Getting it clean
- Thread starter Rick
- Start date
Reloader762
Active Member
According to my readings the Lyman/Ideal 357443 was the first bullet Lyman designed for the 357 Mag. sometime in the mid 30's but it never caught on for some reason and was dropped from the catalog in the 60's,the crimp groove what there is of it is up on the front driving band. Me and my casting and shooting buddy Andy refer to this mold as our Button Nose mold. It cast fine bullets and they have lots of bearing surface and shoot very accurately. It drops at a little over 160 grs. from the mold.
fiver
Well-Known Member
my cleaning regimen is a little more simplistic than most of the others here.
I get the mold hot.
then I spray it with de-greaser [you know that stuff designed to remove grease and oil]
then I wash it down with starting fluid and wipe the mold dry with a rag and hit it again with the starting fluid.
then I cast with it a couple of times before oiling the contact points and top of the mold and setting the sprue plate and such.
then I do a short run of booits to get the mold a good heat soak and let it sit and cool.
I get the mold hot.
then I spray it with de-greaser [you know that stuff designed to remove grease and oil]
then I wash it down with starting fluid and wipe the mold dry with a rag and hit it again with the starting fluid.
then I cast with it a couple of times before oiling the contact points and top of the mold and setting the sprue plate and such.
then I do a short run of booits to get the mold a good heat soak and let it sit and cool.
3
358156hp
Guest
Thread resurrection, it's a miracle!
I have a newly purchased NOE mould giving me fits. It drops wrinkled bullets at all temps, I've even dropped frosted bullets with wrinkles in the frosted areas. I did the usual heat cycles, then cleaned it with brake cleaner, followed by denatured alcohol. The wrinkles persisted. So I pulled it down and scrubbed the blocks with Bon Ami and hot water, not just one cycle, but three of them. I dried it with heat, then scrubbed the bejezus out of it with denatured alcohol and an new toothbrush. Then I repeated everything again, reassembled it, and got wrinkles again. Out of desperation, I smoked the cavities, and the wrinkles went away, but just until the carbon wore off the cavities. Now it's sittling downstairs, cooling off for another round of cleaning. This has gotten old. I did try a different mould with the same alloy, and it casts fine. I also jacked with the temps, and cast as fast as I could to raise the moulds temperature. No joy there either.
What am I missing?
I have a newly purchased NOE mould giving me fits. It drops wrinkled bullets at all temps, I've even dropped frosted bullets with wrinkles in the frosted areas. I did the usual heat cycles, then cleaned it with brake cleaner, followed by denatured alcohol. The wrinkles persisted. So I pulled it down and scrubbed the blocks with Bon Ami and hot water, not just one cycle, but three of them. I dried it with heat, then scrubbed the bejezus out of it with denatured alcohol and an new toothbrush. Then I repeated everything again, reassembled it, and got wrinkles again. Out of desperation, I smoked the cavities, and the wrinkles went away, but just until the carbon wore off the cavities. Now it's sittling downstairs, cooling off for another round of cleaning. This has gotten old. I did try a different mould with the same alloy, and it casts fine. I also jacked with the temps, and cast as fast as I could to raise the moulds temperature. No joy there either.
What am I missing?
3
358156hp
Guest
Doggone aluminum moulds, grumble, grumble, grumble...
3
358156hp
Guest
I'm still fighting the NOE without success after 2 weeks. So today I'll tear it down again, clean it again, and heat cycle it again.
To be fair, I once had a similar problem with an LBT mould. It must be the cutting oil used or something.
To be fair, I once had a similar problem with an LBT mould. It must be the cutting oil used or something.
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I only a have that issue with Al moulds. I don't know why but they seem to almost bleed out oil when heated. Seems they need to be cleaned, used a bit, then cleaned again.
My first NOE, years and years ago, was a real pain in the ass that way. I was about to toss it when it finally began to behave.
My first NOE, years and years ago, was a real pain in the ass that way. I was about to toss it when it finally began to behave.
