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John Holland
12-26-2010, 11:45 AM
OK folks....Here is a question I'm struggling with.

In a package mould deal, I've taken in a Rapine .54 minie mould, yes I know what I said about aluminum moulds but it came with the package deal. Now, here's the problem - It appears as if someone has applied a mould release agent on the entire mould while it was hot....I mean it's covered with the stuff, and boy is it baked on! I've tried everything except oven cleaner on it, with no success. I even soaked it in Kroil for awhile....the coating wouldn't even budge. In my opinion it looks like I'm down to dis-assembling the blocks and abrading the stuff off, which means I'll have to lap the cavity to get the coating off. That operation will give me a minie ball that will probably end up fitting one of the .56 caliber Austrian Muster 1854 Rifle Muskets, which isn't what I was looking for. Just a solution to cleaning the stuff off without damaging the aluminum. Did I mention how much I detest aluminum moulds? :D

I'm open to all suggestions.....

JDH

Wayne Shaw, 1985V
12-26-2010, 11:59 AM
John Well did you get to read your book yet? On the mold question I use 2+2 carb and choke cleaner. All the spray choke cleaners are mostly the same. We didn't need cleaner when we had hand chokes! I was thinking it may not be mold release, there is a product called Bull Plate that some use to coat the top and sprew. I haven't tryed it yet so can't offer a release agent, would think the above woud work . Hope it works . Wayne Shaw Harlans Light

mike owsiak
12-26-2010, 01:57 PM
WYANE, TRY OVEN CLEANER.............MIKE O.

Joseph Plakis Jr, 00302V
12-26-2010, 03:55 PM
Do NOT use oven cleaner on aluminum. Oven Cleaner is Caustic. Caustic on aluminum causes a severe chemical reaction. It will eat the mold, smoke & stink!! the end result will be you have a mold that is absolutely no good unless you want to use it for a paper weight!!!

If you do not believe this spray or put oven cleaner on a piece of aluminum foil. I would try the brake cleaner first.

Joe Plakis Jr.
Hampton Legion

Ken Hansgen, 11094
12-26-2010, 03:58 PM
John, Did you try the mould with the black stuff on? What size bullets did it throw then? Anything wrong with that?

matt
12-26-2010, 07:06 PM
John,
before you go crazy if its rapine mold release or frankford arsenal nold release try straight rubbing alcohol the 90 percent stuff works great. carb cleaner works great on oily and loose grime but wont really do much to a dry baked on coating. i used to use rapine mold release and your mold sounds just like mine totally coated but it does tend to build in the cavities and to get it out i use a q tip in the rubbing alcohol and scrub youd be surprised how much comes out.
Matt
winslows battery 9775v

R. McAuley 3014V
12-27-2010, 10:49 AM
John,

Matt's suggestion seems most likely to be the preferred removal method, but I use the Rapine graphite mold release on all my moulds, including steel molds. Some of the steel molds that I have amassed over the year have gotten some surface rust and I have found that Rapine's mold release has resurrected some of these rusty molds. But I was sorely tempted to suggest that you substitute grain alcohol for the rubbing alcohol such that if after while if the mold release doesn't come off, you can drink the grain alcohol and you'll forget all about the baked graphite coating.

However, if the graphite residue doesn't readily come off with the alcohol bath, below is a link to a power-cleaning method using baking soda as the abrasive:

http://www.armex.com/CaseStudies/casestudy0301.aspx

John Holland
12-27-2010, 11:33 AM
Thanks to all! There are some good suggestions for me to try, and I will. I like Richard's research, too.

I understand the "baked on" type of release agent that was applied when the mould was cold...as per the instructions, and how to remove it. But, this stuff looks like the entire mould was dipped in something while it was at a full hot casting temperature with the blocks wide open. I mean, it's really nasty!

As for Ken's suggetstion of "Did I try it first?" Of course! I don't have time to fix things tht aren't broke! The bullet it produces looks like one cast out of a luke-warm mould that is full of oil....pock marked, wrinkly, rings not filed out, air pockets in the cavity, etc. The stuff is baked on and blistered like some kind of bad enamel job. There is so much of it that the mould can't even seal, so it leaks air. The grease grooves in the bullet cavity are half full of the stuff, too!

OK, I'm off to experiment for awhile. I'll keep you posted!

