Finally made one right

[KTN]

[smilie=w:
I finally made one mold right.On top is the finished mold for .500 S&W,as cast diameter from 4/1 WW/lino is .501"-.503" and weight 423gr.Middle mold is for .45 Colt and bottom mold for .45-70 Gov.These two molds are still under work,so I can't tell you exact measurements yet,but they should be around .453"-.454" and 300gr for Colt and .459"-.460" and 400gr+ for .45-70.Still learning and experimenting.All cavities were cut with the same form tool.Tomorrow I wil cut second cavity on .45-70 mold,mill slots for handles and make sprueplates.Hopefully,next weekend I get to cast,load and shoot some.


Kaj

[Bass Ackward]

Looks great.

And every time you do something more yourself, the more satisfaction you get out of the project.

[Wayne Smith]

And shiney, too! Beautiful.

[44man]

Very, very nice! I wish I had better equipment to get away from cherries. How about a picture of the forming tool? Maybe the setup also.

[teddyblu]

Looking great KTN
you mentioned a form tool, are you lathe boring the molds?

[GLL]

Beautifully crafted ! :)

Jerry

[castalott]

Hi KTN!

Well done..." A thing of beauty is a joy forever..."

Dale

[Buckshot]

.................Looks like seriously professional work to me! Very smooth and even, and the craftsmanship is evident. I would be very proud of myself doing work like that.

Please DO NOT show your wife! She'll say, "That's nice, did you dump the cat's litter box?"

Are you grinding high speed steel for your form tools, or lathe turning and hardening high carbon steel tools?

.............Buckshot

[KTN]

Thank you,all of you.
44man,I believe you already have all the tools and equipment you need to make form tools.I would think that making cherries is much more harder job.Here is how I make my form tools for boolit molds.First picture is what I start with.These are high speed steel blades from paper cutting machine that I got with the right price (free).From these I cut 1"x5" strips with angle grinder and square them with grinding wheel spinning on lathe and HSS steel strip on tool post.Grinding stone is set slightly off center to the axis,so it only touches the blade with every revolution,so it won't burn the steel.Once the piece is squared,I change grinding wheel to a thin cutting wheel (0.05") and cut lube grooves and crimping groove.After that I get artistic and cut the nose shape by freehand with benchgrinder,cut relieves under side and sharpen with diamond sharpener or stone.No heat treating needed.Tool is set on toolpost and mold blocks to my "custom" mold block holder.Drill pilot hole,and start latheboring slowly with plenty of oil and check your measurements often.Now that's easy[smilie=1: .
Buckshot,I'm still batchelor,or how else would you think I get to spend all weekend in my little playhouse making boolit molds?:mrgreen:


Kaj

[Buckshot]

.............Kaj, very straight forward operation. Basicly the same thing I plan on doing if I can ever get around to it :-).

http://www.fototime.com/EC6E32186093ED1/standard.jpg

This is a precision grinding vise mounted on a faceplate for my lathe. The vise and jaws are square and flat to .0002". Once setup I was attempting to open up the nose and drive bands in the mould's cavity. Problem is that these cherry bored cavities weren't square with the blocks :-(

http://www.fototime.com/129DCEECEED65CD/standard.jpg

A very simple 'form tool' for boring a 58 cal Pritchit style Minie' swage die. Same deal just a bit simpler because of no lube grooves.

BTW, thanks for posting those photo's of your operation and proceedure.

BTW, being married has it's positives. Like when you're in the shop and really into something you can yell, "Honey, can you bring me a beer!" That'll usually get a snappy response :-). However wives just aren't much good for showing stuff you've made in the shop. Their brain only works for stuff like purses, handbags, shoes, furniture and jewelery. Now if you made something REALLY shiney you might get ones attention for a bit.

..................Buckshot

[KTN]

Buckshot,thanks again.
I like to keep my projects as KISS as possible:-D .Being,how should I put it,financially challenged,I get on with everything I have on hand,like this mold block vice,2 pieces of 1 1/4" angle iron a piece of 3/8"x2" steel and few bolts and there you have it,redneck version of precision vice and it works.Lot easier to center the blocks than with 4jaw chuck.
Here is few more out of focus pictures of the formtool I used to cut all cavities[smilie=1: .

