Why and How I cast with the Cam Lever Forward on 6+ Cavity Molds

[rototerrier]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_-du_kL3uOU

I've been asked this several times, and decided I'd post a video of how and why I cast with my Cam lever forward on my 6 - 8 cavity molds.

This particular mold is a new Mihec 357-135 Groove Less mold. This is the 3rd time casting with it and I just fired up the pot specifically to film this video and then shut everything back down.

There were a few little hiccups that wouldn't normally occur due to me breaking my cadence to show things in the video. Normally, once I get rolling, I just pour, set under fan and do a quick 6 count, break and drop and repeat until the pot is empty.

A couple of things to note about how I do things:

1) I'm right handed and prefer to hold the mold in my right hand.
2) The RCBS Pro Melt comes oriented for the right hand, meaning you hold the mold in your left hand and lift the handle with your right. I flipped mine around so that it's operated with the left hand.
3) I dump my sprues directly back into the pot as I cast. As such, I have my PID calibrated to account for this fluctuation.
4) I keep a steady speed throughout my casting and make use of a fan.
5) All my "counts" aren't true seconds but rather a count I do in my head.
6) The counts aren't set in stone. I pay close attention to how the break of the sprue feels and will adjust my counts on the fly to allow the mold to cool down or heat up as necessary.
7) The alloy mixture makes a difference. What I'll be showing in the video is specifically for the alloy I'll be casting with. My current mixture is 12lbs of COWW, 2.5lbs RotoMetals Super Hard and 3.5oz of Pewter.
8) I open the mold with only 1 hand and I use a technique similar to using chopsticks. The left side of the mold and the sprue plate stay stationary while just the right side of the mold snaps open. I keep the sprue plate opened just far enough to expose all the cavities while keeping it over as much of the aluminum as possible. I've found this prolongs the life of the mold and lessens the wear around the bolt area.
9) There is lube on the sprue plate. Every 50 or so drops, I'll load a cue tip with a little Mihec lube and apply to the leading and trailing edges of the sprue plate and around the bolt and hinges, being careful to not over do it so it doesn't cause deformation of the boolit bases.

I know it appears a couple times like I'm slapping the mold pretty hard against my hands to get the sprue to turn loose from the sprue plate, but it's actually quite soft and doesn't damage or put pressure on anything. This only happens when I let things get a little too cool. Again, not something that typically happens when focused and in a rhythm. When everything is maintaining the proper temperatures, the sprue just falls off into my hands and all the boolits just drop right out.

It's a rather boring video and is in no way professional. Just showing how I like to do things in hopes of explaining and clearing up any confusion with why and how I cast with the cam handle forward.

I know the safety police will probably come and arrest me, or at least berate me, for not having on my proper attire, etc. Though I am casting indoors, the noise you are hearing is a vent hood just out of sight above the pot with the vent hood fan running and an inline booster fan in a pipe leading outside. I'm totally ventilated.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_-du_kL3uOU

[toallmy]

That's a pretty slick operation you have their with the blocks reversed , but I couldn't take my eyes off of the pro melt not dripping .

[NoAngel]

Always a different way to skin a cat.

[rototerrier]

Lee Drop-O-Matic is currently keeping my shelf from floating away.

I do still use it when I'm casting 45acp or 45-70 boolits. I use it as a pre-melt to keep the RCBS fed. I just ladle from it to the RCBS when I start getting low. 2 x 4 cavity 230gr 45 molds drains the pot very quickly! 9mm isn't so bad.

[Echo]

Thanks, RT - looks good...

[Tom W.]

Sometimes I have trouble understanding simple things. Is all you did was put the handles on from the other direction?

[rototerrier]

Yes. That's all. It's always seemed easier for me this way.

[copdills]

Thanks for the information

[Tom W.]

Thanks. It looks like something I need to try if it will fit under my
drip-o-matic.

[waco]

Please tell me where I can buy a fan like that one? That is slick.

[slim1836]

Nice idea, thanks. I would think twice about a latex glove on the other hand, they melt quick and can leave a nasty burn. YMMV.

