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Mold Mallets
Hello,
What is the favorite type of mallet to use for your molds? 2 or 4 cavity
Using a wooden one doesn't last long when making alot of bullets.
Hensley & Gibb recommended using a lead hammer but we were talking 8 & 10 cavity gang molds at the time.
Thanks!!
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I use a 16" piece of hardwood sledgehammer handle. Used it for 15 years, still holding up. It does have an hourglass look on the end I use.
David
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I agree with David R. I use a piece of an old shovel handle and it lasts a long long time. I think shovel handles make better sprue knockers than they do digging implements.
Nighthunter
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I found a set of crochet( Crokey? crochay? That game with wire loops stuck in the ground) mallets at the dumpsters. A bit of judicious work with a hand saw, and I have a fine set of sprue plate whackers.
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A section of shovel handle usually lasts me about 10 years.
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I use a oak stick about 12in long they cheap, here in east Tx. :redneck:
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I grab a piece of hardwood branch off the wood pile .
I use it till I fined another that suites me better or the first one gets use to start the wood furnace .
I am currently using a leg off a broken stool .
I cut the legs off and saved them , the rest is ashes .
Johnch
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I got a piece of ldpe plastic 1&1/4 in dia and have been totally happy ith it it dont leave sawdust all over and it is impervious to the heat of the pot and has a bit more give to it than wood................. Dean
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Small English rawhide mallet is the best I have found so far.
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This board is a constant source of amazement for me.
I would have never guessed that anyone other than me was using sawed-off shovel handles for mold mallets. I used a hammer handle too, until I wore it out.
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I cut most of my sprues with a gloved hand but have 4 broken utility pins [hardwood pins that hold electric lines up from crossarms] and have yet to wear the first one out. If you know a lineman, the're usually tossed as junk. Gianni.
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Well, I feel blessed in a way. My prowess with hand tools, both mine and those belonging to my Brother, leaves me with a goodly supply of broken Hickory axe and sledge hammer handles.:wink:
I've even been known to drill holes in the end and pour lead into those holes. A very light tap with the weighted "persuader" and the sprue is cut and I'm ready to further persuade the sticky boolits to drop with another light tap on the hinge.
While casting I normally don't like wearing a glove on my right hand, thus the use of the "persuader." But I'm going to try using a gloved hand to open the sprue. It's really when the boolits wont drop on their own that I need something to tap on the hinge.
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I've been using a broken handle from a 3 pound maul. It still has a lot of life left in it. Like C1PNR, should be no problem replacing it when the time comes. http://castboolits.gunloads.com/imag...on_redface.gif
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I cut off about 12" from an old oar. Don't know what type of wood it is but I think it will out last me.
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I use the handle of an old ball peen hammer, upside down. The head was ruined, so I cut it off. It's a decent piece of hickory and I have been using it for more than twenty years. If it gets a little splintery, I just touch it to the 1" belt sander I use for knifemaking.
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I use the handle of a drilling/chipping hammer upside down.
Rick
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Versifier
How did you manage to ruin a ball peen hammer? :lol:
My daddy alwas told me I could , but I never managed it.You guys up north got to be tough.
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My brother made a mallet for me. It's made from 1.75" diameter delrin. For the handle he used .5" diameter aluminum and press fit a thin, knurled, brass sleeve at the grabbing end. It's really too damn nice to use for this purpose but needless to say I do. A fine tool indeed...Ray
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I use a small rawhide mallet with a lead core. Picked it up at a gun show for $3.00.
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I stopped using a mallet when I found I could judge the cooling closely enough to pop the sprue plate/cutter open with gloves. Too hot and it smears on the bottom side, too cold and one needs the mallet. In that case I use a soft-faced mallet.