[Topper]

Very nice looking mold work

[44man]

I like it and have to try it but have to buy some better dial indicators to keep track of the crossfeed movement or I will never know what size the cavity is. How do you measure the diameter as you cut?

[HORNET]

Kaj,
That looks like superb work and your explanations are very good. Just be careful or you'll end up with that FINN45 character perched on your doorstep with some wild ideas.:kidding:
Have fun,

[PatMarlin]

They have Rednecks in Finland..? :confused: :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen:

That is oustanding work! .......:drinks:

[KTN]

44 man,I drill pilot hole as large as possible,adjust formtool to touch holes edge and zero crossfeed dial indicator.From this point I cut cavity close to correct diameter relying to dial indicator,but since form tool is made of 0.1" thick HSS steel it flexes some,so I must measure diameter regularly with accurate electronic caliper as I get close to correct diameter.As I get close,I cut VERY carefully,letting the lathe spinning longer,so that formtool has time to cut to full depth despite tools flexing,it also helps to make smooth cavity:-D .Theres a huge pile of aluminium chips that comes out of the cavity,and these must be removed often to keep tool cutting cleanly.

Hornet,I wouldn't mind for few more wild ideas,but my "need to do" list is already way too long,let's see:Falling block rifle,Damascus steel,Samurai sword,beltfed shotgun:twisted: ..................................... and list goes on and on................................

Patmarlin,:redneck:


Kaj

[madcaster]

Great job!
Veral Smith,Walt Metlander,Harry Pope(although Mr. Pope may say "that's NOT for BPCR!) and Mr. Barlow would all be very proud of you SIR!!!
My compliments,
Jeff.

[KTN]

Finished two molds today and casted first boolits with them.
Mold for .45 Colt drops boolits with average weight of 276.1 gr and diameter is .451"-.453".Average weight difference between cavities is 1.1 gr so that is close enough for me.I was left little short of 300 gr weight I was aiming for,but I couldn't cut cavity any deeper because next greasegroove in formtool.
Mold for .45-70 drops boolits with average weight of 432.1 gr and diameter is .458"-.461" at boolits base and first driving band measures .455"-.458",this is,I believe,because of formtools flexing.Average weight difference between cavities is 1.06 gr and I can live with that too.Gascheck fit is too loose so I need to find way to correct that or maybe I should make my own gaschecks to fit boolit[smilie=1: .
Todays bad news are that my 20 lbs Lee pot short circuited:( so I must get on with my 10 lbs Lee .This might be good excuse to buy RCBS pot:-D .

Madcaster,thank you.BPRC is coming soon.......................................


Kaj

[Nrut]

KTN.......Watched Walt Melander make a cherri cut mold for me a few years back but I had no idea how a form tooled mold was made....thanks for posting pictures!...Now for a dumb question....Is what you are doing the same as lathe bored?...

[PatMarlin]

So when can I place my "KTN Mold" order?... :mrgreen:

[KTN]

Nrut,my english is not so good when it comes to technical terms[smilie=1: ,but I think this is same as lathe boring.

Patmarlin,I will start taking orders as soon as I retire,say 25-30 years from now.Be patient:mrgreen: .


Kaj

[PatMarlin]

Rednecks have no patience.. :mrgreen: :redneck: :groner:

[tom barthel]

There was once a very good show on television called junkyard wars. The contestants were assigned a project and had to use material at hand to build it. If you were in America, you could be successful at just about anything. For many of us, the best way to get us to do something remarkable is to tell us it's impossible.
Our response is usually "just watch me". I lost an uncle like that a few years ago. He would go to a tool supply store to buy something special and be told "they don't make a tool for that" or, "that's impossible". Uncle would smile, go home and think about it and make his own tool. His inventions usually worked. He loved to tinker. I wish he had applied for some patents. He was satisfied to figure a solution someone could use. It's good to see someone else make do with what ever is available. Very nice work.

