Hard to operate sprue cutter

[jgh4445]

I bought an Arsenal 454424, 260 gr 45 LC, 5 cavity mold and am having a devil of a time with the sprue plate. I can hold the mold sideways empty and the plate easily just falls off. Heat it up and fill it with lead and it takes a brass hammer to get it to cut the sprue and move aside. The mold makes great boolits, they fall out by them selves and are really consistent in size and weight. If I cast with the plate loose enough not to have to be beat with the hammer, I get a big sprue in the middle of the base of the boolit. If I tighten it down to alleviate this, I can hardly move it. Suggestions? ( I use bullplate)

[too many things]

do you have the wave washer under the screw? or you can use a THIN lock type washer but you have to make them , or buy one

[jgh4445]

Yep, very thin washer under the screw.

[Hardcast416taylor]

Sounds like you are letting the pour harden too much before attempting to open. What sort of alloy are you using, too soft may cause this problem.Robert

[bangerjim]

Lots of things could be wrong:

Mold too cold
Lead too cold
Waiting too long to cut
Washer missing
Alloy?
Needs better/more mold lube

A gentle tap with a wooden or rawhide mallet is all it should take.

banger

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

If your mold and sprue plate is hot enough, you should be able to open the sprue plate with a gloved hand, that is how I open it.
Now what's hot enough ?
After you fill your mold, the sprue should remain molten for a few seconds before it freezes. each mold is likes something different, but maintaining a pouring/dumping pace so the sprue freezes in 4 to 5 seconds is a good place to start.

[Sensai]

I'm not familiar with Arsenal molds, but if the sprue plate holes are not drilled/countersunk deeply enough you will have that problem. Looking at the sides of the hole(s) here should be a short area where the hole is vertical sided and then the sides should angle out towards the top of the plate. The flat sided area should be very short. If it is too long the sprue plate will have a lot of resistance to cutting through the sprue. Compare the hole profile to another mold, and see if there is a lot of difference. Just one possibility out of many.

[toallmy]

Make shore the spru plate is flat not slightly bowed .pore fast with a good flow , and cut it quick. by the way, the mold manufacturer is a member of cast bullets , and is very helpful .

[jgh4445]

Thanks guys. The alloy is 30-1 and also I've tried some 50/50 WW and lead. I usually wait 5 seconds or so before opening with the alloy at about 650-700 degrees. Cast some more last night and have noticed that after about 50 boolits ( 10 molds full) the sprue cutter opens easier and easier until at about 75 boolits I can indeed open it with my gloved hand and the "stump" on the base of the boolit is gone. Those first 75 are a bear though. Hoping it will get better with more use. Still getting bad creases and wrinkles on most of the noses and sometimes in the crimp groove and lube groove. Molds are squeaky clean so I'm guessing a temp issue. The ones that come out frosted so far are the best with sharp, crisp grooves.

[toallmy]

Try a hotplate.

[kentuckyshooter]

In my limited experence your casting with a cold mold. I dip the corner of the mold and sprue plate in the melt till the lead no longer sticks. When i start casting i got as fas as i can to get the mold up to temp. Forget about keepers at first. When the sprue starts cuting easly ur in the rightp temp range. Then u can start inspecting culls till ur satified with results. Then its just about tempo to keep it in the goldylocks zone for good boolits.

[paul h]

If the mold is pre-heated before use you won't have that problem. With the multiple cavity gang molds you'll really notice the difficulty of cutting the sprues with a cold mold.

I once was given a "junk" lee six cavity mold with a broken sprue plate handle. The previous user didn't pre heat the mold and broke the handle trying to cut a cold sprue.

[dragon813gt]

Sounds like the mold isn't up to full casting temp. I usually have to whack the sprue plate open for the first couple pours. After that I'm able to open it by hand. Pouring every large sprues is a good way to heat the plate up.

[jgh4445]

By consensus it has to be the mold temp. You guys are great thanks. I'll be looking for a hotplate.

[Beagle333]

Yep. Hotplate. Put mold sprue-plate-down on hotplate to warm it up and it will not only drop good boolits faster, but you'll be able to use the glove to open in very few pours. :D

Don't get it TOO hot or you'll have to wait for it to cool some so you don't smear it. Be sure the sprue puddle is not still molten. Happy casting!

[RoGrrr]

JGH

This might give you an idea for help cutting sprues.
I have a 4 cavity mould which is easier to use with my appliance.

Edit to fix a board screwup
Seems that something went awry. (did I ever explain that I HATE computers ?!?)
Let's try this again -
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?152537-My-SPRUE-CUTTER