Bator 6 cav. mold.

[45-70 Chevroner]

I ordered the Bator 6 cavity mold from Mid South along with the buck shot mold, both made by Lee. I found some time to sit down and do some casting. The bator mold works ok but it took some time to get it up to temp. I had to keep putting the corner of the mold in the melt to keep it hot enough, ( I think a hot plate is in order ). Another problem is that when I cut the sprue it mashes the side of the base making it out of round. I wounder if this is going to cause some accuracy problems or will the gas check make up for it. (The sprue plate holes are the same size as the base of the boolit). The gas checks seat on the base just fine. I think the solution to this broblem is a sprue cutter with smaller holes, what do you think. Does anyone make a Lee six cavity sprue cutter plate with smaller holes.

As for the buck shot mold it works just fine as long as I make sure the stream goes straight down the middle of the sprue hole. If I don't do this I don't get full fill out in all three cavities. The thing about the buck shot mold is in one casting session I got enough buck shot to last a long time, probably about 800 or so. I'll probably shoot a lot of them in my wrist rocket.

One more thing. Is there anyone on the web page that can make a Top Punch for the Bator boolit?

[Chicken Thief]

I ordered the Bator 6 cavity mold from Mid South along with the buck shot mold, both made by Lee. I found some time to sit down and do some casting. The bator mold works ok but it took some time to get it up to temp. I had to keep putting the corner of the mold in the melt to keep it hot enough, ( I think a hot plate is in order ). Another problem is that when I cut the sprue it mashes the side of the base making it out of round. I wounder if this is going to cause some accuracy problems or will the gas check make up for it. (The sprue plate holes are the same size as the base of the boolit). The gas checks seat on the base just fine. I think the solution to this broblem is a sprue cutter with smaller holes, what do you think. Does anyone make a Lee six cavity sprue cutter plate with smaller holes.

As for the buck shot mold it works just fine as long as I make sure the stream goes straight down the middle of the sprue hole. If I don't do this I don't get full fill out in all three cavities. The thing about the buck shot mold is in one casting session I got enough buck shot to last a long time, probably about 800 or so. I'll probably shoot a lot of them in my wrist rocket.

One more thing. Is there anyone on the web page that can make a Top Punch for the Bator boolit?

If none of the locals will chime in then i'll do you one!
Shoot me a PM

[runfiverun]

buckshot,lathesmith, and maybe noe will do them.
the perfessor might also.

[NoZombies]

I found that the bator needed the top of the block vented to give good fill out on the GC shank.

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

I wonder if the sprue holes are too large ?

I only have the Bator in 2 cav....and I have 2 of them.
an older one (the stepped GC shank), and the newer (tapered GC shank)
the sprue holes on both are surely smaller than the base.
Jon

[MT Gianni]

Are you preheating it with a hot plate?

[MikeS]

If when you cut the sprue it makes the base become out of round, perhaps you're cutting the sprue too soon? Have you tried waiting a bit longer before cutting the sprue, and seeing if that works better?

[leadman]

The mold might actually be too cool. I dip the mold in the hot alloy until I start to see a little smoke from the mold. Then remove it from the alloy and give it 30 seconds for the heat to stabilize through-out the mold and start casting.

I have a 2 cavity Lyman 22 cal that requires a very hot mold also.

Are you using Bullplate lube on the mold?

[45-70 Chevroner]

MikeS: I allways use two molds when casting so I think there is plenty of time between sprew cuts, but I have not timed the rotation process so I will check that out.

[45-70 Chevroner]

leadman: I don't have any Bullplate lube and I hear that it's hard to get right now, I use a tiny bit of Bristol on the sprew cutter pivot pin and the allignment pens and that seems to work ok.

[45-70 Chevroner]

Mt Gianni: I have not tryed a hot plate, but I am going to get one as per my original post.

[Lizard333]

leadman: I don't have any Bullplate lube and I hear that it's hard to get right now, I use a tiny bit of Bristol on the sprew cutter pivot pin and the allignment pens and that seems to work ok.

Bull plate does work but I can't tell the difference between it and a two strole oil additive, looks and smells the same.

[Boolseye]

I dip the corner of my Lee 6 cavity molds into the melt for about 50 seconds, and usually get good boolits from the first cast. I would think with those little bator boolits you would need to cast fast to keep the mold blocks hot.