I actually use a lube made by someone from another board but the primary ingredient is 2 cycle oil. I would recommend the synthetic also over the regular as long as you can get it. A bottle less than $2 would last a lifetime. I also apply with a Q-tip.
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Mould lube disaster
- Thread starter longcruise
- Start date
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50 years and countless thousands of castings with both Lyman and Lee moulds I have never had a need to lube the moving parts. As for the moulds themselves, on a new mould I smoke them with a candle and start casting. Fix or replace yours and carry on. Fuggit lubes.
I use high temp silicone grease to lube the sprue plate. Never had a problem. One tube about 30 yr. old is still half full.
firestick
40 Cal
Always used ALOX or beeswax. Never a problem with my Lee molds so I never changed. Perfect mold lube and flux AFAIAC
longcruise
70 Cal.
Alrighty, then! (to quote Ace Ventura)
Decided to take a run at the repair with a few ground rules: no trips to the store and no purchases. If it couldn't be done with what was on hand, then it was not worth the time/expense.
The bare unthreaded shaft of a 1/4" bolt was a perfect fit through the sprue so i drilled the mold to 1/4". Next a set screw through the side to hold the bolt in place. The set screw is 8-32. I would have preferred 6-32 but didn't have the correct drill bit so therefore the "ground rules" kicked in.
It seems useable but I won't be sure until I try it.
Decided to take a run at the repair with a few ground rules: no trips to the store and no purchases. If it couldn't be done with what was on hand, then it was not worth the time/expense.
The bare unthreaded shaft of a 1/4" bolt was a perfect fit through the sprue so i drilled the mold to 1/4". Next a set screw through the side to hold the bolt in place. The set screw is 8-32. I would have preferred 6-32 but didn't have the correct drill bit so therefore the "ground rules" kicked in.
It seems useable but I won't be sure until I try it.
That I think is better than the factory approach.
I use a BB sized pellet of beeswax when the mold is hot to lube the moving parts before casting a final ball that I leave in place with the sprue (no air in the mold between batches). It lubricates well and holds up to heat pretty good.
That el git er dun.
If it loosens you can put a notch on the bolt shank at the set screw. Or a set screw with point and punch a spot on bolt shank.
Why should I read the instructions when I think I know it all already? That's why I hate change. It confuses me and makes me do stupid things!
Crow-Feather
32 Cal.
Left hand screw? But I'm right handed.
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Living in a right handed world aint easy. Half my flintlocks and all my wrenches are right handed.
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Just get a left handed screw driver and turn it around. Simple fix
Just saw this thread and suddenly remembered I hadn’t looked at my molds in quite a while so off I ran to check on them. Perfectly fine. I had smeared them with a touch of gun grease before storing them. Whew!
Just saw this thread and suddenly remembered I hadn’t looked at my molds in quite a while so off I ran to check on them. Perfectly fine. I had smeared them with a touch of gun grease before storing them. Whew!
AZbpBurner
54 Cal.
Same here - casting since 1968 and have over a dozen moulds, many of them Lee & a few Lyman, and have never found it necessary to lube or do any goofy mods to any of them to keep them working correctly..
That is a fair start on a collection.
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What is the best mold release agent to use on lyman 50 cal RB mold? Newbie need to learn the right way that lasts and has minimal impact on cavity volume.
longcruise
70 Cal.
Smoke the cavities with a match or candle same as the lee instructions.
RBs are the easies to cast. Really don't need release agent.
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When done for the day clean and oil?
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I use lee molds. I never lube the mold except the pin for the sprue plate. For newbies, I don’t want to have to try to clean oil from the mold to begin casting again. I don’t really know the best way to store steel molds.
longcruise
70 Cal.
Yes. All steel molds need that treatment. I oil them and wrap them in an oily rag. I've had one just like yours for about 45 years and it's still like new.
