Need help with a heavy mold and bottom pour pot

[selmerfan]

I've got a 10 cavity H&G 51 .358/155 SWC mold that I need some help with. I LOVE the mold - except it's a heavy bugger. I've got a neuromuscular condition that leads to fatigue and I just had an exacerbation that put me in the hospital and I'm having lingering hand fatigue. So I can't use the mold unless I figure out how to get the mold up to the pour spout on my Lee 10 pound drip-o-matic. What have you guys done to create mold guides that get the molds closer to the spout? Because it's a 10 cavity it's quite long, so I have to move it side to side relative to the base rather than in and out while pouring. I have one idea, but it's not a great one and I haven't tried it yet. I thought I'd get some more input before I did any tinkering.
Thanks!
Selmerfan

[dverna]

I had a 10 cavity #50. It had a large "furrow" on the spruce plate that allowed the melt to flow to each cavity as I poured the melt from the ladle. I never used a bottom pour but I see no reason to move the mold side to side

I have a compressed nerve and cannot use large molds. I am looking at getting a MasterCaster. I feel your pain.

[TXGunNut]

What are you thinking, Selmerfan? Safe bet someone here has tried it and can give some pointers. I'm noticing a bit more shoulder fatigue in recent years and am looking for ways to reduce it. Really disappointing to get the mold and pour temps right, get a good tempo down and then have to take a brake to let tired nerves & muscles recover.

[swamp]

There is a member that makes a shelf and guide that are adjustable. They work quite well.
swamp

[Echo]

I use a stage made from 1x3 lumber - a couple of layers are enough for my lyman and 4/6/10 bangers. The 10-bangers will need to be used sideways with your Lee, and my guess is that putting the control pedestal on the right, that would put the flow control on the left, would be the way to go, for a right-hander, pushing(pulling?) the mold through as pouring the alloy.

[Mike W1]

Don't have molds that big but I like to be able to move the mold slightly. Might do something on this order with appropriate spacers below a smooth aluminum surface.
http://i.imgur.com/B6rEswO.jpg

[SSGOldfart]

I've got a 10 cavity H&G 51 .358/155 SWC mold that I need some help with. I LOVE the mold - except it's a heavy bugger. I've got a neuromuscular condition that leads to fatigue and I just had an exacerbation that put me in the hospital and I'm having lingering hand fatigue. So I can't use the mold unless I figure out how to get the mold up to the pour spout on my Lee 10 pound drip-o-matic. What have you guys done to create mold guides that get the molds closer to the spout? Because it's a 10 cavity it's quite long, so I have to move it side to side relative to the base rather than in and out while pouring. I have one idea, but it's not a great one and I haven't tried it yet. I thought I'd get some more input before I did any tinkering.
Thanks!
Selmerfan
Sir there are a number of ways,I'm a wheelchair bound veteran with one arm I use a few 10cavity molds,you build a ramp so the mold slides along the ramp,I used treated lumber so it discolored,but never burns and lead drips from my drip-O-matic Lee pot doesn't stick to it. If you have to do it all one handed you'll need to make a casting box for dumping the mold into. I've found a few drops of oil(spruce oil) on the ramp will help the mold slide along but if your casting indoors it's going to smoke and smell,not something most wife's are going to live with. At one time I had a small roller ramp made out of 3/8" pipe to roll the molds up and down the ramp. Sorry I can't get a picture to load?????[smilie=1:

[Artful]

Well, Never done it but put on my thinking cap (I know dangerous) and looked around and here's what I'm suggesting.

Making a roller ball bearing support sort of like this
http://ec-i01.geccdn.net/site/images/n-picgroup/2923.jpg

or build your own by putting in some of these
http://www.rockler.com/ball-bearing-rollers
http://assets.rockler.com/media/catalog/product/cache/1/image/720x720/9df78eab33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/2/0/20815-01-1000.jpg

If you didn't want to buy a commercial version I think you could use
Glass marbles and two hardwood boards to make something like this.
http://turnomat.com/assets/pics-products/gsp1agg.gif
http://turnomat.com/assets/pics-products/ballplate-gsp.gif
http://turnomat.com/quality-products/ball-bearing-gib-assembly/

You could get away with simple wheels
but I think you'd need guide rails on each side to center the
mold under the pour spout.

http://www.slideways.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/accumulation-rollers-sm-300x171.jpg

[jsizemore]

Don't have molds that big but I like to be able to move the mold slightly. Might do something on this order with appropriate spacers below a smooth aluminum surface.
http://i.imgur.com/B6rEswO.jpg

That's a good idea.

[Half Dog]

I have the same mold and issue. Here is my solution, which taxes my skill level.
175941

The sun is shining on red curtains.

[selmerfan]

Ha - I forgot to turn notifications for this thread. I'll read through and get back to y'all.

[selmerfan]

I had a 10 cavity #50. It had a large "furrow" on the spruce plate that allowed the melt to flow to each cavity as I poured the melt from the ladle. I never used a bottom pour but I see no reason to move the mold side to side

I have a compressed nerve and cannot use large molds. I am looking at getting a MasterCaster. I feel your pain.

Mine has that furrow also. I never thought about just letting it flow.

[Hardcast416taylor]

When I had a LEE 10 lb. high access pot I had made up a few different height adaptors with a piece of aluminum on the top so the mold would slide better. I say different heights for different height molds. On my RCBS 20 lb. pot I put a 3" long piece of 1/4" stainless pipe on the mold guide rod and put a stop on the rod end so the pipe would stay on the rod yet spin when the mold was pushed in, works very nicely.Robert

[Dragonheart]

I don't have a Lee pot, but I had similar problems with my RCBS Pro Melt. in addition to making a wide stainless base so I can have a place for multiple molds I made a stainless plate to take the load of my brass molds which are heavy. I think something
similar, just coming from the bottom would work.
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