Hammer

[Divedigger]

What's the best hammer, knocker or whatever to open sprue plates, I've used dogwood but it gets beat up after a while. What about the replaceable nylon face hammers?

[rcslotcar]

I've settled on an old Sears brand nylon hammer.

[Bazoo]

I use a cherry knocker about 12" long and 1 3/4" diameter. I've used other hardwoods like ash or birch. Seems like a tight grained wood holds up better.

[bobthenailer]

A small hammer with a raw hide head (Brownells ) been using the same one for 30+ years

[DHDeal]

Garland rawhide mallet.

I've used wooden mallets and delrin mallets for some time. The wooden mallets eventually send chunks all over the place and the delrin mallets don't, but the delrin tends to bounce.

There was a thread recently on one of the sub forums about the Garland mallet. As I wasn't too happy with the delrin mallet I've been using, I got a Garland off of Amazon. Very nice and acts like a deadblow hammer. I suspect I'll wear it out if I cast for another 20 years. Truth is that if the mold will allow me to open the sprue plate with a glove, I'll do that, but when the mold isn't quite up to temp, a mallet is necessary for me.

[LenH]

I use a homemade lead hammer with an all thread handle wrapped in electrical tape. There is a sticky here somewhere that shows how to do it.
When is gets beat up just stick it in the melt and then cast a new one.

I use some 6 & 8 cavity molds, H&G recommended the use of a lead hammer for large molds.

[redriverhunter]

a harbor freight hammer handle is what is use rrh

[Rattlesnake Charlie]

Old hammer handles, pieces of shovel handles, etc. The hickory eventually gets a bit beat up at which point it goes into the chiminea.

[Green Frog]

Old hammer handles, pieces of shovel handles, etc. The hickory eventually gets a bit beat up at which point it goes into the chiminea.

^^This^^

When we started casting about 45 years ago, Dad had just broken the head off of a small hammer. It made a good sprue knocker, and I’m only on my second or perhaps third such repurposed handle after all this time.

Froggie

[Winger Ed.]

Back in the 90's, I quit using a hammer at all.

Turn the mold block so the plate opens counter clockwise, and turn it while wearing a big thick welding glove.
Home Depot sells the same ones in the bar-b-que grill accessory section, or the welding gear area.

Turn the sprue plate just after the sprue turns dull.
It's fast, and the Lead is still soft enough not to dull out the cutting edge of the plate.

I keep a old hammer handle near by to tap the hinge point on the handles if the boolits don't just drop out.

[JM7.7x58]

We have a bush that grows around here called ocean spray, it also goes by the name iron wood. The natives used it to make digging sticks, second year growth makes good arrows, and if glued at the handle a good bow can be made from it. I use a stout tapered piece about as big around as a d cell battery on one end, and a foot long as a mold mallet. All the woods that make good bows would do well (Osage orange, black locust, vine maple, hickory, also fruit wood can be great stuff, apple and plum especially. Many of us have something on our burn pile right now out in the yard that would work.

[country gent]

I read on Steve Brooks mould site that he recommends a small dead blow mallet. I tried it and have used a 8 oz slimline head model since. I like it as its light and still works well the no mar cover is easy on the plate. I would describe the blow I give as more of a push than a hit.

[Der Gebirgsjager]

I've got a piece of hardwood dowel about 1 1/2 inches in diameter x 10 inches long. Not sure, but I think it's oak.

[iomskp]

I have a box of lead mallets from the local plumbing school I guess that they will out last me

[georgerkahn]

MY choice is a lead hammer cast from a Hensley & Gibbs mould hammer mould! Two "sad" notes: 1st, waaay back when, I recall (sort of -- I don't believe I dreamed it ) there was a "floating one" on this site -- where one could sign it out, receive & cast, and then return/pass it on. The second "sad" note is a fellow on a major auction site had one, made H&G hammers, and purveyed them -- QUITE costly -- but after, if I recall, a birthday -- I was presented one. Replacing a hammer handle -- it surely works well!
geo

[mdi]

I have a plastic faced mallet (6-8 oz.?) I purchased so long ago I forgot where I got it. I have used it around the shop, on my Lee Loaders, and as a sprue knocker. It shows very little wear and it'll probably last another 20-30 years. I have no need for a "special" tool to remove sprues and in 30 years of casting I have never damaged a mold whacking the sprue plate with my my yellar plastic faced mallet. It would prolly bother me to purchase a good, hardwood hammer handle and chew it up smacking a narrow piece of steel (I'm a lifelong tool nut)...

[beshears]

Hammer handle.

[Rapidrob]

Hickory hammer handle.

[Biggin]

I read on Steve Brooks mould site that he recommends a small dead blow mallet. I tried it and have used a 8 oz slimline head model since. I like it as its light and still works well the no mar cover is easy on the plate. I would describe the blow I give as more of a push than a hit.

I've only been at this a couple years but a dead blow hammer with some scrap leather glued to the faces is what I like. The leather helps keep the plastic from melting to the mold. Just don't set it down on fresh dropped boolits. They will stick to the plastic! Lol!

[ostrick]

Rawhide mallet, lightweight and tough.