Down draft mould cooler

[Pardini]

Currently I cast with two moulds, with a small fan blowing across one while I work the other. Fill one set in front of the fan, pick up the other empty it, fill it then put it back under the fan and pick up the other. The fan, the sprue and bullet catch containers are on a cart on my left side and the pot is on a bench in front of me.

I'm wanting to streamline the set up on the cart and am thinking of putting a fan under the cart top, drilling holes in the top or installing a grate of some sort. That way the fan would be out of the way and pull air down through the top to cool the moulds. Am also thinking of mounting the sprue and bullet catches down into the top so they are flush with the surface of the cart top.

I'm wondering how well the down draft will cool the moulds compared to a fan blowing across the top. Have any of you tried a down draft set up? Thoughts about the idea?

[Dragonheart]

Run two brass mold and you won't have to worry about it as they like it hot. A downdraft would probably be more compact, but I can't say I would think it more efficient as it is trying to pull down what is naturally rising.

[Pardini]

Starting over with brass ain't gonna happen. Could always push air up from underneath.

[Mike W1]

Mine's in this box and it blows downward. It'll do the job.

http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u310/Mike4245/HPIM1076.jpg

[country gent]

Done right with the cowling to control the air flow it should work very nicely for what you want to do. I would cut a square of rectangular opening and a hardware clloth grate ( metal 1/4" squares) and a sheet metal or wood quide under neath to help fan pull thru and maybe even a little 3 sided cowling on top slightly higher than the moulds. If using sheet metal fold 3/4" over on it self to have a "soft" edge.

[Pardini]

Mine's in this box and it blows downward. It'll do the job.

http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u310/Mike4245/HPIM1076.jpg

I'm sure it does, but low profile it's not.

[1_Ogre]

when I cast, it's with steel moulds and I always cast a minimum of 2, usually 3 moulds. Fill first, set it down, fill second, set it down, fill third, set it down and pick up #1. By that time, even though they are 4 cavity moulds, thy have had ample time to cool down. Have never needed a fan, but that's the way I cast

[Dragonheart]

I use multiple molds simultaneously also, not only do I not have to have more equipment taking up space I can turn out a lot more bullets for the time spent.

[bangerjim]

You have a problem MOST do not have. Most have the problem of under-temp molds....wrinkles! I have never had or seen the need for a mold cooler. I just adjust my rate to keep the temp in the ballpark I want. Just slow down! Never had an over-hot mold problem....ever.

And brass is your real solution. That is all I ever buy these days. I have many dozens of Al molds also. And ferrous molds too.

But do what you feel you must to get good boolits that meet your quality needs.

banger

[Pardini]

Slowing down is never going to part of my game plan. I can do 800+ bullets/hour with two four Cavs. I was hoping to refine my set up and increase production. Have not tried working three moulds, thought about it, but really not certain production would increase as a result. As it is now I'm not waiting for moulds to cool, pick em up and set em down as fast as possible.

[bangerjim]

So why do you need so many bollits /hour? This is supposed to be a relaxing hobby! I run my **** off at my job! I take my time, casting several hundred using 4, 5, or 6 cav molds. They never seem to get too hot. But I like frosty boolits anyway. the PC seems to stick better. I only cast with one mold while the others for that session are pre-heating to full casting temp on the hotplate with my feed ingots.

I cast a few hundred, PC them, and store them away for loading at a later date. When I get down to 50 or so, I cast some more.

Simple and fun and not working against any clock or production schedule.

Your mold cooler will probably let you do your production line thing.

bangerjim

[Pardini]

Can't shoot without bullets. Given the choice of shooting or casting, I'll be at the range not the garage. A couple hundred bullets is what it takes to shoot a USPSA, ICORE, SASS OR IDPA match times four to six matches a month, sometimes eight, plus at least one practice session a month of five or six hundred rounds. Typically when I load its in lots of twelve to fifteen hundred rounds. I use some of the same bullets in different loads for different guns, so when I cast a particular bullet I may need three or four thousand depending on what guns need ammo for what match.

I enjoy casting good bullets and using them to beat the other guy that's buying his, but I don't necessarily find it relaxing and I don't want to spend all day doing it. When I need bullets I'll do two, one hour stints a day for two or three days in a row. Before that, range scrape gets smelted into ingots, which gets alloyed with foundry type, which are cast into ingots that feed the pot. All the forty and nine brass goes through a case master junior, bullets gets sized and it all comes together on the Dillon. Casting the bullets is just part of the process that I strive to do as efficiently as possible. So yeah, I guess its like work, working for the weekend trigger time. Still enjoyable, but sure doesn't sound like it or even make sense to most non casting reloaders or even to me when I think about it too much.

[freebullet]

Sounds like your on the brink of needing an automated casting machine. I can do 600/hr from a cheap lee 6 cavity. Never have enjoyed using multiple molds at the same time myself. Figure when that 600/hr won't keep up or takes to many hours I'll buy or build an automated unit.

[gunarea]

Hey Pardini
Here is what cools my moulds. Faster more consistent empty cavity temp will increase cadence. That is a computer power supply heat sink with attached fan. Empty 22 cases into mounting holes make a slight ergonomic slope. Just an option.


155436
Now retired, time is no longer an issue. Consistent high quality castings is my goal and reward. Get you one.
Roy

[Pardini]

That's an innovative idea. The down draft idea is to be low profile so it keeps the area free of obstacles to navigate the moulds around and easy to set and pick the moulds off of. The other thought is that it will draw air down and around the entire mould block cooling all sides more evenly. My fan hits the top and a couple of sides, but the air flow is greater on some sides than others.