Candle

[Eggman]

Got a new Lee mould. Despite the fact that I know everything and have been casting bullets since 1969, I read the instruction sheet. Lee says candle the inside of the mould before using. Hmmmmmmmmm - now the bullets just fall out. Damn - now I REALLY know everything.

[Maillemaker]

I have read that the primary purpose for smoking molds is not so much to act as a mold-release agent but rather as a barrier to thermal transfer to the mold block. This might be particularly important with aluminum molds. The idea is by slowing down the heat transfer from the lead to the mold that the outer skin of the bullet will stay liquid longer and thus fill the mold better.

You'll notice that after 20 or so bullets much of the carbon soot gets carried away from the mold. But by then the mold should be up to temperature.

Steve

[Jim Barber]

I keep a box of strike-anywhere kitchen matches in my workbench, hit the mold with a couple of em before I start casting. It's made a huge difference in getting them to drop easily. Dunno if an actual candle works better, but the matches soot the mould up pretty well, I also had problems with the sprue sticking to the sprue plate and smoking seems to have eliminated that hassle too.

Semi-related topic, does anyone have a genius idea to keep screws from loosening up on the mould while casting? Drives me nuts. I keep a little screwdriver handy on the bench and I'm constantly tightening this or that or the other. My Lyman Smith mould is especially cantankerous...

Cheers!

Jim B
110th OVI
Grove City, OH

[Ron/The Old Reb]

"Semi-related topic, does anyone have a genius idea to keep screws from loosening up on the mould while casting? Drives me nuts. I keep a little screwdriver handy on the bench and I'm constantly tightening this or that or the other. My Lyman Smith mould is especially cantankerous"

If you are talking about the spur plate screw I had the same problem. I drilled a small hole on the side of the mold into the spur plate screw hole and taped it for a Allen set screw. Then put a small piece of brass in the hole and tighten it down on the screw. Some older molds came from the factory with a set screw. A another way to smoke molds is with a piece of sap wood.

[Maillemaker]

If you are talking about the spur plate screw I had the same problem. I drilled a small hole on the side of the mold into the spur plate screw hole and taped it for a Allen set screw. Then put a small piece of brass in the hole and tighten it down on the screw. Some older molds came from the factory with a set screw.

I've got some molds that came from the factory like this. It's probably the best solution. I've been too lazy to do it to any of my molds without the set screw yet.

Steve

[Jim_Burgess_2078V]

Despite a lock washer on top and set screw on the side, the hinge screw on Lyman moulds still tends to come loose. There is an easy fix, however. When the hinge screw is firmly in place, mark the side that faces the set screw. Then take the hinge screw all the way out and file a small flat where the set screw bears against the hinge screw. Screw the hinge screw back in and then tighten the set screw. The hinge screw should not be able to turn after that.
Jim Burgess, 15th CVI

[Ron/The Old Reb]

"Despite a lock washer on top and set screw on the side, the hinge screw on Lyman moulds still tends to come loose"

I never had this problem. By putting a small piece of brass ahead of the set screw you can draw the set screw down as hard as you want with out damaging the spur screw. I have never had it come loose after I did this modification.