I received my Lee 6 cavity bullet mold today and read the label, "clean before using.." Do I really have to clean this? Why can the life of the mold be less if I don't? I smoked and started casting my Lee 6 cavity 38-148wc mold without cleaning and the bullets dropped out great! I confess, I didn't read the label the first time around. And, I haven't contacted Lee yet.
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Do I really have to clean my new Lee mold?
- Thread starter BJung
- Start date
FrankenMauser
New member
They're covered in a preservative that can lead to wrinkled bullets for quite some time. Some molds 'clean up' quickly by just casting and culling. Others take quite some time.
It's best to clean every mold.
But if you don't want to, it's just a matter of hand and wrist exercise until the drops improve...
It's best to clean every mold.
But if you don't want to, it's just a matter of hand and wrist exercise until the drops improve...
Most all new bullet molds with only one exception that I have bought require a good cleaning before use but I do it anyway. During the machining process lubricants are used to keep friction at a minimum between the cutting tool and workpiece and as FrankenMauser stated some are coated with a preservative.
although you may not see any residue its still there. Giving your molds a good scrubbing with dawn dishwashing liquid and hot water will help make your first casting go much easier. I also run all my molds before use through a couple heat and cool down cycles to set the alignment pins.
Some molds require a couple casting recessions before they start casting consistent bullets some don't, Lee molds tend to like having a couple casting secession under there belt to get broken in good.
As to smoking molds some do some don't I haven't smoked a bullet mold in probably ten years and none of my new molds ever get smoked before casting. I just preheat on a hot plate and I'm casting nice bullets usually within a couple throws.
although you may not see any residue its still there. Giving your molds a good scrubbing with dawn dishwashing liquid and hot water will help make your first casting go much easier. I also run all my molds before use through a couple heat and cool down cycles to set the alignment pins.
Some molds require a couple casting recessions before they start casting consistent bullets some don't, Lee molds tend to like having a couple casting secession under there belt to get broken in good.
As to smoking molds some do some don't I haven't smoked a bullet mold in probably ten years and none of my new molds ever get smoked before casting. I just preheat on a hot plate and I'm casting nice bullets usually within a couple throws.
Cutting oils get down in the pores of the aluminum ... the new moulds are CNC machined and it gets oil deep ... I soak Lee blocks in acetone for a few hours ( I don't like water in my moulds) then heat cycle and clean the oil off the cavities and blocks with acetone at least three times .
This seaons the aluminum surfaces and the heating drives all the oils out .
As the oils come out they cause flaws in you bullets and you can't figure out where it's coming from.
So ...clean and heat cycle or you will be an unhappy caster !
Gary
This seaons the aluminum surfaces and the heating drives all the oils out .
As the oils come out they cause flaws in you bullets and you can't figure out where it's coming from.
So ...clean and heat cycle or you will be an unhappy caster !
Gary
FrankenMauser
New member
That "high heat" is not high enough.
Burning the oil, or burning anything off always leaves a residue, even if you cannot see it. It is better to remove all the oil you can, before burning.I would have thought that the high heat would burn the oils out from the pores.
armoredman
New member
I forgot I bought a new Lee round ball mold...No brake cleaner in the house, guess it's dish soap and long drying.
FrankenMauser
New member
Rinse with boiling water.
Shake off.
Blow out the holes and crevices.
It'll be dry in 2 minutes.
Shake off.
Blow out the holes and crevices.
It'll be dry in 2 minutes.
It does but it takes a while , old school was don't clean just keep casting until the all the oil was burned off and the bullets started casting unwrinkled and blemish free but that was a slow and a wasteful way to get the cavities clean .I would have thought that the high heat would burn the oils out from the pores.
Once I started cleaning with acetone or brake cleaner , then heating and casting...much more productive , much less time wasted .
It's a free country so do it whatever way makes you happy ... I'm a cleaner, Acetone and a old toothbrush are my friends .
Gary