6 cavity molds turned into 5

[MikeinMinn]

Just wondering if this is common or not. I have bought 3 6 cavity molds from Lee. All worked fine the first few times casting, or maybe I just never really noticed it casting a bad bullet, but now no matter what I try, the cavity nearest the handles will not cast a good bullet. I tried cleaning and re smoking the mold and it will always have a defect on the handle side of the bullet. This has occured on all of my 6 cavity molds. To save time while sorting I stopped using the last cavity. Doing this cut my culls down to 6 to 10 per 250, while before I was getting 30 to 40.

[snuffy]

I have at least 10 6 cav Lee's. All work just fine, no problems with one cavity not filling out or being otherwise un-usable. How are you cleaning the mold. I found the best method is to submerse the whole mold in boiling, soapy, water. I use dawn dishwashing liquid. You HAVE to get all the machining coolant off the surface of the cavities. Even carb cleaners have some oils in them, they aren't the best for cleaning molds.

other than that, I've had some that wouldn't fill out the cavity by the hinge if I cast that one first. I have to cast it last to get it to fill out.

Other than that, are you running the mold hot enough/ How about the alloy, what temp are you casting at. And one more question ?¿, what bullet are we talking about? All bu one of my 6 cav's are handgun bullets, that other one is a 405 45/70 bullet.

[MikeinMinn]

All the molds are handgun molds, 45 cal 230 round nose, 40 cal 180 flat point, and 38 cal 158 round nose flat point. I am pooring that cavity last. Casting temp is between 650 and 700 degrees and Im using wheel weights with 24 in of silver solder added. I cleaned the mold with alcohol. I will try boiling it in soapy water.

[snuffy]

Casting temp is between 650 and 700 degrees and Im using wheel weights with 24 in of silver solder added. I cleaned the mold with alcohol. I will try boiling it in soapy water.

Why silver solder? I would bet that's one reason why you're having trouble. Silver don't mix well with lead, it has a so much higher melting point that it's interfering with your alloy. Get lead-free solder, the kind that has 95% tin 5% antimony.

The run your heat up to 750-775 for wheelweights. Both your lead and mold are too cool.

Alcohol is a good solvent, but it won't cut that coolant they use while cutting the cavities. You need the soapy water AND heat to do it.

[GP100man]

I bet he is useing 95/5 solder , when I go to the big stores I say lead free, they say OH! plumbers silver solder

I always look at content though.

MikeinMinn :

Do you preheat your mold ??

Do you lube ya mold with anything ??

Could it be migrating with the heat ??

[IllinoisCoyoteHunter]

Do you lube ya mold with anything ??

Could it be migrating with the heat ??

GPMAN hit the nail right on the head! If he is lubing his sprue bolt, the lube is probably migrating into the cavity closest to him.

[MikeinMinn]

I did just lube all the molds spru plates with bees wax. I was getting a lot of wear on top of the plate. Never thought about it running down into the cavity. What can I use to get the bees wax out of the cavity.

[snuffy]

Mike, that's almost certainly why you're having problems. Beeswax is like any other oil, it will contaminate a mold cavity preventing bullet fill-out. The hot boiling water should remove it. Here's a link to a place that sells a lube that just plain works for lubing molds;

http://bullshop.gunloads.com/tbs_lube.htm

Order some bull plate sprue lube. It's a high temp silicone type lube that prevents galling of the top of any mold. It also is great for guide pins and the handle pivots. Be prepared for a long wait for delivery. Dan lives in a remote area of Alaska, he only goes into town twice a month and to his mailbox,(which is 7 miles from his house), every couple of days.

You use a verrrrrry light coating of it under the sprue plate to prevent lead smears on top of the mold and under the sprue plate.

[GP100man]

I use a Q tip & wipe the cap out & that`s it for 1 Qtip when the Q tip wears out I swab the lid out again witha new 1.

It takes very little !!!!

& make a holder for the bottle so ya don`t knock it over

[IllinoisCoyoteHunter]

Ya ain't a boolits caster till ya knocked over a bottle of bullplate! Mine lives on it's side!