[PatMarlin]

That Junkyarad wars was cool. That's about the last time I watched TV.. [smilie=1:

[KTN]

Tom Barthel,thank you.I think it runs in my family.My father is real master in making things from nothing.One of his master pieces is planer he build with parts from vacuum cleaner,washing machine,motorcycle gearbox,bicycle parts and from some other bits and pieces lying around.If I have some serious technical problems,I go and ask his advice.He will sit to his rocking chair,open a beer bottle and start thinking.After a moment he will say "you COULD do it like this" and give a simple solution to my problem.
"Just watch me" thats what I have said many times:mrgreen: .Few months ago one of our companys customer needed two of these Y-joints and delivery time for these from the factory was 1-2 weeks and price was something like 100$/piece.2 hours later customer left with the parts,and he was very happy and so was I:-D


Kaj

[LET-CA]

My favorite episode involved three teams, British, French, and American. They each made an airplane and flew them. It was wonderful!


There was once a very good show on television called junkyard wars. The contestants were assigned a project and had to use material at hand to build it. If you were in America, you could be successful at just about anything. For many of us, the best way to get us to do something remarkable is to tell us it's impossible.
Our response is usually "just watch me". I lost an uncle like that a few years ago. He would go to a tool supply store to buy something special and be told "they don't make a tool for that" or, "that's impossible". Uncle would smile, go home and think about it and make his own tool. His inventions usually worked. He loved to tinker. I wish he had applied for some patents. He was satisfied to figure a solution someone could use. It's good to see someone else make do with what ever is available. Very nice work.

[SharpsShooter]

My favorite episode involved three teams, British, French, and American. They each made an airplane and flew them. It was wonderful!

That was a heckuva good show. Neat to see the junk airplanes fly.

SS

[boogerred]

thats excellent work.i have a couple of lee moulds that could use a tune-up and would make good,disposable practise stock. youve started the idea mill in my head,thanks

[leftiye]

Great process! Pure flaming genius. Thanks so much for sharing it and for the pictures. Now I don't have to make a fixture to close the mold halves on a cherry. Yahoo!

[leftiye]

PatMarlin What in heaven's name did you do to that cat?

[PatMarlin]

Show'd him a pic of BA-John.. :mrgreen:



...

[Boomer Mikey]

[smilie=w:
I finally made one mold right.
Kaj

An incredible accomplishment proving that the knowledge, determination, and patience of a tinkerer as valuable as a million dollars worth of technology.

I like the vise on the face plate, something Dave Gingery would approve of. I would have never thought of making a form tool for the profile of the complete bullet.

Thanks for sharing your work with us, the quality of the mold blocks with the vent slots is impressive as well.

Fantastic post Kaj!

Boomer :Fire:

[KTN]

Boogerred,
Leftiye,
Boomer Mikey,
Thank you all,for your kind words.
I must warn you,this mold making and machining stuff is addictive.You start with simple stuff like sizer dies and simple boolit molds,and before you know it,you are designing your own gas check tools,lubri/sizers,powder measures,reloading presses and all other possible gun/shooting/reloading related stuff:-D .


Kaj

[KTN]

First test shoot today :oops:,it took me two months to get to the range[smilie=1: .Tested boolit was my homemade .459",432gr fpgc,lube Felix,Hornady gascheck,cast of 4/1 ww/lino,aircooled.Load was,case W-W,primer Magtech 9½,powder Vihtavuori N130/41.0gr,OAL 2.51",and gun Marlin 1895G.Five shots from the bench at 50 meters,group 0.743".To say that I'm happy with this is an understatement :mrgreen: [smilie=w: .

[PatMarlin]

A BIG whoo Hoo on that one Kaj.. :drinks:

[Phil]

Beautiful! Absolutely beautiful. The downside is that now you have given me yet another project to work on. Hmm, wonder what kind of tool stock I have out in the garage. How about drill blanks?

Dang you guys (:>) Have a GREAT weekend all!

Phil

[LET-CA]

Wow! Anyone would be proud of a group like that.

