Casting with 2 molds

[Jal5]

I know this is nothing for a lot of you but I tried it today and couldn't believe how easy it was and what a good rhythm I developed. Two 2cavity Lee molds 358125RF and 452230RN. I EVEN think my BOOLITS were better formed with the little extra time before dumping the mold in the rotation. I have learned so much hanging out here. A BIG THANK YOU TO EVERYONE HERE!

[Calamity Jake]

I do it every casting session, even with 4 cav. molds

I have yet to be able to do it with 2 6 cav. lees, just can't keep em hot enough.

[TXGunNut]

I hesitated to do the two mould rotation but once you work the rhythm out it does seem to give better results during a production casting session. When I'm trying to figure out/break in a new mould I generally use just one mould but when I want a pile of boolits from a couple of moulds two do seem to work better than one.

[Jal5]

One was a new mold. I had cast a bunch with it pretty many culls. But once I went to two molds they cast better.

[Guesser]

I've done it that way for a long time. The one thing I found was that I did not want to do it with one each iron, aluminum mold. Works a lot better with both molds made of the same material. I have used 3 molds at a time when they were single cavity iron/steel molds.

[Jal5]

One thing I noticed the 358125 mold drops one with round bases the other one is fine. Not sure what that is about. More rejects than I like.

[Cherokee]

I frequently cast with two 4, 5 or 6 cavity Aliminum molds. Fast pace and lots of good boolits once they are both at proper temp. I have also used Lee 2-c and 6-c in rotation, works for me.

[**oneshot**]

I always cast with 2 molds. If using aluminum I put it back on the hotplate between casts to keep the mold heat uniform. It makes for a pile of good boolits in a hurry if using 4 cavities. My casting set-up is a horseshoe, furnace in the middle and 2 drops tables/water buckets at my left and right. I keep the molds on the same side of the pot as the side I drop them.

[Jal5]

Thanks for your description of your setup. I will try that minus the water buckets. I had the hot plate on the left side of the pot filled one put it down to the right of the pot then filled the other set it down beside the first emptied the first filled it then emptied second etcetera. Taking turns. I didn't put either one back on the hot plate unless I was taking a break.

[hickfu]

I have not tried 2 molds at one time but it is something I will try the next time I can cast. I do have a hot plate just in case I cant keep up very well

[fa38]

One thing I noticed the 358125 mold drops one with round bases the other one is fine. Not sure what that is about. More rejects than I like.

When I get a rounded base on one or both cavities I take my large Norton fine grit stone and run it across the the mould halves several times to create a small vent line just under the sprue plate. You just want to break the sharp edge on the inside top edge of the mould. I would guess that you could do this with a very fine cut file. The new vent line I cut is as small or smaller than the vent lines on the block interior.
This has always cured the rounded base on my Lyman, RCBS, and SAECO moulds.

[prs]

I thought I posted to this yesterday evening. Oh, well; I use two 6 cavity 45 colt molds for my pet boolit. I have tried with dissimilar boolits, but its too confusing to keep track of where to drop each one to avoid a mix, my limitation. I use two pots when I do this, heck, I use two pots most of the time. That way I can have one ready as the first depletes and thus no break in the fast action. I recommend opening the sprue handle of one mold before filling the other, thus avoiding too much stress on sprue plate opening device or gloved hand. Rest the first mold on wood while filling second to avoid excess heat loss.

prs

[44man]

I use an oak board to put molds on. I also use two molds a lot and I do mix iron and aluminum. I water drop so I have to sort but it is no problem. I still get no rejects.

[cajun shooter]

I posted a thread about this method about 3-4 years ago on this forum. It has proven to be the best way I've ever found to cast. My mentor showed me this way back in 1970 when I was working in a full service gun store. We casted our own brand of bullets to sell to customers. I would do it on the side after regular work hours to earn extra money for our new baby at that time.
I use a large one burner GE Hot Plate (Wally world) to bring my molds up to casting temp. I use my pot at 750 for my casting sessions.
I fill mold one and set it on two lead ingots and then fill mold two. I then go back to one and dump the bullets, then I refill it and return it to the resting place. I then repeat the process with mold 2. This style of casting will give you better bullets from your very first pour. You will cut your reject bullets to almost nothing. You will increase the life of your molds so that they remain in great shape and continue to give you good bullets.
I have used custom made molds for several years now. I first started with Hoch molds and for the past 5-6 years I have worked with Tom at Accurate.
Once you try this method, it will become the only way you will cast. Later David

[44man]

Wood will not suck heat from a mold and is better.

[nagantguy]

Didn't know there was another way! Gotta keep making lots of .44s and .45s for me and lots of .38s for my girls and lots of 8mms and .308s and 313s to keep the rifles barking from plinkers to full house hunting loads, I often take people.shooting and teach hunters safety and Cpl classes, a bunch of kids can burn up a pile of light 30-30s or nagant rounds in a hurry. To maximize my time at the casting table its always two molds going, even done 3 but that gets fatiguing rather fast I use a old sunbeam griddle so keeping them up to temp isn't an issue. The 30 cals and the slightly larger ones for the nagants can be hard to tell apart so I use different style boolits.

[Don Purcell]

Using multiple Hensley & Gibbs and Ballisticast 6,8 and 10 cavity molds at the same time. As long as you have a way to feed'em you can pile them up pretty fast.

[BruceB]

I gave the two-mould method a good trial years ago.

Using two slows me down, due to the many hand movements needed for continual switching of hands and moulds.

Just two days ago, I was casting with a Lyman 4-cavity 358156 mould, and making around 16 bullets per minute without any particular haste. This translates to very close to 1000 per hour, and they are GOOD bullets.

