bullets hanging up in mold (casting)

labgrade · March 25, 2001, 12:25 PM

Casting with the standard Lyman #2 alloy, Lyman molds (#357421 & 311041), double cavities each. Both of these are having bullets hang up on the right side cavity, far side. Opening the molds, the nearside bullet drops right out but the farside keeps hanging to frustration.

End up having to smach the dickens out of the pivot point (several times) to get the darned things to drop out. Beginning to make me nuts & is taking the fun out of the process.

I've checked the cavity for burrs, etc. & see zip signs.

Any ideas?

Paul B. · March 25, 2001, 02:37 PM

Labgrade. You can send the mold to me, and I'll severely discipline them for you.

Seriously, I have quite a few molds that do this, and they seem to be "burrless". I've never really found a rememdy that I would have the guts to try. You might try touching the edges up, very carefully with an Arkanas file. If could be the sticking cavity has sharper edges that the non sticking side.
This somethimes works. After knocking off the sprue, open the mold only slightly and tap the front of the mold gently. Somehow, this seems to loosen the bullets more easily than banging on the hinge. Tapping gently on the opposite side of the sticking cavity sometimes works as well. You'll just have to experiment a bit. Smoking the mold may very well help some too.
Paul B.

Keith J · March 25, 2001, 04:07 PM

The burrs that cause this problem can be near microscopic. Use a 10x jewler's loupe and inspect the edges. Stoning the mating surfaces can sometimes give rise to burrs so be careful.

Also, twirling a plug of 0000 steel woll in the closed cavity can help. Be sure to clean the grease out after this. Also, smoking with a butane lighter can help. Don't use a match as they can leave an oily residue.

dick w. holliday · March 25, 2001, 08:38 PM

i got some stuff from midaway called mold prep- i think it is spray graphite-it works great and also coats the mold a nice gray color and i'm sure prevents rust....Dick

Poodleshooter · March 26, 2001, 12:44 PM

I use a candle to smoke my molds, and haven't had a problem when I get a nice carbon stain on the aluminum. Holding a butane lighter or match can make your fingers a tad hot.

Paul B. · March 26, 2001, 03:23 PM

Poodleshooter. A butane lighter with the flame adjusted at it's highest level will smoke a mold in 3 to 5 seconds. Haven't gotten burned yet. Works real good too.

Paul B.

sundog · March 26, 2001, 04:55 PM

Want something to just make you cringe? I clean iron mould with brake cleaner and steel wool - get really aggressive. I won't have a mould that I have to fight. With blocks closed, I slip in a wad of 4 ought steel wool or green scotch brite , add some cleaner and start twisting. When I'm done, a good clean up with some more brake cleaner and then Midway Drop-Out on a q-tip. Also aggressively clean vent lines with a razor blade which sometimes creates new burrs. Aluminun moulds get a little less aggressively cleaned to avoid scratching and almost never with an abrasive. Done the smoke thing too, and it works good using a long nose butane grill lighter. Sometimes a really good rub with the right shaped piece of hard wood up and down the part lines helps too (I guess it gets some of those almost microscopic burrs). Dick is right about an all over spray before put away is a good rust prohibitor and makes for easy cleanup before next use since it's already what you're using for a release agent. I've not damamged a mould yet, even though I've tossed, sold, ann given away a few just because I didn't like their performance. sundog

Poodleshooter · March 26, 2001, 06:52 PM

Quote:

Poodleshooter. A butane lighter with the flame adjusted at it's highest level will smoke a mold in 3 to 5 seconds. Haven't gotten burned yet. Works real good too.
Paul B.

Yeah, but can you rip off a chunk of your lighter and use it for flux?????

Big Bunny · March 26, 2001, 06:56 PM

Good tips all

Paul B. · March 28, 2001, 05:03 PM

Poodleshooter. I use marvelux, LETs. and a loaf of bread for fluxing. No joke. My wife had a couple of loaves of bread made from wax as decorators pieces. They got dropped and broke apart. One each lifetime supply of fluxing wax.

Let the smoke blow whichever way it wants.
Paul B.

