Cast Boolits Hammer Mould

[georgerkahn]

If I recall, waaaaaay back when, there was a "floating" hammer mould available to forum members. My (questionable of late) memory recalls one got in the queue for it, and whenever the member using it got done, it was passed on. I almost (?) recall the hammer mould was of Hensley & Gibbs manufacture, too. (?????)
Am I having a "dream" -- or, if not, might someone shed some light on this?
My cast lead hammer (like me) has seen better days. Which triggered the memory...
As a side-note -- perhaps a "replacement" hammer mould, similarly circulated, might not be a bad addition?
(curious) george

[William Yanda]

George, my memory parallels yours. Did I read that someone broke the chain by not returning the mold?

[Green Frog]

My memory of it seems to be of a posting speculating on where it went and who had it last. IIRC, there was never any resolution and the mould remained lost. This has been a few years ago, but at this point it seems we can put it in the same category as the Ark of the Covenant, the Holy Grail, and the last honest politician. :mrgreen:

Has anyone checked Area 51? [smilie=2:

Froggie

[HWooldridge]

That type of mold is not hard to make - personally, I make brass hammers but if you really want lead, just use a piece of EMT or similar pipe in whatever diameter you want as a sleeve. A piece of wood will even work for one pour. Lead melts at such a low temp that a bit of oakum or other "caulk" can be used as a dam to keep the melted material from leaking out. I've poured babbitt metal to rebuild a few pieces of old machinery and it's not very difficult to keep the melt in place until it solidifies.

[fc60]

Greetings,

Just cast up some Lead hammers for my fellow casters.

McMaster-Carr used to sell the mould and spare handles. No more. Apparently Lead is bad for you.

Found the company that purchased the Cook Hammer tool. I was able to get two (2) handles for $55.00 USD delivered.

The mould kits are on eBay for $225.00 plus shipping and tax.

Cheers,

Dave

[725]

I, too, remember the wandering hammer mold. I think I signed up for it, but it never came around. Although it would be neat to have a proper mold, making a "professional" quality hammers, I just ended up getting another home made lead hammer from some place. Never knew the outcome or details of the missing mold. Hate to think a castbooliteer made off with it.

[curdog007]

I picked one up today at the junk store for $20 - always wanted one of those.
Not sure what the weight will be yet.

[Winger Ed.]

I picked one up today at the junk store for $20 - always wanted one of those.
Not sure what the weight will be yet.

Not too bad. They're only $250--300 bucks on ebay.

[ulav8r]

At one time, an orange juice can was suggested as a mold, at that time they were thin metal that could be peeled off after the lead cooled. Might be able to cut a larger can end to end, such as a soft drink can, then roll it to a smaller diameter and secure it with some soft wire, then cut a hole to insert a handle and pour the lead. Once cooled remove the wire and peel the can off.

[curdog007]

I'll be darned - I didn't know they were that much! (I just looked on eBay) The guy even threw in an old screwdriver as well.

It's the one with the ladle, but the handle is missing. That's no trouble to make.

[Minerat]

You could use a Donald Duck juice 5.5oz can as a mould, but then you would have to drink that nasty stuff to get the can.

[Minerat]

Quick search found this discussion. From 2007.

https://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?20820-Lead-Hammer

And another from 2008

https://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?25963-Casting-with-my-homemade-lead-hammer-mold

[lancem]

I have a hammer mold, think it's 2#. If somebody wanted to send me the lead and a handle I could cast some up.

[country gent]

I may make a hammer mould here shortly. Im thinking around 12 oz -14 oz. Use a piece of copper tubing for the handle socket formed to the oval on a mandrel so a regular wood handle and wedges can be used. Im thinking the head will be about 2 1/2" long and 3/4" in dia with a slight taper to the ends. when I get it done vast arounf copper sleeve and install handle.
I have a hammer mould here has the ladle attached uses 1/2" or 3/4" pipe for a handle. A pipe cap seals the end off This mould drops about a 2 1/2 pound hammer, bigger than I prefer for most use.

[parson48]

My wife recently discarded a wooden meat tenderizing hammer. I drilled out one end with a spade bit and filled with lead. Works well enough for most of my light needs.

[JimB..]

Not many years ago someone here offered an AL hammer mold, think it’s about 2#. Came with the mold and a turned AL handle. I’ve been using brass hammers and haven’t used mine yet.

Edit: I mean offered for sale, not loan…that was before my time.

[Rickf1985]

Now THIS is a lead hammer! I have a couple of these and at one time I was actually able to swing them over my head. The handles are actually heavy wall threaded copper. Used them for setting large cast iron water pipes into the next pipe in trenches.

309005

309006

[Winger Ed.]

[QUOTE=Rickf1985;5514448]Now THIS is a lead hammer! /QUOTE]

Good job.

I wish I'd taken a picture of it, but I made one for my old tire shop buddy that needed a big hammer
to break down the bead on earth mover tires.

I welded a floor jack handle in and on a fire extinguisher tank.
I didn't weigh it, but it felt like about 60 pounds. His guys loved it.
In trade, he gave me about 1,000 pound of the old school wheel weights.

[hiram]

I made one. The handles a piece of brass pipe and the hammer head was a piece of toilet paper cardboard tube. I think I used two layers of tube and poured the lead slowly.

[Rickf1985]

That one there is right on 65 lbs. The handle could well be brass pipe. It is heavy and has a green patina now but when we used them all the time they were polished like bras or copper from use. They ere made probably in the 50's and had the remnants of those old big coffee cans. That was the mold. I am thinking there must be a Tee fitting on the end of the pipe inside the lead to keep it from sliding off the end.

