Mihec 454/200 mold

[gandydancer]

I just got this mold to day and all the pins are tight to fit its a cramer type mold. any help??? G. D. [smilie=b:

[buyobuyo]

Putting a little sprue lube on the part of the pin that slides in the mold block helps with initial installation. Otherwise the pins will wear in with use.

After I clean the shipping oil off the mold, I like to do 2-3 heat cycles on the hot plate before I use it for the first time. I run my hot plate at 3/4 power for mold preheating, and for the heat cycles, I just plug in the hot plate and let it go for an hour with the mold heating. Then unplug and let it cool naturally. After doing that 2 or 3 times, just start casting as normal.

[gandydancer]

Thanks buyobuyo. TOM

[tomme boy]

Heat it up and put some lube on the pins. Cast a few times an let it cool down. Now heat it back up and lube it again an get to making bullets. It will loosen up.

[Lefty SRH]

I have the same problem as GandyDancer. The main body of the HP pin won't seat into the pocket of the brass block. They are all off to one side, slightly. Is this normal?

[buyobuyo]

I can't remember having any that looked off to one side or the other, but I've had them be a little too fat to seat completely. After a casting session or two, everything fits perfect.

[pistolman44]

I got the same problem on my 2nd Mihec 2 cavity brass mold. I put sprue lube on it but I still have to use the wooden mallet to tap it out. But I haven't casted a lot with this mold. Hope will loosen up after use.

[Lefty SRH]

I can't remember having any that looked off to one side or the other, but I've had them be a little too fat to seat completely. After a casting session or two, everything fits perfect.

After a casting session or 2? The gap is rather large, the mold doesn't come close to closing completely. There's gonna be a huge fin on the finished boolit.

[buyobuyo]

Define "rather large". Got any pictures?

[Lefty SRH]

Its fixed. I removed all the little guide rods from the HP pins and polished them down a little bit in my drill press. I then placed the HP pin body in the pocket in the mold block half. I then screwed the little guide rod back into the HP body and attached the "E" clip. Did that to all 4 HP pin bodies and all 4 stay seated in the mold block. Everything lined up and closed nice with VERY little daylight coming thru. I added a little TIN solder to my pot, got everything hot and ready. I casted about half the pot and I'd say 95% of what was dropped turned out great.

[captaint]

I've found that many of the MP Cramer HP molds do need a little tuning up before smooth usage arrives. I have removed the guide pins many times and "polished" them up some. Sometimes I need to move them just a little for smooth operation. Takes a little time, but so what?? The end relults are worth the trip. enjoy Mike

[GLL]

I have a fair number of the Mihec Cramer-style molds. When you consider the complexity of the fit required for them to function smoothly it is amazing to me that only two required a little clean up work. In both cases there was a micro-burr on the pins that precluded complete retraction of the pins and closing of the mold faces. A little ultrafine steel wool plus lube took care of it and they all function well. I now lightly clean and lube all pins on new molds before assembly. A few heating cycles and all works smoothly with a push of the gloved thumb ! :)

Jerry

[MtGun44]

I found that SLIGHTLY loosening the pin by unscrewing one a fraction of a turn freed up
the pair totally.

Bill