smoking a mold

[M. De Land]

I thought perhaps a little discussion on this topic might be in order in context with the lead heat thread for lead balls.
Smoking a mold does not require making it black with soot.You can actually get so much soot in a mold that it will leave a imprint on the cast ball.
All you need is a thin, see through coating of smoke from a shack match an the mold will work perfectly. It should first be prepped with a acetone brushing out and then dried before the match smoking. Some use an oil lamp but I have found they give off way more soot than is needed usually. MD

 

[George T.]

I use candles If it's over sooted a couple of rejects and your good to go. Geo. T.

 

[russecv58]

i use bees wax candle as to not get an oily residue. :thumbsup:

 

[mooman76]

I quit smoking moulds a long time ago. Mostly because I forgot but it didn't seem to make much difference. I think it's more important for newer mould and after they get well used they seem to smooth out and drop better.

 

[russecv58]

yep, i agree...i do it with my new molds, but they seek to get "seasoned" after a couple uses and seem to drop just fine afterwards.

 

[Matt85]

i did this with my first mold but sorta forgot about it. ive have plenty of molds work just fine without ever being smoked. my current .490 Lee mold has never been smoked and i dont notice any ill effects.

-matt

 

[Rifleman1776]

Same here. Just does not make any difference.

 

[Little Wattsy]

Same here. Just does not make any difference.

Ditto....

 

[Billnpatti]

Yep, Mike, I agree. I use a butane candle lighter to lightly smoke my moulds before each use. I find that it makes the balls drop out easier no matter the material the mould is made of nor the age of the mould. Would they drop out just as easily without the smoke? I don't know and probably never will because I always smoke my moulds before casting any balls. I've always done it that way and it has always worked. I ain't likely to change now. :blah: I'm old....I'm crazy and I'm set in my ways. :haha:

 

[necchi]

Same here. Just does not make any difference.

Ditto....

2X

 

[M. De Land]

Couple things I would add. Smoking along with helping in ball release also aids in keeping your mold faces free of lead sticking to them and not closing completely. The alignment pins need the smoke in particular.
I like to use a carpenters pencil to coat the under side of the spru plate and the mold top. The graphite helps keep both of those surfaces lead free and from galling, particularly with the Lee aluminum molds.
It is also a good idea in my view to stone off the underside of the spru plate as it will often have an edge on the bottom of the spru hole that can gall your mold top. MD

 

[M. De Land]

They have formed and oxide from use in the mold cavity. Given a properly cut round ball mold they should drop out when opened without having to bump the handle cross pin. MD

 

[outbackzack]

I can never get them to stay in the papers when I roll them... :rotf:

 

[Zonie]

Based on what it does to my nose I don't like mold of any kind. I can't imagine smoking it.
Sounds like something the Scot's would do like they do with their ingredients for making whiskey.

Well, take that back.
Mushrooms are just big mold and they can be pretty good and they don't bother my nose at all.

I know some of the Indian tribes have some they sometimes smoke. Never tried it but I hear they can go on some weird trips without even moving!

OH! Molds for casting things. :shocked2:

Yah. I use a candle flame every so often to smoke my casting molds, whenever the balls start sticking a little. :grin:

 

[Billnpatti]

Yeah, mushrooms are very interesting. They are delicious and that amazes me since they are so closely related to jock rash and athletes foot. :idunno:

 

[cynthialee]

Yeah, mushrooms are very interesting. They are delicious and that amazes me since they are so closely related to jock rash and athletes foot. :idunno:

gee...thanks
I'll never look at a mushroom and cheese burger the same again.

 

[George T.]

Your right! There are some things we JUST do not need to know! Geo. T.

 

[tomme boy]

If you have to smoke the mold, throw it away. I use Bullplate to lube my molds. Put some on a q-tip and apply it to the top of the mold and the bottom of the sprue plate once it is up to temp. Leave the ball or whatever in the mold to apply it to the top. You will not get the galling this way.

 

[paulab]

For the record.....MOLD is the green stuff that grows on old bread. A MOULD is what you pour melted lead into to make a bullet. :grin:

 

[matt denison]

" aids in keeping your mold faces free of lead sticking to them and not closing completely"

That is why I smoke moulds. Takes about 4 seconds with a wooden match. Once it's smoked no need to repeat.