Striking out with H&G moulds!

fiver

Well-Known Member
that trough area down the center is the only part that needs to be really flat.
it's also what is probably causing the bending on the edges.
 

Dpmsman

Active Member
Well I tried the #50 again and no luck! I wash it up again with Dawn dish soap and I still cannot get it to fill out. I tried casting with the mold hotter. I tried casting with the mold cooler. The bullet still don’t drop out and they are still not filled out.
 

Attachments

  • image.jpg
    image.jpg
    1.2 MB · Views: 32

Dpmsman

Active Member
I got the mould hot enough to get frosted Boolits. Then experimented with mould and Alloy temperatures. No luck though. I did get the 41 caliber mould casting good though. Got quite a few good Boolits from it.
 

Ian

Notorious member
20 degrees more on the wadcutter mould temp would probably do it. I see a cold splash on the base band of one of the hb swc's, running the ragged edge of too cold there too.
 
Last edited:

fiver

Well-Known Member
sometimes you get that white frosted look and just have to push through it a bit until you get to the grey look.
 

Dpmsman

Active Member
sometimes you get that white frosted look and just have to push through it a bit until you get to the grey look.
I never did get it to fill out well. Even when the mould and melt was really hot. Not only did it not fill out but the bullets stuck like crazy! I’ll try cleaning it with acetone next time maybe there’s some oils still in there.
 

Bret4207

At the casting bench in the sky. RIP Bret.
You might have some stuck on trash in the cavities that isn't readily apparent. If you can locate a typewriter eraser, the pencil looking type that you sharpen in a pencil sharpener, you can use that to scrub the cavity itself. Sometimes that, or lapping with very, very fine grit, is the only way to get a mould clean. I wouldn't worry about lapping just yet, but the eraser might show some cooked on gunk that the Dawn isn't touching.

I have to agree with the other guys on some of the bullets looking like they came out of a cold mould. Some moulds take a mess of cleaning and then they take 3 or 4 heating and cooling sessions before they get their act together and start flying right. I see that more with Lee's than any other, but it could certainly be the case with your H+G. Were it me, I'd avoid anymore snake oil miracle cures in the cavities themselves and try cleaning it while it was warm with whatever solvent you are comfortable using. Warm moulds, or any steel object for that matter, clean up different than cold steel, especially if you're tying to get oil products out of the pores of the metal.

That sprue plate is probably going to have to be lapped flat now. Why did you have it cut? Was it giving you problems?
 

Dpmsman

Active Member
You might have some stuck on trash in the cavities that isn't readily apparent. If you can locate a typewriter eraser, the pencil looking type that you sharpen in a pencil sharpener, you can use that to scrub the cavity itself. Sometimes that, or lapping with very, very fine grit, is the only way to get a mould clean. I wouldn't worry about lapping just yet, but the eraser might show some cooked on gunk that the Dawn isn't touching.

I have to agree with the other guys on some of the bullets looking like they came out of a cold mould. Some moulds take a mess of cleaning and then they take 3 or 4 heating and cooling sessions before they get their act together and start flying right. I see that more with Lee's than any other, but it could certainly be the case with your H+G. Were it me, I'd avoid anymore snake oil miracle cures in the cavities themselves and try cleaning it while it was warm with whatever solvent you are comfortable using. Warm moulds, or any steel object for that matter, clean up different than cold steel, especially if you're tying to get oil products out of the pores of the metal.

That sprue plate is probably going to have to be lapped flat now. Why did you have it cut? Was it giving you problems?
[/QUOTE t
The sprue plate was warped in the first place. The sprue plate bolt was actually loose and could just fall out. So it is seen a lot of abuse. I re-tapped the hole and replaced the bolt. I think from running the sprue bolt so loose it bent the sprue plate around where it bolts through. I thought if I had the shop take a couple of thousands off it would clean everything up nicely. Instead I opened up a can of worms! Live and learn! I'm beginning to think these big moulds aren't for me. Lol
 

fiver

Well-Known Member
keep at it.
if nothing else your getting a good 'learning' on how to deal with stubborn or 'abused' molds.
I have had a couple by well,, by well known makers that were beating me down for a while.
I just kept looking and poking and poking and finally got them to be the molds everyone else said they were.
I have cleaned out vent lines with razor blades and picked edges of cavity's, boiled and heated and scrubbed and boiled and sprayed and over heated and squeezed in a vice, lapped few, and one mold I even locked down and hit it with a 6lb sledgehammer a couple of times [that is a good mold now, the bullets come out within .1gr of each other]
 

Dpmsman

Active Member
keep at it.
if nothing else your getting a good 'learning' on how to deal with stubborn or 'abused' molds.
I have had a couple by well,, by well known makers that were beating me down for a while.
I just kept looking and poking and poking and finally got them to be the molds everyone else said they were.
I have cleaned out vent lines with razor blades and picked edges of cavity's, boiled and heated and scrubbed and boiled and sprayed and over heated and squeezed in a vice, lapped few, and one mold I even locked down and hit it with a 6lb sledgehammer a couple of times [that is a good mold now, the bullets come out within .1gr of each other]
Sounds like this is the mould for you! LOL!
 
Last edited:

358156 hp

At large, whereabouts unknown.
Are you ladling, or bottom pouring? Some moulds seem to have a distinct preference. Can you post some pics of the mould for us to pore over?
 

Bret4207

At the casting bench in the sky. RIP Bret.
Never occurred to me to ask about pouring method, good call 358! Yeah, you might need to get a ladle, a good sized one, and see if that doesn't fix the problem. Sometimes you gotta get those cavities filled NOW!!! with a good healthy steam to get good fillout and an adequate sprue. My 10 cav H+G gets fed with a Rowell #1 out of a 40 lbs pot. Some people use the even larger #2.
 

Dpmsman

Active Member
Would a Lyman or RCBS ladle be big enough? I tried to look up some specs but they don't tell you how much lead they hold. I saw the Rowell but I think the whole idea is to get a pressure fill correct? Are there any others available with the capacity I'll need?
 
Last edited:

Rick

Moderator
Staff member
No pressure fill with the Rowell, they are a bottom pour ladle. Shouldn't need to pressure fill the mold. You said your using a LEE pot, I'm not too sure the Rowell #2 would fit in that pot. It does in the RCBS but the LEE is smaller. Rowell #1 is a one pound ladle and Rowell #2 is a two pound ladle. Would well filling half the cavities and refilling the mold for the other cavities. Like most things it would just be a learning curve.
 

Bret4207

At the casting bench in the sky. RIP Bret.
FWIW, using the Rowell #1 I can fill all 10 cavities on my H+G 50 (38 WC) with plenty of alloy left over for the sprue. If all you have is Lee BP, I'm not sure the #1 would fit. I tossed mine years ago. The Lyman might fit but it's not going to have the capacity to pour all the cavities at once. Just my theory, but I think part of your issues might be different temps over the mould and the sprue not being big enough all at once. Maybe I'm dead wrong, I never used anything but the #1 for the H+G and I don't bottom pour much.
 

358156 hp

At large, whereabouts unknown.
A #1 Rowell works with my Lyman Mag20. It also works with my LEE "Magnum Melter". I have both Lyman & RCBS standard ladles, and they both run out of lead around the fourth cavity, depending on how big the bullets are. Have you seen Brads video clip on his ladle casting method? He's casting with a Rowell. It gives you a really good idea of what can be done with a higher capacity ladle.
 

RBHarter

West Central AR
My RCBS ladle will just barely make the fill on 8 , 200 gr 45s . I think about half of it stays in the H&G sprue plate .