For those that wanted a mould build post.

[websterz]

Come along with me as I embark on a new mould build. All good projects start with raw material so here we go on the bandsaw. Here I am cutting off a slab of aluminum.
http://i797.photobucket.com/albums/yy258/websterzdesign/Mobile%20Uploads/20150220_083152.jpg (http://s797.photobucket.com/user/websterzdesign/media/Mobile%20Uploads/20150220_083152.jpg.html)

Next I need to cut that slab into two future mould blocks.
http://i797.photobucket.com/albums/yy258/websterzdesign/Mobile%20Uploads/20150220_083804.jpg (http://s797.photobucket.com/user/websterzdesign/media/Mobile%20Uploads/20150220_083804.jpg.html)

With those blocks in hand, along with two more I already had, it's time to clean up the blocks on the mill. This is done with a single point fly cutter.. All six sides are cut to make sure everything is square.
http://i797.photobucket.com/albums/yy258/websterzdesign/Mobile%20Uploads/20150220_085222.jpg (http://s797.photobucket.com/user/websterzdesign/media/Mobile%20Uploads/20150220_085222.jpg.html)

With the clean up done it's time to cut the vent lines. This is done with the same fly cutter. The tool is running much slower and the table much faster. I set the tool to cut 0.001" deep and allow it to pass fully across the blocks. This causes the tool to cut on the front and back side leaving a cross hatch pattern.
http://i797.photobucket.com/albums/yy258/websterzdesign/Mobile%20Uploads/20150220_094218.jpg (http://s797.photobucket.com/user/websterzdesign/media/Mobile%20Uploads/20150220_094218.jpg.html)

Next I drill and tap 5/16-18 holes in the blocks for the alignment pins.
Each pin hole is then cross drilled and tapped for 8-32 set screws which will lock the pins in place.
http://i797.photobucket.com/albums/yy258/websterzdesign/Mobile%20Uploads/20150220_101114.jpg (http://s797.photobucket.com/user/websterzdesign/media/Mobile%20Uploads/20150220_101114.jpg.html)

The pins are made on the lathe, male pins are cut with a 60° tool and female pins are drilled with a 60° center drill.
http://i797.photobucket.com/albums/yy258/websterzdesign/Mobile%20Uploads/20150220_111110.jpg (http://s797.photobucket.com/user/websterzdesign/media/Mobile%20Uploads/20150220_111110.jpg.html)
http://i797.photobucket.com/albums/yy258/websterzdesign/Mobile%20Uploads/20150220_112341.jpg (http://s797.photobucket.com/user/websterzdesign/media/Mobile%20Uploads/20150220_112341.jpg.html)

I clamp the mould blocks in the vise, screw in the pins, and lock them in place with the set screws. I use two in each set screw hole.
http://i797.photobucket.com/albums/yy258/websterzdesign/Mobile%20Uploads/20150220_115901.jpg (http://s797.photobucket.com/user/websterzdesign/media/Mobile%20Uploads/20150220_115901.jpg.html)

Next I cut the bolt heads off so I can fly cut the blocks and make sure everything is dead square.
http://i797.photobucket.com/albums/yy258/websterzdesign/Mobile%20Uploads/20150220_131756.jpg (http://s797.photobucket.com/user/websterzdesign/media/Mobile%20Uploads/20150220_131756.jpg.html)

There's plenty more to come so stay tuned.

[Yodogsandman]

Thanks websterz! Great idea for a thread! This'll be educational!

[btroj]

This is awesome. Keep it coming.

[Walter Laich]

signing up to see how this is done

[rking22]

Great thread, watchin an learnin !

[websterz]

Thanks websterz! Great idea for a thread! This'll be educational!

It's educational for me too. I make most of this up as I go along! LOL

[SciFiJim]

Very interesting. I will keep an eye on this thread. Wish I had such talent with machines and metal.