[Buckshot]

...............How much do you want for the mould? :-)

...............Buckshot

[PatMarlin]

I bid $500 Redneck Dollars... :Fire:

[KTN]

Thank you all.I'm feeling pretty good right now,so it means that my next project will be a spectacular disaster:roll: .
That mold has already found a good home (I hope).I gave it to my shooting and hunting buddy as a wedding gift when he got married.
PatMarlin,I'm curious,how much would $500 Redneck Dollars be in Euros?:mrgreen:


Kaj

[Halfbreed]

Kaj, Thanks for the story and photos, I am not a machinist but would greatly like to learn. especially enough to lathebore some molds of my own. great looking bullets and shooting to boot.
What size lathe is needed to do this kind of work, not just the bare minimum, and not the most extravagant model either. but something that will be there for years to come?
And by the way, 500.00 redneck dollars is worth about 1/2 case of good cold beer in these parts. Ha ha:drinks:
Thanks, John

[krems]

KTN / Buckshot,

Nice work on making bullet moulds. I've made a number of them myself as well. Just one question for you guys. I noticed that you are both using a faceplate w/ a mould holding fixture of some kind. Is this a better way to hold the mould securely /square to the face than saw a 4-jaw chuck. I've only used a 4-jaw chuck and have had good-excellent results but I'm always looking for new ideas. Am I missing something obvious here??......The set up time for me w/ the 4 jaw can take some time.

Thanks in advance,....................Krems

[doc25]

That is excellent work!!! Maybe you can do a little article for us (me) on how to make a mold A....Z. I would like to know how you cut it in half. Made the vent lines etc. Did I say that was excellent work?

[Frank46]

KTN, that was some very fine bullet molds you turned out. Better watch out or there will be a hoard of orders coming your way for more molds. Speaking of Finn45, I haven't seen a post by him recently. Sure hope he's doing fine. What season are you enjoying up in your neck of the woods??. Keep up the good work. Frank

[KTN]

Halfbreed,I'm not a machinist either but after I found this forum it's been a downhill slide ever since[smilie=1: .This is THE place to ask help and advice with everything related to cast boolits,including mold making.Buckshot,44man and several other members around here are to be blamed on my mold making and machining mania:mrgreen: .You don't need big lathe to make molds,but after you start making your own machining jobs,you find out you should have bought a bigger lathe (don't ask how I know it:roll: ).
krems,reason why I'm using faceplate with holding fixture is that it is easier to set up and when making multiple cavity mold,it doesn't go so much off balance as 4 jaw chuck with long mold blocks.
doc25,it would take me a week,with my english skills:oops: ,to write detailed article on how to make a mold.Maybe some day I can put together short story with pictures,to save few thousand words:-D .
Frank46,right now we are "enjoying" the coldest time of the year.Last week it was several days -39C and right now it's -20C.


Kaj

[Halfbreed]

Kaj, thanks for the reply, I am just going to have to go to a few machine shop supply houses to see what is available. With the kind of work you are displaying there, sure looks like you know what you are doing.
Thanks John

[Buckshot]

Halfbreed, you can make moulds on those small 7" lathes. They are available with 10, 12 and 14" beds although bed length isn't a big deal for just cutting moulds. These little lathes are quite capable of exacting work. There are several modifications you can do to them to make them even better and more useable. In this day and age of the internet, information is just a click away. Do a search for "7x10" and see what pops up. Prices for these run from about $550 and down, on sale depending upon how they are equiped.

One limitation of the smaller lathes is the hole through the spindle. Again if all you want to do is cut some moulds it isn't important. Next up are the 9" lathes and they're a big jump from the 7" jobs. The 9" lathes will run close to 300 lbs while the 7" lathes are about 65 lbs. Usually you'll see the 9x20 lathes and they all appear to be the same design, just painted different colors. However there is a difference, and this has to do with all Asian imports.

Some retailers just take whatever comes down the line. Others will actually have their own inspectors in the factory and the machines they take are built to a set of tighter specs'. The inspectors see to it. Those retailers doing the critical inspections at the factory naturally charge more. They've put more into it then others. The 9" lathes also have comparatively small spindle bores of about 7/8" or so. Also they are still using a set of change gears for threading and linear feed speed. This means you have to add, or change out gears on the headstock to cut different threads and feeds. I've seen these lathes on sale for just over $700, but the usual price seems to be about $900, +/- $50.

