Smoking a Lyman mold

[cheese1566]

I have an older Lyman 358311(?) round nose 4 cavity mold using the nutcracker style handles.

Should this mold be smoked using a wooden match like the Lee's??

I smoked it right away not thinking and am getting some small fins on the tips. The rest of the bullets are not fiiling out and have minor wrinkles. The mold has been around the block a few times and shows wear on the outside surfaces.

It sure is heavy compared to the Lee six bangers!!

[smilie=s:

[Calamity Jake]

You should not have to smoke a Lyman. Now having said that I have one that requires smoking to ge good fill.

Try cleaning the mold good with brake parts cleaner or acetone and an old tooth brush. Check for burrs around pin alighnment holes and along the mold edges, remove any burrs carefully, now preheat the mold if possible and get your alloy up to 750-775 and go to pouring and see if they are better.

[beagle]

I've always had good luck with Lymans without smoking them too. When I get one, I degrease it, cast until I get smooth bullets without wrinkles. Then, while good and warm, I spray the cavities with spray moly and let it harden. Spraying outside makes them very rust restistent too. Once the sprayed mould cools, I take a soft stick like a pine plinter and polish the excess moly out of the cavities. After this treatment, you never have to smoke them again./beagle

[deltaenterprizes]

I tried to smoke one once but I couldn't get it lit!

[Slow Elk 45/70]

Yup, worse than wet tobacco to try to lite

[Nora]

Try cleaning the mold good with brake parts cleaner or acetone and an old tooth brush.

I agree with the brake cleaner, just make sure NOT to get or use the nonflammable kind. It's got some kind of oil in it and will be more of a pain than it's worth.

Nora

[Bret4207]

I never smoke a mould unless I see a need for it. Smoke decreases diameter and insulates the mould. I want the mould HOT, not cold. IMO smoking is a fix for a mould that's not as clean as it should be, and a poor fix at that.

[arcticbreeze]

I finally got my mold lit but then it was so hot that it burned my lips:twisted::twisted::twisted:

[Maven]

cheese 1566, Sounds to me that you're casting with a mold that isn't hot enough. Also, you may want to thoroughly degrease the mold and then polish it with a clean/new .38cal. phosphor bronze bore brush (NEVER use the stainless steel ones), degrease it again and try casting @ 750 deg. F - 775deg. F initially; i.e., until you get perfect CB's. If this doesn't help, smoke the mold with wooden matches. Btw, I've never had a Lyman mold that hasn't responded to this treatment.

[atr]

none of my Lyman molds have ever needed "smoking"

what you describe (wrinkles and not filling) sounds more like the mold has not reached the right temperature to cast properly

[deltaenterprizes]

Put it on an eletric hot plate on medium setting to preheat it and see if it works better.