Degreasing a bullet mold

[mrcvs]

I have a new mold and can’t find a degreasing agent. Before running out to get something, are any common household agents an option? If not, what’s recommended at the local auto parts store?

For regreasing to prevent rust, what’s recommended with eventual degreasing again in mind when using the mold again?

[Thumbcocker]

Brake parts cleaner or starting fluid have worked for me, although these days I am just as likely to put the mold pieces in the dishwasher. I hever regrease a mold. Put it in a steel GI ammo can while it is still warm. They will never rust.

[Larry Gibson]

The way I've been cleaning moulds [brass, iron and aluminum] for the last 40+ Years. You'll need;

Spray can of carburetor or brake cleaner
Old tooth brush
Q-tips
Butane/propane hand torch
Mould prep
Kroil, spray or regular can.

I leave the mould blocks attached to the handles.

Spray with the carburetor/brake cleaner, brush with toothbrush, especially in the cavities then Spray again, shake off excess, let dry.

Play the propane flame over the mould, inside and out including in the cavity(s). You will see the "moisture" come to the surface and evaporate. When it evaporates that is enough move on until the entire surface of the blocks are "cleaned" inside and out. The mould blocks will not get hot enough to "warp" as is claimed but will be too hot to touch.

Swab out the cavity(s) with a Q-tip to remove any residue.

I apply a mould prep to the top/bottom of the sprue plate, the pivot screw, the alignment pins and the top of the mould blocks with care given to not get any prep in the cavity.

The mould is ready to cast with.

After casting, if the mould is not going to be used again, I let the blocks cool completely then cover with a light coat of Kroil.

[mrcvs]

I have carburetor cleaner. Thanks! I didn’t feel like driving somewhere as a wasted trip.

[Martin Luber]

Anyone try Slip 2000 Degreaser?

[El Bibliotecario]

I use liquid dishwashing detergent and rinse with boiling water.

[Wheelguns 1961]

I also just use Dawn on mine. I give them a good scrubbing with hot water and Dawn using an old toothbrush. Then I start the heat cycling. Before the last heat cycle, I scrub the mold again. This has always worked very well for me.

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

Like others, I also just use Dawn, I give them a good scrubbing with hot water and Dawn using an old toothbrush. BUT, when I'm done casting, I recoat with Kroil for storage of Iron molds.

[rintinglen]

I also just use Dawn on mine. I give them a good scrubbing with hot water and Dawn using an old toothbrush. Then I start the heat cycling. Before the last heat cycle, I scrub the mold again. This has always worked very well for me.

+1. I bought a 3 quart pan at a yard sale, I use condensate from our dehumidifier and a squirt of Dawn. I separate the mold halves, put them in water deep enough to completely cover them and then boil them for 15-20 minutes, taking care to make sure they stay submerged. I dump the water and place the mold in the oven and run it up to 400 degrees for the first heat cycle,, shut it off in about 20 minutes and as soon as it is cool, I'll put the handles on it and put it to work. If I am going to store it, I put it in a container with a silica gel dessicant packet and all's well.

There are other ways to do it. I have used aerosol carb or break cleaner, acetone, gasoline and alcohol, but most of those are flammable, harmful if inhaled, or both. Boiling with Dawn works and avoids potential health hazards.

[Tatume]

I use liquid dish washing detergent and rinse with boiling water.

Absolutely! Dawn for dishes and a hand towel are good for cleaning the inside of the mold, but the outside should be washed also. After the mold is clean and as dry as I can get it, I like to put it into the oven set to 170F for about 20 minutes.

[Jim22]

Like others, I also just use Dawn, I give them a good scrubbing with hot water and Dawn using an old toothbrush. BUT, when I'm done casting, I recoat with Kroil for storage of Iron molds.

Dawn dishwashing liquid works well for me. Only difference is I prefer to use a new toothbrush from the Dollar store. Use hot water from the tap, scrub all surfaces of the mould including the sprue cutter. Rinse well with hot tap water and dry in a 200 degree oven.

Jim

[gwpercle]

Acetone and an Oral-B Toothbrush .
If Acetone scares you ... Lacquer Thinner , Mineral Spirits , Auto Carb or Brake Cleaner .
Usually any "automotive" cleaner will be cheaper and easier to find ( in auto-parts store) than any type of "firearms" advertised product .

I guess I'm just old fashioned but I do not like to get water around my moulds and prefer to clean them with acetone or mineral spirits or any automotive cleaner / de-greaser .
Gary

[mehavey]

Plain old Dawn dish soap on a toothbrush

Three brush/rinse cycles, dry, preheat and cast.
Perfect bullets first one out of the mold.

[Super Sneaky Steve]

Dawn and a toothbrush. Don't go crazy and use something like Simple Green. It eats aluminum.

My steel moulds get motor oil to preserve them.

[Martin Luber]

I got flash rusting from heating after scrubbing with dawn and water….

[mehavey]

...flash rusting from heating after
scrubbing with dawn and water….FWIW:
I've been doing exactly that for as long as I've been playing the game.
So far, no issues of that type.

[Bazoo]

I do not wash my moulds. It’s such a pain to oil all the nooks and crannies.

I keep mineral oil on my moulds. I brush it on with a painters brush.