[geargnasher]

Which one are you building for me? The one on the left? :kidding:

You make it look so easy with a few snapshots like that, it's like the New Yankee Workshop, drill a hole, cut to commercial, brush on a little finish, plug the sponsors, and PRESTO! a brand-new 18th century hand-carved china cabinet.

Gear

[MrWolf]

Impressive! Will be watching to see how its done. Thanks!

[btroj]

I like the alignment pins being threaded in and held with set screws. They aren't moving at all.

Gear, much of it is knowing the process. Understanding how to get what you want is most of it. The rest is having the right tools. Sometimes you see a "how to" video and say, ahhhhhhh, that is how they do that.

[pworley1]

Very interesting, I will be watching for what comes next.

[Steve77]

Those alignment pins are pretty slick. I hate the ones that don't stay where they belong.

[websterz]

Next up I'll be milling the handle slots in the mould blocks. While I have the three jaw chuck on the lathe I'll cut the new form tool blank. That will then be milled down, heat treated and tempered, then the four jaw chuck goes on and it's time to cut some boolit cavities. Lots of fun in the days ahead!

[btroj]

You are the man! To me this is better than a video.

[geargnasher]

I like the alignment pins being threaded in and held with set screws. They aren't moving at all.

Gear, much of it is knowing the process. Understanding how to get what you want is most of it. The rest is having the right tools. Sometimes you see a "how to" video and say, ahhhhhhh, that is how they do that.

That's why I dig these kinds of threads so much. Websterz, you have some excellent and unique ideas there, please keep posting pics as you go.

Gear

[btroj]

I hear ya. I once saw a step by step an making a cylinder for a Ruger from scratch. Seeing the set up was awesome.

This guy is da bomb.

Only down side is that I really, really need a mill. The lathe is awsome but a mill would be good too. My wife is gonna kill me. And websterz too.

[geargnasher]

From what I understand (very little) you might be able to get a milling attachment for your lathe and do the block work with a flycutter and slot mills in the headstock. Fiddly and not as solid/repeatable as a mill, but plenty doable for small projects like this.

Gear

[btroj]

True, but once the kid is done with school in another year th cash flow will look much better.

I do still have some stuff I want for the lathe.

websterz, I sure hope you aren't gonna make us wait too long for the rest of this.

[crawfobj]

Awesome. Thanks for sharing this. Wish I had talent.

[websterz]

I'll be back in the shop making chips fly tomorrow! :-)

[Valley Forge]

I'm lovin' this too! I loved Gear's Norm Abram's reference 'cause that's what I was thinking.
VF

[websterz]

I'm glad everyone is enjoying seeing my work. I'll try not to disappoint. :-)

[btroj]

I am certain that you won't. Heck, even if the mould doesn't work out the way you want it is still a great learning experience. We are all interested to see how it is made.

[websterz]

Well, I am by no means a tool and die maker. Just a retired machinist with some crazy ideas. I think this new mold is going to have a taper profile kind of like a 147 grain round nose .356 but bumped out to a .360 so I can size them down to .358. I'm going to put about a .180 flat nose on it, that ought to bring the weight down to the 130 something range.

[smoked turkey]

FANTASTIC! Thanks for sharing. This is better than watching TV, that's for sure. Very informative. Good photos of the process too. I'll stay tuned.

[Lonegun1894]

Thanks for the education!

[BigEyeBob]

Great post ,I am also a machinist and have a lathe and a mill I plan to machine a mould from brass for my 500x 3" Express.
I managed to get a big brass piston 10" diameter x 2 1/2" thick scrapped from a hydraulic cylinder Ill be using that ,but I do have a huge slab of 2" aircraft aluminium T6061 IIRC.

[CastingFool]

Having worked as a machinist, I can fully understand every thing you have described so far, cutting the cavities is what I want to see.

