New Lee mold

[hornady]

Sorry I know this has been ask many times. I did a quick search and could not find it. I have used Lyman molds for years. But have read some positive feed back on the Lee molds. And for the price thought I would give it a try. Now for the question, I believe I read on here that you should boil the new Lee mold in a solution of I believe it was vinegar and water before you use it. Was this an opinion or fact. Thanks.

[high standard 40]

I've seen a lot of different items used to clean molds before using them.
Brake cleaner, carb cleaner, mineral spirits, etc. Any good solvent will work followed by soap and water. Dry completely, pre heat and go at it. I have had to repeat the cleaning after the first casting session on some molds. I advise you to closely examine the mold for burrs and remove those before using it.

[hornady]

I was wondering if the heavy solvents would hurt the Aluminum mold . The Lyman being steel I did not worry about. But not sure about Lee Aluminum molds.

[jack19512]

Only thing I do is use boiling water and dish detergent. I use an old tooth brush and scrub the mold cavities several times and then put mold into service. Don't have any idea why any one would have to do anything else to clean the Lee molds.

[HORNET]

The cutting fluids they use for machining aluminum these days contain all kinds of strange fungicides, anti-microbials, corrosion inhibitors, and other additives. Some are water-soluble while others are not. Try soaking a new mold in mineral spirits for a while (I'm not sure that a week is necessary as some have suggested) and then boiling it in water with a little dish soap, then a clear boiling water rinse. That should get out just about everything and then you can deal with the burrs and Lee-menting as needed. Works for aluminum or iron molds.

[hornady]

Thanks I will try the dish soap. I have boiled new traps in it years ago. And forgot about it. That should do it. If it took that heave oil of traps. It should clean a mold.

[armyrat1970]

Sorry I know this has been ask many times. I did a quick search and could not find it. I have used Lyman molds for years. But have read some positive feed back on the Lee molds. And for the price thought I would give it a try. Now for the question, I believe I read on here that you should boil the new Lee mold in a solution of I believe it was vinegar and water before you use it. Was this an opinion or fact. Thanks.

Wow. There are many different ways to clean new molds. Not just Lees. All have their different preference. Don't remember reading that way of cleaning but I don't see why it wouldn't work. For my new Lee molds I just use a little Isopropyl Alcohol, wash and rinse and let them dry. Cast with them, after lubing, and if I have any problems I use a little toothpaste to polish the cavity. Not the gel kind, the paste kind that is a little abrasive. That is if the boolit is not dropping free. But the boolit not dropping free can be another problem also. Mold temp or alloy temp, or both. Lot of different things can effect the performance of a mold. All I have are Lees and I can tell you none have worked well straight out of the box. But once you get them right, they drop very good boolits.

[armyrat1970]

Sorry I know this has been ask many times. I did a quick search and could not find it. I have used Lyman molds for years. But have read some positive feed back on the Lee molds. And for the price thought I would give it a try. Now for the question, I believe I read on here that you should boil the new Lee mold in a solution of I believe it was vinegar and water before you use it. Was this an opinion or fact. Thanks.

Wow. There are many different ways to clean new molds. Not just Lees. All have their different preference. Don't remember reading that way of cleaning but I don't see why it wouldn't work. For my new Lee molds I just use a little Isopropyl Alcohol, wash and rinse and let them dry. Cast with them, after lubing, and if I have any problems I use a little toothpaste to polish the cavity. Not the gel kind, the paste kind that is a little abrasive. That is if the boolit is not dropping free. But the boolit not dropping free can be another problem also. Mold temp or alloy temp, or both. Lot of different things can effect the performance of a mold. All I have are Lees and I can tell you none have worked well straight out of the box. But once you get them right, they drop very good boolits.

[dragonrider]

I just spray with carb cleaner, scrub with a toothbrush, spray again, dry with compressed air, done.

[docone31]

I put mine in Mineral Spirits for a couple of days, then cast.
No scrubbing.
I see a lot of aluminum flakes on the bottom of the container though.
Better than brake fluid.
I did it that way first, then switched to mineral spirits. I do the mineral spirits way now.

[Dick Dastardly]

For my LEE and Big Lube®LLC Six Cavity molds, I've always had good luck with hot water, dish soap and a tooth brush. Hot water rinse. Lube pivot points and alignment pins and sockets with Bull Plate and smoke the cavities. Then start pouring and when the mold is well heated, apply Bull Plate to the underside of the sprue plate and the top of the mold blocks being careful not to get any Bull Plate into the cavities.

DD-DLoS

[Tazman1602]

Hey Hornady,

Mineral spirits, brake clean (careful ot TCE here.....), carb clean, take your pick and then scrub with a stiff toothbrush and comet or any commercial dishsoap will work well. Rinse with HOT water and then make sure it's DRY before casting. A lot of us here use a small $10 hotplate to pre-heat molds first and that will take care of that too.

