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Thread: Casting with my homemade lead hammer mold.

  1. #1
    Boolit Buddy
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    Jun 2006
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    Smile Casting with my homemade lead hammer mold.

    Attachment 6272
    My wooden mallet was wearing out from hitting the sprue plates on my bullet moulds.
    Also I had to hit the sprue plate several times on 8 and 10 cavity moulds to knock them open.
    Attachment 6273
    I switched to a plastic hammer, but it was damaging the sprue plate.
    Attachment 6274
    Sprue plate damage.

    I could have purchased a lead hammer or a lead hammer mould.
    I decided to make a lead hammer mould.
    Attachment 6275
    1” brass “T” cut in half to make a lead hammer mould.
    Attachment 6276
    Lead hammer mould held together with hose clamps.
    Attachment 6277
    Heating lead hammer mould with a torch. Otherwise the lead hammer will have wrinkles. Lead hammer mould with metal plates as end caps held on by a “C” clamp.
    Attachment 6278
    Insert the handle and fill the mould with lead. I used wheelweights as my lead alloy.
    Attachment 6279
    Lead hammer mould filled with lead. Let it cool before removing mould.

    Remove hose clamps. Pry off mould with a screwdriver. OR knock off mould by hitting it sideways.
    Attachment 6280
    Finished lead hammer. I make several so when one wears out, I can pick up another one and keep casting.
    Attachment 6281
    Now the lead hammer takes the wear instead of the sprue plate.

    When the lead hammer wears out, I melt the worn out hammer off the handle and cast a new lead hammer.
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails Img_4359b.jpg   Img_4362b.jpg   Img_4360b.jpg   Img_4368b.jpg   Img_4367b.jpg  

    Img_4516b.jpg   Img_4517b.jpg   Img_4518b.jpg   Img_4521b.jpg   Img_4524b.jpg  


  2. #2
    Moderator Emeritus
    garandsrus's Avatar
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    Great idea for the mold!

    John

  3. #3
    Boolit Grand Master
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    neat. What are you using for a handle?

  4. #4
    Boolit Master
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    Looks like he fluxed a piece of copper tubing and dunked it in.

    Great job!

  5. #5
    Boolit Master mtnman31's Avatar
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    Great idea and best of all cheap and simple. Thanks for sharing.

  6. #6
    Boolit Buddy
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    Great idea.

    You could put a bolt with the head up in the mould and then put a wooden handle on the bolt.
    NRA Endowment Member

  7. #7
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    PatMarlin's Avatar
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    Outstanding...

  8. #8
    Boolit Man
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    That's funny, I melted a bunch of lead hammer for my first ingots, they will be my first bullets. Great idea.

  9. #9
    Boolit Buddy


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    Nice job.

    Just what I need for the one mold that I have trouble opening the spur plate with a gloved hand.

  10. #10
    Boolit Buddy o6Patient's Avatar
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    !Nice hammer, 1/2 cent worth: could you leave the copper tee in tack and
    incorporate it right into the hammer design?..just a passing thought.(..and most of them
    do pass.)

  11. #11
    Boolit Mold


    VladViscious's Avatar
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    Cool looking hammer. Just curious, would a rawhide hammer work as well, or is it just not enough mass. I mean I am all for a nice heavy hammer, I but I have some rawhide hammers already.

    TANSTAAFL!

  12. #12
    Boolit Man
    nouseforaname1246's Avatar
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    I did something similar, but with a wooden handle and an old 1-1/4 impact socket. I put an extension in the socket to plug the hole, then fill it halfway with lead. Then I place a bolt in the lead so it's centered then fill the 'mould'. The rest of the way, leaving the threaded end of the bolt sticking out. Let it cool then remove the 1/2 in extension and pop out the new hammer head with a 1/4 in extension. Drill a hole through a handle, an old chair leg in this case and bolt the head onto it.
    Been using it for about a year now and it's on its 3'rd head. Makes easy work of even the most stubborn bullet mounds.


  13. #13
    Boolit Master
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    Wonderful ideas guys!

  14. #14
    Boolit Master



    Springfield's Avatar
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    I use a rawhide hammer as I had some old ones from my leather work. Mostly though I just open with my gloved hand. I do use a lead hammer for some of my larger leather stamps, they need some real weight to impress the leather properly.

  15. #15
    Boolit Grand Master

    mold maker's Avatar
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    In a pinch, I just grab an ingot and swing away. Ingots are everywhere and I often just use what's handy.

  16. #16
    Boolit Mold
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    Cool! I am going to try and make one of these!

  17. #17
    Boolit Man
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    What was the final hammer's weight?
    You always think you have enough Boolets, until the Zombies come.

  18. #18
    Boolit Buddy Capn Jack's Avatar
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    Cool Fish Knocker

    I just use an old wooden "Fish Knocker", but then my molds are all single cavity.

  19. #19
    Boolit Master


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    I currently use a broken hammer handle for my Lee 6 gangers. I used something similar to a wooden handle years ago on my H&G 10 gangers. But that's when I was younger and had bigger arms!!
    May all your bullets find the Bullseye.

  20. #20
    Boolit Grand Master

    mold maker's Avatar
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    When pouring from the hinge toward the sprue handle, the coolest (hardest) sprue is easier cut by the shorter distance in leverage. This can make a difference in the need for a sprue knocker.
    I almost never use anything but a gloved hand, allowing for less mould abuse.
    When necessary, a weighted, leather covered, 1 1/4" dowel is at hand.

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Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check