Two cavity HP Mold results

[johnly]

I purcased this mold from a fellow CB member some time ago and just got around to putting my design thoughts into action:

http://s233.photobucket.com/albums/ee13/johnly1923/?action=view&current=Cavities.jpg

The pin holes are not quite where they should have been, but a little time on the milling machine should cure that problem. The primary task was to figure out how I was going to hold and position the pins. I had pretty good luck with the Lee HP molds and liked their simplicity, so I used that as the base design for the handle modification:

http://s233.photobucket.com/albums/ee13/johnly1923/?action=view&current=Mold_Pins.jpg

I used the factory pivot bolt for the handles, then used a shortened coupling bolt to secure the handle halves together, which was locked in place with a setscrew. This setscrew prevents the handle nut from working loose and forms the pivot point for the HP pin carrier.

The pin alignment and protrusion is set by the pair of locking nuts on each pin. The pins were cut with a 5 degree taper and the bullets easily dropped off of them when the mold was opened.

http://s233.photobucket.com/albums/ee13/johnly1923/?action=view&current=Pins_Cavity.jpg

And here is a picture of the results. The offset cavity is clearly evident, but casting the HP bullets was as simple using a standard 2 cavity mold.

http://s233.photobucket.com/albums/ee13/johnly1923/?action=view&current=HP.jpg

Hopefully next week I can spend some time in the shop and recut the mold pin holes and make a new set of pins.

John

[leftiye]

I like your design. So how do you get the boolits unstuck from the hollow point pins (if they were to stick)? You could let the pins rotate in the holding strap and give them a turn before you open the mold. I like to make my own pins for Lyman molds - with a flat blade instead of the wooden handle for this purpose.

[Ben]

Looks like when you get your HP cav. in the bullet centered, you'll be " Good to Go ! "

Best to you,
Ben

[happy7]

I have always liked the lee design. I find this project of yours very interesting. Any problems with the pins getting to cool and causing fillout problems?

[johnly]

The bullets were cast from WW +3% tin and no fill-out problems as yet. The parts are machined from stainless steel, as it has lower thermal conductivity as compared to iron. Because you don't have to re-set the pins each time, you can cast at a fast pace and keep the mold parts from coolong too much.

[beagle]

Pretty inovative approach to a DC HP. Once you get good pins, you'll be in good shape. Let us know how it casts once you get it all lined out./beagle

[johnly]

In talking with the "real" machinists in the shop, they thought that trying to re-cut the pin holes with a 9/64" endmill might drift because of the existing off-center hole. So it looks like we're going to try using the wire EDM to re-cut the pin holes.

[deltaenterprizes]

End mill should work but if you have access to a EDM go for it!

[johnly]

I got the mold back last week after the hole placement was corrected by EDM. The pin size needed to be enlarged from .120" to .154" to correctly align the HP with the bullet body. I machined some new pins and heated up the melting pot last night, and here are the results.

http://i233.photobucket.com/albums/ee13/johnly1923/MVC-018L.jpg

The pin fit was a bit loose and as a result I had some flashing problems, but the bullets easily dropped of the pins. But all in all the results look pretty good to me, I just need to machine another set of better fitting pins.

John

[j20owner]

Your link just ends up at the photobucket main homepage for me.

[johnly]

Updated the URL address. Please try again.

John

[fredj338]

Interesting approach, but the Cramer system is really where it's at for a multiple HP application. Check this out:
http://www.hollowpointmold.com/Cramer%20style%20mold%20examples.html
I have a single cav. that I liked so much I am having Erik make me a dbl. cav in 45acp. It's also the only way to easily get faceted pins to work. Why a faceted pin:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v703/fredj338/9mm-136-1200.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v703/fredj338/136hp-1050.jpg

[putteral]

Sweet looking boolits! Nice
:drinks:

[johnly]

Why do you think that only a Cramer mold design can easilymake use of faceted pins? Don't get me wrong, Cramer has one nice system, but I was able to do this conversion myself without a CNC mill (which I don't have).

[fredj338]

Why do you think that only a Cramer mold design can easilymake use of faceted pins? Don't get me wrong, Cramer has one nice system, but I was able to do this conversion myself without a CNC mill (which I don't have).

No offense, I enjoy do-it-yourself projects, but some things are best done w/ the proper equip. Your setup works, but the Cramer is cleaner, less bulky IMO.

[SciFiJim]

I think that it operative phrase is "what ever works". This just goes to show that there is more than one way to do something. Pin & knob, cramer style, handle mounted pins, they all work and having more than one way to do something is great. The accumulated inventiveness and knowledge of how to do things is what makes this forum as great as it is. I thought the pin & knob and cramer style were the only way to do base pour hollow pointing. I learned something today! That makes today a good day.