NOE hollow point mold help!

[Rick]

Doesn't stick if the mold is reasonably up to temp. Not even on Miha's HP molds. Falls off with the swipe of a gloved thumb and the exterior of the mold is as clean as whistle.

 

[Ian]

^^^^^^^^^^^^THIS.

 

[fiver]

back in the old days we warmed our molds up by dipping the edge of them in the alloy.
when the lead didn't stick anymore we started casting.
it didn't take too long to figure out that leaving the mold on the edge of the pot while it warmed up sped up the process of not having a mold with a half pound of alloy globbed on the edge.
it also didn't take too long to figure out that oxides on top of the melt kept the lead from sticking too but allowed a little corner to peek through into the hot alloy.
it sucked big time if the mold tipped over into the pot..

 

[Ian]

Was it that long ago?

 

[USSR]

I do most of my casting in the Winter. Why? Cause I place my mould on my wood stove to bring it up to a proper operating temperature.

Don

 

[358156 hp]

back in the old days we warmed our molds up by dipping the edge of them in the alloy.
when the lead didn't stick anymore we started casting.
it didn't take too long to figure out that leaving the mold on the edge of the pot while it warmed up sped up the process of not having a mold with a half pound of alloy globbed on the edge.
it also didn't take too long to figure out that oxides on top of the melt kept the lead from sticking too but allowed a little corner to peek through into the hot alloy.
it sucked big time if the mold tipped over into the pot..

I still pretty much do things this way. I don't even own a hot plate. I test the temp at the top of the mould by dabbing a dot of beeswax on the sprue place pivot. I get to test the mould temp, and lube the pivot at the same time. I tend to overheat the mould a bit, and usually get frosted bullets on the first pour. Then I cast at whatever pace I can maintain, and the mould either heats up, or cools down, depending on the individual mould. Then adjust the pace as needed.

For hollowpoint moulds I turn the sprue plate to the back, and preheat the front faces of the blocks.

 

[Chris]

back in the old days we warmed our molds up by dipping the edge of them in the alloy.
when the lead didn't stick anymore we started casting.
it didn't take too long to figure out that leaving the mold on the edge of the pot while it warmed up sped up the process of not having a mold with a half pound of alloy globbed on the edge.
it also didn't take too long to figure out that oxides on top of the melt kept the lead from sticking too but allowed a little corner to peek through into the hot alloy.
it sucked big time if the mold tipped over into the pot..

Yes, that is how I grew up doing this. Works fine. Still do it.

 

[fiver]

Was it that long ago?

nope.
I have a hot plate and have never put a mold on it.
I make lube with it.
I bond jacketed bullets with it.
heck I have even cooked on it.
I have never used it to heat a mold or pre-heat ingots.
I have used a propane torch.

 

[Ian]

Still as relevant today as it ever was.

I do use my mould oven, but rarely. It's nice for those big brass Accurate moulds, particularly to park them in when needing a break and not wanting to go through the 50-pour preheat cycles to get them going again. I ruined one mould with it, warped the blocks like crazy. Most of the time I dip and go, it just works.

 

[Winelover]

Doesn't stick if the mold is reasonably up to temp. Not even on Miha's HP molds. Falls off with the swipe of a gloved thumb and the exterior of the mold is as clean as whistle.

Up to a point.......NOE's pin retaining clip system is a magnet for trapping excess lead flow. I tilt my 4 cavity brass mold so the excess runs off the side, opposite the clips. Once the lead get under the clips, the pins bind.

Yesterday, I was casting with a four cavity brass NOE's 115 RNFP RG-4 using two HP pins and two flat pins. This is the third casting session with this mould. I did do their recommended mould break in. I find that if I turn the mould over, when opening, the bullets release from the pins more readily and the bands don't get nicked up. Then I turn the mould over, again, to close.....the pins seat easier. If I don't adhere to this procedure, the solids will sometimes have slight depressions on the nose of the bullet. Sort of a faux hollow point.

Yes, the mould has to be hot. If I can't easily cut the sprue with a gloved hand, the mould isn't hot enough and quality of the castings will be apparent. I pre-heat my moulds on a hot plate, resting on a scrap piece of aluminum, atop the coil. Pins and clips resting on the plate. Then, before I cast, I judiciously pass a propane torch over the mould. Paying particularly more attention to the pins and the sprue plate. In just a couple of casts, I'm dropping good bullets.