[jonp]

Which one are you building for me? The one on the left? :kidding:

You make it look so easy with a few snapshots like that, it's like the New Yankee Workshop, drill a hole, cut to commercial, brush on a little finish, plug the sponsors, and PRESTO! a brand-new 18th century hand-carved china cabinet.

Gear
That is no lie. "I saw a curved glass antique china cabinet in an antique shop so decided to build one. Here is the Black Cherry Tree behind the house I'm going to use....the curved glass came out pretty good. thanks for watching! Make sure to visit Stanley Tools, Mini-Wax and Shopsmith on the web. See you next week"

I watched more of those shows and bought more tools under the "heck I can do that" before I realized there were a few, missing steps in there.

[jonp]

this is a great thread and pictures. I can't wait to see more of the process.

[theperfessor]

Good work so far. Love the threaded alignment pins, great idea.

[websterz]

Sorry guys, I didn't make it out to the shop today. I spent some quality time at the range with my daughter instead.

[geargnasher]

We'll take pictures of that, too, get the good times while you can!

Gear

[btroj]

I hope to get that kind of special time soon. I miss having the kid to shoot with. She may get some range time over spring break, if the weather permits.

[Michael J. Spangler]

Subscribed. Great thread

[Bzcraig]

Great thread indeed! I don't have the tooling or training to do such projects but I do enjoy watching those who do.

[websterz]

Today I made the form tool for my new mold. I start off with a piece of 4140 steel and turn it down to a few thousandths under my desired boolit diameter. This builds in a bit of clearance, and since the cavities are lathe cut the tool diameter isn't critical. As long as it has the shape I want it's all good. The nose profile is cut with a file and polished with emery cloth. The lube groove is cut with a parting tool.
http://i797.photobucket.com/albums/yy258/websterzdesign/Mobile%20Uploads/20150224_131219.jpg (http://s797.photobucket.com/user/websterzdesign/media/Mobile%20Uploads/20150224_131219.jpg.html)
http://i797.photobucket.com/albums/yy258/websterzdesign/Mobile%20Uploads/20150224_131602.jpg (http://s797.photobucket.com/user/websterzdesign/media/Mobile%20Uploads/20150224_131602.jpg.html)

Once the lathe work is done I have to mill away half of the tool diameter and cut flats on the tool blank so it will mount up square in a tool holder. I also mill away part of the back and underside of the tool for chip clearance.
http://i797.photobucket.com/albums/yy258/websterzdesign/Mobile%20Uploads/20150224_133228.jpg (http://s797.photobucket.com/user/websterzdesign/media/Mobile%20Uploads/20150224_133228.jpg.html)

Now it's time to heat treat and temper the tool. Since I'm only cutting aluminum the heat treat isn't too critical. I heat the tool blank with a propane torch until it goes non magnetic, a color I call Orange Popsicle. I couldn't get a pic of this because both hands are busy. Once it goes orange I hold it there for a few seconds then quench it in water to harden the steel. It's too brittle in this state so it has to be tempered. To do this I polish the tool with fine sandpaper until it's shiny and then gradually heat it until it turns a straw color and quench it again. This softens it just enough to remove the brittleness but leaves it tough enough to use as a cutting tool. You can kind of see the straw color here.
http://i797.photobucket.com/albums/yy258/websterzdesign/Mobile%20Uploads/20150224_140154.jpg (http://s797.photobucket.com/user/websterzdesign/media/Mobile%20Uploads/20150224_140154.jpg.html)

The tool marks in the last pic are just a few ten thousandths of an inch deep and are easily polished out.
I use a fine oilstone to hone the cutting edge and the form tool is ready to use.

[waco]

This is very interesting. Good work. I'm showing this to some of the machinists here at work.
I can't wait to see the finished product.

[Sgt Petro]

This is great! Thanks for this.

[rking22]

Thanks for the progress upate, got my thinking wheels turning ! I'll second the idea of range time pics too. My daughter and I are getting ready to go hog hunting and fishing in Fla in a few weeks, making good memories!

