Scored a couple molds

[res45]

Well I was at the local casting/reloading/gun shop today where Beanie the owner had given me some free stuff a couple months back for bringing in some business for him. He is expanding his shop as far as reloading supplies go and will be selling new and mil-surplus guns by the end of June. He invited me into the back room today and I about went into Lead DT's when I saw his pile of casting alloy,he said thats nothing I have a tractor trailer load of all kinds of Lead at the house that i have accumulated over the years,beside my normal alloy I order for my casting business.

Well to make a long story short he bought out this elderly gentleman that was getting out of casting and he had about six Lyman 2 cavity mold with handles and one set of blocks on the table. He said look it over anything you like you get first dibs on it. Well he had two Lyman molds that I could use in my 38/357 one was 150 gr. SWC #358477 and 170 gr. #358429. I've always wanted that Keith style mold but can't really afford the cost of a new one,especially living off unemployment at the moment.

Anyways I said well I want have any spare cash till next week how much are you asking? to which he replied how does $25 each sound to you,to which I replied I'll see you first of next week. Mold pics and sample bullets to follow sometime next weekend.

I've have only used Lee Aluminum molds and had excellent results,so what can I expect different for the Lyman iron molds and what do I need to do differently as far as maintenance and preserving the molds once I'm done casting till the next time around. Thanks

[Echo]

res45, you got a good deal on those molds. They are great designs and I'm sure you will enjoy using them.

[beagle]

Good score. Both are great designs./beagle

[Landric]

I am far from a casting guru like many here, I've only been doing it for a little over a year. However, as far as the molds are concerned, I think you will like the iron molds. I started with some Lee molds (and I still have several), but I have always had much better luck keeping the iron molds at a consistant temp. and therefore producing much better boolits.

As for care, iron molds will rust. To prevent this, I keep mine in a large plastic box. I spray the molds down with lubricant when I am finished with a session. The next time I want to cast, I spray the molds I plan to use with brake cleaner, wipe them off, and allow them to dry. I am sure there are much better methods, but so far it has worked very well for me.

[HeavyMetal]

A lot of your storage issues will depend on where you are at and your local weather.

Iron molds will rust and in damp weather they will do it real quick!

What I do for mold storage is simple: a military ammo box, the type with the "O" ring seal on the lid If you get a good sized one make removable shelving to hold the molds and put them inside with a good sized container of dissacant.

You will need to let the molds cool to room temp before storage so they don't "sweat" .

I have never been a fan of storing with oil on them or leaving the last boolit in place as a means of protecting the cavity.

I have seen way to many scrap molds with the last boolit in them it does not work! The cavities still rust!

As for oiling a mold? Iron will hold oil in it's pores for ever! Trying to cook it off just leaves me frustrated and many times carb or brake cleaner leave a combonation residue thats just as tough to burn off.

Dry moisture controlled storage is the answer here along with the knowledge that you cannot leave iron molds unatteded to for any length of time.

[mtgrs737]

I oil mine and clean with brake cleaner before heating them up for use. Never had a problem in this Kansas humidity with some moulds being stored outside in a shed for nearly ten years. I do put them in a plastic container to keep them clean though.

[David2011]

RES45, you will really enjoy those molds. They are much easier to use than aluminum molds. I live in northeast Texas which is less humid than the Gulf coast but still far from a dry climate. I don't have any trouble with my molds rusting because of the room in which they are stored.

Molds rust when it exposed to the rapid changes of the atmosphere. If a mold gets cold and then warm, damp air moves in the moisture will condense on the cold metal and rust it. If you store the molds inside the house you probably won't need to do anything special to keep them from rusting. I don't put any kind of oil on them. My reloading room is out in a workshop that's well insulated and sealed well so it doesn't get rapid temperature changes. Ammo boxes are a good way to store them but I don't like to rely on dessicants which can hold moisture. A Vapor Corrosion Inhibitor in an ammo box is a good alternative to a dessicant. You can get it in the form of Kraft paper sheets or treated plastic gun storage bags. They will have to be replaced every two years. Google 'vapor corrosion inhibitor' to learn more. This is the brown paper you see packed with precision measuring instruments and other bare steel machined items. It emits a vapor that prevents rust in an enclosed small area. Midway carries a Tipton product that's a VCI on 1" square paper chips.

The VCI treated paper will protect reloading dies, too. I have more trouble with dies rusting than molds.

If you still want to do something active to prevent moisture from collecting on the molds, keep them in an enclosed fairly airtight box or safe with a small Goldenrod dehumidifier. I have one in my gun safe. It is a low wattage heater and keeps the temperature just a little warmer than the outside air so there's no condensation and no rust. The 8 watt Goldenrod is good for up to 100 cubic feet. http://www.goldenroddehumidifiers.com/

David

[WallyM3]

Old Machinists' Trick: Apply oil of camphor, (camphorated phenol in Campho-phenique at the drug store) to small pieces of blotting paper, shirt cardboard or here and there on the felt in your Gerstner, and the evaporating oil will protect steel and iron objects. I haven't renewed the top drawer of my big Kennedy roller in a couple of years.

I put dampened postage stamp sized pieces of card board in my die boxes.