JohnH
05-03-2008, 02:25 PM
I've read a few accounts over the years of casting with two molds, but never really gave the method a try untill my last few casting sessions. Don't think I"ll ever go back to using a single mold. I've found that I can cast longer and make a greater total number of boolits and supply for two different guns or two different bullets for the same gun. I also find that some of the trouble I've had with lead smears on top of the blocks/bottom of the sprue plate resolve themselves. As well, the time that I spent waiting for the sprues to cool is now spent opening and refilling the other mold, I'm going going at a more relaxed pace, yet making more boolits.
Since I"m not holding a mold constantly, my hands don't get nearly as cramped as they do when casting with a single mold that I never let go of. Even the brief period of flexing between setting one mold down and picking up another creates enough relaxation of the hand/finger muscles to make a difference. As well, the extra movement created in my path of motion between the two molds, the pot, and the pad I drop boolits on makes enough difference to relive my back enough that I can cast between 2-- and 2 1/2 hours with stopping. I step away from a casting session able to do something else and I'm making about 500 boolits at a whack.
I start each session by plugging in the pot, and setting one mold one top to preheat as the melt come up to temp. When the melt is hot, I begin to cast boolits with that mold, placing the other on top of the pot to preheat. after a bit, 20 casts or so with the first I then begin to add the second into rotation, opening and refilling one, settting it down then opening and refilling the other...repeat for 2 hours or so or tired.....
If you haven't tried this, give it a go, it improved my casting sessions in several ways.
Since I"m not holding a mold constantly, my hands don't get nearly as cramped as they do when casting with a single mold that I never let go of. Even the brief period of flexing between setting one mold down and picking up another creates enough relaxation of the hand/finger muscles to make a difference. As well, the extra movement created in my path of motion between the two molds, the pot, and the pad I drop boolits on makes enough difference to relive my back enough that I can cast between 2-- and 2 1/2 hours with stopping. I step away from a casting session able to do something else and I'm making about 500 boolits at a whack.
I start each session by plugging in the pot, and setting one mold one top to preheat as the melt come up to temp. When the melt is hot, I begin to cast boolits with that mold, placing the other on top of the pot to preheat. after a bit, 20 casts or so with the first I then begin to add the second into rotation, opening and refilling one, settting it down then opening and refilling the other...repeat for 2 hours or so or tired.....
If you haven't tried this, give it a go, it improved my casting sessions in several ways.