with my brass molds. Seldom with LEE aluminum molds.

[lightman]

I never smoke any mold. I tried that early in my casting career and never found it to be a benefit.

Same here.

[hermans]

Nope, especially with brass molds. If the mold and the alloy is at the correct temperature, there should be no need for smoking the mold as they will just drop from the mold with a light tapping.

[Iwsbull]

Only time I smoked a mold was the first Lee mold I bought, since then I learned as others mentioned that clean and temp are keys.

[stubshaft]

Only time I smoked a mold was the first Lee mold I bought, since then I learned as others mentioned that clean and temp are keys.

Well said! Smoking a mold and all of the related coatings (graphite etc.) are NOT needed.

[cwlongshot]

I don't smoke 'em. I heat cycle my new brass molds several times, which starts the patina process, I would think that smoke would obstruct that process.

BUT, if a mold doesn't start casting good after 2 or 3 casting sessions, I'll then give the smoke thing a try.

Lastly, a boolit caster I respect very much will say to put a very lite smoke (using a butane lighter) on a new mold, I don't think you'd even see any soot from that? He claims the lite smoke will last long enough for oxides (patina) to develop, hence not needing a second smoke application...I don't recall if he does the heat cycle thing first or not?


100% agreed with this!!

What you need to do is simply just cast or better yet heat cycle the mold a few times. Then use proper heat on mold before tou expect good bullets from it. Another issue cannbe cleanly ness. I always advise people
To buy brake cleaner and literally hose out the mold. It will remove any oils they could cause issue to the quality of the bullets.
All molds are different some cast straight away others are as we are describing and require use (or heat cycling) to creat good bullets. But bottom Line is proper heat of the mold. (Get a hot plate and use it!)

CW

[Lloyd Smale]

i dont put anything in a mold but lead

[John Boy]

Bring the mold up to the temperature of the melt and lube the pins with parrafin… that’s it