Of course, I'm now leaning hard on 72 years, and I'm likely slowing down a tad.

[cbrick]

I've tried using two molds at a time and don't like it, it's just too busy. I enjoy my casting time but not when it turns into work. Relaxing and paying attention is much more my style. That's not to say other's shouldn't if it's their thing, just not for me.

Rick

[deltaenterprizes]

I used to use 2 four cavity molds with 2 twenty pound pots, made plenty boolits in a couple hours, I still have some.
I recently purchased a second RCBS 09-125 CN so I can use two molds and make a bunch in a short time

[Bazoo]

Im with Rick. Its more enjoyable to run a single mould. I got time to yell at the dog, take a swallow of tea, scratch. What more could a man want.

[rintinglen]

I've tried using two molds at a time and don't like it, it's just too busy. I enjoy my casting time but not when it turns into work. Relaxing and paying attention is much more my style. That's not to say other's shouldn't if it's their thing, just not for me.

Rick
My sentiments persactly.
I can produce more good boolits using Bruce B's speed casting technique than I can using two molds. And with less fatigue, too. There was a video by San Francisco Liberal With A gun where in he cast something over 200 boolits in 8 minutes and change. The key to speed is reducing the number of unnecessary hand movements. Juggling two molds is not the path to achieve that reduction.

[robg]

depends on the molds im using ,but 2 at a time chill me out and slows me down

[fa38]

I fill mold one and set it on two lead ingots and then fill mold two. I then go back to one and dump the bullets, then I refill it and return it to the resting place. I then repeat the process with mold 2.

I also rest my molds on lead ingots. Fill a mold, set it on an ingot, fill the second mold and set it on another ingot, then pick up the first mold and dump the bullets, then refill, etc.
The ingots get hot enough so that you do not want to pick them up bare handed. I think it helps to keep the molds at an even temperature while casting.

[bedbugbilly]

Been casting for 50 years but have to admit that I've never tried it. I have a mixture of molds in steel and aluminum. I sometimes get a little frustrated with the Lee DC as once I get going (with just the one 2 cavity mold) I have to slow down at times to let it cool. It's not that I'm in a rush or anything so the two mold use makes a lot of sense which would give the mold a chance to cool some - plus increase your production. Sure gives a fellow something to strive for and I look forward to giving it a try. At my ae, it's really not so much a problem of doing the pouring, striking off and dropping and keeping the rhythm going as much as it is my back getting tired from standing and having to sit to rest every once in a while.

Two 6 cavities at one time? I "KNOW" I'd have a problem doing that one for sure - LOL - if you can do it, I admire you greatly.

[larryw]

Gotta wait till I get one mold down pat??
then I might try 2 or more??

[SSGOldfart]

I've tried using two molds at a time and don't like it, it's just too busy. I enjoy my casting time but not when it turns into work. Relaxing and paying attention is much more my style. That's not to say other's shouldn't if it's their thing, just not for me.

Rick
Same here I take my time and Enjoy it

there has been a time or two I've used two 10gang H&G molds makes a pile of boolits in a hurry but it's to much like work

[cajun shooter]

If you are not using the two mold style of casting, then you should give it a try. As I posted earlier, I have been using this method since 1970 and it's the way I was taught.

I see where some members are saying that it's too many steps and they don't need to speed the production that fast. That is not the purpose of this method at all. It is designed to use good quality molds at a pace that produces much better bullets than the one mold method.
Just think if you went to the range and fired one gun continually, the gun would become so hot and not any fun to continue.
I remember firing my M16 so much that the gas tube was cherry red and you could light a cigarette off the bbl, not good.
I also use custom molds like the Hoch and Accurate molds. When I first started casting for the gun
store I was working at, I was doing it with all H&G molds for the most part. They were very heavy and in 6-8 cavity styles.
I use this method as a way to slow down not speed up, it makes much better bullets over all and they are all nice and bright, not the frosted look you get when casting too hot.
I know they have people who will never try this method in the manner that I'm speaking about, but that is ok also as that is why the world has many different flavors.
Take Care David

[cajun shooter]

44Man, You seem to want to be negative about what I have posted for over 6 years and that is fine. The thing is that when I posted that I sat my molds on lead ingots, do you have any idea about the size or thickness of these ingots. I'm not using Lee mold small ingots.
If you care to delve into the science of heat transfer then that would be a subject that you could post on.
This method has worked for me since 1970 and at 68 years of age I'll be happy enough to continue. Later David

[gmsharps]

44Man, You seem to want to be negative about what I have posted for over 6 years and that is fine. The thing is that when I posted that I sat my molds on lead ingots, do you have any idea about the size or thickness of these ingots. I'm not using Lee mold small ingots.
If you care to delve into the science of heat transfer then that would be a subject that you could post on.
This method has worked for me since 1970 and at 68 years of age I'll be happy enough to continue. Later David

I've used this same process for many years. I want the heat transfer which really isn't that much that I can tell but gets me casting with both pretty quick. Really small cavity's like 22 I may just put the mold on the side of the pot so to not loose to much heat. Just depends on what I am casting.

gmsharps

[Charlie U.]

I find my best casting rhythm with a three mold rotation.
With one and two cavity iron molds the rotation of 3 molds allows a perfect amount of set up time. Once I reach a good working temp I can keep a steady flow of boolits.

Cajun Shooter has it right, its not as much a matter of getting a higher production rate as it is quality. A good rotation helps you maintain ideal mold temps. I find my best results when I cast with a 2 or 3 mold rotation and when I get the timing and temps right it provides a very high rate of success.

I use a hot plate to pre-heat the molds and reach ideal casting temp a lot faster.....I prefer that to dipping mold blocks into the melt like some folks do to warm them up.