Have the MP Molds brass 4 cavity molds and beginning to notice a slight casting line on the bullets. Obviously the mold mating surfaces need to be cleaned (ie lead deposits).
What is the proper technique to clean brass mold surfaces?
Thanks
Have the MP Molds brass 4 cavity molds and beginning to notice a slight casting line on the bullets. Obviously the mold mating surfaces need to be cleaned (ie lead deposits).
What is the proper technique to clean brass mold surfaces?
Thanks
Hot mold and tongue depressor or bamboo skewer.
Wayne the Shrink
There is no 'right' that requires me to work for you or you to work for me!
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" Let's Go Brandon !"
I have not used a brass mold but on iron and aluminum I heat the mold like I am getting ready to cast and wave a propane torch over it when the lead goes liquid I wipe it off with a dry rag. With brass I would be more concerned with this tinning the mold don't know if that is a legitimate concern or not but is one of the reasons I have never bought a brass mold.
On iron molds I use a brass brush. On alum I havent had issues.
EVERY GOOD SHOOTER NEEDS TO BE A HANDLOADER.
NRA Cert. Inst. Met. Reloading & Basic Pistol
I've done it several times with MP brass molds. Bamboo skewers are really handy to have around.
Wayne the Shrink
There is no 'right' that requires me to work for you or you to work for me!
Good information in this sticky:
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/show...aring-to-Mould
Bob
Bamboo skewer, but doesn't always remove tinning on a brass mould. Especially, at the edges of the cavities. I keep a large sprew, handy as an eraser...............when mould is up to casting temperature.
Winelover
Hot mold, popsicle stick, a little beeswax and some rough burlap. Get the mold to casting temp, hit it with a little beeswax and scrub with the burlap and popsicle stick, applying a little more beeswax every time it gets dry. That'll take off all the tinning.
KE4GWE - - - - - - Colt 1860, it just feels right.
I have had success using an alloy or pure lead ingot to clean the moulds once it is hot.
Steve,
Life Member NRA
Colorado Rifle Club member
Rocky Mtn Gun Owners member
NAGR member
No brass molds here, but I keep it simple. I heat the mold to a bit over casting temp. and scrub the surfaces with a rough towel/cloth. Haven't tried popsicle sticks mainly because I'd have to get up and find them and I get all lead smears/deposits by scrubbing with a rag...
My Anchor is holding fast!
hot mold and a cotton towel is what I use
apply sprue plate lube to cold mold where it has lead. Wait 5 minutes, scrape off with chop stick.
I put the two halves of the mold on my hot plate, turn the knob to maximum, and wait about 10 minutes for the halves to reach casting temperature and even hotter.
I then take a cotton ear bud with some mold lube, I think it is just normal synthetic 2 stroke motor oil. Apply that to the affected tinned areas with the ear bud and the deposit just wipes off normally when the mold is really nice and hot.
This method I got from reading a lot of posts right here....and it works for me!
I have never been able to get the mold heated right to clean off lead deposits. The waxes tend to burn, as do the skewers, leaving deposits, and alloy bars just smear more lead. It was also hard finding a way to handle the heated mold block.
What I just did to several aluminum molds I'm reconditioning is use a cold alloy ingot on a cold mold block. It got the deposits off. A bit of deburring is in order, after which test casting will show me if I've salvaged or ruined the molds.
Everyone has a slightly different way depending on experience and available tools. Heat and some sort of non-aggressive scraper is a central theme. I use a carpenters pencil as my scraper.
A good way to keep a brass mold (wonderful things) clean is to not speed up when the mold is casting perfect bullets. This isn't an easy thing to do I assure you. I now watch my mold faces like a hawk and if I notice any buildup starting, I go after it while casting and everything is up to temp. I keep a piece of burlap on hand for this purpose.
Tinning is a fact of life for me and my brass molds, yet I've read how some never deal with it.
You are more apt to experience tinning, when you are lax, keeping constant hand pressure on the handles. That's why I been using locking mould handles, on my brass moulds.
Winelover
BP | Bronze Point | IMR | Improved Military Rifle | PTD | Pointed |
BR | Bench Rest | M | Magnum | RN | Round Nose |
BT | Boat Tail | PL | Power-Lokt | SP | Soft Point |
C | Compressed Charge | PR | Primer | SPCL | Soft Point "Core-Lokt" |
HP | Hollow Point | PSPCL | Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" | C.O.L. | Cartridge Overall Length |
PSP | Pointed Soft Point | Spz | Spitzer Point | SBT | Spitzer Boat Tail |
LRN | Lead Round Nose | LWC | Lead Wad Cutter | LSWC | Lead Semi Wad Cutter |
GC | Gas Check |