Prepping a Black Powder bullet mould
- Thread starter Yeti
- Start date
I use a candle and keep it close to the mold to get "soot" from the yellow part of the flame.
Here are a couple of pictures of a 150 year old .31 Colt mold which still makes usable balls and bullets.
Once you get into production you don't need to add more soot unless the balls start to stick.
Here are a couple of pictures of a 150 year old .31 Colt mold which still makes usable balls and bullets.
Once you get into production you don't need to add more soot unless the balls start to stick.
stevejones
Regular
- Location
- Courtenay, BC
Uhhhh...whats bullplate?
- Location
- windsor,ontario
clean the mold in hot water or with high % alcohol to remove all the factory oil(its from when thay cut the mold)
and just a little oil on the sprue plate screw once the mold get's hot enough thay will not stick
and just a little oil on the sprue plate screw once the mold get's hot enough thay will not stick
- Location
- vancouver island
ball moulds
i use the candle on brass mould only just to get going. for steel or alum i don't bother -just heat them evenly with a propane torch-especially the top plate or sprue cutter then start pouring. keep an eye on lead temp-if they start to look frosted cool down a bit until they are shiney again. enjoy
i use the candle on brass mould only just to get going. for steel or alum i don't bother -just heat them evenly with a propane torch-especially the top plate or sprue cutter then start pouring. keep an eye on lead temp-if they start to look frosted cool down a bit until they are shiney again. enjoy
Lee instructions say to degrease then smoke the aluminum mold before using it and I have found it works well. Lyman and other makers of steel molds say degrease well, heat up and start pouring - no conditioning required - and I have found that works well.
just having some fun
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
If i was doing it
Clean mould ---> hot water and soap and old tooth brush
cast bullets
if they come out wrinkled or not filled in (you need more heat )
and i would not even look at the first 20-25 bullets an just toss them back in to the pot -- use the last few to judge the heat
For a ML 95% of casters use pure lead (soft)
and when I cast using pure lead none of the bullets are perfect (Some maybe 99.9%)
pure lead does not cast well (not complete fill out ) small wrinkles
toss the deep /heavy wrinkled ones back in the pot and add more heat
if lead get too hot they will frost up
if they are frosted and as long as they fill out completly they are ok
sometimes if too hot bullets will be under sized when they drop from the mould
and if as a last resort you have to carbon up a mould
Do Not use a candle
use a match or a BBQ lighter
the wax in a candle flame will give you problems
Wishing you luck in your new sport
Clean mould ---> hot water and soap and old tooth brush
cast bullets
if they come out wrinkled or not filled in (you need more heat )
and i would not even look at the first 20-25 bullets an just toss them back in to the pot -- use the last few to judge the heat
For a ML 95% of casters use pure lead (soft)
and when I cast using pure lead none of the bullets are perfect (Some maybe 99.9%)
pure lead does not cast well (not complete fill out ) small wrinkles
toss the deep /heavy wrinkled ones back in the pot and add more heat
if lead get too hot they will frost up
if they are frosted and as long as they fill out completly they are ok
sometimes if too hot bullets will be under sized when they drop from the mould
and if as a last resort you have to carbon up a mould
Do Not use a candle
use a match or a BBQ lighter
the wax in a candle flame will give you problems
Wishing you luck in your new sport
tactical870
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Buckhorn, Ontario
Not an issue. I've used candle smoke (or even match smoke) to aid in release as specified in my molds. Seeing as you flux your lead with a ball of wax, sawdust etc for its carbon content I wouldn't worry.
