Casting with 2 molds

[Jal5]

I know this is nothing for a lot of you but I tried it today and couldn't believe how easy it was and what a good rhythm I developed. Two 2cavity Lee molds 358125RF and 452230RN. I EVEN think my BOOLITS were better formed with the little extra time before dumping the mold in the rotation. I have learned so much hanging out here. A BIG THANK YOU TO EVERYONE HERE!

[Calamity Jake]

I do it every casting session, even with 4 cav. molds

I have yet to be able to do it with 2 6 cav. lees, just can't keep em hot enough.

[TXGunNut]

I hesitated to do the two mould rotation but once you work the rhythm out it does seem to give better results during a production casting session. When I'm trying to figure out/break in a new mould I generally use just one mould but when I want a pile of boolits from a couple of moulds two do seem to work better than one.

[Jal5]

One was a new mold. I had cast a bunch with it pretty many culls. But once I went to two molds they cast better.

[Guesser]

I've done it that way for a long time. The one thing I found was that I did not want to do it with one each iron, aluminum mold. Works a lot better with both molds made of the same material. I have used 3 molds at a time when they were single cavity iron/steel molds.

[Jal5]

One thing I noticed the 358125 mold drops one with round bases the other one is fine. Not sure what that is about. More rejects than I like.

[Cherokee]

I frequently cast with two 4, 5 or 6 cavity Aliminum molds. Fast pace and lots of good boolits once they are both at proper temp. I have also used Lee 2-c and 6-c in rotation, works for me.

[**oneshot**]

I always cast with 2 molds. If using aluminum I put it back on the hotplate between casts to keep the mold heat uniform. It makes for a pile of good boolits in a hurry if using 4 cavities. My casting set-up is a horseshoe, furnace in the middle and 2 drops tables/water buckets at my left and right. I keep the molds on the same side of the pot as the side I drop them.

[Jal5]

Thanks for your description of your setup. I will try that minus the water buckets. I had the hot plate on the left side of the pot filled one put it down to the right of the pot then filled the other set it down beside the first emptied the first filled it then emptied second etcetera. Taking turns. I didn't put either one back on the hot plate unless I was taking a break.

[hickfu]

I have not tried 2 molds at one time but it is something I will try the next time I can cast. I do have a hot plate just in case I cant keep up very well

[fa38]

One thing I noticed the 358125 mold drops one with round bases the other one is fine. Not sure what that is about. More rejects than I like.

When I get a rounded base on one or both cavities I take my large Norton fine grit stone and run it across the the mould halves several times to create a small vent line just under the sprue plate. You just want to break the sharp edge on the inside top edge of the mould. I would guess that you could do this with a very fine cut file. The new vent line I cut is as small or smaller than the vent lines on the block interior.
This has always cured the rounded base on my Lyman, RCBS, and SAECO moulds.

[prs]

I thought I posted to this yesterday evening. Oh, well; I use two 6 cavity 45 colt molds for my pet boolit. I have tried with dissimilar boolits, but its too confusing to keep track of where to drop each one to avoid a mix, my limitation. I use two pots when I do this, heck, I use two pots most of the time. That way I can have one ready as the first depletes and thus no break in the fast action. I recommend opening the sprue handle of one mold before filling the other, thus avoiding too much stress on sprue plate opening device or gloved hand. Rest the first mold on wood while filling second to avoid excess heat loss.

prs

[44man]

I use an oak board to put molds on. I also use two molds a lot and I do mix iron and aluminum. I water drop so I have to sort but it is no problem. I still get no rejects.

[cajun shooter]

I posted a thread about this method about 3-4 years ago on this forum. It has proven to be the best way I've ever found to cast. My mentor showed me this way back in 1970 when I was working in a full service gun store. We casted our own brand of bullets to sell to customers. I would do it on the side after regular work hours to earn extra money for our new baby at that time.
I use a large one burner GE Hot Plate (Wally world) to bring my molds up to casting temp. I use my pot at 750 for my casting sessions.
I fill mold one and set it on two lead ingots and then fill mold two. I then go back to one and dump the bullets, then I refill it and return it to the resting place. I then repeat the process with mold 2. This style of casting will give you better bullets from your very first pour. You will cut your reject bullets to almost nothing. You will increase the life of your molds so that they remain in great shape and continue to give you good bullets.
I have used custom made molds for several years now. I first started with Hoch molds and for the past 5-6 years I have worked with Tom at Accurate.
Once you try this method, it will become the only way you will cast. Later David

[44man]

Wood will not suck heat from a mold and is better.

[nagantguy]

Didn't know there was another way! Gotta keep making lots of .44s and .45s for me and lots of .38s for my girls and lots of 8mms and .308s and 313s to keep the rifles barking from plinkers to full house hunting loads, I often take people.shooting and teach hunters safety and Cpl classes, a bunch of kids can burn up a pile of light 30-30s or nagant rounds in a hurry. To maximize my time at the casting table its always two molds going, even done 3 but that gets fatiguing rather fast I use a old sunbeam griddle so keeping them up to temp isn't an issue. The 30 cals and the slightly larger ones for the nagants can be hard to tell apart so I use different style boolits.

[Don Purcell]

Using multiple Hensley & Gibbs and Ballisticast 6,8 and 10 cavity molds at the same time. As long as you have a way to feed'em you can pile them up pretty fast.

[BruceB]

I gave the two-mould method a good trial years ago.

Using two slows me down, due to the many hand movements needed for continual switching of hands and moulds.

Just two days ago, I was casting with a Lyman 4-cavity 358156 mould, and making around 16 bullets per minute without any particular haste. This translates to very close to 1000 per hour, and they are GOOD bullets.

Of course, I'm now leaning hard on 72 years, and I'm likely slowing down a tad.

[cbrick]

I've tried using two molds at a time and don't like it, it's just too busy. I enjoy my casting time but not when it turns into work. Relaxing and paying attention is much more my style. That's not to say other's shouldn't if it's their thing, just not for me.

Rick

[deltaenterprizes]

I used to use 2 four cavity molds with 2 twenty pound pots, made plenty boolits in a couple hours, I still have some.
I recently purchased a second RCBS 09-125 CN so I can use two molds and make a bunch in a short time