Trouble with MP mold

[Brad]

Man, that made my wrist hurt just watching. I cut about 6" off the handle on mine and re-threaded it.

I must be more of a man than you?

Or just dumber?

 

[Rick]

Dang shorten that handle. Never could figure out why they make them so long.

And pour bigger sprues. Let it run over the mold back into the pot. As big of a mess s you have it ain't gonna get any worse.

 

[JWFilips]

None,
They were museum pieces! But I tell you what: everyone fit me like a glove!
Close my eyes and bring it to my shoulder and the sights were aligned ! They knew crap back then we have long forgotten!

 

[jordanka16]

So, I cycled this mold about 4 more times, left it on the hotplate much longer at a higher heat, and poured a lot more alloy over the mold. Success!

Got 4 perfect bullets almost everytime. Not sure what the issue was, likely all 3 things helped for sure.

I think what gets me the most is that this mold doesn't overheat, no matter how fast I go or how much alloy I pour over it it never gets too hot. It is extremely large and has small cavities so that must be it. I'm too used to aluminum molds and small iron molds.

 

[CWLONGSHOT]

Glad ya got it!!

But you should know you surely CAN OVER HEAT IT!! But brass has excellent heat mitigation properties which is why many casters hold them in such high regard.

Keep up the good work!!

CW

 

[Bret4207]

Brass is different. Once you get used to it you'll wish all your moulds were brass!

 

[Rick]

Glad you got it figured out. Like I said earlier brass is a learning curve most especially for those accustomed to aluminum.

 

[Ian]

I think what gets me the most is that this mold doesn't overheat, no matter how fast I go or how much alloy I pour over it it never gets too hot. It is extremely large and has small cavities so that must be it. I'm too used to aluminum molds and small iron molds.

You got it. I can certainly overheat that same mould with a bottom-pour furnace, but I can cycle it extremely fast, too. I cut the sprues with a gloved thumb and only tap handle hinge bolt with a rawhide mallet to drop the bullets off of the pins. Almost no pausing or wasted motion. Ladling is inherently slower and the mould is sitting there cooling off while you dig up your alloy for the pour. Those few seconds matter a lot to brass since it has a far higher coefficient of heat than either iron or aluminum.

 

[Rick]

Silly Ian, I only ladle cast. Ladle Iron, aluminum and brass molds. I can assure you my brass molds are not sitting there cooling off. Brass gets up to casting temp slower than Iron and far slower than aluminum. It also cools once up to proper casting temp far slower than Aluminum.

 

[Brother_Love]

I went through the same learning curve with my brass mold. For the first couple of casting sessions I regretted my choice. With much help and advice from this forum it finally clicked. Glad you got yours casting good too!

 

[Bret4207]

You got it. I can certainly overheat that same mould with a bottom-pour furnace, but I can cycle it extremely fast, too. I cut the sprues with a gloved thumb and only tap handle hinge bolt with a rawhide mallet to drop the bullets off of the pins. Almost no pausing or wasted motion. Ladling is inherently slower and the mould is sitting there cooling off while you dig up your alloy for the pour. Those few seconds matter a lot to brass since it has a far higher coefficient of heat than either iron or aluminum.

Hogwash.