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Mold won't clear up (Read 2326 times)

jhm Frequent Elocutionist Offline Posts: 1554 Location: georgia Joined: Sep 4^th, 2011	Mold won't clear up May 12^th, 2024 at 7:29pm	Print Post
	Recently purchased an Accurate double cavity mold in 30 cal but can't get it to settle in and cast a wrinkle free bullet. I cleaned it good then lightly smoked it but after about 50 bullets it simply won't cast a wrinkle free bullet. Both my 40 cal. cleaned right up. I am using wheel weight that has been thoroughly fluxed and a ladle to pour. Going to try some 20 to 1 and see if it will cast. Any ideas anyone? JMH


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oneatatime Frequent Elocutionist Offline Posts: 3912 Location: Rocky Mountains Joined: Oct 30^th, 2011	Re: Mold won't clear up Reply #1 - May 12^th, 2024 at 7:37pm	Print Post
	May not be as clean as you think and maybe could use a little more heat and a longer contact time. And, maybe a little more tin in the mix.


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oneatatime Frequent Elocutionist Offline Posts: 3912 Location: Rocky Mountains Joined: Oct 30^th, 2011	Re: Mold won't clear up Reply #2 - May 12^th, 2024 at 7:40pm	Print Post
	I use alcohol and a toothbrush repeated several times and paying attention to the bottom of the sprue plate. I always preheat the mold on an electric hotplate and on the first use after a couple of bullets I hold the mold slightly open before refilling it to see if any smoke comes out.


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marlinguy Frequent Elocutionist Offline Ballards may be weaker, but they sure are neater! Posts: 16269 Location: Oregon Joined: Feb 2^nd, 2009	Re: Mold won't clear up Reply #3 - May 12^th, 2024 at 7:51pm	Print Post
	I just use acetone to clean inside molds. If it wont get oils out nothing will. I've wiped them with a cloth soaked in acetone, and if I'm in a hurry I pour some acetone in a tin can and dip the molds in it, then shake dry. Whatever is left evaporates quickly and they cast great.

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gnoahhh Oldtimer Offline Posts: 829 Location: Gaithersburg, MD Joined: Mar 31^st, 2010	Re: Mold won't clear up Reply #4 - May 12^th, 2024 at 9:30pm	Print Post
	I too am a fanboy of acetone. The comment about "lightly smoking" the cavities piqued my curiosity. When I smoke a cavity I make it good and black with a Bic lighter.


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bpjack Frequent Elocutionist Offline Posts: 2839 Location: East Olympia, WA Joined: May 18^th, 2008	Re: Mold won't clear up Reply #5 - May 12^th, 2024 at 11:28pm	Print Post
	I have a plethora of used smoky Birthday candles. When I first heard of smoking moulds I reminisced about the 60s. Then I remembered I was in Vietnam at the end of that decade. And I was smoking Camels. Jack

	ASSRA # 11318 just a bit of a hoot.
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jhm Frequent Elocutionist Offline Posts: 1554 Location: georgia Joined: Sep 4^th, 2011	Re: Mold won't clear up Reply #6 - May 13^th, 2024 at 9:40am	Print Post
	I will go back and give it a good scrubbing with some acetone and a brush and see if it helps. Think I will add a bit of tin too. Thanks guys... JMH


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marlinguy Frequent Elocutionist Offline Ballards may be weaker, but they sure are neater! Posts: 16269 Location: Oregon Joined: Feb 2^nd, 2009	Re: Mold won't clear up Reply #7 - May 13^th, 2024 at 10:22am	Print Post
	jhm wrote on May 13^th, 2024 at 9:40am: I will go back and give it a good scrubbing with some acetone and a brush and see if it helps. Think I will add a bit of tin too. Thanks guys... JMH If you use a brush with acetone it needs to be brass bristles and wood handle! Trying to brush acetone in a mold or anywhere else with a nylon brush will leave nylon residue all over as the acetone melts the brush!

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jhm Frequent Elocutionist Offline Posts: 1554 Location: georgia Joined: Sep 4^th, 2011	Re: Mold won't clear up Reply #8 - May 13^th, 2024 at 10:40pm	Print Post
	Hadn't thought of that but you are right... JMH


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Grand slam Senior Forum Member Offline Posts: 345 Location: Mountains of E. Tennessee Joined: Jun 7^th, 2015	Re: Mold won't clear up Reply #9 - May 14^th, 2024 at 5:29am	Print Post
	I give mine a shot of brake cleaner, works fine. Cheers Richard


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Cat_Whisperer Frequent Elocutionist Offline No 1, 9.3x74R Posts: 3886 Location: Mountains of Virginia Joined: Apr 17^th, 2004	Re: Mold won't clear up Reply #10 - May 14^th, 2024 at 6:58am	Print Post
	CLEANING the mold is NOT the problem. Wrinkles? The alloy is cooling too fast. Hotter mold and/or hotter alloy! Hotter mold is the first thing I'd try. Preheat it.

	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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LRF Oldtimer Offline Posts: 611 Location: MN Joined: May 8^th, 2010	Re: Mold won't clear up Reply #11 - May 14^th, 2024 at 7:29am	Print Post
	Cat_Whisperer wrote on May 14^th, 2024 at 6:58am: Wrinkles? The alloy is cooling too fast. Hotter mold and/or hotter alloy! Hotter mold is the first thing I'd try. Preheat it. JHM, is your mold made from aluminum? If yes then I agree try getting your lead hotter. Aluminum molds cool off much faster then cast iron and one of the reasons I do not like them. Your cadence of molding will probably need to speed up but not so fast you accidentally drop a bullet that has not yet frozen off.


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Schuetzendave Frequent Elocutionist Offline Retired Ex-Shooter Posts: 4075 Location: St. Albert, Alberta Joined: Jan 28^th, 2005	Re: Mold won't clear up Reply #12 - May 14^th, 2024 at 9:31am	Print Post
	Yup Wrinkled bullets are the result of your casting alloy not being hot enough and you have not preheated your mold. I cast 20:1 lead:tin at 862 F. Picture of a 165 grain .32 Winchester Special or .32-40 from my Accurate mold. I preheat my mold for twenty minutes by placing it on top of my melting pot while it heats up the alloy. I use a clean mold and do NOT smoke or coat it with anything - no need to if it is warm enough.
	« Last Edit: May 18^th, 2024 at 9:00am by Schuetzendave »

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SchwarzStock Frequent Elocutionist Offline Posts: 1205 Location: SchwarzWald Joined: Mar 23^rd, 2010	Re: Mold won't clear up Reply #13 - May 14^th, 2024 at 10:28am	Print Post
	bpjack wrote on May 12^th, 2024 at 11:28pm: I have a plethora of used smoky Birthday candles. When I first heard of smoking moulds I reminisced about the 60s. Then I remembered I was in Vietnam at the end of that decade. And I was smoking Camels. Jack Don't lie, in VN you were smoking whatever came in the C-Rats

	If your rifle is not in 7.62 and you can't hit what you are aiming at with de-linked machinegun ammo you are a pretender.
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bpjack Frequent Elocutionist Offline Posts: 2839 Location: East Olympia, WA Joined: May 18^th, 2008	Re: Mold won't clear up Reply #14 - May 14^th, 2024 at 11:14am	Print Post
	We could actually buy cartons of cigarettes the PX or the small commissary my second year most of the time. The only time we had to smoke the ones from C Rations is when they did a money swap. Those rations were so old the crackers were totally stale. Cartons were $1.70 (compared to over $9 stateside) and you could trade a carton of menthols for an M1 carbine.

	ASSRA # 11318 just a bit of a hoot.
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