Aluminum Mould 911

[robertdeans72]

Hi my name is Rob Deans and I have experienced something most disstressing. While casting today with my .577 Rapine mould, a round got stuck. I mean stuck. The mould would not open at all. After about 30 minutes tapping, pulling, heating and reheating, banging and cursing the halves finally came apart. The round was stuck to one side of it. Unlike any difficult extraction I've ever had, it was bonded to the aluminum. I managed to get the all the lead out of the cavity but coating the inside of one half was a pea sized, thin layer of lead. This would not budge. Not with casting more rounds on top of it (to try to melt it out) or heating it up. I have no explanations and certainly, at this time, no solutions. If there is somebody out there with some advice I'd love to hear from you. I'd rather not have to buy another.....
Thanks, Rob

 

[wszumera]

I'd try to call the mold manufacturer before doing anything drastic.

Clutch

 

[MSW]

many years ago i had a similar experience with an aluminum mould. i was able to get the whatever-it-was out after heating the thing and remoulding several balls.

the mould worked fine after that and i still own and use it.

it might be that there was some sort of impurity in the lead you were using and you sort of soldered the whatever-it-was to the inside of the mould.

at any rate, contact the manufacturer- most of these folks will do 'the extra mile,' knowing that customer loyalty is worth a good bit more than the cost of one mould.

best of luck

msw

 

[paulvallandigham]

It sounds like you may have gotten some aluminum( or other compound) dross in your lead, and that is what is stuck in the mold. Call the manufacturer. I am sure they will want you to send them the mold for repair or replacement. If you have heated the mold up to recast bullets and this piece has not come out, further heating is not going to do anything but perhaps melt the mold!( Boy, would you have to get that hot!)

 

[DEVERS]

I know from time to time, as others have pointed out, slag/drouse will end up in your mold.

cleaning an Al block is not impossible, but, care needs to be taken.

I use primarily Lee or custom molds from Mountain Molds. In each case, using an undersized ball (or bullet) and some Commet cleaning agent (yeah, from underneath the sink in your kitchen) will do a good job of both cleaning and lapping your mold.

Take one of your already cast bullets, drill a 3/32 hole 1/4" deep. Place a screw into that hole and use a philips bit in your cordless screwdriver to slowly (and I do mean SLOWLY) rotate the bullet inside the mold.

It should remove high spots and crud at the same time.

 

[doverdog]

Here's my idea of what could have happened. LEE molds are aluminum, like the Rapine you were using. LEE states in their instructions the alignment grooves and V's must be lubricated, either with beeswax, or preferably, bullet lube. They state aluminum becomes "sticky" at high temps, causing the halves of the mold to not close completely. Most noticable effect is balls with fins. You may have run into an extreme case of the mold becoming sticky, and actually adhering together. If you are not lubing the mold alignment grooves and V's, start doing so before you damage the mold.

 

[robertdeans72]

Thanks for all the good advice. I've mangaed to get it clean enough to use again. Live and learn, eh?
Rob