Making Boolit molds ~ Suggestions??

[MT Chambers]

2 words........460-405gr. FP, .382-255gr. fp.

[John Boy]

Cody, you'll probably experience the issue that most folks, if their smart, measure the lands-grooves diameter only . Then order the mold to to fit the grooves. What is not measured is the chamber for the case thickness + the base diameter ... and the reload won't chamber. Then they have to resize the bullets to be able to put a seated bullet in the case and chamber it with no thumbing. And the moaning begins: Example, I bought a 44WCF.430 mold and immediately the bullets had to be .427 to be able to chamber
So, will you be offering variable base diameters for a given mold using a specific alloy? Especially when you mentioned you'll cut them 0.001 to 0.002 over size

[Cap'n Morgan]

If your CNC can do helical interpolation, you really, really should machine the cavities while the mold is closed using an under-sized cherry instead of relying on a cherry ground to size. Perfect run-out and no alignments problems this way, besides, you can measure the cavities and compensate along the way as you're not limited by the cherry's exact diameter.

I cut my molds using one cherry for the nose profile and another cherry for cutting the cylindrical core, and then the grooves (well, not actually the grooves, but what forms the grooves as the cavity is an inverse boolit profile). That way I can control the length of the bearing surface as well as the width & depth of the grooves (and gas check shank, if any) all with one single tool. Of course it takes some programming to do, but if you work from a drawing it's no big deal.

Sadly, macro programming - where you just change a few variables instead of making a new program - is a dying art, but it would be just the ticket for programming different boolit sizes.

http://www.practicalmachinist.com/vb...entals-167395/

[lkydvl]

I need a mold for 50 BMG..

650 grs or so, GC, Spire point, spitzer or semi spitzer. Single cavity will do

[MBTcustom]

Do you have any plans to make rifle molds?
Can you cut small noses?
Can you duplicate exact bullet designs (including the ogive) from autocad or solidworks drawings?
Tall order I know.
Can you make a 6 cavity mold with a camming sprue plate like Lee?
Are you going to offer brass, or aluminum only?
DO you have any clever and schnazy ideas for your sprue plates?
Do you have any plans to vent the top of the blocks?
On the subject of vent lines, what style do you want to use?
Alignment pins?
Do you think you'll do HP molds?
Sorry for all the questions.

I would be interested in a 4 cavity 311466 with a .150 meplat made of brass. Any chance?

[Zaneiel]

Thanks for all the replies guys.
To answer a few questions:

I am only making simple designs for now. that means flat base, simple FP, TC, RN type boolits. I may play with gas checks and the like in the future.

I am trying to keep the simplest of designs to start with and work my way up from there.

I could do Brass molds but brass is expensive as heck. I mean like 52 dollars per foot expensive. Unless someone could turn me on to a supplier those molds are going to cost at least 25 to 30 bucks more just in materials alone.

I don't have my lathe setup CNC yet so I can't make the cutters from CAD Drawings yet but I may upgrade my lathe to CNC if I get enough interest and make some Spitzer and other interesting styles.

I haven't tried to reproduce the LEE Camming sprue plates before I will have to take a look at one.

I plan to vent the mold faces with a fly cutter type tool. Should I be venting the top too?

Alignment pins will be short dowel type steel pins with rounded ends that slip into holes in the aluminum blocks but I have been thinking of making steel inserts for the aluminum side of the mold. I'm not sure what the popular opinion is on that subject maybe someone can enlighten me if it makes any difference. My molds seem to work fine for me the first way

I may consider HP molds in the future. I have been exploring the different Pin Designs but it seems like quite a bit of work.

[Zaneiel]

Just wanted to give a quick update. Machine service is just about done. Some things were delayed due to work backlog but the final stuff should be done early next week including new flood coolant system and enclosure upgrade.
So i should be able to get started on our molds mid to end of next week. I will post updates here as i progress.
Have a great weekend!

[MBTcustom]

Good luck sir! You're going to do well.

[sparky45]

I'm very interested in a "no lube grooved" bullet for my .380/9mm that's a two(2) cavity, either as a RN or a TC. What would cost be for such a mold?

[kywoodwrkr]

Zaneiel,
Read these references very closely. Then read again!
Lot of good information in these writings.
Macro programming is an extremely good friend of the machinist assuming controller ability.
I created mine while in class to make a simple(or not so simple bolt).
YMMV

If your CNC can do helical interpolation, you really, really should machine the cavities while the mold is closed using an under-sized cherry instead of relying on a cherry ground to size. Perfect run-out and no alignments problems this way, besides, you can measure the cavities and compensate along the way as you're not limited by the cherry's exact diameter.

