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Thread: Cast Boolits Hammer Mould

  1. #21
    Boolit Master Texasflyboy's Avatar
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    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.
    ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

    http://www.hensleygibbs.com

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  2. #22
    Boolit Master
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    Click image for larger version. 

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    Wrapp with target card and patch tape.
    Pour ladle of lead in.
    Finished.
    5 minutes.
    Click image for larger version. 

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    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.

  3. #23
    Boolit Master

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    Quote Originally Posted by barrabruce View Post
    Click image for larger version. 

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    Click image for larger version. 

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    Wrapp with target card and patch tape.
    Pour ladle of lead in.
    Finished.
    5 minutes.
    Click image for larger version. 

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    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.
    Spell check doesn't work in Chrome, so if something is spelled wrong, it's just a typo that I missed.

  4. #24
    Boolit Master



    Springfield's Avatar
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    Lead hammer moulds

    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.Click image for larger version. 

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  5. #25
    Boolit Master FISH4BUGS's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Texasflyboy View Post
    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.
    Collector and shooter of guns and other items that require a tax stamp, Lead and brass scrounger. Never too much brass, lead or components in inventory! Always looking to win beauty contests with my reloads.

  6. #26
    Boolit Buddy Littlewolf's Avatar
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    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

  7. #27
    Boolit Master

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    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.
    John
    W.TN

  8. #28
    Boolit Master Rapier's Avatar
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    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.
    “There is a remedy for all things, save death.“
    Cervantes

    “Never give up, never quit.”
    Robert Rogers
    Roger’s Rangers

    There are three kinds of men. The one that learns by reading. The few who learn by observation. The rest of them have to pee on the electric fence for themselves.
    Will Rogers

  9. #29
    Boolit Master


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  10. #30
    Boolit Master

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    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.
    Click image for larger version. 

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  11. #31
    Boolit Master

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    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.

  12. #32
    Boolit Buddy
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    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.

  13. #33
    Boolit Buddy
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    Thanks for the good ideas everybody! I may buy Walter's Ninja hammer but I'm wondering if Zinc would be almost as good?
    HOLLYWOOD Collector Left hawg 405#, right one 315#, had my elderly neighbors granddaughter treed and why I got the call. Both charged, one from 20' and one from 40'. Thanks to the good Lord and Samuel Colt I won. May God bless our Lawmen & Soldiers!

  14. #34
    Boolit Master


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    Quote Originally Posted by John Wayne View Post
    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.

  15. #35
    Boolit Grand Master

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

  16. #36
    Boolit Master
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    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

  17. #37
    Boolit Grand Master
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    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
    "It aint easy being green!"

  18. #38
    Boolit Grand Master

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    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.

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Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check