New Mould

[sniper]

O.K., so I got my new (to me) mould in the mail. RCBS 162gr. SWC GC.:) I checked it over, it was in great shape, but it seemed a slight bit looosey-goosey. So, after cleaning a very minor bit of lead and rust from the blocks, I did some research.

I read my RCBS Cast Bullet handbook, and lo and behold, it sez to try and torque the blocks against each other, and there should be little to no movement. There was, small but definitely there. A person was not supposed to be able to close the blocks tight by finger pressure only. There was supposed to be a very small gap visible, when looked at With a strong light behind. I could close them, and no light visible.

So, per instructions, I whacked on the alignment pins, and now there is a very thin strip of light visible between the blocks, even top to bottom and front to back, and movement is at a minimum. On the handles, the light is still visible.

Did I do O.K., or should I whack the pins in a tad, till there is no light at all visible, , and go a'casting?

Whadda' ya think?

Thanks.

[HORNET]

Use your case mouth deburring tool and lightly deburr the holes the pins go into. Try the fit again. If the blocks still show a small gap, put them down together on a smooth surface and tap them firmly shut with a light hammer blow. That should seat the pins about where you want them and allow closing the blocks tightly using the handles. Please remember that this fit will "wear in" when you start casting.

[e15cap]

Now lets think about this. If you have a gap big enough to see light through, do you think that maybe lead can flow into that same gap? The answer, in my experience is yes. The result is fins, big parting lines and other ugly crap. Try it both ways and see what works best for you, but if I see light, I am looking for what is holding the blocks apart, cause they aint spoesd to be. Best Roger

[Jon K]

sniper,

Pin alignment & fit. Just what Hornet said................that's why I quit buying RCBS moulds sight unseen. The last few I bought were like that, and took around 2 hrs to fit properly. It seems this a "production rate goes up & QC goes down", and is only in the last 5 or 6 years, I have earlier moulds that fit perfect.

Jon

[sniper]

Now lets think about this. If you have a gap big enough to see light through, do you think that maybe lead can flow into that same gap? The answer, in my experience is yes. The result is fins, big parting lines and other ugly crap. Try it both ways and see what works best for you, but if I see light, I am looking for what is holding the blocks apart, cause they aint spoesd to be. Best Roger


Roger;
Pardon my inexperience, but if I understand what I have read, isn't that what "beagling" a mould does? Using shims of various material to keep the blocks slightly apart, to obtain a larger diameter bullet?

Anyway, I tried what Hornet suggested with the pins, and now, the ends touch, but I can see light between the middle of the blocks. It appears as if the blocks are bowed apart at the middle. A bowlegged mould?:mrgreen: Hmmmm...

I read my Lyman reloading manual and they went on about fitting mould blocks, using jeweler's files, etc., and frankly, I think I would mess up more than I fixed, should I go further with the process. My RCBS Cast Bullet Handbook wasn't a lot of help, either.

I have an email to RCBS to see if they can offer a solution, and the guy I bought it from says he will refund. We will see.

This looks like it has developed into a full-grown "live and learn" growth experience. Oh well, it's only money!:-?
And I was looking forward to using some of that alloy I bought from you this week end, too.

Thanks for the help, guys.

[monadnock#5]

FWIW, if it were my mould, I'd give it a spin and see what happens. Go ahead and cast with it. Worst case scenario, at least you'll have a few castings to send to RCBS along with the mould so that they can see what you're up against.

[e15cap]

Sniper, You are correct about beagling, however that is a situation where you are purposely trying to get an oversize bullet. Those blocks have to be closed tight together to get bullets that are the designed size from that mold. Cast some up and see what she does.
Best Roger

[sniper]

Thanks, Guys! :-D

With the suggestions of forum members, and reference to my RCBS Cast Bullet and Lyman Manuals, I was able to eliminate the gap between my mould blocks.

I first disassembled them, and found there were lead spatters on the block faces. Using a bamboo scraper, I removed as much as I could, and used my lead free cloth to do the rest. While I was at it, tried the #2 pencil and eraser trick, too. Gap narrower. Reset the alignment pins.

I used a piece of 800 grit wet or dry paper on my flat granite tile pounding block, and only the weight of the sprue plate or block to smooth what I could. Gap narrower, but showed a bright ring around the alignment holes and sprue plate screw hole. Used my deburr/chamfer tool gently...gap narrower.

Assemble, check, reassemble, 3 times, gently using the abrasive and the deburr tool, and finally success! That seems to have solved the visible, immediate problems.

Now to wait for my melter, so I can use e15cap's alloy to cast some BOOLITZ!! :Fire:

Once again, guys, thanks! :mrgreen:

[Jon K]

sniper,

Now that it's done doesn't it feel like you have really accomplished something? Makes your statement "This looks like it has developed into a full-grown "live and learn" growth experience" have a new meaning now. Experience like that is a true growth experience.

Jon

[leftiye]

One thought. Maybe see if they make fins, ugly parting lines, oversize boolits, and especially if the mold halves are offset before taking any action. Then, if the boolits are of a good size and round, why bother?

This way if they are offset, you can tap (sometimes a bigger tap is necessary) the blocks - while one is in a vise, tap the other one in the correct direction, and cure the offset (and the halves will close up some too maybe). This probly won't work if you'v removed the burrs around the locating pins already.