Slim

[therealhitman]

Nice looking boolits all the way around. No lube gruves is just sleek lookin' and the pours are perfect. Unorthodox and yet obviously very efficient technique ya got there.
Have you tried using that "6ish count" time to fill a second mold and alternate from there? I am seeing you running with a super consistent 8 second pour and about a 12 second cool and drop time. Not much cadence change would be required to double your output. I am assuming you have tried it and chosen this approach instead. I pour and drop at roughly 10 seconds since I am just dumping sprues into a box. So I am giving my aluminum molds shorter cool down periods between pours. And that has me confuzzled since I am running slightly hotter at about a 700 degree melt with COWW + lino and find the need for a hot plate rather than a fan. Are my cheapie Lee blocks that much thinner than miHecs to shed temp so much faster?

[runfiverun]

I have a fan like that one.
I probably got it at walmart.
I don't use it for casting though, the magma pots have one that mounts right on the front edge of the pot itself.
I just slide the mold out on the box as I fill it, if I pull it out a little further it is under the fan.
I let go of the handles and count.

[rototerrier]

199480

Massay 9 Inch Fan

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Mainstays-High-Velocity-Portable-Fan-9/17129010?wmlspartner=wlpa&adid=22222222227017571281&wl0=&wl1=g&wl2=c&wl3=40872627992&wl4=aud-310687322322:pla-64347100985&wl5=9010876&wl6=&wl7=&wl8=&wl9=pla&wl10=8175035&wl11=online&wl12=17129010&wl13=&veh=sem

My second mold just came yesterday afternoon. Crazy how they would show up several days apart, but I guess that's customs.

Lee molds are significantly smaller so the characteristics and timing are definitely a bit different.

199477
199478

I tried casting an entire post yesterday afternoon with both of these molds, and they wore me out. First off, the fan was completely unnecessary. The molds would cool just fine on their own between pours and drops. Unfortunately they would cool just a little too quickly. At first, I tried speeding up and worked up a sweat and was just barely able to keep up. Finally I turned on my hot plate and used it to slow the cooling just enough to finally be able to keep up.

It'll take practice to get figured out. But, considering just how quickly I can cool a single mold under that fan, I'm not sure I get enough extra productivity out of the hassle required to run 2 molds of this size. It was truly a struggle. I've never had any trouble running 2 x 6 cavity Lee molds and I always run 2 x 4 Cavity molds together.

This was the first time I struggled to keep up. And by struggle, I mean that literally. I had sweat running down my back, head was soaked, shoulder was aching. I was hustling.

[Sawdust]

3) I dump my sprues directly back into the pot as I cast. As such, I have my PID calibrated to account for this fluctuation.


How do you do calibrate the PID for dumping sprues?

Thanks

[CraigOK]

Pretty slick, thanks for taking the time to make the video

[rototerrier]

My (MyPin) has a learn function. I just hold the "AT" button for several seconds and it goes into a Learn Mode.

I first had it learn to control the temperature without returning the sprues. Then I did it again while returning the sprues. The learn only lasts for a couple minutes, so you have to do it while everything is stable and in the middle of your normal casting routine.

You'll notice the temperature overshoots if I'm not putting the sprues back in quickly enough. It'll overshoot by up to 30-40 degrees if I stop putting the sprues in.

The most interesting thing is that the settings I have now work both for my pot AND my convection oven. I use the same PID for both and don't have to recalibrate or adjust settings. I have 2 dedicated thermocouples for my pot and my oven and have the easy plug there to swap out.

I currently use smokes powders and bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes and it locks the oven in at 400-401 degrees.

[brass410]

excellent video sometimes a video is worth a 1000 words

[fredj338]

That's a pretty slick operation you have their with the blocks reversed , but I couldn't take my eyes off of the pro melt not dripping .

I hear this often but neither of my Lee pots drips. I have an old 10# & about 5yr old 20#. Just don't drain the pot & never melt scrap in it. Mine rarely if ever drip.

[Sawdust]

Thanks rototerrier