How do you keep HP Pins hot in AL Mould?

[5Shot]

What's the trick? The pins seem to be a tad sticky, but if I run faster to keep them hot, the sprues take forever to cool and the mold overheats. If I run slower, it takes some aggressive taps to get the bullets to release from the pins.

I thought about getting a hot plate and letting the mold cool on there, so that the pins would have some direct heat on them while the sprues were cooling.

[MarkP]

I preheat mold to 325 F on an electric element if they stick on the pins I open up the mold and heat the pins with a propane torch to bluish purple color and cast. If they stick I melt off with torch and recast. Also have used to sprue plate lube (syn 2 cycle oil) on the pins when the heat did not cure the sticking.

[osteodoc08]

I preheat mold to 325 F on an electric element if they stick on the pins I open up the mold and heat the pins with a propane torch to bluish purple color and cast. If they stick I melt off with torch and recast. Also have used to sprue plate lube (syn 2 cycle oil) on the pins when the heat did not cure the sticking.

Exactly what I do.

[Handloader109]

In both my NOE molds the aluminum block is large compared to the bullets. To get the hang to work, I cast fast. As fast as possible. The sprue does take a bit to cure but the bullets drop with no problems. Just fast.

[Yodogsandman]

Most times, increase the heat of your pot a little and cast faster. In your case you might have to lower the pots heat and continue to cast fast. Don't inspect your boolits till you're done. Also, you could try "pressure casting" where you place the sprue hole right up onto the spout, pulling it away when filled and spilling a little alloy to make a sprue puddle. It helps to fill the mold with a heavier, faster stream of alloy, too if you can adjust that. If not, keep your pot filled over half way for the weight of the pots alloy to push the stream out faster.

[376Steyr]

You might try rigging up a small cooling fan that blows directly on the cooling sprues, helping the sprue to cool faster than the mould body.

[Dale53]

As 376Steyr suggests:

http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj80/Dale53/Castingfan-3723.jpg (http://s269.photobucket.com/user/Dale53/media/Castingfan-3723.jpg.html)

When I bought mine, Target and Walmart had these for under $10.00 (they may be seasonal). The fan allows you to cast with a bit hotter metal, as it cools the sprue quickly (2-3 seconds). The pins stay hot and you can cast FAST! I use mold release on the part of the pin that forms the hollow point. The bullets just flat fall off when the mold is opened.

Dale53

[RobS]

Yep, the cooling fan is the route I use. Cast at a hotter pot temp and cast fast.

[maxreloader]

Is that a lino pig under the fan? I have some of these and always wondered... mine are harder than PB for sure and same end/dimensions.