I wipe as much oil off the mould with a rag as I can. I lube the mould with graphite (carpenters pencil), then degrease with lighter fluid. Then I heat the mould and when it’s about half hot enough to cast with I open the sprue and fill the cavities with lighter fluid. It boils in the cavities but doesn’t ignite. It really scrubs the cavities clean.

[StrawHat]

…Mould prep...

Larry,

Candle smoke? Graphite?

Please comment.

Kevin

[mehavey]

Rapine mold prep. It [was] sold by Buffalo arms* and Dixie gun works.
It is a graphite suspended in liquidSounds like Old fashioned "Lock Ease (https://www.zoro.com/static/cms/product/large/Emery%20Jensen%20Distribution%20LLC_13366xxpxx2b14 55.jpeg)"
:coffeecom

* still sold?
https://www.buffaloarms.com/search/?q=mould%20prep%202%20oz%20bottle
"...dry film micro graphite lubricant ..."

[justindad]

Like Bazoo, I store iron molds with a coating of mineral oil. I apply the oil while the mold is still warm, but not so hot that it burns the oil. Very light mineral oil can dry off in storage, heavy mineral oil takes a small more effort to clean, very heavy mineral oil is Vaseline (I have never tried that). I clean the oil off with 70% isopropyl alcohol on a q-tip. VCI paper in a sealed container will protect against oil that might dry.

[Elpatoloco]

I have always just hit them with brake cleaner or acetone. Let them dry and start casting. Some take 100 throws some take 10.

[porthos]

i have about 30+ molds. they are stored in a 50 cal ammo can;wrapped in vpi paper ; no oil or preseratives of any kind. they are as good as new. most have been in the can for 30 years with no use. i belive it is the combination of both the sealed can and vpi paper.

[lightman]

I use Brake Cleaner or Electrical Contact Cleaner but warm water, Dawn and an old tooth brush should work. When finished casting I spray mine with whatever type spray I happen to be using at the time for my guns.

[danmat]

Just received a new lee 2 cav. mold.
carb cleaner toothbrush
spray clean
preheat on hotplate
first cast lube spru cutter with needle oiler q tip with bullets in mold
drop bullets lube alignment pins
3rd or 4th cast perfect bullets
for brass molds I spray clean then heat cycle a few times before first cast
When through I spray with Kroil store, next use repeat cleaning

Dan

[El Bibliotecario]

i have about 30+ molds. they are stored in a 50 cal ammo can;wrapped in vpi paper ; no oil or preseratives of any kind. they are as good as new. most have been in the can for 30 years with no use. i belive it is the combination of both the sealed can and vpi paper.

I store my molds in an identical manner, even to the size of the ammo can, with the same positive results.

[Hossfly]

I clean new molds with acetone and lube pivot points and pins with synthetic 2 cycle oil very lightly. When finished and cooling down I’ll spray with LPS-3 which leaves a waxy coating for years with no rust. It is harder to clean off when time to go again.

[Slugster]

I use dawn dish soap and a toothbrush for first cleaning, then spray entire mould with carb cleaner, then dawn and hot water, set mould on side of lead pot to dry. Storage in vci paper with dessicant packs. Have never had a rust problem.

[higgins]

I clean the cavities with a couple of applications of denatured alcohol on a Q-tip and wipe the outside of the blocks and both sides of the sprue plate with the Q-tip or a small cloth saturated with denatured alcohol. I wipe out the cavities and the rest of the blocks with Kroil when I put it away. They're stored in a climate controlled room so don't need any heavy-duty rust preventative.

[justindad]

I use Brake Cleaner or Electrical Contact Cleaner but warm water, Dawn and an old tooth brush should work. When finished casting I spray mine with whatever type spray I happen to be using at the time for my guns.

If chlorinated brake cleaner gets too hot, you die immediately.

[danmat]

If chlorinated brake cleaner gets too hot, you die immediately.

I have always read do not use chlorinated cleaner.
I always check the cans, I have not seen a can of this in years in my area, didn't know they still made it.
Never spray anything cold on a hot mold, best way to warp something.

[Martin Luber]

I use mineral oil on dry flies too…

[Seeker]

I've always used 91% isopropyl alcohol and a q tip, never had a problem.

[farmbif]

isopropyl 91 octane and carb cleaner with stiff tooth brush, an old cotton tee shirt and q tips worked for me on the last mold I got from mp. im not sure what kind of cutting fluid miha is using but it took about 3 scrubbings to get it all off and get the mold clean. then fill with hot lead , empty and repeat""""""""

[kevin c]

Acetone and an Oral-B Toothbrush .
If Acetone scares you ... Lacquer Thinner , Mineral Spirits , Auto Carb or Brake Cleaner .
Usually any "automotive" cleaner will be cheaper and easier to find ( in auto-parts store) than any type of "firearms" advertised product .

I guess I'm just old fashioned but I do not like to get water around my moulds and prefer to clean them with acetone or mineral spirits or any automotive cleaner / de-greaser .
Gary
Ditto.

[GregLaROCHE]

I spray down all molds with Ballistol after use, so I clean them as if they were new each time I use them. Spray down with brake cleaner then a wash with dish soap and a hot rinse. That works for me. However, running a new mold through the dishwasher sounds interesting.