[Texasflyboy]

I donated the Hensley & Gibbs hammer mold from the 2007 thread. Hard to believe that was nearly 16 years ago. That hammer mould made its rounds until one of the members decided he really liked it and kept it. Much to the dismay of everyone.

Hensley & Gibbs never made hammer molds. They outsourced the production of the ones that had their name on it because it was too infrequent an item to make in house. They were never happy with the quality so they stopped offering them. I still have one. I haven't used it in 20 years because its a PITA to use. There are modern designs that are much easier to use.

[barrabruce]

309060
309061
Wrapp with target card and patch tape.
Pour ladle of lead in.
Finished.
5 minutes.
309062
O.k. Not perfectly straight, but a few bashes on a hard surface or file swipes.
I use this for Lee whack’em dies on a lead ingot from the leftovers from my cast pot.
And other things that need gentle persuasion.


Hope it helps.

[ulav8r]

309060
309061
Wrapp with target card and patch tape.
Pour ladle of lead in.
Finished.
5 minutes.
309062
O.k. Not perfectly straight, but a few bashes on a hard surface or file swipes.
I use this for Lee whack’em dies on a lead ingot from the leftovers from my cast pot.
And other things that need gentle persuasion.


Hope it helps.

Looks good enough to me.

[Springfield]

There were actually 2 moulds making the rounds. I managed to get in on the rounds of both of them, making 10 or so heads from both before passing them on. I just put a plumbing end cap in the moulds with a handle on it made from pipe, pour the head and then remove the pipe. Now I have replaceable heads. Been a while and I am only on the second large head, still the first small head. Nice for when you really have to MOVE something. I use the small one mostly with my metal lathe.
Not sure what happened to the small head, but the large one was kept by a guy, who later was arrested for some sort of bad domestic dispute I think? Not a reputable guy apparently.309112

[FISH4BUGS]

I donated the Hensley & Gibbs hammer mold from the 2007 thread. Hard to believe that was nearly 16 years ago. That hammer mould made its rounds until one of the members decided he really liked it and kept it. Much to the dismay of everyone.

Hensley & Gibbs never made hammer molds. They outsourced the production of the ones that had their name on it because it was too infrequent an item to make in house. They were never happy with the quality so they stopped offering them. I still have one. I haven't used it in 20 years because its a PITA to use. There are modern designs that are much easier to use.

I bought three of them from you back in the day. I still have two of them and I use them. I wore one out.
i THINK I paid something like $5 each plus shipping.
Too bad the mould died along the path to many members.

[Littlewolf]

i many years ago at a garage sale I bought a lead hammer mold with its own ladle built in it casts a 4# head much like the pics springfield posted these molds are currently widely available on Ebay

[alamogunr]

I was on the list for one of the hammer molds. As I recall, I made 2 hammers using pipe nipples for handles. Also as I recall the mold disappeared 2 or 3 down the line from me.
I’m still using those hammers. I’m not going out to the shop to weigh them but I’m pretty sure they are not over one pound.

[Rapier]

I use a big hard rubber mallet to adjust with, while setting up, but a heavy lead, "dead blow" would work well. 2-3# would be about right in a shop.

[Walter Laich]

here's one for $35

https://www.ninjatire.com/product/lead-hammer/

[LenH]

I made a lead hammer mold using a copper tee and a piece of all thread for a handle. I split the tee length wise with a cutoff wheel.
I used the link that Minerat showed in his post from 2008. Very easy and cheap to make. I used a 3/4" for a small one and a 1" for a larger hammer.
They get a bit beat up opening a sprue plate on a H & G 6 or 8 cavity mold. When one gets too beat up I just put it in the melt and cast a new on but always
Have 2 on hand. I wrap the all thread with black electrical tape.
315037

[ascast]

They are simple to make of any size tin can you want. Getting the handle angle correct can be tricky, but you are not going to be swinging it all day like a roofing hammer so it may not be a big deal. You may also cast a few slugs of the whole tin can. Use that between steel hammer and stubborn item.

[Dancing Bear]

I used to cast lead hammers for our machine shop. 20#'s had to be done in one pour as not to split at a seam.

[John Wayne]

Thanks for the good ideas everybody! I may buy Walter's Ninja hammer but I'm wondering if Zinc would be almost as good?

[Finster101]

Thanks for the good ideas everybody! I may buy Walter's Ninja hammer but I'm wondering if Zinc would be almost as good?

Harder and much lighter in weight.

[country gent]

That and the additional heat of molten zinc will be harder on the mould

[CastingFool]

The shop I used to work in, lead hammers were not allowed, but once in great while one would turn up, usually behind boxes in storage rooms. Our shop manufactured equipment used in nuclear power plants. Brass was ok, so most everyone had a brass tank in their tool box or bench

[Green Frog]

Another place lead hammers were useful was with the knock offs for Rudge wheels on sports cars. My first nearly new car was a 1971 MGB bought in 1972. It had wire wheels with a single large hexagonal nut instead of lug nuts. In the tool kit that came with the car was a great big flat wrench to fit that lug and a lead hammer to loosen or tighten the nut. I also used a similar lead hammer on the two or three wings on earlier knock offs on my old MGA. I really don’t miss the trials and tribulations of those British cars with their electrical systems by Lucas (“the Prince of Darkness”) but I sure would love to have one of those old lead hammers!
Froggie

[country gent]

A lot of Die cast shops would not allow any lead some even carried it to the lead bushings in grinding wheels. Lead in the mish metal causes porosity is one reason. At Campbells we had several hammer moulds but they were cast from 99% tin. We had tin ingots in the can plant but little lead was available. ( on 3 piece cans the side seams were soldered with pure tin, not lead) Pure tin made a very pretty hammer in our in house made moulds that were machined and polished.