Mold Cleaning. OOps...

[Greenhorn44]

:redneck:So I have had my 6 bangers for about a 2 weeks now, and I just realized something from a fellow caster hear. Crash Corrigan this is for you!!

Im going to post this cause I feel it may benefit a noob.

So im slamming along casting bullets the other night, got a good rythm down, no gloves.... couple good burn handling the molds. I let them cool alittle.
each time I flip the sprue plate closed and hold it by the "Handle" I notice a funny smell. after a few runs i realize that my rag is synthetic. its melting to the outside of the mold turning it a yellowish brown.

Mind you, I read a post about someone not having a handle, and using the mold with double leather gloves. At the time I thought, Man!! it sure would be hard casting for me without my sprue plate handle to hold on to. When it hits me, like a ton of lead. Im doing the same thing he was.... NO HANDLES!!!

Well my burns are healing and I just got my handles in the mail today.

My question is.
Sirs, whats a good way to clean my aluminum boolit molds. :redneck:

[462]

Greenhorn44,
I don't think they'll clean up.

P.S. As a safety precaution, ALWAYS wear gloves. Those deep burns take a long time to heal (experience). Also, on non-gang moulds, use your gloved hand to open the sprue plate, rather than beating on it.

[chris in va]

You were casting without handles?

[waksupi]

Excuse me, but.....Brahahahahahahahahaaaaaaa!

[Greenhorn44]

I knew if anyone would find humor in this it would be our beloved Loob Groove Dealer.
Thanks Waksupi for understanding

[theperfessor]

Ouch!

[Greenhorn44]

Greenhorn44,
I don't think they'll clean up.

P.S. As a safety precaution, ALWAYS wear gloves. Those deep burns take a long time to heal (experience). Also, on non-gang moulds, use your gloved hand to open the sprue plate, rather than beating on it.

Oops, Does anyone have Lee Precision on speed dial.

You aint kidding Deep.

I got a RN Mold and a SWC mold. The RN Mold needs no beating. I can pop the sprues with Waksupi's elbow grease :) The SWC mold on the other hand needs a good pounding.

[DLCTEX]

You may need to sharpen the sprue cutters. Look the sprue holes over with a magnifying glass. You can use a countersink bit, then deburr the bottom of the plate. Also, the Lee 6 cavs are position sensitive for the sprue handle, if it's held wrong it can make cutting the sprues hard to do. Bullplate lube will let you cut the sprue a little earlier, while the metal is softer, without smearing.

[hoosierlogger]

Easy off oven cleaner takes melted boot soles off of Harley exhaust pipes. I would think it might work on your alum mold too.

[waksupi]

Easy off oven cleaner takes melted boot soles off of Harley exhaust pipes. I would think it might work on your alum mold too.

No Easy Off on aluminum!!!!!! It is lye, and will destroy aluminum!

[DLCTEX]

No Easy Off on aluminum!!!!!! It is lye, and will destroy aluminum! That's no joke! You'll be asking, "who got my mould"? All that will be left is the steel screws.:violin:

[Recluse]

My question is.
Sirs, whats a good way to clean my aluminum boolit molds. :redneck:

Well, I got some propwash I can send to you. Not sure what the going market value is--I'll PM Ric and see what lube grooves are selling for, then adjust my price accordingly.

In the meantime, while you're waiting on the propwash, you might fiddle around with some Mother's Aluminum Polish.

:coffee:

[462]

Recluse,
Just checked the commodities market: Prop wash opened this morning at $3.57 a gallon, while flight line was listed at $4.52 a yard.

[Recluse]

Recluse,
Just checked the commodities market: Prop wash opened this morning at $3.57 a gallon, while flight line was listed at $4.52 a yard.

Stupid economy!

Just this time a little more than a year ago, a gallon of prop wash was selling at the same price as a barrel of raghead crude oil.

I knew I should've SOLD THEN! [smilie=b:

:coffee:

[rockrat]

Try putting in the freezer. The aluminum might shrink more than the melted plastic and you might be able to just peel it off.

[HORNET]

Greenhorn,it sounds like you've been fluxing with the wrong kind of California Flake...and standing downwind. Don't worry much about how the outside of the mold looks, it's only there to hold the cavities and radiate heat anyways. If the melted on junk bothers you, clean it up with a sharp wood chisel and fine file, then scrub it with some steel wool or a Scotch-brite pad. Sheesh, some peoples kids......

[Blammer]

Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha

giggle, snicker, laugh, Hahahahahahahahaha.

laughing some more...

no handles.... hahahaha


:)

[MtGun44]

Not the first person to do this.

