What caused this ?

[Wolfdog91]

So I figure y'all are getting a little irritated with all the questions but I got another lol. Was messing with my HM2 again , figured I had reassambled it correctly and all but can't seem to get a decent bullet out of it. Alot of them had these base sprews. Was it just me cutting them to early or could I have possibly re assabled the mold in correctly?
Further info being lead was around 800 mold was pre heated and I lived the bottom of the sprew paled with a light coat if 2 cycle oil like y'all suggested. Also I'm not sure is this gape is too much but I put the washer in the bottom of the sprew plate like I remember it originally.
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Also my camera just did a really good job taking the picture and honestly it makes the gap look much bigger than it is. More than happy to post more pictures if it helps

[Markopolo]

i think you reassembled incorrectly... i see lots of daylight between bottom of sprew plate to the mold... i think you have the washer in the wrong spot where the sprew plate is connected.. yes the camera makes it look bigger, but there should be next to 0 gap. that plate should have very close clearance. take the sprew plate off and remove the bottom washer, and place it closest to the screw head.. should fix it.

hope this helps...

[Old Caster]

Wolfdog, the sprue plate should be tight against the mold and I doubt that washer should be between the sprue plate and the mold.

[Conditor22]

the mold isn't clean. IF it's a new mold did you heat cycle it like the directions called for.

the mold most likely wasn't hot enough and the sprue plate was cold not giving you complete fill on the base of the boolit.

the "finning" flat metal on the base is usually caused by the sprue plate not sitting flat on the mold so when you hold the mold up to the light you will see light between the sprue plate and the top of the mold. --- try loosening the sprue plate, NOT tightening to see if it will lay flat.

looks like there is something between the sprue plate and the mold where the sprue screw is. IF you over tighten the screw it can pull up some of the aluminum and cause a raised ring. --take off the sprue plate. get a piece of glass or tile and wet/dry paper and carefully sand the top flat. sometimes I put a little chamfer around the hold where the sprue screw goes.

IF that's a wave washer, it belongs on top of the sprue plate to lightly hold the sprue plate flat on the mold.

[huntnman]

Washer on top of sprue plate concave up towards head of the screw.
Screw head
washer bubble up
sprue plate

[BNE]

i think you reassembled incorrectly... i see lots of daylight between bottom of sprew plate to the mold... i think you have the washer in the wrong spot where the sprew plate is connected.. yes the camera makes it look bigger, but there should be next to 0 gap. that plate should have very close clearance. take the sprew plate off and remove the bottom washer, and place it closest to the screw head.. should fix it.

hope this helps...


Agree

[Wolfdog91]

Ok so this was the wrong order then interesting. Any reason why the mold would have ad two washers ok n it though ? I specifically remember when it broke there was a washer under the sprew plate and one under the screw head. It was a used Mold so possibly be it was something the original owner did ?
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[sigep1764]

Might have put it together wrong before you got it. Lose that washer, reassemble, and keep that hinge and sprue plate lubed. Base flashing should go away.

[mroliver77]

Somebody messed up. No washer under plate.

[John Boy]

OK, now we know it is a 2nd hand mold ... and the 1st owner sold it cause he put 2 washers on it not knowing also the sprue plate has to be loosely on top of the mold haves with no air space

Plain logic says a flush flat bullet base cannot be obtained if the sprue plate is swinging up over the top of the mold ...

[onelight]

The spruce plate does not need to be to tight but should lay flat against the mold .
Like pointed out the washer should be on the other side of th plate.

[John Boy]

the proper height of at the sprue plate is .... hold the mold handles and flip the mold. The sprue plate should be just tightened enough to flip open from the mold

[Old Caster]

Wolfdog, Also when you lube the sprue plate make sure you only put lube between the plate and mold by the pivot point and keep it a small enough amount so it doesn't travel to the rest of the mold. On top of the plate between the bolt head there should be a bent washer like huntnman explained. I like to use the steel plates because it keeps the aluminum mold from making the sprue plate abrade in the pivot point. I only got some recently and it is the best. Aluminum to aluminum causes wear quickly but aluminum to steel does not. Hope this gets you going again.

[405grain]

Hey Wolfdog: There's always more stuff to learn. The other guys are right about the washer being in the wrong spot. But while we're on the topic of sprue plates and gaps - If you open the sprue plate too soon, before the alloy has had a chance to fully solidify, it will cause lead to begin smearing on the underside of the sprue plate. Because of the way the plate pivots, this smearing will look like a circular arc of lead that goes from the sprue hole over to the edge of the plate. This arc of leading will just keep on building up unless it's removed. Once it gets thick enough it will start to try lifting the sprue plate off the top of the mold blocks and cause even more trouble. There's lots of posts about cleaning the lead off the sprue plate, but the best remedy is to be patient and let the alloy fully solidify before opening the sprue and avoid that problem all together. Your questions aren't irritating, they're full of enthusiasm and desire to learn.

[Wayne Smith]

When I use the lube on the sprue plate I use a double ended Q-tip. Wipe it on with one end, wipe it off with the clean end. What is left is enough and won't migrate. More left will migrate into the cavity and cause problems.

[Gtek]

The manufacturer may have felt two washers stacked on top would give more pressure and stiffened if concave. Also one thing I do with a new to me mold no matter who made it is a complete inspection of all including plate. First is look at fill holes to confirm nice sharp edges at bottom, if not counter sink or cut/sand/polish to sharp. Then take a flat plate, piece of glass, etc. and lay a piece of 600 wet on it and wet. Lightly, gently lay fingers on and slide around and inspect for being nice and flat confirming no carry through from your or previous work. Then I usually end with cleaning up perimeter by putting a radius on all the edges. The aftermarket guys can really make some pretty stuff, but I have found that things that start with "L" I need to work on a little to make me happy.

[trapper9260]

Wolfdog for all that is stated will help you. Keep asking , we all here to learn . For what is stated about the 2 washers stack or just use one and take your time with the cast to be a solid. once you get the hang of it you will be ok and like stated keep the 2 cycle oil only where the screw is and not in the cavity .

[Conditor22]

Take the washer out and snug down the sprue plate screw (this should be a shoulder bolt and stop at the correct depth), the sprue plate should swing easily. IF the sprue plate is loose and floppy then you need both washers on top. the sprue plate should lay flat and swing easily.

with the washer under the sprue plate, you'll never get good boolits.

that wasn't the only problem I saw, the boolits look grainy.

A close-up picture of the mold cavities would help.

[gwpercle]

Please don't worry about asking questions ... we enjoy solving problems and welcome the questions so don't be shy .
I wish this forum had been around 50 years ago ... would have saved me a lot of missteps and boo-boo's .
Gary

[Wolfdog91]

Take the washer out and snug down the sprue plate screw (this should be a shoulder bolt and stop at the correct depth), the sprue plate should swing easily. IF the sprue plate is loose and floppy then you need both washers on top. the sprue plate should lay flat and swing easily.

with the washer under the sprue plate, you'll never get good boolits.

that wasn't the only problem I saw, the boolits look grainy.

A close-up picture of the mold cavities would help.

Here they are , last night I went and scrubbed everything real good with dawn hot water and a nylon brush
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[Jniedbalski]

I use dawn and hot water with a old tooth brush. Works good. Also the heat cycling does help a lot. Some of my 2 cavity lee molds didint need it ,casted good right from the start. My lee 6 cavity and my three NOE molds all needed heat cycled. 2 to three cycles then they casted good.

[Conditor22]

the mold cavities look good, your next casting session should go much better with this mold :)

we need pictures of that too [smilie=s::bigsmyl2: