LEE mold pre-heat temp

[SaltyJim]

Is there a desirable temperature to pre-heat a Lee aluminum mold before casting to prevent wrinkles?
Thanks

[Rich/WIS]

Have no idea degree wise but preheat mine at a bit below medium on my Oster solid surface hotplate. Usually get good boolits on the first pour. No idea how I would check temp on the mold itself. I set the mold on the hotplate and turn it and the lead pot on at the same time. By the time the lead is ready to pour the mold is at full temp (about 20 minutes). Hope this helps.

[ddeck22]

Handheld laser thermometer? I assume that would give you a decent reading to base off of.

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

375 to 400

[WRideout]

It doesn't generally seem to be very important to have an exact figure. The boolits will tell you when the mold is hot enough.

Wayne

[wilecoyote]

+1 about 375/400 above_

said without thermometer, according to the instructions, preheating can be obtained with a good approximation by placing the mold balanced on the mouth of the pot, if you use a lee electric pot. during the time that lead and c. melt, the mold heats up, and when the alloy is liquid, the mold is ready to use. generally after a couple of reject fills the mold starts doing its thing. it works for me, if I don't accidentally drop the mold first_

[Tim357]

I just dip the edge of the mold in the molten alloy for a few seconds til the alloy no longer sticks to the mold and commence to casting. been working that way for years

[kevin c]

400°F gets me a very light matte frosting that in my MP aluminum molds means virtually no culls. I use a hot plate with a heat diffusing metal base over the coil element, parking the mold in a heat retaining mold “garage”, and confirm the temp with a k type thermocouple in one of the middle cavities.