John

jerry ashley
12-27-2010, 02:12 PM
John,
Could this black stuff be a product called cerra-cote? Normally used in place of bluing on barrells and actions. Only a guess but it leaves maybe .001 thick layer and it is baked on after it is applied. Don't know how to get it off other than sand paper or steel wool.

mike owsiak
12-27-2010, 02:36 PM
oh crap!!!!!!!!!!!! sorry about that ,maybe white viniger and lemon juice for a kinder and more gentle cleaner................MIKE

John Holland
12-27-2010, 03:30 PM
Thanks Mike, I'm open to all suggestions!

John

hp gregory, 9128
12-27-2010, 03:37 PM
have you tried an ultrasonic cleaner. i have been amazed at how good they work on very nasty brass in a very short period of time. but it sounds like you may have some mighty tuff stuff to deal with.

hp

John Holland
12-27-2010, 04:23 PM
hp -

That's a good suggestion, except that I don't know anyone who would let me put the thing in one!

JDH

mwmoore10261
01-03-2011, 03:31 AM
Borrow some of the wife's fingernail polish remover. It is acetone, very similar to carb cleaner. You could also try the Goof Off Extreme in the can. It is an alcohol/acetone mixture and removes even paint. I like someone's suggestion of an ultrasonic cleaner. The small jewelry one I bought on eBay was about $30 and holds about 25 maynard cases. It should hold a mould block. The compartment is stainless steel so the solvent shouldn't harm it. Would think you would still have to use a cleaner like Gunk's part cleaner or a similar solvent. Good luck.
Michael Moore

Walt Magee
01-03-2011, 07:53 AM
You could always throw the darn thing away and that would solve the problem. Don't like alum moulds anyway. Don't like Rapine moulds anyway. Sent it back to Rapine and see what advice he gives you.

Ron/The Old Reb
01-03-2011, 09:00 AM
Green

Greg Ogdan, 11444
01-03-2011, 10:34 AM
John,
I'm with you; clean it up! Oc course, I'm the sort who would spend 4 hours fixing something I could replace for $6.00! Go figure.

John Holland
01-03-2011, 12:05 PM
Greg -

Oh, I understand quite well....It's a Guy Thing ! ! !

JDH

RaiderANV
01-03-2011, 01:08 PM
....... We didn't need cleaner when we had hand chokes! Wayne Shaw Harlans Light

Scratching head wondering how Wayne was able to hold out the pull choke while turning the crank on the front of his first new car at the same time :?
We're gonna need ah 100 year skirmish award medal real soon Green

jerry ashley
01-03-2011, 01:32 PM
Raider, it's pretty simple, Wayne hired a guy to turn the crank for him. He's smart that way. Jerry

DAVE FRANCE
01-04-2011, 11:36 AM
John,

Look at the good side. You could have bought a mold that you really wanted, one that was made of steel, cast iron, or anything but aluminum.

I'm sure everyone will want to know what you finally did with it.

David

R. McAuley 3014V
01-04-2011, 03:37 PM
If all else fails I would try burning it off with a hot air gun. The mold is no good anyways.

Trying to burn the graphite (carbon) residue off of an aluminum mold with a hot air gun makes about as much sense as trying to shoot a M1 tank by direct laying a 81-mm mortar. You ain't going to hurt the tank or its occupants with a mortar round, but it will definitely piss them off and the puff of white smoke will tell them where you are!

Earlier, I suggested soda-blasting which uses baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) which is extremely friable, the micro fragmentation on impact exploding away surface materials without damage to the substrate. There must be a commercial painter or metal fabricator/finisher somewhere in your area that has one of these soda-blasters. Most any business that does sandblasting or beadblasting should have this capability, and it probably won't cost you more than the gas to get there. I had a old rusty sword scabbard beadblasted for like $5.

http://www.ace-sandblasting.com/soda-bl ... ticle.html (http://www.ace-sandblasting.com/soda-blasting-article.html)
http://www.ehow.com/how_6565057_use-bak ... -sand.html (http://www.ehow.com/how_6565057_use-baking-soda-instead-sand.html)
http://www.soda-blast.com/
http://sodaworks.com/

Edwin Flint, 8427
01-05-2011, 12:52 AM
John,

Did you try Acetone?