I ususally clean up molds with a brass brush, like they use in plumbing, and some carb spray. Does this have a chance of hurting my Lee molds or any other that are alum. made? I know it shouldn't hurt my Lyman or Saeco but was wondering about the softer metal. I have a couple of Lee two cav. that don't seem to fill out as sharp at the corners as a Lyman and wondered if I had cleaned them too hard.

Also, are the Lee two cavity molds as good as the six cavity? I don't have any six cavity molds but noticed that many on this forum use them.

Bill

A brass brush will scrape up aluminum molds, I haven't hurt them with carb or brake cleaner. I find if lead builds up, to get the mold nice and hot, and use a carpenters pencil to rub off the lead build up.

Assuming you're casting wheelweights, I'd say run the Lee's hotter and they should fill out fine.

I have both 1, 2 and 6 cavity lee molds. The 6 cavity mold has a superior mold alignment to the 1's and 2's, as it uses the typical pin alignment of bullet molds. The one thing I don't like on the 6 cavity is the aluminum sprue plate, and the kinda funky compound lever that operates it.

I believe I've tried bullet molds from ever maker out there, and in aluminum, brass, steel and cast iron. I've found lee molds will make just as good a bullet as any mold out there.

I may prefer the contstruction of other mold makers better, but you can't beat Lee's price, and I've yet to have one of their designs not shoot, from the 115gr 30 cal "soupcan" to the .475" 400 gr in my 480 Ruger. Good bullet designs, great prices, and molds that will make good bullets once you find how they like to be cast. Just don't abuse them, well, any mold for that matter.

Bill, Hot soapy water & a toothbrush work very well. To undo the damage you may have done with a wire brush, you'll need to lap & polish the mold cavities. If you look up http://castpics.net, you'll find instructions on how to do it.

The lead removing cloth sold under Birchwood Casey, Hoppe's, Kleeen Bore names etc, Is great for cleaning lead out of any kind of mold. It is not abrasive and does not react with brass, aluminum, or iron. It will remove bluing, so be careful about that.

Bluemoon, you only have to clean the Lee molds once, when they are new. Use mold prep and keep on casting. If you get lead where it doesn't belong you are doing something wrong. Make sure to lube the pins once in a while with boolit lube. It takes VERY little.
I clean lead from the top of the mold and bottom of the sprue plate by stiking a wooden match, blow it out as soon as I stike it and rub off the lead with the head. Does not scratch. This only gets leaded if I happen to cut the sprue too early.
Aluminum absorbs heat very fast but also gives it up fast. If you are not getting sharp boolits, you are working too slow or your lead is not hot enough. I doubt you have hurt your molds with a brass brush. I would think it would take years of scrubbing to make much of a change.
You have to watch carb cleaners, some leave an oily deposit. Hot water and dish soap is best. My guess is you have residue from the carb cleaner in your mold.

If it helps, I use a very soft tooth brush and White gas to clean all my molds. The white gas burns off very fast as the mold heats up and is very clean.