MikeS
07-03-2011, 10:55 AM
Hi All.
I just got a Saeco #458 8 cavity mould. It has a custom made sprue plate because the seller didn't have the original, and he had a machinist friend make him one. It's obvious that the machinist liked doing quality work, as not only did he make the sprue plate, but he also hardened & ground it! Now here's where a couple of problems come in. Not being a boolit caster the machinist made the sprue plate with holes in it that are longer than the bevel, so while it looks like a normal sprue plate, the 'cutting edge' of the sprue plate is .140" thick! To cut the sprue I have to beat the sprue plate to death practically! This is how I found out it's hardened, as I was going to drill out the holes so there would be a better cutting edge, but no go! Also because of this way the sprue plate holes were made, in order to get the sprue off of the sprue plate, I have to pry it off with a small screw driver (the one I keep with the pot to adjust it) by placing it between holes, and prying, then go to the next area and pry some more, and so on til it comes free. I was also planning on drilling a hole in the sprue plate to add a cam lever to it like the Lee six cavity moulds have. This is a minor annoyance, as I can at worst get another sprue plate for it. How hard would it be to anneal the sprue plate so I can open up the holes, and drill the hole I want for the cam lever?
Now, being a good friend, and wanting to give his friend back the mould in better shape than he got it, he went ahead and beveled all those sharp edges around the boolit cavities! When I cast with it I get a very pronounced parting line due to this. Otherwise the mould works great, the boolits drop right out of the cavities, so far I've never had to tap the handles to get any to drop out, they come out on their own just fine. I don't think the parting line is going to hurt anything, other than looks of the finished boolits, am I wrong?
The design of the boolit is pretty nice too, it's got a nice large grease groove, that holds about 1gr of lube, Elmer would be proud :) The only thing that's not too great is the crimp groove, it's kind of on the small side, and after sizing the boolit, it's little more than a line, well, I guess it's always little more than a line, the mould drops boolits at .453 which makes it very easy to size them to .452!
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/imagehosting/thum_177914e0c104f4817c.jpg (http://castboolits.gunloads.com/vbimghost.php?do=displayimg&imgid=1328) http://castboolits.gunloads.com/imagehosting/thum_177914e10825c1a5fe.jpg (http://castboolits.gunloads.com/vbimghost.php?do=displayimg&imgid=1361)
I just got a Saeco #458 8 cavity mould. It has a custom made sprue plate because the seller didn't have the original, and he had a machinist friend make him one. It's obvious that the machinist liked doing quality work, as not only did he make the sprue plate, but he also hardened & ground it! Now here's where a couple of problems come in. Not being a boolit caster the machinist made the sprue plate with holes in it that are longer than the bevel, so while it looks like a normal sprue plate, the 'cutting edge' of the sprue plate is .140" thick! To cut the sprue I have to beat the sprue plate to death practically! This is how I found out it's hardened, as I was going to drill out the holes so there would be a better cutting edge, but no go! Also because of this way the sprue plate holes were made, in order to get the sprue off of the sprue plate, I have to pry it off with a small screw driver (the one I keep with the pot to adjust it) by placing it between holes, and prying, then go to the next area and pry some more, and so on til it comes free. I was also planning on drilling a hole in the sprue plate to add a cam lever to it like the Lee six cavity moulds have. This is a minor annoyance, as I can at worst get another sprue plate for it. How hard would it be to anneal the sprue plate so I can open up the holes, and drill the hole I want for the cam lever?
Now, being a good friend, and wanting to give his friend back the mould in better shape than he got it, he went ahead and beveled all those sharp edges around the boolit cavities! When I cast with it I get a very pronounced parting line due to this. Otherwise the mould works great, the boolits drop right out of the cavities, so far I've never had to tap the handles to get any to drop out, they come out on their own just fine. I don't think the parting line is going to hurt anything, other than looks of the finished boolits, am I wrong?
The design of the boolit is pretty nice too, it's got a nice large grease groove, that holds about 1gr of lube, Elmer would be proud :) The only thing that's not too great is the crimp groove, it's kind of on the small side, and after sizing the boolit, it's little more than a line, well, I guess it's always little more than a line, the mould drops boolits at .453 which makes it very easy to size them to .452!
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/imagehosting/thum_177914e0c104f4817c.jpg (http://castboolits.gunloads.com/vbimghost.php?do=displayimg&imgid=1328) http://castboolits.gunloads.com/imagehosting/thum_177914e10825c1a5fe.jpg (http://castboolits.gunloads.com/vbimghost.php?do=displayimg&imgid=1361)