casting balls

[ohio ramrod]

After having a friend ruin his mold for casting round balls by hitting the cut off lever and the side of the mold equally with a hammer, I decided there had to be a better way. I made some extensions for the cut off plate to act like a lever so I don't need to ever hit the mold or cutoff lever. I have poured over 10,000 balls with one mold and it is still as accurate as when new.
How do I get rid of a double post?

 

[hanshi]

I use a stick about the size of a piece of broomstick and gently tap-tap-tap until it opens.

 

[FishDFly]

Yep.

 

[jdw276]

Broke off wood hammer handle for me.

 

[yonderin]

Good glove and just push it open.

 

[bang]

Wood hammer handle with lead plug.

 

[Uncle Miltie]

I use a gloved hand to swing the sprue plate on molds.

 

[ord sgt]

Broke off wood hammer handle for me.

That is what I use. I found it on a home construction site. The price was right....free.

 

[necchi]

How do I get rid of a double post?

I don't know anymore, used to be a delete option, but that's gone now,,
Ask a Moderator to do it for ya?

 

[Rifleman1776]

Never, never ever hit the hot mould with anything hard, like a mallet. You can easily distort the mould and ruin it. I have used an old tomahawk handle to hit my sprue cutter for years. If you need to tap a stuck ball out, hit the handles at the pivot, do not hit the mould.

 

[Cruzatte]

Yup. A busted tomahawk handle works a treat.

 

[yellowhousejake]

I always thought that smacking a mold was a bad idea as well. Well, once I got started with Aluminum molds anyway. I came up with a lever that fits all my molds. Easy to make and easy to use. It's at the bottom of the post linked below.

Paper Patching Bullets – Part II

DAve

 

[BadDaditood]

Hammer handle here too, and hit the hinge if necessary…
They should fall right out of a good clean burr free mold

 

[ADK Bigfoot]

I have always used a leather mallet hammer, like leather workers use. Every few years I re-sand the striking surface, but that is all.

ADK Bigfoot

 

[TDM]

And smoke the molds. I like to use a candle.

 

[Jay Templin]

And smoke the molds. I like to use a candle.

I have better luck with an oil lamp. When I worked in the Geddy Foundry at Colonial Williamsburg, we used a kerosene torch on our moulds.
Jay

 

[TDM]

Whatever makes good smoke!

 

[oldwood]

Another "off the wall" toy I use when casting , is a common old time wooden handled ice pick. Sometimes , when lack of attention , causes a too much lead to over run on top of the cutoff plate , a handy ice pick will easily slide under the hardened excess lead , and lift it right off , w/o any fuss. The ice pick doesn't damage the mold in any way. Sometimes also , the pick can be used to flick a stuck ball out of the mold , so mold release can be applied . Also , an old time ice cube tong makes sorting hot balls , good and bad , and remelt sprues back to the pot before the sprue cools off. I try to make casting as efficient as I can , w/ simple tools.............oldwood

 

[TDM]

Had not thought of using that!

 

[nick_1]

pretty sure that my lee two cavity .490 mould is toast. when i close it and hold it up to the light I see light shining through. its certainly casting out of round with a visible seam. new one is ordered and will be more gentle with this one..