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. Taking the time to add the extensions was well worth it. I don't have to waste time and motion picking up a a malet or hammer. I just pour, cut off the over flow, open the mold drop the ball and then close the mold and repeat.

 

[APG]

I use a small rubber mallet but I like what your doing there. Especially the part about not picking up, tapping it open and putting the mallet back down. Going to give your idea a try.

 

[Thomas.bill92]

I push the sprue plate over with a gloved hand (thumb). Once the mold is hot, the sprue takes very little effort to cut. Then I tap the handle nut to release the ball, very gentle on the molds.

 

[necchi]

I would have just told my friend (and showed him how) to not to use a hammer.
And I could honestly do that, because I literally "beat to death" my first Lee mold while trying to learn on my own.

 

[necchi]

Especially the part about not picking up, tapping it open and putting the mallet back down. Going to give your idea a try.

Yeah, but he still has to pour somehow(?)
Two hands to hold the mold with that 2x2 attached,, then pour?
I don't get it??

 

[SwanShot]

A piece of soft wood does it for me. You don't have to hit hard.

 

[necchi]

A piece of soft wood does it for me. You don't have to hit hard.

Yeah, I happened to walk past a scrap heap once, and saw a spindled leg from an old wood chair stickin out,
It became a pretty handy little mallet, been using it for many years now

 

[hanshi]

Same (almost) thing I did. I only tap-tap-tap and do not "hit" the sprue plate. I have molds I've been using for close to 50 years that are still fine. And don't "WHACK" the mold blocks to get the ball to drop; just tap on the handle bolt.