[Catshooter]

Nice work. How-It's-Done-With-Pics is always very educational.


Cat

[trapper9260]

I was always wonder how it was made and all thank you for shown it and looking forward for more.

[websterz]

Well, I changed my mind about the form tool I made yesterday. I tumble lube all of my boolits so a single lube groove doesn't really make much sense. So today I made a new one.

http://i797.photobucket.com/albums/yy258/websterzdesign/Mobile%20Uploads/20150225_110830.jpg (http://s797.photobucket.com/user/websterzdesign/media/Mobile%20Uploads/20150225_110830.jpg.html)
Now it's off to the mill to get a set of blocks drilled and ready for the lathe. More pics to follow in a few minutes.

[FLHTC]

Good job websterz. I like the flycutter ventlines, as opposed to using a shaper. Was that one pass on those ventlines with a real slow RPM?

[websterz]

Yep, about 350rpm and as fast on the table as my power feed will go.

[FLHTC]

Excellent job

[websterz]

I need to mill the handle slots anyway so I'll go ahead and do that now. Kerosene makes a great cutting fluid for aluminum.
http://i797.photobucket.com/albums/yy258/websterzdesign/Mobile%20Uploads/20150225_113659.jpg (http://s797.photobucket.com/user/websterzdesign/media/Mobile%20Uploads/20150225_113659.jpg.html)

http://i797.photobucket.com/albums/yy258/websterzdesign/Mobile%20Uploads/20150225_120112.jpg (http://s797.photobucket.com/user/websterzdesign/media/Mobile%20Uploads/20150225_120112.jpg.html)

Next I put one block in the vise and use an edge finder to locate the center line between the two blocks so the center drill hits right down the middle.
http://i797.photobucket.com/albums/yy258/websterzdesign/Mobile%20Uploads/20150225_111939.jpg (http://s797.photobucket.com/user/websterzdesign/media/Mobile%20Uploads/20150225_111939.jpg.html)

These holes are used to accurately locate the blocks in the lathe later. The sprue plate I'm using had the pour holes .700" apart so I find the middle of the blocks and drill my holes .350" on either side of center.

http://i797.photobucket.com/albums/yy258/websterzdesign/Mobile%20Uploads/20150225_112419.jpg (http://s797.photobucket.com/user/websterzdesign/media/Mobile%20Uploads/20150225_112419.jpg.html)

http://i797.photobucket.com/albums/yy258/websterzdesign/Mobile%20Uploads/20150225_112508.jpg (http://s797.photobucket.com/user/websterzdesign/media/Mobile%20Uploads/20150225_112508.jpg.html)

http://i797.photobucket.com/albums/yy258/websterzdesign/Mobile%20Uploads/20150225_112743.jpg (http://s797.photobucket.com/user/websterzdesign/media/Mobile%20Uploads/20150225_112743.jpg.html)

.

[websterz]

Now I chuck up the blocks in my four jaw chuck and begin adjusting one of the holes dead center. This is critical for the finished mould, otherwise the cavities end up off center and are useless.
http://i797.photobucket.com/albums/yy258/websterzdesign/Mobile%20Uploads/20150225_122322.jpg (http://s797.photobucket.com/user/websterzdesign/media/Mobile%20Uploads/20150225_122322.jpg.html)

With the blocks where I need them I start by plunge cutting a cavity with a 1/4" end mill. I only go about 80% of the final depth so the nose profile is cut cleanly with the form tool.

http://i797.photobucket.com/albums/yy258/websterzdesign/Mobile%20Uploads/20150225_123258.jpg (http://s797.photobucket.com/user/websterzdesign/media/Mobile%20Uploads/20150225_123258.jpg.html)

Next the form tool is carefully fed to the final depth of the cavity, letting it dwell so it produces a smooth finish. Now the tool is drawn back towards me to bring the cavity to the final diameter. This is also where the lube grooves are formed. I stop frequently to check the hole diameter with a small hole gauge and micrometer. The tool is fed back to the center of the hole before withdrawing it to keep from wiping out the lube groove ridges. A smooth boolit mould would be easier to cut but I don't powder coat or use HiTek so I gotta have grooves.

http://i797.photobucket.com/albums/yy258/websterzdesign/Mobile%20Uploads/20150225_131631.jpg (http://s797.photobucket.com/user/websterzdesign/media/Mobile%20Uploads/20150225_131631.jpg.html)


The first cavity is done!

http://i797.photobucket.com/albums/yy258/websterzdesign/Mobile%20Uploads/20150225_132709.jpg (http://s797.photobucket.com/user/websterzdesign/media/Mobile%20Uploads/20150225_132709.jpg.html)

Now I repeat the process for the second cavity.

http://i797.photobucket.com/albums/yy258/websterzdesign/Mobile%20Uploads/20150225_135548.jpg (http://s797.photobucket.com/user/websterzdesign/media/Mobile%20Uploads/20150225_135548.jpg.html)

The finished product!

http://i797.photobucket.com/albums/yy258/websterzdesign/Mobile%20Uploads/20150225_135721.jpg (http://s797.photobucket.com/user/websterzdesign/media/Mobile%20Uploads/20150225_135721.jpg.html)

Tomorrow I'll get the handle and sprue plate holes drilled and tapped and it'll be time to cast some boolits.

[Boolit_Head]

Nice I always wondered how that was done!

[Rifle 57]

Very nice job!!

[btroj]

That is absolutely awesome. This is better than I hoped.

[dragonrider]

Ecellent work websterz,

[Sticky]

No.. this is bad... really bad.. cause I am an amateur machinist and work closely with a CNC shop. I can see more costs in the near future, dammit!

Thanks Websterz for sharing your process, that is an outstanding process you have worked out. I 'specially like the wireties as a safety in the 4 jaw process!

I do have one question tho... is there a reason you choose to alternate the mold pins?

[freebullet]

Very impressive work sir! Thank you for sharing.

Do you think you could pull that off with just the mill?

[websterz]

No, no real logic behind the alternating pins. It just seemed like it ought to be that way. LOL As for the zip ties, I'd be totally lost without them!! I have a gallon zip lock bag full of them. They are aerospace grade with the stainless steel tab. I got them from Boeing surplus years ago.

[websterz]

Very impressive work sir! Thank you for sharing.

Do you think you could pull that off with just the mill?
You are most welcome, and thank you for the kind words!

You could do it with just a mill but it would be a ton more work. Your only options for cutting the cavities would be to run the form tool in a boring head or to use a self centering vise and a cherry. The latter would be the preferred method of the two but only if you already had the prohibitively expensive vise. IMHO the lathe is the only way to fly! :-)

[Sticky]

No, no real logic behind the alternating pins. It just seemed like it ought to be that way. LOL As for the zip ties, I'd be totally lost without them!! I have a gallon zip lock bag full of them. They are aerospace grade with the stainless steel tab. I got them from Boeing surplus years ago.

I would kiss the man that invented zipties... I swear!!! LOL

[websterz]

I don't think I would. :-)

[websterz]

This morning I got the new mould mounted and cast a few test boolits. To my surprise I achieved the near impossible. The boolits vary a mere .2 grains between cavity one and two and the length is dead nuts between the two! The average weight is 140.1 grains. Functionally the cavities are identical and I cannot tell the boolits apart. They are slightly out of round so I will lap the cavities now but I call this one a success. I'm going to make up a couple of dummy rounds and see how they chamber while I wait for the mould to cool.

http://i797.photobucket.com/albums/yy258/websterzdesign/Mobile%20Uploads/20150226_100232.jpg (http://s797.photobucket.com/user/websterzdesign/media/Mobile%20Uploads/20150226_100232.jpg.html)

[websterz]

At 1.095" the rounds plunk and chamber perfectly in my SR9. I think this is going to be an awesome boolit!
http://i797.photobucket.com/albums/yy258/websterzdesign/Mobile%20Uploads/20150226_103445.jpg (http://s797.photobucket.com/user/websterzdesign/media/Mobile%20Uploads/20150226_103445.jpg.html)

[crawfobj]

Great job! Thanks for sharing this.

[bedbugbilly]

Great job and a very interesting post! Just goes to prove what you can do with the right tools and it's only limited by your imagination! You can really be proud of your work - I really enjoyed the photos and the progression of the project. Thank you very much for sharing!

[xman777]

This was very informative. Thanks!

[Lonegun1894]

Thank you also. I wish I had your skills and talent.

[smoked turkey]

Not to mention his tools! But seriously that is a very good piece of work. You did good. Thanks.

[fast ronnie]

One of your pictures gave me a good tip. I was chambering a barrel tonight, and my tailstock index numbers don't add up. I guess I'll be making an indicator plate tomorrow! Don't know why I'd never thought of that one!

[websterz]

Thanks for all the kind words guys!! I'm glad I was able to provide a little diversion and maybe a trick or two. :-)

[too many things]

I am not a machinist why wouldn't you cut the forming tool on opposed sides that is way we do thread holes in wood. just asking

[btroj]

That is awesome. Thanks for sharing.

[ph4570]

Very well done!

What milling machine is that? From the partial shots it looks like it may be a BF20/G0704 type. I have a G0704 that I have converted to CNC and it works real well.

[bhn22]

Great thread, great work!

Now Brad has to explain to his wife why he needs a mill to go along with his new lathe.

[btroj]

Yeah, I know.

[websterz]

I am not a machinist why wouldn't you cut the forming tool on opposed sides that is way we do thread holes in wood. just asking

The form tool can only cut on one edge. Otherwise when it is fed in and out of the cavity it would wipe out the lube grooves.

[websterz]

Very well done!

What milling machine is that? From the partial shots it looks like it may be a BF20/G0704 type. I have a G0704 that I have converted to CNC and it works real well.

Good eye! It is a G0704.

[websterz]

I'm sawing a couple of brass blocks off right now...:bigsmyl2:

[MrWolf]

That is really impressive. Nice job!

[rking22]

Nice looking bullet , and darn good craftmanship on the mould. I see you have motivated some to dive it themselves, a worthy project!

[merlin101]

Very cool! You've given me the confidence to make my own. Now all I need is some raw blocks and a saw and a lathe and a mill and some tooling aww my wifes gonna hate you!:bigsmyl2:

Really, I truly wish I had the skill to do that!

[geargnasher]

Lee and Accurate will sell you finished blanks....just sayin'.

Gear

[freebullet]

Please do share photos of the brass mold build along. I can't resist purty brass molds, I just cant.

[websterz]

Please do share photos of the brass mold build along. I can't resist purty brass molds, I just cant.

I don't know how purty they'll be but I'll definitely get you some pix. :lovebooli

[TXGunNut]

Never knew how the cavities were bored. Thanks for the keystrokes and pics.

[websterz]

Never knew how the cavities were bored. Thanks for the keystrokes and pics.
You're welcome. :bigsmyl2:

[1989toddm]

The form tool can only cut on one edge. Otherwise when it is fed in and out of the cavity it would wipe out the lube grooves.

I'm still puzzled..it seems as though the cutter would wipe out the lube grooves anyway?

[Nueces]

I'm still puzzled..it seems as though the cutter would wipe out the lube grooves anyway?

Websterz feeds his cutter from the center out, radially, to form the cavity. Feeding it axially would indeed wipe out the grooves.

[1989toddm]

Ok I need more experience/understanding of machining processes. Hope to get the chance to learn more in the near future!

[country gent]

The actual cutter is under sized to fit inside the moulds lube grooves with a small amount of clearence then feed in y axis out to make the dia of everything correct. Think of this as a single flute form cutter. Since lube groves are around .020 on a side deep then cutter needs to be .050-.060 undersized to fit in pilot hole. The Mould could be bored with a single point boring bar also but that is more work and much more work. A digitlal readout makes the single point way easier.

[websterz]

Someone asked for purty brass pics?
http://i797.photobucket.com/albums/yy258/websterzdesign/Mobile%20Uploads/20150302_125351.jpg (http://s797.photobucket.com/user/websterzdesign/media/Mobile%20Uploads/20150302_125351.jpg.html)

[websterz]

This time I'm going to use the heavier duty six cavity handles. They'll give me much better control of the heavier brass mould. More to come tomorrow!

http://i797.photobucket.com/albums/yy258/websterzdesign/Mobile%20Uploads/20150302_133009.jpg (http://s797.photobucket.com/user/websterzdesign/media/Mobile%20Uploads/20150302_133009.jpg.html)

[crawfobj]

You're killing me.

[websterz]

You're killing me.

I'm sorry. Want me to stop? :-)

[crawfobj]

Absolutely not!

[Blublister]

This is an awesome thread. Great instructional. Please keep the pics coming.

[websterz]

absolutely not!

lol!!!

[DrCaveman]

Nothing to add, awesome thread. One of my favorites on this entire forum.

I found this video a few weeks ago, i would venture that your final product is better, but this shows a bunch of the steps in motion picture format. I would be interested to hear how your process differs, in subtle ways.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gCh2TkMDcEo&feature=youtube_gdata_player


Thanks a ton for posting this, keep it coming!

[1989toddm]

Nothing to add, awesome thread. One of my favorites on this entire forum.

I found this video a few weeks ago, i would venture that your final product is better, but this shows a bunch of the steps in motion picture format. I would be interested to hear how your process differs, in subtle ways.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gCh2TkMDcEo&feature=youtube_gdata_player


Thanks a ton for posting this, keep it coming!

Thanks! Now I understand it!

[Lonegun1894]

I'm sorry. Want me to stop? :-)

PLEEEASE DONT? This is great. It'll end up costing me money, but education is never cheap, and always worth it. Keep up the good work. So when are you going to start accepting orders???? :)

[websterz]

I'm thinking about building a boolit knurling tool and making this brass mould so it casts smooth boolits. If I go this route I'll definitely take pics.

[websterz]

Nothing to add, awesome thread. One of my favorites on this entire forum.

I found this video a few weeks ago, i would venture that your final product is better, but this shows a bunch of the steps in motion picture format. I would be interested to hear how your process differs, in subtle ways.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gCh2TkMDcEo&feature=youtube_gdata_player


Thanks a ton for posting this, keep it coming!

Aside from the obvious difference in the way he makes his mould blocks there really isn't any difference. In fact I studied the same video before I started building my first mould. Use of the four jaw chuck obviously allows me to work with rectangular material and multiple cavities but other than that it's pretty much the same process.

[websterz]

Temporarily mounted on the handles using drill bits for pins. This lets me quickly check alignment before I start the lathe work. Everything lines up great!

http://i797.photobucket.com/albums/yy258/websterzdesign/Mobile%20Uploads/20150303_103646.jpg (http://s797.photobucket.com/user/websterzdesign/media/Mobile%20Uploads/20150303_103646.jpg.html)

[Sticky]

Lookin good so far!! :happy dance:

[websterz]

Knurling a piece of 4140. This will be used for the embossing rollers on my boolit knurling rig.

http://i797.photobucket.com/albums/yy258/websterzdesign/Mobile%20Uploads/20150303_112037.jpg (http://s797.photobucket.com/user/websterzdesign/media/Mobile%20Uploads/20150303_112037.jpg.html)