ProMelt Help

[lightman]

I got to cast some today and was planning on trying out a new to me H&G mold. It quickly became clear that I am going to have to modify the mold guide to accommodate the screws on the bottom of the H&G mold. What do you guys do? I like the mold but moving the mold across that round rod ain't going to get it!

[leadman]

Can you swing the rod out of the way and find something, maybe and old tin can to rest the mold on? I have a ProMelt and don't have any issues with my Lee, RCBS, Lyman, etc. molds.Is there a different part you can install in place of the offending screws?

[LenH]

I have a 4 cavity H&G that has the screws protruding out the bottom and it causes a few problems. I got an aluminum shelf kit that I got from a guy
that used to advertise here on the site. The shelf kit helped but I had a cover plate made to keep the screws out of the slot for the mold fence.
The guy's user name is OpenNRG, his website is down. 188800

[fecmech]

I swing the guide out of the way, set my Lyman ingot mould upside down on a piece of wood under the spout. Screws slide just fine on the iron bottom. Really any kind of metal at the right height will work.

[lightman]

Thanks for the responses guys! I searched for the guy that made those mods for the Promelt and his web address no longer works and he has not posted here in several months. That was my first thoughts. I hate that, his work looked good. I'm thinking about making a wooden block with rails on each side to try and if it works maybe making one from steel and bolting it to the bottom. Its a nice pot and I want to make something that looks professional (neat). The screws on the bottom of the H&G mold hold the handles on and are exposed where the Lyman and RCBS are flush. I'm hesitant to start modifying the mold. I'll post something when I get get this done.

[John J]

Greetings

H&G molds are easy to modify...you need 2 roil pins 1/8 dia x 3/4 high and 2 set screws 10/32 threded x 1/4 high and all will be flush...all my 4s have been changed over.

good casting

John J

[Mk42gunner]

When I had a H&G mold, I just moved the stop collars on the guide in and ran them inside the screws. Does that make sense?

I don't remember if I ran the mold on one or both collars, it has been a few years since I passed that mold on to another member that actually had a .41 Mag.

Robert

[lightman]

Thanks guys! John, I have roll pin and set screw assortments in the shop. I'll play with this some. Robert, I'm not following you on this. Can you explain in more detail. Guess I'm slow today!

Edit to add; Ok Robert, I got my mind around moving the collars now. Sometimes I can't tell if it the mules ears that are too long or if its his legs? :killingpc

[Greg S]

Check Ebay, I think he is selling his shelf mod there now.

[TexasGrunt]

http://www.opennrg.com/product-category/my2ndright/

Is this the shelf?

[lightman]

Yes, Thats the shelf and I'm pretty sure its the same Guy. I'm going to play with the pins on my mold before I buy that shelf although I am interested in the pot cover. It looks like the guy does excellent work!

[Mk42gunner]

Thanks guys! John, I have roll pin and set screw assortments in the shop. I'll play with this some. Robert, I'm not following you on this. Can you explain in more detail. Guess I'm slow today!

Edit to add; Ok Robert, I got my mind around moving the collars now. Sometimes I can't tell if it the mules ears that are too long or if its his legs? :killingpc

I thought it was obvious, the mules tail is too short:p.

Glad you figured it out.

Robert

[LenH]

Greetings

H&G molds are easy to modify...you need 2 roil pins 1/8 dia x 3/4 high and 2 set screws 10/32 threded x 1/4 high and all will be flush...all my 4s have been changed over.

good casting

John J

Works like a champ, but I wonder if I could have used a longer set screw? But for a $1.50 fix I won't complain.

[Hardcast416taylor]

To let regular bottomed molds roll better over the rod I simply placed a 3/8" dia. piece of stainless pipe nipple between the stops but still let it roll freely between them. Works much easier.Robert

[jsizemore]

I made some replacement screws for the mold. They started out as 10x32x1.5" socket head screws. I chucked the socket head in the drill and used a nut where I wanted the smooth shank of the screw to stop and threads begin. File and emory cloth took care of most metal removal. I cut the socket head from the screw and slotted it so it would fit below the surface of the mold with my Dremel tool. Go slow when checking the cut on the smooth portion of the shank's fit to the mold handles. It takes me about 10 minutes to make each screw. You could just cut the head off the original screws and slot them.

[Hardcast416taylor]

There are headless socket headed set screws available that would work just as well.Robert

[jsizemore]

There are headless socket headed set screws available that would work just as well.Robert

I haven't seen any 1.5" in length.

[Lloyd Smale]

I use an upside down bread pan under the nozzle. pound a couple dents in it near the top and pour about an inch of lead in it and let it cool then dents will keep the lead in place and the extra weight will prevent movement.

[lightman]

I finally got out to the shop and played around with a few things. The roll pins and set screws that John J suggested worked like a charm. I like the idea of putting a piece of tubing between the stops for a roller. I had considered cutting a block of steel and milling a slot in the top of it for a guide and bolting it in place from the bottom. I think it would have looked nice, but modifying the mold was much easier. I knew when I retired and sold all of the electrical material that was in the shop that there was a reason I kept my nuts, bolts and hardware! Thanks for the ideas everyone!

Edited to add, I even cut a piece of flat bar to bolt onto the top of the pot to hold my thermometer! I'll probably be building a PID before too long!

[Dragonheart]

I too have several old H&G molds and several 4 cavity (heavy) brass molds. The RCBS Pro Melt in my opinion is the best furnace for the price, but you are right, that rod is a pain. So I made a support out of some stainless plate. Nice thing about stainless for this purpose is it's a poor conductor of heat also any lead drops solidify instantly and just brushes off.
189236189237