cayugad, Do you ever burn a match to get carbon inside the cavity itself? Is that even necessary? How often do I need to lube the mold (the V's and grooves, the bolt and nut and the alignment pins) every time before I start casting?
I use a candle to smoke the mold. But I also have a product I purchased when I first started casting. It is called "Rapine Mold Lube" and it is like liquid carbon in a bottle. I use a model builder's brush and paint the inside and the hinge on the molds first. Then if I think of it, I will smoke the mold, but with the lube I really don't think it is necessary.
Just smoke the mold real hard before you start molding. And lets say after a hundred ball cast, you decided to have a break and rest... smoke it again before you start. The mold will start to come clean eventually.
One other hint.. some do not do this. When I am finished with casting for the day, I leave the last ball in the mold and let the mold cool this way. I use LEE molds which are aluminum and was taught they are subject to warping if they cool too fast. The ball left in the mold allows the mold to cool from the outside in. My molds are over 30 years old (some of them) and I still cast a great roundball out of them.