There ain't no voo-doo or black magic to making these work just clean them up real well and read the posts on lee-menting molds:

Check out the articles by members on castpics link at the bottom of this page or just go here enjoy the articles:

http://www.castpics.net/

Art

OH! Check out Bullshop and get some bullplate sprue lube too.


Sorry I know this has been ask many times. I did a quick search and could not find it. I have used Lyman molds for years. But have read some positive feed back on the Lee molds. And for the price thought I would give it a try. Now for the question, I believe I read on here that you should boil the new Lee mold in a solution of I believe it was vinegar and water before you use it. Was this an opinion or fact. Thanks.

[Gee_Wizz01]

I use Dawn dish washing liquid. I used to boil the molds in the solution, but now I just put them in my Ultrasonic cleaner and run it about 20 minutes. I then rinse them off with hot water and fill the ultra sonic cleaner with warm water and run it again for about 20 minutes. That usually takes care of the cleaning. I don't lee-ment unless I have a problem. All of my Lee molds cast well, but I do have a couple that are out of tolerance on dimensions. I just sent one back to lee because it casts .004 too large and they are going to change it out for me. I have had more out of tolerance problems with Lyman molds than Lee. I love these Lee molds, especially the 6 cavity molds as they are very inexpensive and cast great bullets in large quantities.

G

[Slow Elk 45/70]

I prefer to soak in mineral spirits for 24 hr minimum , then go to the dawn soap and scrub /rinse clean .....this has stopped the problems with having to go back and re-do the cleaning....IMHO

[CWME]

I must be lazy or something. I spray them out with brake clean and let dry on the edge of the warming pot of lead... Smoke the cavities a little and go to town.

[Wally]

I must be lazy or something. I spray them out with brake clean and let dry on the edge of the warming pot of lead... Smoke the cavities a little and go to town.

same here---I just used a new Lee mold last weekend--sprayed Gumout on it, let it dry--lubed it ,as per the instructions. I then preheated it by dunking an edge in my Lee Production Pot---worked just fine.

[jack19512]

I have never had to clean any of my molds after the first initial cleaning. I must be lazy too, but everyone says don't fix what ain't broke.

[theperfessor]

I scrub out the cavities with acetone using an old toothbrush. It the best cheap solvent for various cutting oils that I've found yet. It's flammable so use it or any other chemical cleaner safely.

It seems to work fine and leaves little residue.

[MtGun44]

Scrub with Comet and an old toothbrush, rinse with max hot tap water. Examine closely
for burrs. My most recent (couple days ago) Lee 6 banger had NO burrs (a fluke or are
they doing a better job on all of them?)

No smoking or solvents. Preheat and mold away.

Bill

[DLCTEX]

I did have one new Lee mould that I had a terrible time getting the oil out of. Brake cleaner, toothbrush with Comet, then dish soap, then boiled, still no joy. I finally dunked it in the melt for 45 seconds until it was too hot for the boolits to harden, then let it cool down and it went to work. I have had several new ones since that were easy.

[Daddyfixit]

I suppose any good solvent will work, I use NAPA carb cleaner 'cause it's usually on sale ;)

[hornady]

Thanks for all the info guys. I have read some good reviews on here about the Lee molds. And ordered one in 30 cal. I have always used Lyman molds. And just was not sure if there was more to cleaning them up. I sent Mr. Congiolsi at Bull lube a Money order for a couple bottles of Sprue plate lube. Nice guy. And yes I know he takes Pay-pal. I just can’t see those robbers at pay-pal getting a cut. Well thanks again

[WILCO]

Toothbrush, gasoline and elbow grease works for me.

[Willbird]

For my LEE and Big Lube®LLC Six Cavity molds, I've always had good luck with hot water, dish soap and a tooth brush. Hot water rinse. Lube pivot points and alignment pins and sockets with Bull Plate and smoke the cavities. Then start pouring and when the mold is well heated, apply Bull Plate to the underside of the sprue plate and the top of the mold blocks being careful not to get any Bull Plate into the cavities.

DD-DLoS

I do everything like you do, BUT I do not smoke the cavities, it if seems to need smoking, I clean it AGAIN and I have yet to find a LEE mold that actually NEEDED smoking to work properly. IMHO using solvents to try to remove what was left behind by a water soluble metal cutting coolant is probably not going to work 100%.

Bill

[mroliver77]

I wash mine in detergent or sometimes solvent. Then i get it up to casting temp on a hotplate for a while.I give them a brushing with a soft brass brush and put into service. If one is stubborn I will use a magnifying glass to look for a nasty burr. Taken out of storage I have been heating mold and letting any preservative burn out. Works good for me.
Jay