New guy here with a few questions

[supv26]

Hello!!
I am new to this forum and new to making "boolits"....
I have reloaded for years and just recently decided to try my hand at this project. I need more stuff for my shop so the boolit making equipment fit right in!!

Anyway............

Today I received my new LEE mold and reading the instructions it said I have to lubricate the mold in various places. Silicone was listed as one type of lube to use and I have some spray type silicone. I thought I might spray some on a small rag and wipe the areas needed to be lubed. Now, I was wondering, won't the silicone burn or bake onto the mold? Also, how ofter should I lube the mold? Once during each session or after 10 bullets, etc? I also read in here that you can use wax to lube the mold. Would you just melt some wax onto the areas that need to be lubed? Also, is says to clean the mold very well before using. I read somewhere that brake cleaner is good, is that true??? I use brake cleaner to clean my dies.

Next question...melting the lead....The only wax I have is candle wax, will that work for fluxing?

How often should I use a match to burn/blacken the inside of the mold? Between each pour or after 10 pours...etc??

I have asked these questions in another forum and I was referred here.

My new Lee mold is the TL-452-230-2R

Thanks in advance and I am sure I am going to spend a lot of time reading here!!
:drinks:

[blackthorn]

First of all, a big hello and welcome to your new home!.

Quote "Thanks in advance and I am sure I am going to spend a lot of time reading here!!"

Great idea!!! Do that before you start using that new equipment. There is a wealth of information on this site so learn to use the search function and fly at it. Happy casting.

[supv26]

Thanks Blackthorn!!
Yea, I was up until 200am last night reading!!! WOW there is a lot of info here. I have learned a lot of stuff about it already!!
Tonight I will be reading some more in here.

[Maven]

SUPV26, The first thing to do is to thoroughly degrease the mold. Once it is clean and dry (not even a trace of water if you've used hot soapy water and a toothbrush), bring it up to operating temperature and use small amounts of bullet lube (NOT silicone lube or spray), applied with a toothpick, to the areas Lee recommends. Cast with it a few times and then use wooden matches or a butane lighter to apply a coat of carbon to each mold cavity (referred to as "smoking"). You should begin getting perfect CB's almost immediately IF you cast at a high enough temp.: 725 deg. F - 750 deg. F). You shouldn't have to smoke the cavities often. I do it only when the CB's aren't releasing or imperfect or both. Candle wax is a good flux, but it's very smoky. If you ignite the smoking liquid, you'll get less smoke, but this isn't a good thing if you cast indoors: Trust me, other members of the household will not appreciate it! Btw, once the mold is casting well and with CB's still in the cavities, use a bit of bullet lube on a rag to put a light coat of lube on the underside of the sprue plate and top surface of the mold (keep it away from the cavities or you'll have to clean, degrease and smoke them again) to minimize galling. Repeat as necessary. Ditto for lubing the mold.

[missionary5155]

Greetings and WELCOME supv26 !
I have been involved in casting a long time and I still read what others have to say. Great way to learn and be reminded.
If your silicone is HIGH temp.. should work. Just do NOT get any in the boolt cavity. Any HIGH temp lube will work. Bees wax and parafin (old candle) can also be used.
From the mold # you must be looking at a 45 ACP. GREAT caliber! I carried a Remington Rand in the Army (Armor). That got me started... I would recommend you use a MIX of 50/50 Wheel Weight and pure lead (or whatever soft you can access. Straight Wheel Wright (WW ) will work fine if that is all you have. You just do not NEED that hard of a mix in .45 ACP.
Smoking your mold.. If my mold needs it I smoke before casting. Some molds need another coating after 100 or so boolits... others no. You will find out. Also do not be afraid to get the mix HOT. With most my Lee molds I run the pot about 800... I also use two molds at the same time so the rotation keeps the mold about the right temp. But you will through experiment get the hang. If the boolits are not filled out perfect more heat. If the boolits get frosty.. they willl shoot jut fine but things are getting a bit to hot.
Get a notebook and keep a record of how this mold works best. As time rolls along and you have several molds your memory will begin to mix individual mold workings...
Brake fluide will clean a mold. Soap and water work fine and achohol.
Candle wax works fine for flux. Keep a match ready to ignite the fumes to keep down the smoke. Stir the pot with a DRY piece of wood about finger thickness and that will flux also.
This place IS the place to be for casting !
God Bless you ! Mike

[454PB]

Welcome to the forum!

Now for another opinion......

I own and use about 18 Lee moulds. None of them get lubed or smoked. When I first started using them over 30 years ago, I followed the Lee instructions and did both lubing and smoking, plus tried several brands of mould prep. I eventually discovered there is no way to lube them without contaminating the cavities. The lube slowly migrates into the cavities and becomes a carmelized carbon coating.

All I do is a thorough cleaning with Gun Scrubber and start casting. If the mould doesn't cast well without smoking or applying a mould preparation, there is something wrong with it, usually a venting and/or alignment problem. On one that I own, there was a microscopic burr in one half.

[jack19512]

I own and use about 18 Lee moulds. None of them get lubed or smoked.







I was beginning to think I was the only one that did this. I have 16 Lee molds and when I first started casting I lubed them but for a while now on probably the last 10 molds I don't lube at all. I have had 0 problems since not lubing.

I do smoke them, don't know why. I had been thinking of trying them smoked and not smoked just to see if I could tell and difference. One thing I have learned with the Lee molds is that if you just barely break the sprue plate instead of opening it a lot the halves go back together so much better when closing the mold.

[jack19512]

Oh, welcome to the forum. :smile:

[supv26]

:drinks:
Thanks for all the info!! I am reading and learning to!

Tomorrow I will prep some lead before I do some casting. I have two 5 gallon buckets of lead from the shooting range. It will have to be smelted to get all the bullet jackets and crud out.

For the life of me I cannot find my ingot molds so I will just use an extra ladle and pour some into that for my ingots. I want to get this lead worked up because I will be able to get a 5 gallon bucket a day from the range until it is cleaned out.
:castmine:

[supv26]

Do a search on bullet casting on you tube! Lots of good stuff there also.
:drinks: