Cleaning moulds

[Barnowl]

It has been discussed here to clean moulds with hot water and detergent. My question is when you do this do you remove all the screws so all the threaded holes can be dried out? If no, do you just heat the mould to dry it out and eliminate the rust potential?

Thanks, Kevin

[UweJ]

You can leave the screws in but must heat the mold afterwards.I personally use white gas or brake cleaner or a bit of alcohol and a toothbrush and just let dry and presto you´re finished.
Hope I could be of some help.
Uwe

[Wally]

Spray them outdoors with carb cleaner (GUm-Out)...works with all types...

[462]

Barnowl,

I completely strip the mould and thoroughly check and clean every part, including holes, threaded or not. Brake parts cleaner will clean and dry the hard to reach areas. Pipe cleaners are handy, too. During reassembly, any moving or threaded part receives a coating of anti-seize.

[Barnowl]

Regarding the use of hot water and detergent: I should have stated that I intended to do this only as an initial cleaning of newly aquired used moulds. I am more inclined to use break cleaner, solvent, white gas, etc. for routine cleaning. But then I am new to this thus the reason for the initial question and I welcome your input and experiences.

Thanks, Kevin

[Shiloh]

White gas is a good cleaner. So is mineral spirits. I chase with Mr clean or similar household cleaner and rinse with copious amounts of hot water. Break parts cleaner is good as well.

The anti sieze compound souds like a good idea as well.

Shiloh

Shiloh

[montana_charlie]

Barnowl,

I completely strip the mould and thoroughly check and clean every part, including holes, threaded or not. Brake parts cleaner will clean and dry the hard to reach areas. Pipe cleaners are handy, too. During reassembly, any moving or threaded part receives a coating of anti-seize.
Me, too...with one exception.
Now that I have some Bullplate, I have started using it in those places I used to treat with anti-sieze. Time will tell if it works as well.

I'm glad that somebody finally asked the question about threaded holes, and other nooks and crannies within a mould.
Nobody ever talks about those areas, and I had come to believe that most guys don't even think about them.
CM

[Phat Man Mike]

when I get new molds I strip them down and clean everything with brake parts cleaner let air dry and look for any burrs and use bullplate lube and reassemble ! then heat them puppies up and cast some boolits :redneck::castmine:[smilie=w:

[imashooter2]

I boil the blocks in water with a bit of dish soap. Remove the blocks from the bath and they flash dry from the heat.

[mroliver77]

first ime I wash soap and lightly scrub with a very fine bronze brush. Prolly get me flamed. ha I found this "leements" the mold much quicker than using a magnifier and hobby knife. I then throw on a hotplate and let it cook for a good while. I have put oily molds on hot plate until lube is cooked off. A light brushing and away we go. Even a couple stubborn molds that conventional leementing did not fix became tame after the bronze brush. Close inspection shows no damage.
Jay

[docone31]

I soak my molds in mineral spirits for a couple of days before I cast.
I only need to do this once.
Heat them, and cast them.

[JIMinPHX]

I just use Bra-Kleen (sp?) in the green can & some paper towels. A little elbow grease & a quick hand, to get the gunk out before the liquid all dries up, seems to be what makes it work for me. You can see the gunk that you removed staining the paper towel. When you stop betting stains, then you are done.

Make sure that you get ALL the brake cleaner out of the mold before you put the heat to it. Heat + brake cleaner = very bad news.

[No_1]

I live in the deep south where moisture is a lifetime problem. I clean my moulds with carb cleaner then scrub with hot soapy water followed by a leisurely sit on the hot plate. Once they are dry and warm I hit it with carb cleaner again before I start casting. The reason I hit with carb cleaner the first time is because I always coat my moulds with bull plate after I finish casting with them while they are still warm. This gives it storage protection in my climate. Please heed that the previous posted statement about brake cleaners. These have some nasty side effects on your respiratory system (may include death) when used around heat.

Robert

[garandsrus]

I use an old toothbrush with dish soap to clean molds. If I am not going to use the mold right away, I will heat it using the gas stove to evaporate any remaining water. I leave the screws in place.

John

[Barnowl]

To all, thanks for the input.

Kevin

[dualsport]

Barnowl, what kinda owl is that in the pitcher?

[Barnowl]

Barnowl, what kinda owl is that in the pitcher?

A very rare one!

[Barnowl]

I bought a used Lyman mould that was encrusted with carbon both inside and outside the mould. Not sure what had been used on it while casting. I soaked it in hot water with a sprinkling of lye (Drano) sitting on a hotplate to keep it warm. After a couple of hours most of it came off after scrubbing with a brass brush. Mould is squeaky clean now. Just an idea for those tough cleaning jobs.

Use the normal safety precautions with a caustic such as lye.

Kevin

[mold maker]

I wouldn't advise removing the screws from an aluminum mold. Some use thread cutting screws that won't stay tight after reassembly. The fix for that is a set screw drilled and tapped from around the corner.

[montana_charlie]

I bought a used Lyman mould that was encrusted with carbon both inside and outside the mould. Not sure what had been used on it while casting.
Probably (bee, candle, canning, toilet ring, crayon, ear) 'wax'.
Some people think wax makes a good lube for the pivot points and alignment pins on a bullet mould.

CM