sprue cutting with glove

[pharmpoke]

I'm interested in cutting the sprue with gloved hand and need some advice. I have 2rcbs molds for 44swc and 38swc and cast my first straight W/W bullets using a wooden handle to tap the sprue plate open like it says I should do everywhere I've looked. Since then I've read of better/smoother sprue cuts with a gloved hand, with less wear and tear on the mold. I waited for the sprue to solidify and could easily see this happen, then waited a few more seconds before cutting sprue so I wouldn't smear any lead between cutter and mold. Then I read that one could cut sprue with gloved hand immediately when sprue puddle solidifies. Will I smear lead doing this with these molds? How long should I wait to try doing it with gloves? How long should I be waiting to use a mallet to cut sprue? My bullets seemed to be cut well and there was no real bump or crater, but it wasn't a real smooth surface either. I haven't had a chance to load any up to see how they shoot yet. Is there a good reason to do it one way or the other?

[Doc Highwall]

I use a glove myself. It is hard at first until the mould warms up but you can preheating the mould and it will take less time to get to the right temperature.

[oneokie]

Then I read that one could cut sprue with gloved hand immediately when sprue puddle solidifies. Will I smear lead doing this with these molds?

Get some Bullshop sprue plate lube and you can cut the sprue as soon as it changes to solid with out smearing lead.

Link at bottom of this page.

[osage]

I also use a gloved hand to cut the spures. I switched to welders gloves for more protection. I started closing my Lee molds with gloved hand as they seem to line up easier. The only mold I have trouble cutting the spure by hand is a lyman 4 holer.

[jhalcott]

I am using an H&G 4 hole #68 mold. I do NOT think it is a good idea to try to cut these with a gloved hand! The plate is about 3/16" thick and the distance from the trough to the mold is at least 1/16". I use a piece of axe handle about a foot long to whack the plate.

[imashooter2]

Regardless of method used to do the cutting, time to sprue solidification remains the same.

[garandsrus]

pharmpoke,

I pretty much cut the sprue from all my 4 cavity and under molds with a gloved hand. I do preheat all my molds though. If I get a sprue that has hardened to beyond what I can do with a glove, I do use a wooden mallet/whacker.

I cut the sprue right after the final cavity changes color. On a large boolit, you can see lead from the sprue get sucked into the mold just before it hardens. I also return the sprue directly to the pot. I don't see any reason not to and that small amount of material isn't going to change the pot temp. It is already preheated :)

Cutting the sprue with gloves on takes very little effort. The key is that the mold has to be up to it's casting temperature.

John

[pharmpoke]

So if I read this right- cut as soon as sprue hardens with glove or mallet- no need to wait to prevent smearing lead? Is a lube really needed or not to prevent smearing? Still the question- does one way or the other make any real diffence in accuracy?

[HeavyMetal]

How you cut the sprue is not nearly as important as when you cut the sprue.

As long as the mold is hot enough to get good fill out without wrinkles it's hot enough to cut the sprue by hand. The first sign that your not waiting long enough for the sprue to harden is the "pullout" or crater in the center of the boolit base! When you start to see that slow down!

Special coatings can help a little with smearing but paying attention ( to the sprue "color") is by far the better answer to lead smearing on the blocks.

Moving up to 4 bangers and bigger use a hammer if they aren't Lee molds! I position the sprue plate "nose" so it is pointed towards the wooden handles instead of away. This is with Lyman 4 bangers but would apply to H&G molds as well a others using that type and shape of sprue plate.

In this manner I have to roll to mold 90 degrees from the fill position and then strike the sprue plate with my mallet! Set up this way I do not have to switch the mold back and forth between my hands. Less handling means less fatigue which equals more boolits per "run".

Hope this helps you out!

[garandsrus]

pharmpoke,

If the lead has solidified, it won't smear... Yes, you should use a lube on the sprue plate. It just works "mo betta" and will cover you if you do open the mold too quickly. Bullshop's lube works great.

John

[mtgrs737]

I'm with HeavyMetal and Garandsrus on this, I use a rawhide mallet and Bullshops lube. I have never had a problem cutting the sprue with the mallet and I won't cast without Bullshop's Bullplate lube.

[okotoks]

another +1 on Bull plate lube & applied with a Q tip "some" is a multiple years supply. their other lubes are good too, ( and cheaper than SPG) I like his NASA for 45 colt and 45-70 shootin'

[cabezaverde]

A rawhide mallet is the best thing I have found for sprue cutting. I stopped using a stick a few years ago.

[keebo52]

I tried the glove method today and it really helped increase my casting speed.

[Gunslinger]

This is where I really see an advantage with Lee molds... the sprue plate handle is very convenient and makes for easy and controlled cutting. Otherwise I tap the sprue with a little plastic hammer!

[mtnman31]

I use a gloved hand (welding gloves) for opening single and double cavity mold sprue plates and a home-made lead hammer for the larger molds' sprue plates. Wearing the welding gloves on both hands is detrimental to my finger dexterity so I just try not to drop any small bullets on the floor. Having the lead hammer handy makes it easy to tap the handle hinge when I get those bullets that don't drop out of the mold.

[Cherokee]

I use a hickory stick - been doing that for a looog time, works great. Vote for Bullshop lube too, but only been using it a year or so.

[Limey]

Get some Bullshop Sprueplate Lube and your ''casting world'' will improve beyond your wildest dreams.

I casted back in the UK many years ago....always needed something to knock the sprue plates open whether I was using a steel or aluminium moulds.

I re-started casting here in France 3 years ago.....now all my moulds are Lee aluminiums......I have always needed a log to knock the sprues open and I was getting some gauling between the top of the mould and the bottom of the sprue plate.....by using some copper grease the gauling reduced but I still needed that log to knock it open.

Today I cast for the first time using Bullshop Sprueplate Lube..........WOW!....

No gauling at all.

I could cut that sprue with just a gentle push of my gloved hand.

My castings per hour rate doubled....as soon as the lead visibly hardened on top of the sprue plate.....today it was just 2 to 3 seconds as it was sub zero out in the barn!....I could just push the sprue plate open and drop out a bullet.

I am a convert.....all hail Bullshop Sprue Plate Lube......you use so little, a bottle will last you for ever.....worth it's weight in gold!

Let me just say Bullshop owes me nothing nor I him, never met him, we're not related so there is no commercial reason for me to share with you just how good it is..........I know there are a lot of casters on here who have already said the same.....I am only telling it like it is......get some.......it's the best and simplest thing to use that will improve your casting the most.

Safe shooting,

Limey

[UweJ]

I have a few molds which have- cut off and bend - screwdrivers welded to the sprue plate. It looks like a handle and all you have to do is grip the screwdriver handle and pull the sprue plate back.Works like a charm.
Uwe