How I hollow pointed a .45 caliber boolit mold

[Hang Fire]

I first posted this as a follow up to a thread over in Cast Boolits, but think maybe should have posted over here to begin with.

Having both a mini lathe and mill, (for around 4-500 bucks each, these tools are hard to beat for small machine work) thought the making of a hollow point mold could be simplified farther.

Found that with a couple wraps of electrician’s tape, could get the bullet to run true chucked up lightly in lathe. I kept a check on run out with dial indicator when drilling.



Started hole with center drill to insure true.



Then followed with a 3/16” drill.



Result was a hole drilled true on center to the bullet.



Positioned mold square in vise on mill and aligned so a turned down snug fit rod would float freely in hole, then locked table down.



Drilled hole in mold flooded with light oil, withdrawing drill frequently and blowing out hole with compressed air.



Made hollow point pin.



Drilled and tapped mold block for 10-24 screw with large flat head for latching pin in place.



End result, what looks like a pretty good hollow point mold, now to get it out to shoot and see how it performs.

[/QUOTE]

[para45lda]

Keep us posted

I for one would like to know how well it casts and shoots.

Wes

[leftiye]

Drilling boolit with a stiff spotting drill, and using same, or using a long centering drill of the same size (O.D.) to start the hole in the bottom of the cavity could help with true centering of the hollow point pin hole. Using hard linotype alloy could help both the casting, and trueness of the bored boolit. Then you would only have to put the boolit in the mold, and put the drill inside the boolit, and hold it there while clamping it all in the vise. Probly would be good to position the vise, and center your quill over the hole first, then put mold on drill and clamp down. I take the wood off of all of my hollow point pins, and (if I'm making a pin) file or cut flats on either side of the end of the pin to use pliers to handle the hot pins. This way, I don't have problems with cold pins while casting, just put the whole thing with pin in the mold in the mold heater for a moment (30 seconds) between casts.

[williamwaco]

What kind of lathe and mill do you have?

How do you like them?


Happy New Year!

[HollowPoint]

That's exactly how I've been doing it for some time now.

I guess great minds really do think alike.

HollowPoint

[Matt3357]

Yes, very interested in what lathe and mill you have.

Matt

[Hang Fire]

What kind of lathe and mill do you have?

How do you like them?


Happy New Year!

I have the Micro Mark mill but just because it has true inch scale and a 12 inch berween centers lathe.

But it really matters not whit, they are all likely made in the same Chinese factory. Just labled and painted a different color, with a considerable difference as to price and accessories which come with. I have had these for several years and after a little tinkering am rather amazed at the accurate work they can produce,.

they are nothing like the Emco Maier Maximat Super 11 I once had, but neither did they cost me around 8 thousand bucks even 30 years ago to buy and tool up.

[Hang Fire]

That's exactly how I've been doing it for some time now.

I guess great minds really do think alike.

HollowPoint

LOL, just goes to show there is very little new under the sun hey.

[williamwaco]

That is a very impressive setup!
I am green with envy.

Having both a mini lathe and mill, (for around 4-500 bucks each, these tools are hard to beat for small machine work) thought the making of a hollow point mold could be simplified farther.

How on earth did you buy that grade equipment for 4-500 bucks each?

You wanna sell them?




Happy New Year.





.

[Hang Fire]

That is a very impressive setup!
I am green with envy.



How on earth did you buy that grade equipment for 4-500 bucks each?

You wanna sell them?




Happy New Year.


.

When bought this mini lathe it was $425.00 and came with all kinds of accessories that some other vendors charge for. Like face plate, stationary steady rest, follower rest, drill chiuck, four way tool holder and set of cutting tools.

Day uncrated it.


This is my page on the mini machines, sorely in need of updating as haven't done so for a few years.

http://hstrial-rchambers.homestead.c...hine_shop.html


I caught both mine on sale and with free shipping, they can still be found for under 500 bucks.


http://www.ebay.com/itm/7-X-12-MINI-...item4aadbb8281


http://www.google.com/#pq=mini+lathe...w=1152&bih=575


I see the mini mills have gone up some.

http://www.google.com/#pq=mini+mills...w=1152&bih=575

[williamwaco]

Thanks.

I am going to have to start saving up some money.


.

[Catshooter]

This is the brand in my shop:http://sherline.com Made in the USA and has the most complete line of accesories of anyone. It's the accesories (tooling) is what makes it useful. Very accurate and all the fasteners on it are US, not metric, which I really appreciate.


Cat

[Hang Fire]

I do not wish to get in a urinating contest, but. While a I can appreciate a sturdy and precision American made 3.5” x 8” lathe. Where manual hand feed is standard and power feed is available as an accessory for an additional cost of $90.00, which is awkward to use and comes with a long list of sundry instructions and cautions. What I do not appreciate is the standard machine costs more than a 7” X 12” Chinese mini lathe which will outperform the Sherline on all counts, with easy to engage power feed as standard at no additional cost.

You mention accessories for the Sherline, take a look at the Little Machine Shop site, where accessories of every description are available for the Chinese mini machines.

http://www.google.com/#hl=en&cp=10&g...iw=960&bih=479

[Catshooter]

No contest here Hang Fire. I'm just pointing out another alternative. No offense intended or taken.

I've heard too many horror stories about the Asian stuff for me to want to try them. My Sherline lathe is 5" X 17", but of course I do wish it was bigger. Not many people think there machinery is too big!

Mine serve me well.


Cat

[Hang Fire]

Got some cast up and very pleased with the results. I was a little concerned after casting a few up, for the hollow point holes indicated 0.02” to 0.04” runout, but the boolits worked out good and the .45-70 accuracy did not suffer at all.

I had to make a different pin, as the first one was short and I had the wooden knob on it, had cast very few boolit when the wood started smoking and charring. (that big cast iron mold does get hot) So made up a longer pin and took Leftiye’s advice to forget the wood and manipulate the pin with pliers (small pair of vice grips)

In pic, the boolit on the left is the one I used as a pilot to drill the mold,