MP 4c brass help

[0verkill]

I've got a couple 4 cavity MP moulds I really like. The problem is I can't use them. They're heavy, being brass. They're 4 cavity and I have to use a mallet to cut the sprues. Between the weight and the pounding with the hand problems I have, I simply can't cast with them.
The simplest choice would be trade them for 2 cavities, which I'm trying to do.
Second choice would be cut two cavities off, well I could start with one and see if that helps. This would be risky.
Third option is sell the moulds, use the funds for 2 cavities. Sounds good, but everything is backed up.
Option 4, install some sort of lever like the LEE 6 cavity moulds.

Option 2 and 4 would cost money, if even possible, I'm looking for ideas not to spend extra money if you got any.
Fifth option would be find a doctor who's not a *** and get something done about my hands, believe me, that's ALWAYS at the top of the list.

[kevin c]

Just throwing out ideas here:

Do you ladle pour or use a bottom pour pot?

A bottom pour with a mold guide would take the weight of mold instead of your hands and wrists, and also save on holding a lead filled ladle. A new pot is bucks, though.

Once filled the mold can be set down until the sprue hardens, and then turned on its side on a wood block, off set to the side so that when the sprue plate is struck it will have room to move and cut the sprue (maybe pad the surface under the block so the plate doesn't rebound off something hard). Then turn it back upright to finish moving the plate and to open the mold. Hitting the plate with the blocks supported on something firm instead of being hand held should also be a bit more effective.

Instead of cutting the mold, maybe just fill one or two cavities? For maximum mechanical advantage in sprue cutting fill just the one or two cavities closest to the hinge?

Could Miha maybe make you a sprue plate with smaller holes (easier to cut)? That's money, though.

[0verkill]

Thank you, those are some absolutely great ideas. I ladle pour, but I have been meaning to get a 4-20 when I got the money and they go back to non scalper prices.

I was trying just filling 2 cavities with the 32 the other day and it's a big brass block and I had a hard time keeping it hot enough, that may work with the 45 though. Maybe doing cavities 1 and 3 or 2 and 4 might do better than 2 next to each other, worth a shot.

That's pure genius about supporting the mould when cutting the sprues, that brass is real soft though, and I'd be worried about deforming it. I might try that when nothing else works though.

I PM'd Miha a week or so ago and haven't heard back. I'd say he's backed up and doesn't have time for custom work right now.

Thanks again for the ideas, with the brain trust we got around here we'll figure something out. I got a few more things to try here.

[kevin c]

Please let us know how it works out; it adds to the trove of useful hacks that help make this place so valuable to castaholics!

[Cord]

If I was desperate for a solution and determined to do whatever I needed to do to use these molds,
I would consider using a drill press to very carefully drill shallow lightening holes
wherever I could to reduce the weight of the blocks.

Depending on the size of the cavities there may be dead areas on the back and bottom of the blocks
where material can be removed.

I would not "skeletonize" the mold, just lighten it.
And I would do it in stages and make sure not to change the rigidity of the mold.
.
.

[gwpercle]

Here are my tips , NOE 4 cavity aluminum ( I didn't expect it to be that heavy)

Set the front edge of block on the pot rim as I fill each cavity with a Lyman Ladle ... don't hold the mould up, rest it with a little forward tilt , pour from front cavity to rear cavity , any overflow goes to front / back into pot .

If you have a bottom pour pot ...I don't know ...some sort of support so you don't hold the mould up ?

Cutting the sprue ...I still hit mine with a hammer handle but I remember seeing a fellow member who took a aluminum tube , flattened one end to slip over sprue plate knock off and used it like a cheater bar to open the mould by hand without hitting it .

Seems like another member made a contraption out of plywood for holding and or opening a mould but for the life of me I can't remember the details ... anyone out there remember ?

I used to hold a mould in my left hand , ladle fill with right and bust open with right ...but with getting older I now trade off hands and and rest the mould on the pot or other protected surface whenever I can to give my hands a break .

Get creative on how you do things ...keep looking for the easy way .
The last few moulds I ordered from NOE were 3 cavity aluminum moulds , better but stii the lightest by far are Lee 2 cavity and they are verging on too light for proper heat retention .
Gary

[Mal Paso]

I'm running the Chinee Pro Melt that drips like a Lee. I leave the mold on the mold guide until the sprues are just frozen, rest the mold handles hinge point on the edge of the cookie sheet that is under the pot so sprues are to the left and tap the plate with a 6 oz mallet. Then move left another 6 inches to the slanted dump box.

