Sprue plate for H&G #50 needs help (4-cavity)

[40-82 hiker]

My H&G mold's sprue plate needs some help. The sprue holes are not sharp, and they just don't want to cut the lead. They've never been that great, but I have used that mold a lot (!), and now need to get that problem fixed as it has gotten pretty bad. I do not have a drill press, but need to know what I can do, or should I be looking for someone to do some machining on it for me? If so, what and who?

Thanks

[StuBach]

This may be a down and dirty way of doing it (and hopefully someone has a more elegant/precise way) but it seems to me you could take an appropriately sized countersink (handheld) and turn it a little in the sprue from the top than stone the bottom back flat to create that “cutting edge” again. I have read of this working for Lee molds so assume it should work for HG as well.

Without a drill press I wouldn’t recommend doing this with say a cordless drill just because of the lost precision but depending on severity of issue you may need to. If so, go slow and steady so you don’t open that hole up too much.

[toallmy]

If all you need - is to sharpen the plate cutting edge , I'd try putting a sheet of fine sand paper on a flat surface , and careful sand the bottom of the plate giving it a fresh cutter edge .
Just a thought
I ruined a saeco 4 cavity sprue plate once trying to enlarge the holes from the top , I didn't have the right tools , patience , or experience . When I finally got a replacement ( thanks to a very kind member hear ) I realized if instead of going at it from the top , I could have just sharpened the cutting edge .
I am a 10 thumbs for fingers sorta fellow and have been known to tear up stuff .
I'd be very careful with a H&G sprue plate , they are hard to come by .

[40-82 hiker]

Thanks for the help. I'm going to try to work on the bottom of the sprue plate as described. I'll see if that makes any difference before I even contemplate anything else.

[monadnock#5]

Do you know how to draw file? Hold the file 90° to the plate and pass the file over the holes while keeping the file as flat as possible to the plate. Done correctly it will only remove the high spots without removing stock.

Don't wait too long before cutting the sprue. It may be contributing to the problem.