Bill

[giz189]

I knew if anyone would find humor in this it would be our beloved Loob Groove Dealer.
Thanks Waksupi for understanding
Just curious about those Loob Grooves. Do they sale by the each or by the pound?:veryconfu

[hoosierlogger]

No Easy Off on aluminum!!!!!! It is lye, and will destroy aluminum!

Well all I can say is Its a good thing this didnt happen to me or I would have ruined a mold. I certainly hope he did not try it. I would feel real bad if I suggested that he ruin his mold. I honestly had no idea it would do that.

[shotman]

Kroil will take the plastic off. If you soak for a couple days most all the stain will come off too. I have had several Lees that someone cast with the tape that Lee used to wrap them in.
Use a old tooth brush not brass to clean them
You do have the right handle LOL

[7of7]

Easy off oven cleaner takes melted boot soles off of Harley exhaust pipes. I would think it might work on your alum mold too.

Thanks for the info,... I appreciate it!!! Now I can clean my pipes!!!

[7of7]

Not the first person to do this.

Bill

Most likely won't be the last.... May be the last to admit it though....LOL

[Greenhorn44]

Burns are healing nicely. Never new that 700 degrees felt like that. Man!! it tickles alittle bit

[gon2shoot]

Rool 16 on the casting process.

[deltaenterprizes]

Easy off oven cleaner takes melted boot soles off of Harley exhaust pipes. I would think it might work on your alum mold too.

Oven cleaner contains lye that will eat the aluminum! That is how DRAINO works! Little bits of aluminum mixed with lye causes a rapid reaction creating heat and HYDROGEN gas.

[looseprojectile]

Prop wash is alright for propellors. What you need is a bucket of Stack Gas. Stack Gas must have been invented expressly for gently cleaning boolit moulds. Soak it some and if that don't do it use it as is. I have scraped crud off of hot moulds with popsicle sticks. Someone told me that melted nylon toothbrush bristles can be removed from mould cavities with Methyl Ethyl Ketone. Try not to catch it on fire. Cotton or wool makes good pads to drop your air cooled boolits on.
I have forgotten all the mistakes I have made. But I have gained lots of experience from making them.

Life is good

[Crash_Corrigan]

I can now recommend the use of a pair of handles when working with Lee 6 bangers. They work pretty good and if you use Bullshops Sprue Plate Lube you can open them when the alloy is still soft and then if dumped into a pail of cold water you will have some pretty good boolits.

You will not need a hickory hammer handle to open the mold and the boolits should shake out. If ya have a problem with boolits hanging up in the cavities then apply some Kano Kroil with a Q tip and your problems will be over.

[Changeling]

Burns are healing nicely. Never new that 700 degrees felt like that. Man!! it tickles a little bit

Really sorry you had a challenging moment, I wouldn't want that **** on there either! Nothing seems to be as painful as burns, hope you're better.

Places like Lowe's and Home Depot sell this stuff called "Goof Off" and a couple of other brands of a similar product. It's worth a try to read the label or email the company or just buy the stuff and give it a try, not expensive.
I used it on some latex paint and it worked great.


PS. There is a plant you can grow in your kitchen or where ever called "Aloe", it's a thick plant, if one gets a burn, you break off a piece and put the liquid on the burn, nothing better. Ask your doctor.

[Echo]

I believe they are marketed by the gross...

Gross, I said...

Did I call Rick gross?

[Greenhorn44]

Two handles!!!!

[Ekalb2000]

The best thing that I have found to clean any mold, alluminium, metal, or brass, is a can of pneumatic fluid. Spray it on there and instantly the lead build up falls rite off. ACE carries it.
They also have another product that works. Just go up to the guy at the counter and ask for some K9P. He will point you in the rite direction. You might have to fill out an ID-10T form first. Most places, this form has no dash. Well my hardware store does.

[myg30]

I might try that K9P instead of CLP on my guns. You think if i use to much of it and my gun does not fire....[edit] ?
No handles, HA ! Try grabing the pot after you unpluged it almost 10 mins ago ???
ID-10T forms come in packs of 100, I have 85 left to sell ! Anyone?

Mike

[Greenhorn44]

10 minutes!! hahahaaaaaaaaa!! bet that sucker was still 400 degrees. Kinda jest melts them fingerprints right of dont it :)

[steg]

I was wondering about the lube grooves also giz189, do they come prelubed, and does size matter?

[Buckshot]

I was wondering about the lube grooves also giz189, do they come prelubed, and does size matter?

.............Wonder how come nobody mentions him also offering crimp grooves these days? Speaking of lube, I've heard that Relative Bearing Grease thinned with a bit of sailboat fuel works pretty good.

..............Buckshot

[giz189]

I was wondering about the lube grooves also giz189, do they come prelubed, and does size matter?Don't know about pelube, but I have seen on TV that "size matters". [smilie=l: