I need to ease up on my equipment. Ideas? Experiences?

[dwtim]

Thank you, all! So many great suggestions. Some so obvious, I slapped myself in the head.

[kevin c]

All my current molds have the cammed Lee sprue plate handle. The casts drop onto a padded surgical towel (heavy twill instead of terry cloth) on top of a fiber board that in turn sits over a towel lined metal pan. As the next pour cools in the mold, I do a quick inspection then push the fresh casts aside before cutting the sprue and dumping. As needed I'll tilt the loaded board into the pan to clear it. No dents or rattling with the towels in place.

Despite the sprue cutter, I still have to tap the hinge bolt on the handles to get the occasional recalcitrant boolit to drop. Steel needle nose pliers scarred up the bolts and the bolts messed up my expensive brass hammers. Wooden broom handles splintered. Dead blow hammers were hard to get in the right size and the plastic coating melted. I haven't been able to find a lead headed hammer, but I did just get a lead loaded rawhide hammer that will try out once I'm off injured reserve.

[DonH]

For single and double cavity molds I also cut the sprue with a gloved hand. Pre-heating the mold plus heating the sprue plate in the melt puts me at near casting temp for the first pour. Then I cast fast for the first 10 or so pours. By then the mold is up to temp. The sprue does not have to be hard, only cool enough to not smear when the plate is opened. Some molds require striking the hinge bolt for the bullet to drop. For that a hammer or broom handle or piece of dowel works fine.
On the rare occasions I cast with a 4 cavity mold I may use more persuasion.
Lee 1 and 2 cavity molds need all the gentle handling they can get.

[Walter Laich]

to add something different:

when I start out I cast just one cavity. after a couple of casts I do two then 3 etc

It keeps the sprue plate from needing to be hit and also helps in not having the cam lever break.

I cast hot and fast and this keeps me from needing to hit lever with anything

best of luck

[Rcmaveric]

If my Lee molds aren't dropping easily i will run a qtip around the edges to look for burs. I dont find any, i will scrap an exacto knife around the mold cavity edges. Some times the mold edges can be so perfect sharp ( or the shape) that the alloy can expands and grips them when it cools. By breaking the mold cavity edgest it helps. Only had a couple molds do that and need that out over a dozen.

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[Drew P]

If my Lee molds aren't dropping easily i will run a qtip around the edges to look for burs. I dont find any, i will scrap an exacto knife around the mold cavity edges. Some times the mold edges can be so perfect sharp ( or the shape) that the alloy can expands and grips them when it cools. By breaking the mold cavity edgest it helps. Only had a couple molds do that and need that out over a dozen.

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I’m fairly certain lead doesn’t expand when solidifying. But, to my surprise I’ve read recent accounts of bullets growing over time after casting but that’s not what we are talking about.

[Drew P]

I’m interested to see some of these lead mallets and how they work, like how the head is attached and replaced

I’m using a mini rawhide mallet which was very hard to find but I like it a lot, however it does almost need a little more mass to it, it’s great for when temps are stable and hot, but for initial spruce cutting it takes a hard swing sometimes.

[Traffer]

I have a particularly soft piece of wood. 1 1/4" x 9/16" "stick" It gets chewed up fast but doesn't hurt the mold.

[kevin c]

I’m interested to see some of these lead mallets and how they work, like how the head is attached and replaced

I’m using a mini rawhide mallet which was very hard to find but I like it a lot, however it does almost need a little more mass to it, it’s great for when temps are stable and hot, but for initial spruce cutting it takes a hard swing sometimes.

Drew P:

The lead weighted rawhide mallet I got might suit you. The brand is Garland. There are a couple weights available. Not anywhere near cheap, but it might be just the thing. I got mine on sale at Seattle Findings, a jeweler's supply company on line, but I've seen the hammers available other places on line.

[Rcmaveric]

I’m fairly certain lead doesn’t expand when solidifying. But, to my surprise I’ve read recent accounts of bullets growing over time after casting but that’s not what we are talking about.

Each mold is designed for a certain alloy. When the alloy freezes, finnal size is dependent on alloy make up. Higher your antimony levels the smaller your diameter and vis versa. Not so much as an expansion as it is less shrinkage on solidifying. Sorry on my poor word choice.