3
358156hp
Guest
I came very close to teaching mine to fly yesterday.
Now the scarey part. I have two more new NOE moulds on my bench belonging to oldatheart that he dropped off for me to work with.
Now the scarey part. I have two more new NOE moulds on my bench belonging to oldatheart that he dropped off for me to work with.
oldatheart
Active Member
I bet mine fly farther then yours!
fiver
Well-Known Member
I got a LEE 223 sizer die that probably holds the record for distance.
the first time I threw it out in the neighbors hay field and it come back in a bale, the second time it went over the cliff into the black canyon and didn't hit water for about 125 yds.......down.
you might wanna try a good soak in Dawn.
like I said earlier I use a de-greaser and clean it again with starting fluid.
the first time I threw it out in the neighbors hay field and it come back in a bale, the second time it went over the cliff into the black canyon and didn't hit water for about 125 yds.......down.
you might wanna try a good soak in Dawn.
like I said earlier I use a de-greaser and clean it again with starting fluid.
3
358156hp
Guest
Now I understand why you offered to let me have first crack at them.
Mine is all clean and reassembled now, I may try casting again tomorrow if my hands quit shaking
. I especially want to stockpile several hundred of the 45 HPs before I give you that one back. Next time, buy me 4 cavity moulds, okay?
Mine is all clean and reassembled now, I may try casting again tomorrow if my hands quit shaking
. I especially want to stockpile several hundred of the 45 HPs before I give you that one back. Next time, buy me 4 cavity moulds, okay?
3
358156hp
Guest
Well, I'm guessing it got the message the second time around. If it doesn't toe the line this time around, I'll break down and buy some Dawn. It's not like I don't have two more of the doggone things waiting for me.
oldatheart
Active Member
4 cav it is!Now I understand why you offered to let me have first crack at them.
Mine is all clean and reassembled now, I may try casting again tomorrow if my hands quit shaking
S
SwedeNelson
Guest
358156hp
Have you considered that you are getting the cavities too clean.
When you use a abrasive to clean the cavities you remove all the oxidization too.
Try to lightly smoke the cavities and cast like hell with it.
Do that until you get wrinkles then let it cool, reheat and do it again.
You need to build up that oxidization to get it in line.
As it is you are just cleaning it out as you go.
LIGHT SMOKE does have it place despite what the experts say!
Get it broke in - it will work
Bullet maker, maker
Al Nelson
Have you considered that you are getting the cavities too clean.
When you use a abrasive to clean the cavities you remove all the oxidization too.
Try to lightly smoke the cavities and cast like hell with it.
Do that until you get wrinkles then let it cool, reheat and do it again.
You need to build up that oxidization to get it in line.
As it is you are just cleaning it out as you go.
LIGHT SMOKE does have it place despite what the experts say!
Get it broke in - it will work
Bullet maker, maker
Al Nelson
3
358156hp
Guest
I know it will eventually work Al. The first week or so was spent trying to be patient with it. As I mentioned, smoke did help, but it required reapplication a couple of times until it finally wasn't helping anymore. There is nothing wrong with the mould, and the only reason I even bothered to post it is because many people have trouble getting new moulds broken in, and I was hoping to address the symptoms in such a manner that people could relate my efforts and results to their own potential future needs. I regret naming the mould as an NOE specifically, this same situation could happen with any mould, and often does.
Al,
I've been called a variety of names from the " Elite " members of the casting community for my regular treatment of a light coat of carbon from a butane lighter on my moulds.
All those names that I've been called have not stopped me from using my method and casting some beautiful cast bullets with my method for the last 50 years.
Ben
I've been called a variety of names from the " Elite " members of the casting community for my regular treatment of a light coat of carbon from a butane lighter on my moulds.
All those names that I've been called have not stopped me from using my method and casting some beautiful cast bullets with my method for the last 50 years.
Ben
3
358156hp
Guest
I noticed you still "smoke". I do too at times. It's a valuable tool at times, like now .
.