That was'nt so bad!! BUT.........

[buck1]

I have been noticeing that my 2 cav RCBS 30-165-sil mold s second cav had trouble filling out. I decided it was a venting problim with one cav filled.
So I finaly got brave and put a 3 sided file across the blocks top and groved it , then took it down the faces and out the bottoms.
And I put light center punch marks on the noses to ID them.
It worked great !! bases filled out nice and sharp!!
As crude as it seems , I wonder if a fine tooth hack saw would'nt work better than the file. I have a saeco 4 cav mold that I belive needs the same thing. Any ideas?? Thanks,,, Buck

[Bass Ackward]

I have been noticeing that my 2 cav RCBS 30-165-sil mold s second cav had trouble filling out. I decided it was a venting problim with one cav filled.
So I finaly got brave and put a 3 sided file across the blocks top and groved it , then took it down the faces and out the bottoms.
And I put light center punch marks on the noses to ID them.
It worked great !! bases filled out nice and sharp!!
As crude as it seems , I wonder if a fine tooth hack saw would'nt work better than the file. I have a saeco 4 cav mold that I belive needs the same thing. Any ideas?? Thanks,,, Buck

Buck,

The worst venting problem I have ever run across could be cured by putting a light bevel at the top of the blocks. Light means light. Like stone light, not file light.

Eeeeeeek! Reading that was like someone running their fingernails across a black board.

[Willbird]

Well some guys with a file might be more delicate than some other fellas with a stone hehe.

Bill

[Bass Ackward]

Well some guys with a file might be more delicate than some other fellas with a stone hehe.

Bill

Bill,

I handled the file part .... OK. But when he mentioned the hacksaw blade, I lost it. I think Buck did that on purpose.

Joe probably put him up to it.

[StarMetal]

Okay, I haven't had a venting problem, yet, but here's what I might do if I did. I have a very fine line metal checkering file that I bought from Brownells many years ago. They make them in difference number of lines per inch. I believe one of these would be better then doing one line at a time with a triangular file. The way these metal checkering files are made, once you make that first cut it guides the rest of the cuts. Then to proceed wider you move the file over a bit, making sure you keep some of the teeth on the file in part of the "track" you just cut. I use these files for more then cutting checkering, like putting serrations on the back of front sights, on hammer spurs, etc.

Joe

[buck1]

I didnt butcher it or anything!
I measured half way between the cavitys and marked a straight line with a scribe. then made a light cut across the tops of both blocks and down the faces with the corner edge of the file. No deeper than the venting lines from the factory. and nowhere near the cavitys.
This seperated the two holes.
Before , I would loose about half the bollits in #2 cav. But now I drop 2 for 2 (about 200 so far).
I had a tough time getting a straight cut , but by going slow and carefull it was clean and looked like it came that way.It took about 2 hours.
I was looking at it when I thought a hacksaw, with a fine cut hard blade might make a straight line much easier. Then debur with the tiny file of a finishing stone . maybe 0.008 to 0.010 deep or so. It sounds crude but with a very light touch......???
A target shooter I know told me about it , and does all his moulds that way. He claimed they came out in a very even weight that way. And hes picky big time.
......buck