Mould block head scratcher

[Don McDowell]

I went to cast some of the 434 slicks from my accurate mould the other day, and the dang thing would either leave a little acorn shaped indent in the side of the bullet or a big ol acorn shaped line on the side of the bullet.
I sprayed that cavity with the Frankford arsenal mould spray and sure enough there was that little acorn deal. So I took the blocks and scrubbed the snot out of it and set it aside. Went back a few days later and here's that danged big acorn line still on the side of the bullet.
Back to the sink we went, scrubbed and scrubbed, used paint thinner and SOS pad, and scrubbed and rinsed , and finally rinsed with alcohol and let it set.
Yesterday I set back to the thing, and before I started I smoked the cavities with matches. Don't you know I poured about 140 flawless +- .5 gr slugs... Now what the magic that got the thing to work was I don't know.
Now does anybody remember seeing/hearing about someone making shorter handles for these new Lyman ladles?

[Caprock]

I feel your pain. My routine now is brake cylinder cleaner and air hose. Scrub with toothbrush, hot water and dish soap, rinse with methyl alcohol and and blow dry. Smoke with butane lighter and its usually trouble free.

[Don McDowell]

I usually clean/degrease with Polaris clutch and break cleaner, but my can is out of pressure and it just drizzles the stuff out, and that didn't really seem to do much good.
One thing about it, these blocks are casting better now than they ever have.. Don't know exactly what caused the malfunction but it's good to be back to filling bullet jugs again.

[Nuclearcricket]

I usually clean/degrease with Polaris clutch and break cleaner, but my can is out of pressure and it just drizzles the stuff out, and that didn't really seem to do much good.
One thing about it, these blocks are casting better now than they ever have.. Don't know exactly what caused the malfunction but it's good to be back to filling bullet jugs again.

Don, I read someplace that smoking aluminum molds kind of works like a bit of insulation, but I may be a bit off pace on that. However as a rule I always smoke my aluminum molds with a disposable lighter of some sort. It will leave a nice even coat of carbon in the inside of the mold. It doesn't look so pretty but it has helped make my aluminum molds casting fools. I can't remember of ever having any problems after they are cleaned and smoked.
I have even done it to some of my iron molds that I was having problems with and it has helped with them also.
Sam

[Don McDowell]

I never had much luck smoking iron or brass moulds, but using a match to smoke aluminum blocks sure seems to help.

[Lumpy Grits]

Don, sounds like it was silicon based crud on the mould.
Heavy dose of brake cleaner is the only solvent I know that removes/cuts silicon or the like.
Gary

[Don McDowell]

Gary the curious thing is where did that acorn come from? Had already cast several hundred bullets with the thing without it. But no matter now as this happened a year ago, and have since found another long range bullet I think I like better??

[Lumpy Grits]

FOD, from using an air hose in the area maybe?
Gary