March 25, 2001, 12:25 PM	#1
labgrade Member In Memoriam Join Date: November 29, 1999 Location: west of a small town, CO Posts: 4,346	Casting with the standard Lyman #2 alloy, Lyman molds (#357421 & 311041), double cavities each. Both of these are having bullets hang up on the right side cavity, far side. Opening the molds, the nearside bullet drops right out but the farside keeps hanging to frustration. End up having to smach the dickens out of the pivot point (several times) to get the darned things to drop out. Beginning to make me nuts & is taking the fun out of the process. I've checked the cavity for burrs, etc. & see zip signs. Any ideas?

March 25, 2001, 02:37 PM	#2
Paul B. Senior Member Join Date: March 28, 1999 Location: Tucson, AZ Posts: 3,802	Labgrade. You can send the mold to me, and I'll severely discipline them for you. Seriously, I have quite a few molds that do this, and they seem to be "burrless". I've never really found a rememdy that I would have the guts to try. You might try touching the edges up, very carefully with an Arkanas file. If could be the sticking cavity has sharper edges that the non sticking side. This somethimes works. After knocking off the sprue, open the mold only slightly and tap the front of the mold gently. Somehow, this seems to loosen the bullets more easily than banging on the hinge. Tapping gently on the opposite side of the sticking cavity sometimes works as well. You'll just have to experiment a bit. Smoking the mold may very well help some too. Paul B.

March 25, 2001, 04:07 PM	#3
Keith J Senior Member Join Date: December 15, 2000 Posts: 469	Burrs The burrs that cause this problem can be near microscopic. Use a 10x jewler's loupe and inspect the edges. Stoning the mating surfaces can sometimes give rise to burrs so be careful. Also, twirling a plug of 0000 steel woll in the closed cavity can help. Be sure to clean the grease out after this. Also, smoking with a butane lighter can help. Don't use a match as they can leave an oily residue.

March 25, 2001, 08:38 PM	#4
dick w. holliday Senior Member Join Date: January 13, 2001 Location: NC Posts: 589	i got some stuff from midaway called mold prep- i think it is spray graphite-it works great and also coats the mold a nice gray color and i'm sure prevents rust....Dick

March 26, 2001, 12:44 PM	#5
Poodleshooter Senior Member Join Date: August 7, 2000 Location: Floating down the James River in VA Posts: 2,599	I use a candle to smoke my molds, and haven't had a problem when I get a nice carbon stain on the aluminum. Holding a butane lighter or match can make your fingers a tad hot.

March 26, 2001, 03:23 PM	#6
Paul B. Senior Member Join Date: March 28, 1999 Location: Tucson, AZ Posts: 3,802	Poodleshooter. A butane lighter with the flame adjusted at it's highest level will smoke a mold in 3 to 5 seconds. Haven't gotten burned yet. Works real good too. Paul B.

March 26, 2001, 04:55 PM	#7
sundog Senior Member Join Date: November 22, 1999 Location: Green Country, OK Posts: 782	Want something to just make you cringe? I clean iron mould with brake cleaner and steel wool - get really aggressive. I won't have a mould that I have to fight. With blocks closed, I slip in a wad of 4 ought steel wool or green scotch brite , add some cleaner and start twisting. When I'm done, a good clean up with some more brake cleaner and then Midway Drop-Out on a q-tip. Also aggressively clean vent lines with a razor blade which sometimes creates new burrs. Aluminun moulds get a little less aggressively cleaned to avoid scratching and almost never with an abrasive. Done the smoke thing too, and it works good using a long nose butane grill lighter. Sometimes a really good rub with the right shaped piece of hard wood up and down the part lines helps too (I guess it gets some of those almost microscopic burrs). Dick is right about an all over spray before put away is a good rust prohibitor and makes for easy cleanup before next use since it's already what you're using for a release agent. I've not damamged a mould yet, even though I've tossed, sold, ann given away a few just because I didn't like their performance. sundog

March 26, 2001, 06:56 PM	#9
Big Bunny Senior Member Join Date: August 9, 1999 Location: New South Wales - Australia Posts: 605	Good tips all

March 28, 2001, 05:03 PM	#10
Paul B. Senior Member Join Date: March 28, 1999 Location: Tucson, AZ Posts: 3,802	Poodleshooter. I use marvelux, LETs. and a loaf of bread for fluxing. No joke. My wife had a couple of loaves of bread made from wax as decorators pieces. They got dropped and broke apart. One each lifetime supply of fluxing wax. Let the smoke blow whichever way it wants. Paul B.