Ten you have the 11x26, and this is the only bed length of these I've seen. There appears to be a couple different ones. Spindle bore remains about an inch or a bit less. Ithink this size starts the 'Real lathe' field. Not that it's more accurate but it's size is now getting large enough to really have some mass. You're talking about $1100 for one of these. I've seen these lathes with a milling machine too.

Moving up to the 12" size lathes you are now talking some capabilities with beds from 26 to 40" in length. You will also see spindle bores of 1-3/8". This now allows you to use 5C collets with a dedicated collet closer instead of depending on 3 or 4 jaw chucks. The benefit with collets is accuracy. A really good (expensive) chuck can be very accurate, but rarly as accurate as a collet.

Besides 5C collets which are limited in the sizes they'll grip within each collet's spec'd size, you can also utilize the various ER collets. Another thing nice about collets is that you can remove and replace material while the machine is running. Also with 5C collets you can feed a bar through the headstock. For example when I run size die bodies to create blanks I start with a 3' bar of 3/4" OD. This goes through the spindle and out the collet to be turned, then parted off. You open the collet and feed the bar out again and continue. All while the machine runs.

At the 12" size of lathe you're talking close to $2000 or some less on sale. Again it depends on what they come with so far as tooling goes. Most will have a steady and follow rest and a 3 and 4 jaw chuck. Starting with this size lathe, there are several different ones on the market. You'll see a 12" lathe on sale for maybe $1800 with the tooling mentioned and it weighs 1100 lbs. Another 12" lathe will have the same tooling but it costs $4000 or so and it weighs 2,000 pounds.

With precision tools, weight DOES matter as weight or mass subdues vibration and chatter, and means more heavily constructed beds and headstocks. Usually with this size lathe they are all equiped with a QC (quick change) threading gearbox. This is really a transmission as it contains a series of gears you select with (normally) 2 selector arms for various thread pitches and longitudnal power feed speeds. They also usually come at this size with power cross feed.

The 2 smaller lathes (7 & 9") have chucks which bolt to a back plate. This is fine but it's kind of a PITA going from one to another. However you CAN run the lathe in reverse without having the chuck spin loose like it can with a threaded spindle. The larger lathes up to the 12" size can have a threaded spindle or the backer plate deal. Once you get up into the 12" size you may have a choice of threaded, or one of the other mounting systems like the 'D' series.

The above is pretty much basic to the Asian import lathes as that's about your best bang for the buck. There are no more lathes produced in the United States that a hobbiest or beginner can afford. Ditto some European lathes. The Asian machines are kind of considered as kits by some as they may require varying levels of 'fixing'before they're totally useable.

Your other option is used American iron but this carries the fact that it IS used. Used to what degree is the question and you have to know what you're looking for so far as wear goes, and if the machine will be useable to you. There are a lot of older lathes out there and some is junk. Manual lathes went out not too long after WW2 with the introduction of numericly controlled machines. Then the computer controlled machines arrived. American lathe makers just couldn't survive making lathes and other metal working machines for you neighborhood job, or repair shop.

We fought and flooded the WW2 battlefield with stuff produced by workers turning the cranks on manual lathes, turret lathes, horizontal and vertical mills, shapers, multi-spindle drill presses, and jig borers, etc and etc. Some of the newest American made manual stuff (that regular people would look at) was made up until the mid to late 1980's so it's at least 20 years old.

There are lots and lots of happy home machinists or people in repair shops cranking the wheels on old South Bends, Logans, Clausings, Rockwells, Sheldons, Atlases, and Craftsman machines (to name a few) out there. Not that there aren't some good ones for sale either. However unless you know what you're looking at, or can take someone along who does, it's hard to recommend to someone new that they look at old American iron.

After having tried to steer you clear of it (without qualified help) I will also add that the American machines were made to work and when they were uncrated they were designed to do just that. They were made out of the the correct materials for the job and were engineered to handle the task, and they were very well built. As an example, my lathe is an 11"x36 Logan. However it has a 1-3/8" spindle bore, the bed is 7" wide, it has an L00 spindle nose, which is a long taper and keyed so the lathe can be run in reverse. It weighs almost 1200 lbs and has a QC box.

