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Thread: How to lubricate a mold?

  1. #1
    Boolit Master nueces5's Avatar
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    How to lubricate a mold?

    How to lubricate a mold?
    I heat the molds (I am now using a pair of 9mm 124 cn rcbs) while the lead is heating, resting them on the edge of the oven.
    Then I make a couple of boolits, which always come out wrinkled, and then with a piece of paper I put a little oil from the one that comes with the MIHA molds, on the underside of the sprue plate, and on the pins that are on the inside of the plate. mold.
    Inevitably some wrinkled boolits come out, even though I put a hundredth of a drop of oil, something falls out.
    how do you do?

  2. #2
    Boolit Master


    Finster101's Avatar
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    I think your wrinkled bullets may have more to do with the mold not being up to temperature yet then getting oil in a cavity. Even when I preheat mine on a hot plate, I still get a couple of wrinkled ones. Preheating keeps it to a minimum for me but does not completely prevent it on the first pour or two.

  3. #3
    Boolit Master
    405grain's Avatar
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    It takes only an infinitesimal amount of 2-stroke motor oil to lubricate a mold. I generally touch the tip of a Q-tip momentarily to the oil so that it absorbs less than a drop of oil. Then I use this to lubricate around the sprue plate pivot pin. I don't lubricate the alignment pins. The only other application that I use this lube on is to draw a faint line down one side of a hollow-point pin. I can not express enough how very little lube is required. One application is good for an entire casting session.

    I agree with others that your wrinkling problem is probably due to the mold being too cold. If you use too much lubricant you can get wrinkles, but a cold mold is usually the culprit.

  4. #4
    Boolit Master
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    I use aluminum anti-seize.
    There is no difference between communism and socialism, except in the means of achieving the same ultimate end: communism proposes to enslave men by force, socialism—by vote. It is merely the difference between murder and suicide. Ayn Rand

  5. #5
    Boolit Master nueces5's Avatar
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    drop beautiful boolits
    after lubricating, wrinkles immediately appear
    I just finished a batch of 9mm, I think I applied much less lubricants, and I have not seen wrinkles

  6. #6
    Boolit Grand Master

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    I use a Q-Tip to apply lube to the top and underside of the sprue plate and to the block top .
    The secrete is to apply the Thinnest Film you can ... I pick up a drop of oil on the Q-Tip ... then press the Q-Tip on a paper towel to remove the Excess then apply to the sprue top , rubbing all round and in the hole bevels ... then rubbing the underside of the sprue plate and lastly rubbing a Micro-thin film on the block top ... Tip ..do this with boolits in the cavities to keep oil out of cavities ... then take a rag or paper towel and to wipe OFF any/all lube you can ... try to leave no visible trace ... that will be plenty and it will NOT contaminate your cavities . My Problem has always been ...Too Much lube ... took me a long time to learn that so little is needed ... Apply Sparingly ... Then Wipe Off everything you can ... that will be enough and won't contaminate the cavities .

    For the pivot points and pins you can hold the Q-Tip to the pin / screw/ bolt and the heat will suck enough into the area that needs it ... not much is needed at these locations either .
    I use synthetic two cycle oil for lube and Anti-seize on the bolts and hinge ...it stays put longer .
    Gary
    Last edited by gwpercle; 09-14-2022 at 07:55 PM.
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  7. #7
    Boolit Master
    Mal Paso's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by nueces5 View Post
    drop beautiful boolits
    after lubricating, wrinkles immediately appear
    I just finished a batch of 9mm, I think I applied much less lubricants, and I have not seen wrinkles
    The mold is cooling while you are lubing it. I have tried contaminating molds with oil just to see what happens and I think temperature is the cause of wrinkled bullets, oil not so much.

    Applying too much oil and the time the mold isn't casting will cool a mold.
    Mal

    Mal Paso means Bad Pass, just so you know.

  8. #8
    Boolit Grand Master Bazoo's Avatar
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    I use graphite. I disassemble the mould before use and wipe all excess oil out of it. Then I color the mold with a carpenters pencil. The top of the mould, the bottom of the sprue plate, the alignment pins and holes, the pivot pin and hole. If the mould is prone to specks of lead on the faces I’ll color those too. Then I get the mould up to temp and fill the cavities, sprue plate open, with lighter fluid. It boils but doesn’t flame. This scrubs the cavities of all oil and it generally casts good on the first or second cast. When I get a lead smear, I wipe it off with a rag, and use my carpenters pencil to scour the area, both removing the lead and reapplying the graphite. It works wonders over the old 2 cycle routine. I use mineral oil for storage. I just brush it on the cavities and with a small paint brush when the mould is touchable to cold.

  9. #9
    Boolit Master nueces5's Avatar
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    good ideas Mal Paso and bazoo
    i will pay attention to that
    Thank you

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BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
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