Stamp a Mold?

[thraxx]

I've got several molds from Miha, but some of them dont seem to be marked very well, as in when I zip tie the halves together for storage I cant tell a WC from a RN. Would stamping them with lettered punches mess them up? How would you mark them?

[Winger Ed.]

It probably would, they're often stamped at the factory.

I'm a little reluctant to get violent with them myself.
I just label the container they are stored it.

I had one ruined from rust years ago.
Now, If I'm going to long term store a mold, I put it in a jelly jar filled up with motor oil.
Haven't lost one doing that.

[RustyReel]

I

Now, If I'm going to long term store a mold, I put it in a jelly jar filled up with motor oil.
Haven't lost one doing that.

I like that idea!

[remy3424]

How about a Sharpie? See if the heat burns it off. Brass or alum, it might work.

[georgerkahn]

thraxx: Great question! I have a few -- may four (?) -- moulds that came with no markings, and even one "mystery mould" with two different sized cavities added to no discernible manufacturer i.d..
What *I* first did was use a Sharpie on the mould handles to mark what each is. I reckoned I could simply just keep said moulds attached to handles. BUT -- as best thought don't always work out -- my "Plan B" was to take a vibrator-engraver -- I believe they're made for scratching one's name on tools and the like to prevent theft -- and it has worked VERY well.... for me .
BEST!
geo

[country gent]

The letter number stamps when driven hard enough to be seen easily will deform and stretch the metal possibly warping and or bending the part. When we had to stamp gages or parts it was before final grind and finish. This way the distortion was removed when finished. We normally machine engraved them. The electric pencil shown above is good a dremil or die grinder with a fine diamond burr or mounted point also does a fine job. A scribe can do it but is hard to make a nice neat job. Another way is a heavy coat of wax on the blocks. write thru with scribe or awl just scratching thru the wax layer evenly then a mild acid to etch into blocks.

[Gunslinger1911]

I use a Sharpie on the ends of the blocks. Stays through many heatings and I can tell what a mould is right on the shelf.

[gwpercle]

I would get my wife to engrave the info on the blocks . She works at a business that sells / makes awards , trophies and does engraving ...it will not damage or distort the mould . Hitting a steel stamp with a hammer hard enough to stamp a letter into the softer iron block could very well do damage . They charge engraving by the letter...shouldn't be too expensive .
Gary

[thraxx]

I would get my wife to engrave the info on the blocks . She works at a business that sells / makes awards , trophies and does engraving ...it will not damage or distort the mould . Hitting a steel stamp with a hammer hard enough to stamp a letter into the softer iron block could very well do damage . They charge engraving by the letter...shouldn't be too expensive .
Gary

Most of these are brass molds (a few are AL), but that's not a bad idea!

[dragon813gt]

Personally I wouldn’t do anything permanent to the mold. But that’s just me. Miha used to mark the molds a lot better. Now they’re always in a different areas and the writing is smaller. Was a lot easier to read when everything was on the side of the blocks.

[gwpercle]

Most of these are brass molds (a few are AL), but that's not a bad idea!

99% of engraving is done on brass or on aluminum ... find any trophy shop that does their own engraving ... piece of cake !
Gary

[Dan Cash]

How about a Sharpie? See if the heat burns it off. Brass or alum, it might work.

This is the most simple and effective method you will find. Heat won't remove the ink right away but you can easily refresh the markings as they fade.

[thraxx]

How does the sharpie hold up to sprue or storage oil?

[EMC45]

I mark my molds with a Dremmel using a carbide burr.

[Dan Cash]

How does the sharpie hold up to sprue or storage oil?

Aluminum and bronze don't need oiling. Mark the blocks not the sprue. If any preservatives remove the sharpie, remark it. There is a marker similar to a sharpie used for marking cattle ear tags that will stand up better. Get it from your vet supply. More durable yet is a marker used by junk yard operators to mark parts; it is kind of a paint. Ask your local junk man when next you go lead scrounging.

[one-eyed fat man]

Markall paintstik is what Dan is talking about.


"As Markal's most versatile and economic marker, the original B Paintstik solid paint marker combines the durability of paint in the convenience of a crayon. The real paint formula has superior marking performance on oily, icy, wet, dry or cold surfaces and is weather- and UV-resistant. This Paintstik works on rough, rusty, smooth, or dirty surfaces."

[kevin c]

The magic marker I used on some of my aluminum molds has faded a bit over a few sessions of use, but is still easy to read.

Mostly, though, I just store the blocks of unused molds in the boxes Miha shipped them in, and mark the boxes clearly. The molds I use frequently have the handles left on and the blocks and/or the handles marked and are wrapped and stored convenient for use.