WidenersLee PrecisionLoad DataMidSouth Shooters Supply
Titan ReloadingReloading EverythingInline FabricationRepackbox
RotoMetals2
Results 1 to 9 of 9

Thread: Cast machines, only two cavity mold?

  1. #1
    Boolit Mold RasKebir's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2017
    Location
    Italy
    Posts
    25

    Cast machines, only two cavity mold?

    Goodmorning everyone.
    As a title, because in the molds of automatic cast machines I always see two cavities.
    Why not one, three or four?
    Is there a reason for this?
    Thanks for leaving your comment.

  2. #2
    Boolit Buddy
    Join Date
    Nov 2012
    Location
    Norway
    Posts
    493
    My guess is that it has something to do with the size of the blocks and whats most efficient in form of heating-cooling and fillout. The bigger the blocks are, the more difficult it gets, to make all the things line up perfectly.

    And, eg. 8 Magma blocks for one boolit in the Bullet Master is in my opinion not cheap. What would blocks of 4 or more cavities cost?

    Interesting thought though. Engeneering wise, surly not an impossible task.

    It's a video on YouTube of a monster of a casting machine casting 300 blk. It looks complicated, to say the least.

    Sent fra min SM-G930F via Tapatalk

  3. #3
    Boolit Buddy
    Join Date
    Nov 2012
    Location
    Norway
    Posts
    493
    Found the link. Looks like 5 cav

    https://youtu.be/usqz1Hyjnyc

    Sent fra min SM-G930F via Tapatalk

  4. #4
    Moderator



    Join Date
    Dec 2005
    Location
    Oregon Coast
    Posts
    10,248
    My thought is that they found that the size of the mold blocks for 2 cavities is the most efficient. Hunter74 pretty much covered it, though Magma does make single cavity mold blocks and orifices for some of the larger bullets.

    When running my Bullet Master Mark 6, it's all the fans can do to keep the mold blocks cool enough to cast good bullets and for the sprue to cool enough before they're cut. I would think anything with a larger mold block would have to run much slower to give the alloy time to cool, plus to keep the mold blocks from overheating and dropping semi-molten bullets.

    Hope this helps.

    Fred
    After a shooting spree, they always want to take the guns away from the people who didn't do it. - William S. Burroughs.

  5. #5
    Boolit Mold RasKebir's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2017
    Location
    Italy
    Posts
    25
    Thanks, I had already seen this movie but . . . . I do not think there are so many machine (so large) around here.
    I'm trying to figure out whether you can put or make a mold with three or four cavities on automatic casting machine. For example 9mm 124 gr

  6. #6
    Boolit Mold RasKebir's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2017
    Location
    Italy
    Posts
    25
    Of course, if I managed to cool enough molds I could make three cavities in a mold and then, keep it at optimum temperature. I just need a bit of ingenuity.

    My reasoning may be meaningful or it is best to make two cavities trusting the great experience of the products already on the market?

  7. #7
    Boolit Grand Master
    Join Date
    Oct 2009
    Location
    Northern Michigan
    Posts
    8,898
    The cooling issue could be helped by using aluminum molds as they will shed heat quicker.
    Don Verna


  8. #8
    ADMIN



    HATCH's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2008
    Location
    Lexington, SC
    Posts
    6,700
    It has to do with the design of the pouring spout.

    On the Magma series casters (bulletmaster and master caster), they use a single pour valve.
    It goes into a round puck that splits it into 2 pour orifices.
    When you are casting with a single cav mold you change the puck to a single pour orifice.

    On the 2c puck, it has a channel between the two orifices.
    If you aren't casting fast enough or you don't run a hot pot, this channel will freeze up and you will not be able to cast.

    I suppose that you can modify the MC to use a 4 cav mold without much work.
    It would require a new puck.
    You would have to run the pot at a higher temp and you would have to cast pretty quick to keep the lead flowing.

  9. #9
    Boolit Mold RasKebir's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2017
    Location
    Italy
    Posts
    25
    Thank you all for your suggestions.

    Hatch, very interesting what you are saying.
    I still have to build my pot, I could make an adequate.
    For example, I can make three pouring spout that operated simultaneously
    Maybe I can make sure that the pouring spout it does not bother if the alloy freeze in it.
    Or . . . I make a single pour valve that splits into three orificies.
    Then, make sure that it is always warm enough.

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  
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