First steel mould, questions and problems. Need some help

[JBMauser]

Well I was told it would be different than the Lee moulds I have learned on and that advice was correct.  I enjoy the fact that the bullets most times fall out of the mould when it is opened! How does that happen?  I am used to pounding the X@#$% out of my lee's for 4 out of 5 bullets.  But here is the question that has me repeating the aforementioned expletive.  The two cavities are like from two different molds.  The outer cavity (from the hinge pin) fills like a dream.  The inner cavity rarely fills well and most times there is a small void at the bottom edge that looks like the bullet was dropped on its edge and has a slight flat at the 6:00 position (again to the hinge).  I tried filling it fast and slow, down the pipe and off the edge of the spew hole.  I tried filling it at 12:00 and 3;00 and around the dial and still most times a small void that you could see as soon as you pried the spew plate away.  The kicker is that the spew hole is at that exact edge and I always leave a generous spew.  I did have a few that did not even fill completely and were rounded at the base even though I had a good spew spud (?) to shear off.  I thought it may be trapped air.  The mould has sufficient vents as I have to pull the whiskers off these catfish.  Some of them stick like a catfish as well.  Just what I need, lead splinters!  Info on mould, 311-365 198gr. spire point, gas check Ideal.  cast frosted and using straight WW.  One last point.  On close inspection the spew cut is not the same.  The outer cavity bullet shows a shinny smooth spew cut off like cutting solder with a razor.  The inner flawed bullets look as if the spew was snapped clean off.  It is mostly dark and crystaline looking with some shinny cut parts.  This is so...... strange. I seem to remember reading about dressing a spew plate with some kind of lapping compound on a steel plate or sheet of glass or something.... HELP>  JB :?

[Doctor Sam]

None of my steel moulds produce "catfish whiskers".  Even though you think you are venting it may still be a problem.  The halves should close enough to prevent the run out.  Check the pins and make sure the vents are clean.  Doesn't take much to retard the flow.  I have used plain soap and water and a toothbrush to clean the vents followed by drying and casting.  This seems more of a problem to me with my Lee moulds.  Someone more up on the sprue cutter will have to chime in.
Hope this helps.
Doctor Sam

[Leftoverdj]

I've had the whiskers at times. I took it to mean that I was casting too hot. Reducing the temp a mite makes them go away. The other thing that can cause them is a full head of metal straight into the sprue hole with no appreciable drop.

There is a really good answer to what to do about the sprue plate over on Accurate Reloading. The question was similar enough so I assume you posted your question there as well.

Being rather lazy, I would repeat my degreasing, check to make sure the sprue hole is sharp is sharp, and slightly loosen the sprue plate screw before I did anything more elaborate.

[wener]

clean the mould again with denatured alcohol, turn your your heat all the way up, set the bottom part of the mold on the surface of the lead and let it cook for no more than 2 min., let cool slighlty, make some bullets and then adjust your heat if need be! the whiskers are from being poured to fast when the mould is hot!

[Lead pot]

JB.

It's hard to say what is going on with out seeing you cast.

You say you are getting vent hairs and frosting,and still getting unfilled bases and viods.That can be a couple of things causing that.
Your sprew plate is to tight,it should swing freely by it self when the mould blocks are closed.
Another is you have oil or some lube under the sprew cutter,and the voids in the bullet ogive.
Clean the mould good with some kind of solventand boil a pot of water with the moulds. I do this with the moulds I oiled for long unused storage.The moulds I use every weak I dont oil.You can clean the moulds with alcahol or some other degreaser and that wont get it all.It will burn out after casting a few bullets that way.
I take a rag that has lube on it and i wipe just a little under the hot sprew cutter so the alloy dont build up under it and the blocks,and take a clean dry rag and wipe it off.If you use to much your problem will start all over again,a little goes a long way but I feel it is neated to keep the solder from building up under the plate.

I dont cast hot,I cast the 1 in 30 alloy at 750 to 775 deg. when I see frosting under the sprew plate the soup is getting to hot.For the paper patch bullets I cast almost pure lead (1-50)but at a higher temp is neated to fill the mould arround 800-820.
As far as the vent hairs-I get then when I hold the head presure from a full ladel to long on the plate at 775 deg.that is good it shows the mould venta are doing there job they dont hurt a thing it shows your mould is filling properly just take a rag and wipe them off.

The way I tell when my mould is at proper temp is when it takes the sprew to set dull in 5-6 seconds.

A nother thing when opening the mould dont get in a hurry,if you open it to soon you will stretch the bullet out of round,tap the hinge pin a little ,let the weight of the handle open the mould.Even the best lathe bored moulds from Steve Brooks or Paul Jones will get out of round if you open the blocks to soon.
Sorry I did'nt want to get to windy with the answer,but I hope it will help you some.

Lp.

[The Shrink]

JB

You shouldn't have to be pounding your Lee's to get the bullets out.  I have several, and just got the MAV 44-40 six cavity mold, the bullets fall out after treating with Mold Prep.  It's fine grain graphite in an alcohol base.  Works better than smoking the cavity, too.  After about 400 bullets in the six cavity I will set it cool and re-apply the mold prep.  I have only one cavity that sticks a little.  My two cavity molds don't have deep lube grooves, so there's little to catch on, but they also drop easily with mold prep.  

I have to pound more on my RCBS 40-400 steel mold more than any of my Lee molds using Mold Prep with all of them.