Mold Lubrication

[COUSIN DANIEL]

I will admit my casting experience is limited and I most likely did it wrong.

I have 5 brand new arsenal molds I ordered in 2020-2021 and I would like to know where and how to lube them.

I have always used gray anti siz on the alignment pins of lee aluminum molds and the screw that holds the spru on


If anyone could post their methods and possible a picture of showing the points of lubrication I would appreciate it.

[farmbif]

you know, I was thinking about this just the other day when looking at some pictures of some really ugly looking molds.
a mold does not need much lubrication. just a tiny drop in the right places and dont let it run all over your new molds that you spent all that hard earned money on. I remember my first lee mold, reading all the instructions so carefully , getting a bunch of wood matches to smoke the cavities with. and there were other molds, like an aluminum one from NOE. ive done nothing to it except clean it with alcohol when I got it, never any smoke, no lube of any kind and its dropped thousands of perfect bullets and still looks and works great.

[gwpercle]

I use a combination of both the gray anti-seize compound and synthetic two stroke .
I apply the anti-seize to cold mould in hard to reach areas , under bolt head and on alignment pins because it stays put ... but when the mould is hot and I'm casting ...I use the synthetic two-stroke oil on a Q-Tip ...the thin oil will lube the underside of a hot sprue plate / top of hot block or bolt head easily . When it comes to sprue plate - top of block ...a light rub with a barely moistened Q-Tip will be enough ... it's easy to apply to a hot mould with a Q-Tip . I have to fight the over application of two stroke ...it will migrate and contaminate the cavities causing wrinkled boolits untill it is cast out .
The anti-seize compound stays put but is more like a grease ...
My advice is to have both ... each has it's place .
Gary

[centershot]

Synthetic two-stroke oil only, for everything on the mould. Why? Because it's CLEAN! There's no gummy residue on the mould, it's just CLEAN!

[lt250r_86]

Agree with the above post. Synthetic 2-stroke oil for me. Applied when mould is hot to the sprue plate and pins. A very little goes a long way.

[gwpercle]

Agree with the above post. Synthetic 2-stroke oil for me. Applied when mould is hot to the sprue plate and pins. A very little goes a long way.

Right ... My biggest problem was applying way Too much oil and it migrating into cavities and causing wrinkled boolits .
A Q-Tip for an applicator helps ... barely dampen the Q-Tip with 2-Stroke oil and rub it across clean block top and underside of sprue plate to prevent smearing / galling on top . Leave as thin a film as you can ... you can even dry off the q-tip so no excess oil is on it .

A needle type oil applicator for applying just one tiny drop on Sprue Plate Screw ... is all you need. The needle applicator is a big help in getting oil where wanted .

Sometimes I will wipe off what the q-tip leaves on the block top/ sprue plate underside ...to leave just the thinnest film of oil ... Learning how much is too much was / is hard ... and I still want to over oil them ... but fight the urge ...less is better .
Gary

[jsizemore]

The anti seize will make the removal of screws easy in the future be it the copper or grey. I use it on the alignment pins too. 2 cycle synthetic oil on the underside of the sprue plate and top of the mold block at the end of a casting session to have it ready to go the next time I cast with it.

[imashooter2]

I like molybdenum anti seize on the sprue plate pivot of Lee aluminum molds to help prevent the galling. Steel plates and iron molds get nothing.

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

Agree with the above post. Synthetic 2-stroke oil for me. Applied when mould is hot to the sprue plate and pins. A very little goes a long way.


Right ... My biggest problem was applying way Too much oil and it migrating into cavities and causing wrinkled boolits .
A Q-Tip for an applicator helps ... barely dampen the Q-Tip with 2-Stroke oil and rub it across clean block top and underside of sprue plate to prevent smearing / galling on top . Leave as thin a film as you can ... you can even dry off the q-tip so no excess oil is on it .

A needle type oil applicator for applying just one tiny drop on Sprue Plate Screw ... is all you need. The needle applicator is a big help in getting oil where wanted .

Sometimes I will wipe off what the q-tip leaves on the block top/ sprue plate underside ...to leave just the thinnest film of oil ... Learning how much is too much was / is hard ... and I still want to over oil them ... but fight the urge ...less is better .
Gary

Yep, this is what I do. It is a very clean way to lube the sprue plate and alignment pins.