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  • Last Post 27 November 2012
biddulph posted this 23 November 2012

hi there wunderkind,

I was casting a bunch of bullets the other day using two identical moulds (Lyman 375 GC 270 gr) and one of the moulds just kept turning out trash bullets. I'd given both a rudementry clean in white spirit...

I'm wondering if any residule oil was left in the 'bad bullet' mould and whether this would have any bearing on the result. Both were hot.

Apart from a really good clean, any ideas?

Cheers

James

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Pigslayer posted this 23 November 2012

biddulph wrote: hi there wunderkind,

I was casting a bunch of bullets the other day using two identical moulds (Lyman 375 GC 270 gr) and one of the moulds just kept turning out trash bullets. I'd given both a rudementry clean in white spirit...

I'm wondering if any residule oil was left in the 'bad bullet' mould and whether this would have any bearing on the result. Both were hot.

Apart from a really good clean, any ideas?

Cheers

James

Oil will most certainly do it! Sometimes it takes a while to get it cooked off.

 

If someone else had of done to me what I did to myself . . . I'd have killed him. Humility is an asset. Heh - heh.

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CB posted this 23 November 2012

What do the bullets look like?

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onondaga posted this 24 November 2012

http://www.castbulletassoc.org/view_user.php?id=2607>biddulph:

Check and compare flatness of sprue cutter plates between the two. also compare size of the funneled sprue gate holes between the two molds. The should be uniform between the two. A warped sprue plate will show light shining light through the side.

But it was probably just oil.

Gary

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R. Dupraz posted this 25 November 2012

Sounds like oil is a likely culprit. Try some automotive brake cleaner (aerosol cans from Walmart), and scrub inside of mould with a stiff tooth brush.

Store all my moulds after a good dowsing with WD-40 and then do the above before use again, Has worked well for me. Inexpensive, fast, effective and easy.

 RD

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CB posted this 25 November 2012

James, silicone oil has been the worse contaminant for me. I don't keep anything with silicone in it around my casting molds.

If I have a problem iron mold like that, I remove the mold from the handles, remove the spruce plate. I hold each mold half one at a time with tongs hand heat it with a propane torch moving it around to uniformly heat each half to blue color. Them dip each half in Dexron ATF. After it has cooled I'll lightly brush out the vents and rinse off with brake cleaner.

I believe this process burns out any offensive oils and will also help stop rust from coming back........Dan

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biddulph posted this 25 November 2012

Thanks for all the good advice. I had a close look at the mould and could see a bit of remaining oil. Next time I cast I'll scrub it out with brake fluid and ensure its clean. The last clean in Coleman fuel was a slack job and for my pains I cast a bunch of crap bullets!

Live and learn!

Cheers

James

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R. Dupraz posted this 25 November 2012

bidduph:

Hope you ment brake cleaner instead of brake fluid.:}

RD

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biddulph posted this 25 November 2012

Oops!

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fa38 posted this 26 November 2012

Lately I have been using Orange Goop or Fast Orange and a tooth brush.  This stuff takes fired bullet lube or auto grease off my hands much quicker than Dawn dish soap or soft hand soap so I figured it would work just as good on moulds.

I heat the mould a bit and then put a gob of the cleaner on it and scrub with the tooth brush and than wash it off.  Do it a second time, pre heat the mould and I am  ready to start casting.

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biddulph posted this 27 November 2012

Hi fa38 That's not a bad idea!

Cheers

James

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