How to prep used Lee molds.

[CITYREPO61]

I recently purchased from members on this board a couple of used Lee 2 cavity molds. I searched and couldn't find any info on old molds cleanup. (except for a thread on rust).

Please let me know what I should do to make sure these molds are ready to go.
If this seems like a no brainer, sorry. I am going to try my first mold session weekend after this one.

Thanks
Steve 'cityrepo61'

[Bret4207]

You can read the "Leementing" sticky but why mess with something you aren't certain is broke? I'd try a casting session before I "fixed" anything. I have Lee's I've done absolutely nothing to that cast fine.

[CITYREPO61]

Bret thanks for the reply.

With a new mold I would clean, smoke and use. (Thanks to Cowboy T's video)
But,,,,,, I am not sure if I should do the same with used dies?
What I planned to do was give them a good scrubbing and soaking in isopropyll alcohol. smoke them and try them. but I wasn't sure if they even need cleaning. One of the molds looks almost new (clearly used though) and the other looks well seasoned already..

Thanks for all the help
Steve 'Cityrepo61'

[357shooter]

Used moulds can be cleaned with some mineral spirits and a soft brush. A 1 inch paintbrush with the bristles cut by 1/2 works really well. Dry it and wipe out the cavities with Q-tips. Now you are cleaned up and ready. I do this between all casting sessions.

The Lee moulds can work well with some paraffin was on the alignment pins and sprue plate (don't get it into the cavities). Smoke and go.

Or: Bullpate and other means of lubing the mould work very well, if you have some handy.

Or: Frankford Aresenal drop out works very well with a light coat sprayed onto each half othe mould, lightly. A heavier spray to the top and the sprue plate and you are lubed and ready to go. No smoking with the Drop-out, no other lube either.

But if you want to cast and don't have these items, the paraffin from the grocery store works just fine. A gas-match-lighter can be used to smoke the mould too.

[kbstenberg]

Hello Cityrepo welcome to the brotherhood of the silver stream. I would think since this is your first time with these molds you have to assume there is some sort of film on your molds. So use what ever means you usually use to clean your molds.
Personally all i use is boiling water, dish soap, an old toothbrush. Heat, brush with soap, rinse, do this twice then let dry an use.
If i may ask? Why do you use a release agent on the molds if you don't know if they need it. If there is some kind of a prob. that a release agent fixes then use it. Just my 2cents
Keep that silver stream flowing
Kevin

[jmsj]

CITYREPO61,
I usually prep aluminum molds like kbstenbeg. Appllying anything in the cavities could cause the bullets to drop smaller. Depending on your diameter requirements, I would try the boiling/dish soap/toothbrush first, Leementing second, and smoking or mold release as a last resort. JMHO
A good cleaning or Leementing has usually fixed any dropping problems for me. Good luck, jmsj

[DLCTEX]

If you need the mould to drop smaller boolits then use mould prep, smoke, etc. All my moulds drop well without such as all recalcitrant moulds have been Leemented, which is easy to do. I also recommend Bullplate lube as there is no carbon buildup on the mould.

[theperfessor]

I've never found a properly cleaned and deburred mold to need any smoking or release agent to work properly. And Bullplate lube is the ticket in my book for a mold lube. I'd clean up a used mold as suggested and try it before doing anything else.

Just my dos centavos.

[462]

I, too, agree that smoking a mould is not necessary.

[CITYREPO61]

thanks for all the tips...

I will boil, scrub and let dry then try.

Just the way I can handle things simple!

Thanks
Steve 'cityrepo61'

[mooman76]

I usually just give the mould a quick look over and start makin boolits. A used Lee mould that has been cared for is usually well broke in and drops good boolits right off. I quit smoking years ago, the moulds that is.

[shotman]

KROIL is all you need
see some stickys IT WORKS

[Bret4207]

Yeah, forget smoking and for goodness sakes don't use that junk Frankford mould release. It's a nice dry lube, but your boolits will loose a few thou using it.

[357shooter]

Gotta admit the Frankford dropout is pretty good stuff. I use a light coat on the mould face and heavier dose on the sprue plate to lube it, and the pins.

With a light coat you can't measure and loss in diameter. With a heavy does than .001 or so can be lost in size.

The bullets fall right out too. There's other ways to get there, but this works just fine.

YMMV

[dromia]

As Brett said try casting with it first by "cleaning it up" you could be breaking something thats already fixed.

I would also add my view that stuff in the cavities, mould release etc. is not necessary if the mould is prepped right, that is treating a symptom not a cause.

[home in oz]

Just try the molds.

[casterofboolits]

The first thing I would look at on a used (or new) Lee mould is the sprue plate. Stone the bottom face of the sprue plate flat and stone all edges that contact the top face of the mould to eliminate nicks and burrs that would scratch/damage the mould. Then clean to remove any foriegn materials in the cavities.

I use a dry film graphite spray on the bottom of the sprue plate and top of the mould to reduce lead smearing and galling. Lube as you see fit. Then preheat the mould and start casting. Any further problems can be addressed as they appear.