Who uses mold release when casting & what kind do you use?
I've used the NEI which can be applied with a q-tip & I've used the MidWay spray on.
Thanks
Who uses mold release when casting & what kind do you use?
I've used the NEI which can be applied with a q-tip & I've used the MidWay spray on.
Thanks
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I've not found that a “mold release agent” is needed. If I buy a new mould, I spray it inside and out with Brake Cleaner. After it drys real good, I smoke the inside with a wood match. Bullets fall right out upon opening of the mould.This is used on Lyman moulds.
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I bought the NEI years ago and have only used it once. The coating will cause the bullets to cast a smaller diameter.
I agree with Kodyak and do not use any type a mould release, cause it just isn't necessary. If a bullet sticks, something is wrong. The mould is either not perfectly clean or the cavity has a fine little bur somewhere on it.......................Dan
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Clean the mold with Micro-90 and other than lubing the pins and sprue - no mold release is needed.
You can get a free concentrated bottle of the stuff from the manufacturer ... be sure to include a company name: http://www.ipcol.com/sample.htm
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I have can of midway brand release but found it works a lot better as sight black on my 1917 enfield in our local matches!
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I don't use mould release, but I do use a wee bit of carnuba or beeswax to lubricate the sprue plate pivot and alignment pins of moulds to prevent galling.
New aluminum moulds need a light smoking to get good fill-out during their break-in period, but this is no longer needed after you've cast several thousand bullets in them.
Saeco and NEI iron (meehanite) moulds don't require smoking, but Lyman moulds may, if they even after degreasing if the cavities are not well heat-blued during stress relief.
Balky iron moulds can be usually be restored by a thorough cleaning in Brownell's D'Solve or Dicro-clean, a boiling water rinse, then dunking in the blue tank.
73 de KE4SKY In Home Mix We Trust From the Home of Ed's Red in "Almost Heaven" West Virginia
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I started using Midway's brand
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I use a little bit of wax on the pins like Ed does.
Most molds after so many rounds, some times a few hundred and other a thousand or more, don't need any treatment.
I use an old candle to smoke my newer molds and just go cast after that one time treatment.
Many molds, I fill with lead and let cool and then store them with the lead in them, never had any problems doing that.
Jerry
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I'm going to try leaving bullets in the mould one of these days. I use wax on the pins in my aluminum moulds. Thanks for the tip. I'll start doing that next casting session
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Win52D,
You mean your not casting right now, you need more dedication to this art form. :)
;}
Jerry
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I don't use mould release, but I do use a wee bit of carnuba or beeswax to lubricate the sprue plate pivot and alignment pins of moulds to prevent galling.
I will never use carnuba wax on my moulds again for hinge lube or pin lube. Any hinge or pin lube will migrate. If carnuba wax migrates into the cavities (it does migrate), it is nearly impossible to get out and will cause wrinkled bullets. I find just a touch of hi-temp wheel bearing grease is as good as anything, but beeswax is ok..............Dan
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The carbide smokers that high power rifle shooters use to blacken sights works ok, just don't over do it.
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Clean the mold with Micro-90 and other than lubing the pins and sprue - no mold release is needed.
You can get a free concentrated bottle of the stuff from the manufacturer ... be sure to include a company name:
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Has any tried Gun Scrubber? I tried it on this new .22 mould and it worked exceptiionaly well. after cleaning I used Frankford Arsenal mould release. I was surprised at how well formed the first casts were. I discarded them on general principle but they looked nearly good enough to shoot.
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Gents .... how did you like the Micro-90? FYI... when you make up your 2 or 5% solution and it get's dirty looking from shoving the tooth brush in the bottle ... don't throw the solution out. I've been working with the same 100cc solution bottle that I made up for about a year now. For me - thats over 2000 bullets cast, I believe
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Hunter -
I've been using Micro-90 for over 2 years and swear by it!
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I use a mold release but can't remember the name. On LBT blocks I've never needed it but on SOME RCBS, Lee and Lyman molds I've found the stuff does an OK job. I found the more I cast with a mold the less I need to use it but it does help.
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