???? Noe 360 rg2 ????

[cutter_spc]

Hey fellers,

Just got my first NOE mold the other day, a 360 WFN RG2, very nice looking mold! While waiting for it to arrive, I read up RG type molds so I could avoid start up problems. When it came, I broke it in with 4 warm ups and cool downs, dehorned the pin retainer, and smoked the pin tips.

Yesterday, I went out to the shed and fired up the pot and hot plate. Had the mold up to 350* and the melt @ 800*(bottom pour) when I started casting (I Bullplated everything up first). Yes, I had the mold a bit too cold, the mold was hard to open and the bullits took a few wacks on the handles to fall from the pins, so back to the hot pate it went. At 400*, started casting again, mold still hard to open, but bullits jumped off the pins! So I figured I would just "cast through" the hard to open part. The next few cast I noticed that the bullits were constantly sticking to the non-pin half of the molds, and the pins were having to drag the bullits out of that half of the mold in order to open. Needless to say none of those were keepers as the lube grooves were torn up from being dragged out of the molds at an angle. Chalked it up to virgin mold.

Tried casting with it again today, same problem, bullits still sticking to the same half of the mold. Now I'm not complaining just yet, I understand that all molds break in differently, just looking for some advise as to what I'm doing wrong, need to start doing or just try casting a few more sessions to break it in good.




Thanks, cutter



P.S. Has anyone had to "Leement" their RG's to get it to work right?

[Landric]

I had similar issues the first two times I cast with my RG mould, however the third time I fired it up I had great fill out and boolits dropping free. I understand that the NOE moulds often work better after a couple of break in casting sessions, that sure turned out to be the case with both my RG and my non-RG NOE 4-banger. Give it a chance or two more before you start worrying that there is a problem.

[btroj]

I'm with Landric. My rg4 needed a session or two to settle down. My 311165 did likewise. Was worried about that one until the third session then it was all good. My 460350 was the odd one. It was good from the start.
Keep the lead and mold hot and keep at it. These are good molds but they have a definite learning curve. I also found my rg4 likes to have a good whack on the hinge of the handle before opening. Bullets seem to release easier.

[cutter_spc]

I also found my rg4 likes to have a good whack on the hinge of the handle before opening. Bullets seem to release easier.

Never would have thought of something like that, I'll sure give that a try!

Really wasn't prepared to do something stupid just yet, I guess I just needed some words of encouragement after 2 frustrating sessions. I really didn't expect good bullits for a couple of sessions, but what got me was bullits sticking in the cavity when I was expecting them to be stuck on the pins!

Thanks, cutter

[Blammer]

cast with it a few more times and it "should" get better.

I've noticed that if the mould is hard to open seating ONE of the alignment pins a fraction deeper took care of that problem.

also if the boolits stick in the side where the pins are or the other side for that matter. After cracking the mould open a bit give a few light taps while opening and the boolits will come out.

I've also tried LIGHTLY, (I mean real light so light you don't think it will work light), smoking the cavity and that helps a bunch too.

[cutter_spc]

Thanks for the suggestions guys, I think I'll go out and give it one more try!

[btroj]

Only one more try?

[cutter_spc]

Only one more try?

Bad wording, I meant go out and try it today, but it didn't happen. I'll post results next time I get to cast.

Latter, cutter

[btroj]

Just giving you a hard time. But stick with that mold. They take some getting used to but once you have it going you are gonna like it. My rg4 came with a big time learning curve. Never had used anything like it. Once I got things hot and figured put a rhythm all was good. And nothing else produces hollow points that fast.

[cutter_spc]

Well got to playing with my new PID project today and decided to cast a little bit with my NOE mold again (I know it's been a while, I been averaging about 2 days off a month for a while, but that's a good thing). I think I may have found atleast part if not all of my problem. The only Lee six banger handles I have are ones I have modified for my RCBS molds. The slightly thinner handles seem to be leaving a little to much slack, allowing the mold blocks to open uneven. when I go to open up the handles the bottom half of the blocks will open about 1/8" before the top half even starts to open, causing the boolits to be ripped out at a angle. I think and hope that that an unaltered set of handles should go a long way in curing this.

I'll post back with results when I have a proper set of handles.

Thanks guys, cutter

[Blammer]

also, check to make sure the pin holders have not been 'bent' upward. This will be evident by looking at the bottom of the mould half that does not have the pin holders or the pins, you'll see "scrape" marks where the pin holders go on the one half.

Just bend the holders down "just a hair" to keep them from touching.

I've found that when I am a bit careless with my mould I have bent the holders down and that has caused some issues.