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Help with cleaning a mold (Read 4146 times)

boho Full Member Offline Posts: 207 Location: NY New York Joined: Feb 6^th, 2012	Help with cleaning a mold Jan 22^nd, 2017 at 2:14pm	Print Post
	sorry about the condition of this mold it's nobody's fault but my own. This is what happens when you finish casting and leave the last one stored in the mold. I never got around to cleaning the cavity. This is a .40 BPCRS bullet and I have to cast a lot of them. I noticed problems around the seem. The bullet was hard to release and it seemed to be getting damaged coming out of the mold there are marks all the way up the nose. I wanted to post a picture of the bullet. Only after looking very closely at the mold under magnification did I see the problem. It's filthy! There is a lot of build up around the seem area and it looks like all the vent lines are blocked off around the edges of the cavity. There is also some surface rust going on. It's in need of a good cleaning. What is a good or best way to get this back in shape? Right now it's only dirty not damaged. Looking for suggestions.


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Jeff_Schultz ASSRA Board Member Offline Posts: 1662 Location: Ransomville, NY Joined: Apr 25^th, 2004	Re: Help with cleaning a mold Reply #1 - Jan 22^nd, 2017 at 5:44pm	Print Post
	I would boil it in water, then scrub it with a brass brush, and then: "Go and sin no more."

	"We have met the enemy and he is us." Pogo “There is no situation so bad that it cannot be made worse." Confidence- The feeling you get before you fully understand the situation.
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Schuetzenmiester Frequent Elocutionist Offline Posts: 6707 Location: Cool Wet Side of WA Joined: Apr 27^th, 2008	Re: Help with cleaning a mold Reply #2 - Jan 22^nd, 2017 at 7:19pm	Print Post
	I use a 7H pencil to get a lot of lead off and the graphite lubes to help keep it clear. I 2nd boiling in water.

	"some old things are lovely, warm still with life ... of the forgotten men who made them." - D.H. Lawrence
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Longdistance1 Senior Forum Member Offline Posts: 468 Location: Amidon, ND Joined: Feb 11^th, 2013	Re: Help with cleaning a mold Reply #3 - Jan 22^nd, 2017 at 8:21pm	Print Post
	If the mold is iron imerse in a jug of mercury for an hour and then brush off with a bronze brush.


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Cat_Whisperer Frequent Elocutionist Offline No 1, 9.3x74R Posts: 3987 Location: Mountains of Virginia Joined: Apr 17^th, 2004	Re: Help with cleaning a mold Reply #4 - Jan 22^nd, 2017 at 8:39pm	Print Post
	Add to the list: use fine steel wool (with kerosene or light oil) to help the rust off. The marks are from the bullet bouncing a bit when it hangs up coming out of the mould. Look carefully at the edge of the cavity. I use a tungsten dioxide lube on the mould face (not the cavity) and on the top (and bottom of sprue cutter). That keeps the alloy from spreading and dropping out is MUCH better.

	Cat Whisperer (trk) Chief of Smoke Pulaski Coehorn Works and Skunk Works Drafted May 1970, Retired Maj. U.S.Army assra #9885
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marlinguy Frequent Elocutionist Offline Ballards may be weaker, but they sure are neater! Posts: 18088 Location: Oregon Joined: Feb 2^nd, 2009	Re: Help with cleaning a mold Reply #5 - Jan 22^nd, 2017 at 8:41pm	Print Post
	I must be lucky. I have a bunch of molds with the last bullet sitting in them for months or years, and never had any issue opening them, or bullet sticking when I did.

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40_Rod Frequent Elocutionist Offline Extremism in the persuit of accuracy is not a vice Posts: 4285 Location: Knoxville, TN Joined: Apr 20^th, 2004	Re: Help with cleaning a mold Reply #6 - Jan 23^rd, 2017 at 8:35am	Print Post
	I have a piece of bronze about half X quarter inch that I milled one side to a chisel shape. I use that to slide flat along the surface to remove the bulk of the stuck on lead. Then soak it in Hoppes over night and brush it with a bronze brush. Wipe it down and check it with a jewelers loop. If there is any left soak it some more and give it another brush. If you leave any more lead will stick to the old and you will be doing this every time. When you finally get it clean wash it with Dawn and a soft toothbrush wipe it dry and then put in the oven at about 250 till fully dry. 40 Rod


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kkid66 Full Member Offline Posts: 186 Location: central tx Joined: Jun 4^th, 2014	Re: Help with cleaning a mold Reply #7 - Jan 23^rd, 2017 at 11:06am	Print Post
	I have used oven cleaner to remove lead from a cheap mold someone else had abused. When you rinse off the oven cleaner the mould will flash rust.


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KFW Oldtimer Offline Posts: 640 Location: Wyoming Joined: Dec 18^th, 2016	Re: Help with cleaning a mold Reply #8 - Jan 24^th, 2017 at 3:28pm	Print Post
	ditto on the mercury if you can find some. i have used my 2 lbs of it for yrs to remove lead from pistol and rifle bores. works likes magic. kw


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