Do as much as you can that doesn't injure you further. I can't lay off a couple days or my muscle tone goes away. Parts of me are on the to do list too.

[0verkill]

When I cast I sit the mould on the edge of the pot about like gwpercle described. I think the main culprit is hammering the sprue plate, I don't hurt like that using the 6 cavity LEE's and they're pretty heavy with 6 45's in there. Shock/vibration and neuropathy don't mix well.
I'm going to figure out some way to try and put a cheater bar on there to cut the sprues. I measured some on the plates the LEE 6 cavity aluminum plates with the lever and I think that's a no go to cut them down,
A smaller pot to limit myself may help. No since casting for hours on end, a little here and there will do. In the future I think 2 cavity aluminums are about it for me.

[Mal Paso]

There was a post about a mold opener that hooked the sprue plate and you used the leverage of the handles to cut the sprues. I think it was in Special Projects but the posts don't go back far enough.

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

When I cast I sit the mould on the edge of the pot about like gwpercle described. I think the main culprit is hammering the sprue plate, I don't hurt like that using the 6 cavity LEE's and they're pretty heavy with 6 45's in there. Shock/vibration and neuropathy don't mix well.
I'm going to figure out some way to try and put a cheater bar on there to cut the sprues. I measured some on the plates the LEE 6 cavity aluminum plates with the lever and I think that's a no go to cut them down,
A smaller pot to limit myself may help. No since casting for hours on end, a little here and there will do. In the future I think 2 cavity aluminums are about it for me.

I wonder how close the spacing of cavities is, with Lyman 4 cav molds compared to MP's 4 cav molds ???
Because Red River Rick makes a "levered" sprue plate for Lyman. OR maybe you could ask Red River Rick if he can make custom "levered" sprue plates for your MP molds?
https://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?138822-KAL-Steel-Cam-Lever-for-Lyman-Moulds

[country gent]

All most all our hand drivers at work were on balancers to make them almost weight less for 8 hour shifts.

A simple pulley mounted over the pot and one behind it. a length of cord and steel fishing leader on one end, and a powder can on the on the other.Fill the can with just enough sand **** or other material so when the mould is clipped on it stays where its left hanging.

I cant help a lot with the sprue. maybe a lever with a couple pins or piece of copper tubing flattened to fit over the tab to provide more leverage. On this the back end could be filled with a few ounces of lead in case tapping the hinge pin was needed

[Burnt Fingers]

I always rest the mold against the edge of my table when cutting the sprues. I use a rawhide mallet to strike the sprue plate.

[Mal Paso]

How about something like this. A 5 inch piece of 2 inch steel strap with a scrap of angle iron to catch the left front edge of the mold and a pin to catch the sprue plate. Slide the mold with handles a little to the right, up to the angle iron stop and move the handles to the left to shear the sprues. Countersunk screws hold it to the casting bench.

[farmbif]

ive used an old hickory hammer handle as long as ive had 4 cavity moulds to knock the sprue plate and knock on handle hinge when bullets don't want to drop out.
when hands get tired I just quit for time being. ive got chronic severe arthritis and have had it for quite some time.
play flat top guitar to keep finger and wrist strength up. been to all the doctors and therapists-- just got find some sort of exercise to keep fingers moving. and do what you can when you can and not criple yourself by any trying to over do stuff

[Mal Paso]

This is based on an opener posted by another member a few years ago made of wood, feel free to improve this one. I used 1/4" steel for the base, 3/16 is plenty but I didn't have any. 3/16 was planned so I could countersink the screw holes. The post is 1/2" x 2" and the angle iron 3/4" with a leg shortened to clear MP pins. The inside web was ground back too. I built it for MP molds but it will even do BC Molds and everything else I have.

[0verkill]

That's amazing!!
I had a hard time imagining it but WOW, It's simple and effective.

[0verkill]

Got that doohickey to try out and a(nother) Dr. appointment Monday to see if I can get some help on that end.

[kevin c]

Mal, that's a simple but also brilliant hack. Thanks fo posting your version.