Could use some advice

[db22]

After more than ten years away from casting, I decided to get back into it after inheriting some good old Lyman molds. Using a bottom-pour Lee furnace, my results so far are mixed. Most of my bullets come out wrinkled, even after casting a few "throw-backs", and the edges are rounded instead of sharp. I cleaned the molds very carefully, and alternate two molds to avoid overheating them or cutting the sprues too soon. Even after the bullets begin to turn out slightly frosted, they are still wrinkled in some places, or not sharp on one side. I'm casting revolver bullets out of pure WW, and adding some tin solder to WWs for rifle bullets.

There are some specks of material in the slightly frosted bullets that might be tin oxidizing out in the mold (?). I flux the pot with Marvelux or paraffin. Have even tried sawdust, which seems to clean the pot pretty well.

It's kinda discouraging to cast a hundred bullets and end up with only ten worth spending powder on. Any suggestions from you experienced casters? Thanks!!

[jhalcott]

 You've got to get molds "up to heat" to throw good bullets.  Are your molds aluminum or steel? If you are getting frosty bullets,then the melt is hot or the molds are hot. Get a thermometer and see how hot the melt really is. Cast a little faster to get the molds warmer. Last thing ,what are you cleaning the molds with? ANY oil residue in the cavity is bad!

[db22]

These are iron Lyman blocks. I spray down the whole block with brake cleaner to start, and then swab out the cavities with 90% rubbing alcohol on a q-tip before casting. After I'm finished, I spray down the blocks with WD-40 if I'm going to use them soon, or grease them with RIG if they'll be put away for a while.

I was thinking maybe the metal is too hot and molds are not hot enough. The thermometer shows about 675F, which keeps the spout from freezing up. I've been thinking of going back to using a dipper.

[jhalcott]

  Some of MY molds work better with a dipper,MOST work great with a bottom pour pot. You MAY have to boil the molds to get the last traces of oil out. I cast at about 700 to 750 degrees and cast fast. When I get "frost" I change molds. go to
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/  and ask for help from those guys. Some of them have been casting since Noah built the Ark!

[Graybeard]

I suspect your protection methods are what's killing your bullets. You're not getting all the lubes off and that's what's wrinkling the bullets. I had a SAECO mold once that I NEVER got to throw a proper bullet from one of the two cavities no matter what I did to it. There was absolutely nothing visible to account for it.

My recommendation would be to do a SUPER cleaning job on them and then stop putting lube where lube doesn't belong. Try boiling them in water with liquid soap. Use VPC paper in the box with the mould and keep them in a dry place to prevent rust. I gave up on trying to put any type of preservative or oil into my moulds many years ago.

You might also try smoking the cavity first to see if that helps but I think you're gonna hafta get the grease out to get an unwrinkled bullet.

[db22]

Ah-HA!!! It's hot and humid up here right now, and I'm a bit paranoid about rust -- a couple of these molds have been out of production for years and are now pretty valuable. I will try boiling the blocks with soap to get the oil out, and take your advice about rust prevention with VPC paper. Thanks, jhalcott and Graybeard!!

[Blammer]

sounds like a couple of things.

get your mold hot, frosty boolits shoot fine.

over pour the mold, let the melt run on the mold sprue a bit, this will put pressure into the mold block from the incoming lead, will help fill out the mold. easier to do with a dipper.

add a touch of tin to help it flow better.

after casting, I'd put your molds into an old army ammo can with a good seal, and a few desiccants. seal out the moisture and suck up what is in there with the desiccants.

[Dan Chamberlain]

What blammer said!

I store my moulds with oil and when I put them on the melt to heat up all that oil just burns off.  I never have a problem with wrinkled bullets.

Also, frosty bullets are just fine.  I can't find a difference in their performance.

Dan

[db22]

I just finished boiling my molds in water with dish detergent. All of them had a scum of whitish grease and black soot on the surfaces afterwards, some of it in the sharp corners of the bullet/boolit bands. The pot is heating up right now . . . we'll see how they cast before the evening is over. Thanks!!

Dave

[db22]

Graybeard had it right -- the Lyman iron molds threw great bullets after they were boiled in a dish detergent solution. I guess preservative grease gets into the metal and isn't removed by solvents.

Now, one more question: I've heard that iron molds can be stored with the last boolit cast left in the cavity, including the sprue. It's supposed to prevent the cavity from rusting. That makes sense to me. Any opinions?

[VTDW]

Graybeard had it right -- the Lyman iron molds threw great bullets after they were boiled in a dish detergent solution. I guess preservative grease gets into the metal and isn't removed by solvents.

Now, one more question: I've heard that iron molds can be stored with the last boolit cast left in the cavity, including the sprue. It's supposed to prevent the cavity from rusting. That makes sense to me. Any opinions?

GB is smart old phart eh?

[Blammer]

personally I would not store a mold with the last bullet an sprue still on it.

why?

different metals. close contact of different metals in a changing environment (even slightly) cannot be good.

I don't have a real definitive reason, I just don't, and can't see how it would help.

[Graybeard]

I've done it that way with the last bullet left in the mould, I've read both good and bad from it. I no longer do it but honestly never noticed it hurt anything but am not sure it helps either. I find the best thing to do is to store them in as dry an environment as you can even if that means an ammo can as someone above suggested with either dissicant or VPC paper or better yet both. Wrap mould in VPC and have dissicant both in something like that sealed ammo can.

Here where I live the humidity is above 50% practically every day of the year and above 75% most of the time. Mine still do fine with just normal care.

[gypsyman]

I suggested using a product called Ex-Rust for getting rust off of a mold in a different post, it might just work for oil. You might try one of the gun products, like Gunk Out from KleenBore, or Gun Scrubber from Birchwood Casey to help remove any oil. I store my molds in an ammo can with a bag of dessicant, and usually don't have any problems. And I live just over a mile from Lake Erie, so the humidity is always high. If you want to coat them with a rust preventative, I suggest either Barricade from Birchwood Casey,(use to be called Sheath) or another KleenBore product called Rust Guard It. Either one can be removed with the above mentioned spray cleaners. Both work well, Rust Guard It being a couple bucks cheaper. gypsyman