Best of all I was able to buy it from a friend who assured me it was a good lathe, as I didn't have the faintest idea as to what to look for. I know now and especially after using it he was right. In addition it came very well tooled. Speaking of tooling :-) there was a saying that lathe manufacturers would do well to just give anyone a lathe who wanted one. The reason being was that they would make pleanty of profit on the people tooling them up. And that's about the truth.

Another saying is that "You can do little stuff on a big lathe, but it's impossible to do big stuff on a little lathe". So far I haven't needed anything bigger then my 11". South Bend still supports their lathes to some extent. Logan Engineering which is owned by the grandson of the founder still supports the Logan lathes to a very large extent.

If you are serious about really getting a lathe, spend a month in researching the issue. Become a member of the 'Home Shop Machinists' and 'The Practical Machinist' bulletin boards. The archives of each would take a month to read. Log in and ask questions. Buy the book by South Bend, 'How to run a lathe'. You can pick up a copy for about $7 and it is for sure worth it.

................Buckshot

[Halfbreed]

Buckshot, Thank you for the detailed post, that helped out alot. I did not understand everything you said.But it certainly has helped point me in the right direction and now I can start looking at equipment with a little knowledge of what is needed.
Thanks again, John

[Blueknight2520]

[smilie=w:
I finally made one mold right.On top is the finished mold for .500 S&W,as cast diameter from 4/1 WW/lino is .501"-.503" and weight 423gr.Middle mold is for .45 Colt and bottom mold for .45-70 Gov.These two molds are still under work,so I can't tell you exact measurements yet,but they should be around .453"-.454" and 300gr for Colt and .459"-.460" and 400gr+ for .45-70.Still learning and experimenting.All cavities were cut with the same form tool.Tomorrow I wil cut second cavity on .45-70 mold,mill slots for handles and make sprueplates.Hopefully,next weekend I get to cast,load and shoot some.


Kaj

KTN, You do beautifully crafted work! I have been doing
some mold modifications and Have been contemplating
how to make my own bullet molds. Cherry VS form tool.

I have access to a 14 x 40 lathe and a brigport type mill.
And I think I may well try to bore some molds with a form tool
The way you have. I was contemplating some sort of self
centering vice for use with a cherry. But man them things
are NOT cheep! Like you I’m monetarily challenged.
So I fully appreciate your skill with less than ideal
tooling and machines. I have 2 small heat treating ovens also.
They are old with the analog temperature indicator and no
digital controls. But they work. I haven’t decided just how
to go on the cutters grinding hardened HSS or heat treat
my self.

BK

[MeestaSparkle]

Do you mind if I ask what material you made your molds out of? I'd like to know what kind of aluminum and steels would work well for a mold.

[3sixbits]

Careful, overseas number don't match U.S. numbers for these materials.

[Buckshot]

Do you mind if I ask what material you made your molds out of? I'd like to know what kind of aluminum and steels would work well for a mold.

..............For aluminum moulds probably 2024 would be one of the best. There are some pretty hard alum alloys but buying stuff like 7075 doesn't really mean much because casting temps are so close to annealing temps. 6061 is okay, machines nice and it's fairly inexpensive so it's good to practice on.

A leaded steel would probably make good blocks as it machines so nice. Cast iron is available and makes exceedingly nice blocks as it's so stable (it's a mess to machine) but I don't know about finding it machined to size suitable for parting into blocks.

...............Buckshot

[44man]

One of the hardest things I have found is milling scrap aluminum to get either a perfect square or rectangle. Even harder was making two separate pieces for the blocks and then trying to pin them. I suggest you don't even try that.
I make my block in one piece now, then drill it for the pins. I saw the block in half and mill the inner surfaces, cut vent lines, then fit the pins.
After it is mounted in my vise I skin the top with a mill to make sure it is right angle to the cherry.
I think that would be a good idea when lathe boring too. After mounting the blocks, take a light skim cut on the top side.

