Makin molds

[DeanoBeanCounter]

:bigsmyl2: The curiosity has got the better of me. Does anyone make their own molds? Or for that matter, does anyone have home made molds. You can give details like how many you have and how do you make them. It would be interesting to know how it is done and to make a few my self. I can always hope a few people would learn how and teach me. [smilie=s: :brokenima

[TAWILDCATT]

ARE YOU A MACHINIST?assentualy you drill a hole between to blocks then bore with tool.or you make a cutter to shape of bullet and close blocks on the cutter.for $18 you can buy 2 cavity lee mold from MIDSOUTHSHOOTERS.COM

[Buckshot]

..............There are several here who've made, or make their own moulds. Check, the "Moulds, Maintanence and Design" forum. do a search or just scroll down through the posts.

Regardless of block material, there are 2 common ways to cut moulds, with possible detail changes to each.

1) Cherry cut. A cutting tool is prepared which looks like the boolit wanted. It's then fluted and sharpened, (like a reamer). It's spun but remains stationary while the 2 blocks, which have had the majority of metal previously removed is closed over it.

2) Lathe bored. The mould blocks are loaded into a fixture, and this spins the blocks. Something like a drill bit removes the majority of the metal to begin with. Then, depending upon the design, boring type tools are ground. The tools are then used in some sequence to go inside the cavity and cut.

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

This is a basic nose forming tool called a spoon. It's being used to cut the nose profile on a 58 caliber Swage die. Same process.

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