proper temp for Steel mold

glassparman

glassparman

"OK, OK, I'm going as fast as I don't want to go!"
All great information from the group.

One of the molds I recently picked up was I'm guessing a Keith design. Very old Lyman steel 357 diameter with the hollow point and the original pin/wood knob.

Now I don't have anything that needs that unless I bump them up to 360 to use my H&R 38 S&W but the mold was too cool looking to pass up for the measly $20 I paid for it.

I tried to cast a couple and the pin seemed to cause wrinkles no matter how hard I tried to keep it (the pin) hot. Maybe I'll just sit out in the shop for the weekend and keep at it until I find the perfect pace and heat. I figure after getting good with that one, I may just have an idea of how these steel molds work . . . maybe!

I agree with the opinions here about time . . . I'm only 57 but I'm trying to pace myself for my very near retirement years . . . nice and easy, no hurry!

I've been in the IT industry for most of my adult life and spent the last 20 years working on Edwards AFB doing defense system. I'm just about worn out on overtime and working fast paced. I really need to retrain myself to take time and not worry about speed. It is not easy to get out of old habits.

Thanks again for all the great info! I'll post pictures when I get this steel mold thing worked out. I just picked up an older Lyman steel double cavity mold for 8mm Mauser that I want to try hard-casting in.

Mike
 
JonB

JonB

Halcyon member
I could tell you how I cast consistent bullets with Iron molds, and develop a casting rhythm by judging mold temp by sprue freeze up...BUT...

Like many other members who have voiced there techniques here, notice how different they are? ...or how vague, as far as specifications? We are all using different equipment in different climates (ambient temperatures)...add to that each mold is unique to itself, even if made of same material by same manufacturer.

My advice?
Practice, practice, practice.

If you come up with one specific problem, someone here will likely have a solution.
 
fiver

fiver

Well-Known Member
I have seen some pretty unique solutions to getting hollow point mold pins to work properly.
most of them involve bending some wire to hold the pin in some heat, the heat has been everything from a torch to the alloy pot itself to even little doo-dads on a hot plate.
the one thing they all have in common is heating the hollow point stem up.
 
Cadillac Jeff

Cadillac Jeff

Well-Known Member
I have that same keith mold---just cast with in ---aaammh not yesterday day befor that -----I cast fast & HOT with it, mine don't make perfect bullets,
About all I can say is just if ya start with a clean mold & keep at it it will finaly click----& just remelt the ugly ones :)

Jeff
 
S

STIHL

Well-Known Member
Winelover said:
I judge the proper temp for any mould material, is when you can open the sprew plate with only a gloved hand, with little to no resistance. Mould mallet, is just another crutch.
Click to expand...

I had wandered if anyone else wore a welding glove and opened the sprue with a gloved hand.
 
462

462

California's Central Coast Amid The Insanity
Been doing it that way for many years, and while maintaining pressure against the sprue cutter, to get a clean strike-off.
 
Rick

Rick

Moderator
Staff member
Most welding gloves are pretty bulky, I use a leather work glove.

Here's a tip though, I was in the hardware store several years back and found a great pair of pigskin work gloves. Tried them on and thought wow these are really comfortable. A bit pricey but I bought them for casting.

DO NOT use pigskin gloves. Zero thermal protection. None. Was much like using a bare hand. Opened the sprue once and raised blisters. But hey, they were comfortable. Well until I used them.
 
462

462

California's Central Coast Amid The Insanity
462 said:
Been doing it that way for many years, and while maintaining pressure against the sprue cutter, to get a clean strike-off.
Click to expand...
After Rick's post I need to clarify mine: Not welder's gloves, but ordinary, cheap work gloves with suede fingers and palm, and cloth on the back, with. Must be good enough, though, because I've been using the one pair for about 14-years.
 
S

STIHL

Well-Known Member
I use a welding glove on my left hand, hold the mold with my right. I may try a pair of just leather work gloves, it would be much more comfortable. I’m used to welding gloves bulk, it’s just no matter how much or long I weld my hands still get tired from how stiff the fingers are.
 
RBHarter

RBHarter

West Central AR
Glass working kevlar glove . Sheds heat , cut and wear resistance ... Of course they are a cloth knit glove like a glove liner or garden glove . They're not any more expensive than a mechanix type or good work glove .
 
Todd M

Todd M

Craftsman of metals...always learning.
So all you fellas that cut the sprues with a gloved hand....does that mean your mold is running a bit warmer than mine with my poly mallet?
 
Bret4207

Bret4207

At the casting bench in the sky. RIP Bret.
HP moulds can be a bear. I cast fast as I can and get the mould and pin hot enough to work. They are one of the few times I think about POT temp being something that really needs thinking about. Usually I "know" when things are ready by the way the alloy pours from the ladle. I also tend to pour alloy over the mould after the sprue is filled with HP's more so than solids as this tends to allow a longer heat period and that seems to help.

As someone else noted, I rarely get "perfect" HP's. I get nice ones, but not a high percentage of jewelry looking examples. I have a Brass Yankee HP that is about as easy to use and any other solid mould. Iron HP's seem a lot more finicky.
 
Rick

Rick

Moderator
Staff member
The mold doesn't need to be any hotter using a HP mold than any other mold and the pot temp doesn't need to be higher. When most people aren't getting good cavities it's the pin that's too cool not the mold. The HP spud has far less mass than the mold and thus cools much faster.
 
Winelover

Winelover

North Central Arkansas
Years ago, the first HP mould I purchased was the brass two cavity MP version of RCBS 270 SA Army, with the two HP pins. Conical and Penta. I was still bottom pouring at the time. Was casting nice HP, after a few cycles. I was heating the mould on a hotplate, while the pot was getting up to temperature.

Since then, I switched to a ladle. Definitely, easier to keep and maintain mould temperature. Borrowed Rick's 300 RCBS 44 SWC that was HP by Eric. No issues casting HP's with it. PB and GC.

P1090101.JPG
 
JonB

JonB

Halcyon member
462 said:
After Rick's post I need to clarify mine: Not welder's gloves, but ordinary, cheap work gloves with suede fingers and palm, and cloth on the back, with. Must be good enough, though, because I've been using the one pair for about 14-years.
Click to expand...
Me too. But I will add...
Some of the cheap suede canvasbacks have thicker suede than others. I like the thicker. I have used the same single righthand cheap suede canvasback glove since 2010 when I started this casting adventure.

Note-to-self: It's about time to retire 10 yr old casting glove, LOL
 
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