Breaking mold edges was something i read once. Because sometimes your cavity can be ever so slightly off center. Just enough the edge starts to wrap back around. Couple that with an alloy that shrinks less and you got a bullet that is hard to knock loose. Theres an article i read some where about lube grooves being the shape they are to help keep the bullets from locking and sticking to the mold.

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[RED BEAR]

I use a foot long miniature baseball bat I turn out of hickory many years ago. It is barely marked. You only have to tap the sprue cutter, not hit it.

I’m interested to see some of these lead mallets and how they work, like how the head is attached and replaced

I’m using a mini rawhide mallet which was very hard to find but I like it a lot, however it does almost need a little more mass to it, it’s great for when temps are stable and hot, but for initial spruce cutting it takes a hard swing sometimes.

The ones i used at work had a bolt imbedded in the lead and screwed onto the hammer body same as the plastic heads not these aren't bought but made in house.

[GregLaROCHE]

Maybe try cutting the sprue a little sooner, when it’s hotter and softer. I don’t understand having to use so much force.

[RoGrrr]

Hello Wise Ones of the Silver Stream! My casting equipment is telling me to ease up.

[SNIP]
I chewed through two mold "mallets", and the last one is really just a 2x2 I grabbed because I needed something.
[SNIP]
I've already bought a metal basket, and I plan to set it on foam to stop the bullet fall/roll noise. I am thinking a bent pipe to pop the sprue, and a rubber mallet?
[SNIP]

Tim
I understand your dilemma when it comes to sprue hammers. I did that same thing, went thru a couple of hickory hammer handles and was learning plenty of new swear words in the process.
I also tried your bent pipe. Worked but not optimum, since I had to pick 'this' up and....

Necessity is the Mother-(no street-slang necessary)-of-Invention.

I wanted to be able to control "with feeling" my sprue plate so I made this. Nothing to pick up and handle.
While the way I built it might SEEM a bit extravagant, I used what I happened to have 'under the bench'.
Hope this idea helps you.






Guys, granted, the last pic is a bit backwards. Don't rag on me. The pic was for convenience, rather than undoing everything to make it "look pretty".

Also, if you look at your sprue plate, at the "point/EDGE" which CUTS the sprue, some plates might not be "countersunk" to a sharp edge. Consequently, you must PLOW the sprue, rather than SLICING it off.
I have a WELDON countersink (if memory serves, it's 82*, but it really doesn't matter what angle you use) which I used to fully countersink the sprue plate which reduced the amount of force necessary to remove the sprue. Some people will say that the sharp edge is fragile and might get bent/distorted and scar the top surface of the mould block. Bottom line here - you have to be careful and not let that happen. Treat it like your favorite gun/WIFE/GIRLFRIEND !
Let your imagination run with....

I forgot to mention that I clamped it to my workbench You might wanna do the same if you build this contraption.

[HandsOff]

I.use a rawhide mallet.

Same here. They work well. They'll take some abuse, and heat doesn't seem to bother them.

[Smoke4320]

Shovel handle cut down to about 12" and wrapped with a old leather belt

[white eagle]

I never hit the mold I just give the handles a whack to release stubborn boolits

[dwtim]

Hi folks,

Just wanted to thank everyone for their input. I generally changed my routine to be gentle as possible (suggestion: Hickory, Ghosthawk.) I switched to gloved hand / manually opening except for four-gang molds, (suggested by Beerd, Rcmaveric, RU shooter, stubshaft, fredj338, and DonH.) I switched up my routine so I cut the sprue immediately after the pour, (country gent, Walter Laich.) Couldn't find an old towel but I used a pile of old rag socks as suggested by Paper Punch, mdi, and kevin c. I bought a dead blow hammer--afterword I realized I had a rawhide mallet hanging up in the garage! (Suggestion by Huskerguy, jdfoxinc.)

And thanks for the idea for the mold opener. I was thinking of something more complicated and made of wood, but it doesn't get much simpler than your idea, RoGrrr.

My ears and my neighbors thank you. It's much quieter in here!