I cut my molds using one cherry for the nose profile and another cherry for cutting the cylindrical core, and then the grooves (well, not actually the grooves, but what forms the grooves as the cavity is an inverse boolit profile). That way I can control the length of the bearing surface as well as the width & depth of the grooves (and gas check shank, if any) all with one single tool. Of course it takes some programming to do, but if you work from a drawing it's no big deal.

Sadly, macro programming - where you just change a few variables instead of making a new program - is a dying art, but it would be just the ticket for programming different boolit sizes.

http://www.practicalmachinist.com/vb...entals-167395/

[Zaneiel]

Thanks again for the tips about helical interpolation. I am looking into it. I am also experimenting with cutting the cavities on a lathe with an undersize tool.
Milling them of course would be faster because of the lathe setup time. Dialing in a low end machine to have 0 backlash after cutting 50+ circles though may be problematic, i'll be doing some testing this week.

[376Steyr]

My words of advice: Never accept payment for a mould you don't have completed and ready to sell. If you can't ship it the day after payment arrives, don't sell it. Too much stuff can happen in a machine shop to delay production and throw off promised schedules.

[Maximumbob54]

I've been looking for a no lube groove 358-158 SWC mold for a while now. Hardline had one but it was bevel base. I don't care for bevel base on anything. A close follow up would be the same no lube groove in a nice size meplat round flat nose.

[Zaneiel]

My words of advice: Never accept payment for a mould you don't have completed and ready to sell. If you can't ship it the day after payment arrives, don't sell it. Too much stuff can happen in a machine shop to delay production and throw off promised schedules.

I totally agree. If you have been following along with this thread you will have seen that I state just that in post #20. I will not take any payment until I am Happy with the way a mold comes out. I also have a little more process to figure out before I start making any quantities. Right now we are just messing around and hope to get some nice molds for our troubles.

[Zaneiel]

Hey guys i have a quick update for you all.
After the maintenence on my machine i was calibrating and discovered i have an issue in my x axis.
The short story is i wont be doing any helical interpolation cutting because the axis could be out almost .001 in some spots and in others be dead on.
If i tell it to move .100 it is spot on but telling it to move .010 it sometimes moves only .009.
This isnt an issue for the cherry cut process or lathe cut process but it rules out the interpolation unless we want egg boolits
I am looking into replacing the leadscrew or doing leadscrew mapping but i want to make some chips so it will have to wait for now.

Last night i got some of the new programs written for the cnc process and i have my basic proces down which i will fine tune as i build the first molds.

So the part we have been waiting for...... i should be able to kick out some molds on this 3 day weekend

I will be starting with the slabwall molds since that is my main focus here and the lube groove molds take a bit more time but if time allows i will do some of thwm too.
Otherwise i will be doing lube groove style boolits next week.

I will try to break away from time to time to post some pics asuming i dont hit any derailing snags

[Maximumbob54]

Yes, yes, totally understand all of that. The flux capacitor is out of cal. Fleagenhiemer needs adjustment. Got it. Warp drive out of commission. Ok then.

Still can't wait to see the results.

[lobowolf761]

Yes, yes, totally understand all of that. The flux capacitor is out of cal. Fleagenhiemer needs adjustment. Got it. Warp drive out of commission. Ok then.

Still can't wait to see the results.

But Captain I'm giving her all she got.

[rockrat]

Something for the 45acp in around 180-185gr and maybe a duplicate of the Lee 314-90 swc in a 5 or 6 cav. I would think would be well received.

[Rio]

I need a specific designed mold 2 cavity. Can you send me a private message?

[Zaneiel]

After tinkering for a bit and taking into consideration all of your comments I have come to the conclusion that the most versatile way to do the cavities is either on the mill with Interpolation or with a rotary table. I love the Idea of making boolit styles and cutting many different calibers instead of making 100 one off cherry's. So to that end my work is put on hold and I am focusing my attention back to my X axis. I have a couple of ideas to get it fixed. I am eager to try out all these different boolits but If i put in the time to shore up my machine we will all reap the rewards I have considered cutting molds on the lathe but there is quite a bit of fixture work involved and quite frankly although a very cool and do-able idea ... it is a lot more work and slows production.

I want to thank all of you for your help and suggestions. I really do listen and consider all you guys say and it has helped me a great deal.
I will post an update when I get over this hurdle.
Have a great weekend!