An old trick is to use the smoke from a candle to smoke the inside of the mold to aide in the release of the bullet.

 

That's what I do. It works perfectly and the bullets drop right out.

 

you can cast fine without it, but I find it worth while to use it

 

Often not sometimes yes - depends a great deal on mold and alloy.

Often not sometimes yes - depends a great deal on mold and alloy. Rumor says the Lee aluminum need the candle smoke mentioned supra more often than say H&G /SAECO #68 or #130. Bullet size and shape and alloy and the mass of the mold blocks - lots of mass with small bullets or what have you will affect how the blocks react - some bullets shrink and have a shape with a lot of draft and so fall freely - some often larger rifle bullets don't fall nearly so freely for me, maybe they cool more slowly I don't know but that can depend on heat transfer and rate of cooling as well as alloy. An off center cherry can effectively trap the bullet in half the mold. Then too although I normally lube the sprue cutter with bullet lube lubricating the sprue cuttern and handle hinge with something is surely a good idea but can overdoing it isn't I'd say the po;ular pistol designs from H&G and SAECO are less likely to benefit than Lee and Lyman - something about the price suggests folks mostly get what they pay for but then again there are some real bargains and sometimes a particular design is available only in a cranky mold..

Myself I avoid adding anything to the mix - until I've shown a need for something then I try something different.

 

As the hardness of a particular alloy changes, so does the rate of shrinkage. Hard alloys shrink less than soft so the same mold will cast different sized bullets with different alloys and it does make a substantial difference once the diameter of the bullet starts getting large.

As far as a release agent, depends on the bullet your casting and the mold itself. Keith type SWC's with square edge driving bands and grease grooves are the worst for me. Also, some molds may have almost microscopic burrs which cause bullets to hang. Smoking the mold with a candle or wood kitchen match ( which I use) generally works nearly as well as a commercial agent.

Only experience with a particular mold & alloy combination will completely answer this question for you.



Bruce

 

Been casting since 1968, never used a release agent in the 20-30 moulds I have used over the years, never was a need as a tap on the henge of the handles will dislodge the bullets if they don't drop out. The half-dozen lee moulds I have never needed any help dropping the bullets.

 

With release you'll find no tap needed at least with the Lee 6 bangers I've used , I also use it in the casting machine when I change mold sets out . I got started with it from the guy I bought the auto caster from, he ran 7 machines and always used it when setting up a machine

 

I couldn't get the spray stuff on thin enough.
The NEI graphite suspension applied with a Q-tip is good.

 

I just use a rubber mallet. Didn't even know there was anything to spray on to help. I wouldn't want anything getting into the pores in the metal.

 

I find that the Franklin Armory (Midway brand?) graphite mold release works very well. It also works good for a light coating on any metal or plastic parts that contact gun powder. I particularly like to use it on the rubbing surfaces of the Lee Pro Auto-disk and the disks themselves.
I had problem with smoking a mold with candle soot as it can still have a fair amount of paraffin in it which is just another oil.
I found wood and paper matches worked better. Best of all is an acetylene flame with no oxygen. That is the perfect carbon black for so many applications.
I find smoking the cut-off plate really helps.

 

Good mold prep, good heat control (mold and melt), good casting practices (from lots of practice) and you won't need any release agent.

 

I have had very good results with Rapine mold prep. It is sold by Buffalo arms and Dixie gun works. It is a graphite suspended in liquid easy to apply and dries fast. Do not put on a holt mold.
Tom

 

Heck, I use ole cheap Lee molds and smoke them with kitchen matches, works great.
If you need more smoke, use your oxyacetylene torch, leave the oxygen off :biglaugh:
Just kidding...I WAS going to try that when I figured out the secret to using kitchen matches and a Lee mold correctly ...!!!
Takes some time to get it just right, smoke, mold temp, lead temp...etc....!!
Now its FUN.....I was pulling my hair out...and there's not much left up there.!!

Don2

 

Once I get the steel moulds up to the right heat they need they drop right out. I also have polished some moulds to get them clean from build up from past owners on my used moulds.
No drop out needed once mould is heated, I place one conner of the mould into the pot while it is heatting up and as others have stated the inside must be smooth
An Old Lyman 452389 185 grain Wad Cutter button top polished out with black emery and a Home cut Fiber fob. It was casting undersized bullets do to oil/release from the previous owner/owners
I also resurfaced the spure plate so it was flat

 

Don't you hate it when you drop stuff on the floor? :bawling:

 

Not really being a floor installer for 30 plus years. I get tired of a floor and redo it another way. Same with cars I build

 

I smoke the inside of the cavities. I also use Husquvarna chain lube on the sprue plate to keep the aluminum from marring on the 6 banger lee molds. This works very well . Metal temp plays into this also. Get the temp up to about 750 on the lee pot and you will have better success.

 

It's not a yes or no question. As you can see from the various responses, it depends on you.

Personally, I use the graphite spray sold by Midway USA.