NOE 360-180 HP new size die

[dragonrider]

I got this mold from NOE a few months ago and just not got around to casting some and made up a new size die and punch for it. Curiously it weighs in at 170 grains with my alloy. As long as the mold was hot the casting when very well. I am not real excited about the method of holding the HP pins on this mold, it makes them difficult to use on a mold guide. A minor inconvenience at most, I'll work around it somehow. A few pics of the boolit, die and punch.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/0603/PaulGauthier/360-180%20NOE/IMG_5787.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/0603/PaulGauthier/360-180%20NOE/IMG_5771.jpg
Yes there is three rows of lube holes in the die, I decided to include a row for the gas check area as well as the two lube grooves.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/0603/PaulGauthier/360-180%20NOE/IMG_5777.jpg
I was aiming for .359" but overshot to about .3593"-3594".
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/0603/PaulGauthier/360-180%20NOE/IMG_5780.jpg
Here is a pic after first use
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/0603/PaulGauthier/360-180%20NOE/IMG_5784.jpg
Been making this style of punch and die for about a year and a half now and it works so well that I will eventually make a set for every boolit I have.

[Blammer]

try turning the mould around in the handles so the OTHER side is on the guide rail. It works for me.

Nice set up on the sizers and how do you get them balanced on that wooden ball? :)

[dragonrider]

Have to admit I did not think of turning them around in the handles. Will try it.
The wooden ball is the handle on my Star.

[Buckshot]

B]I was aiming for .359" but overshot to about .3593"-3594".[/B]

...........My tolerance for dies is nominal to +0.0003", and honing is the make or break point. Making a die body is machining 101. That 0.0003" is close to the best my lathe can do, so I bore to a thousandth under, rotate the die in the collet and make a final pass with the boring bar and then hone from there.

Anyway that's good looking work and if making a die for myself I sure don't quibble over the odd tenth here or there:-) Of course we strive for perfection but in our 'real world' of wheel weights and scrap lead, hand held moulds and less then lab grade furnaces, boolits can add or loose several tenths very easily without even trying :-)

................Buckshot