[BABore]

I purchase 3/4 x 1 1/2 2024-T351 bar stock in 12 foot lengths. Block sets are cut to length then all sides are machined square as matched sets in a Kurt vise. Both halves are always in the vise at the same time. The final cut, on the facing side of the blocks, are cut with a sharp pointed fly cutter at a lower rpm and higher feed rate. This is my venting method and similar to NEI's. When drilled and reamed for pins and bushings, they again are done together. Following pinning, the tops and bottoms are dusted to make sure they're perfectly flat and parallel. After the cavities are cherry cut, in a DA vise, the top of the blocks are again dusted to ensure they are perpendicular to the cavity axes. A final cut is made with the fly cutter to provide venting under the sprue plate.

[44man]

Very nice. I will have to do that when the time comes to buy milled aluminum. But the scrap I am using is harder to work with and needs sawed and milled too much. My junk machine is very hard to use.
Where do you buy the milled aluminum bar stock? Someone gave me some extruded stuff and it sure wasn't flat anywhere. I still had to mill all sides.
Another problem is that I have no feed under the mill, I have to hand crank it. (Smithy, lathe, mill.)

[BABore]

The stock is not milled, but extruded bar stock. Probably runs +/-0.005 on flatness so we do have to mill all sides. I buy it from a place called Schupan Aluminum Sales 1-800-531-3434. It's also not cheap. A 12 foot bar is about $175. This is about 3-4 times higher than 6061 T6. Main mechanical difference is in hot strength.

[Vegas Vince]

That is OUTSTANDING!!! I wish I had the equipment and the knowledge you have. I am truly envious .

[Catshooter]

BaBore,

Very nice mould. Do you do this for yourself only, or professionally?


Cat

[krems]

BABORE,

Nice work on the keith style mould. Would you happen to have a picture of the fly cutter and your DA vise set up. I'm curious about cutting the vents in the mould and your process.

Thanks...............................Krems

[44man]

Babore, thanks, I wrote it down just in case.

[BABore]

Here's a couple of pics I took today. We run the rpm around 1,400 and set the power cross feed to suit. It has no in/min setting, just 1-10. We run it about 55%.

No professional aspirations. No money in it.

[44man]

You make my mouth water with that fine equipment.

[Red River Rick]

The ulitimate big bore "BOOLIT", 1 cal. weighing in at 4200 grs. For those of you who are currently being bothered by T-Rex or other very large preditors, this is a sure stopper. Would be great for gophers as well. GB orders to commence soon.


RRR

[krems]

BABore,
I appreciate the pictures of your set up. Nice equipment as well. I always wondered how the faces were squared and vented.

How do you make the sprue plate and keep the holes centered over the bullet base????............

It look likes most of the time is spent building the aluminum blocks and sprue plate. Cutting the cavity is the easy part.

Thanks again!..................Krems

[BABore]

BABore,
I appreciate the pictures of your set up. Nice equipment as well. I always wondered how the faces were squared and vented.

How do you make the sprue plate and keep the holes centered over the bullet base????............

It look likes most of the time is spent building the aluminum blocks and sprue plate. Cutting the cavity is the easy part.

Thanks again!..................Krems

Sprue plates are dirt simple. I use ground and polished O-1 flat stock. Cut and mill to length and put the holes in using the digital readout. Accurate to 0.0001". Blocks are done the same.

Yes the blocks take a bunch of time. You would have to make 100's, with each op done on dedicated machines/setups, to make them as cheap as NEI.

[montana_charlie]

RRR,
I see you've been learning how to make moulds for grease grooved bullets...

The mould makes that .45-90 cartridge look like a magnum rimfire.

Considering the amount of lead needed to fill it, that sure wouldn't be the preferred tool for a tippy-toe, limp-wristed type.
Looks like it needs a cast iron saucepan for a dipper...and the sprue plate must weigh as much as a Ruger Blackhawk.
CM

[redneckdan]

Neat project. I want to make a 250gr-ish .30 cal mold for the .300 whisper I'm building. I'm thinking about making an undersized cherry and using CNC to run a circular pocket program to actually bore the mold. More rigid than the form tool. no complex vise like a traditional cherry.

[Greg5278]

Babore, what is the mold block material? Beryllium copper?
Greg