cutting vertical lines

[686]

how would you cut vertical vent lines in an alum. mold?

[deltaenterprizes]

Razor blade or Exacto knife

[Catshooter]

With a mill.

Lot's of ways. Lock the quill and just use the (purpose built) cutter to cut across the face of the mould. Kinda like a shaper would. The cutter doesn't rotate.

Or, make a cutter with ten or so cutting edges that does rotate just use it in the mill.

Don't have a mill? Mmm. That makes a whole bunch tougher. First, are you sure you need venting? I have some old Ideal moulds without and they work fine. Some will, some won't.

You could just use a prick punch on one face to raise a little burr. This would keep the blocks from touching allowing air out. It will also increase the diameter of you boolit.

Any of this help?


Cat

[Marvin S]

Engraving cutter in a milling machine is how I do mine. I suppose you could scrape them in along a straight edge with a hand ground tool.

[mooman76]

Are you wanting to make them from scatch or make them bigger?

[HORNET]

686, Vertical as in parallel to the centerlines of the cavity (or cavities)? I set up steel spacers to get the height and provide a guide then use a carbide tipped scribe. I chase the lines with a small knife-blade die sinking file or use the back of the point on an Exacto knife if I want it deeper, then clean out anything that got shoved into the existing vents.

[686]

yes vertical as in parallel to the centerlines of the cavity. this is a 45 acp 200 gr swc. it has harz. lines only. i am getting some times i pin hole in some bullets , i think where the vent line is. i think as i fill onr cav it pushes air from that cav to the last one poured making the pin hole. with a vertical vent line between the cav. the ait can go up. i see the vertical venting on lyman ,h&g, and others. it must hepl some how. also the vertical lines ate normaly bigger and deeper than the others. i would be doing this by hand. thought about a coping saw or something like that.

[theperfessor]

Without having any machinery (milling machine, etc.) I would clamp a hardened steel block in place and use a small triangular riffler file held up against the side of the block to keep it straight while I used one edge to cut the vent line. Harbor Freight often has cheap die makers files in sets for a few dollars. You don't need the most expensive ones that a real toolmaker would use since you're only going to cut a little aluminum or relatively soft iron or brass with them.

[HotGuns]

Do they really need to be verticle?

Lots of makers use a fly cutter with the feed set at rapid traverse for the mold lines. Touch off your sharp pointed tool, feed in a couple of thousanths deep and let her rip.

It works and it looks good to. Quick and simple.