Mold Mod???

For you guys with lots of experience. What are the pitfalls of opening up the pour hole on a DO IT mold?

First why would you want to?? is the mold giving you problems that by changing how you pour would negate having to do it??

Well, Doug I have trouble getting my 1/16 ball to completely fill some times. I did mod it to take a #1 sickle. I was just wondering if opening the port might help that. And I will try anything you suggest.

There may be a better way but when I was pouring I discovered if I kept my mold hot I got much better results. Since I only used 1 mold at a time I kept it on top of the Lee pot while I was tinkering and even when I was putting hooks in it. This helped keep it much hotter until I got it ready to pour lead in it.

I've never moded one before - I can only guess that if you open it up you're going to end up with a bigger head spru to cut off, which might alter the head shape. I take it you elongated the eyelet slots to allow for the bigger hook?? Now if you're using a heavier wire hook that might be causing your lead flow problem. Usually on any head you can go up or down one hook size.

Eye slots is what I modded. I have same problem whether I use the #1 or even #4. It seems that the lead pools on top to quick. I have tried keeping warm as Bill suggests. It just gets frustrating. The spru part is what I was concerned about. Since I only pour for myself I'm not in any hurry when I pour. Really appreciate your input.

The gate area is good on all do it molds I have used, IMO it is a big mistake to open it up. Gates will not break clean resulting in a lot of extra cleaning.

First - has your mold been smoked - can really help with fill issues. Alternately a fine coating of talcum powder also aids in filling, If you are really motivated some drop out from frankford arsenal will also do the trick

Second try a bit hotter metal

Third or maybe first, flux your metal until it is perfectly clean..

Good luck and keep us in the loop.

A lot of the molds from Do-It are designed for bronze hooks. If you mike the red or coated sickle hooks you will see they are a little bigger than the bronze hooks. When you pour, the hot lead out gasses and keeps the mold from filling using bigger hooks because of the gas pressure in the cavity will not escape down the hook shaft. The gas has to go some where. Try tilting the mold a little but be very careful and not run the lead on you. Of course preheat the mold and use very soft clean lead. I sometimes open up the hook slot in very, very small increments until I can get it to pour. The pro molds are really bad about not filling all the cavities. Go slow and really watch and not get into the cavity walls or you will ruin that jig hole. I would highly suggest not to mess with the gate unless you see a defect. Buddy

Thanks for all the input guys. I really appreciate it. I keep my mold warm, I use pure lead, I flux it every time I pour, I have tried different temps on the pot. I tink Ifish probably has it right on the gassing. That's the only thing I can think of. It will pour the head but not always fill around the hook shaft to form the barb part. I will sit down with it and see if there is anything I can do in that respect.

Cray,

Quick question for you. Is this a production pot that pours out the bottom or are you dipping a ladle and pouring with that?

IF it is production, try a ladle as you can control the pour better. If you are already using a ladle, what size are you using? I was pouring 3/4 Oz jigs awhile back with a big ladle and had the exact same issue. I switched to a smaller ladle and dip into the lead between every jig (on larger 3/4oz jigs). There are a ton of factors that can cause your issue including weather and humidity. Another trick is to alter your rate of pour. I used to think I was going to fast and having the problem when in actuality, I was going to slow.

The other thing I have found is the "exhaust" ports if you will. Air has to be able to escape from the mold as you are pouring. On one of my molds, I have to turn the thing to an angle of about 2 o'clock to get the best pour. Make sure those groves are not plugged. You can file them out a little bit but too much and the lead will seap out. I use small cutting torch end cleaners.

Production pot. Don't even own a ladel. I will check the ports and try pouring on a angle. Pouring to fast is what I have thought.

Are you using direct pressure
With the nozzle against the mold if not try that (wear sleeves and gloves)
That's how I did it when I ran production we would run several 1000 in one sitting
If its voids in the heads its could be to hot or the flow its to fast
If its voids in the barb area it could be lead to cool of lead to hard (hard lead cools quicker than soft in small cavities) to hot can cause the trouble but most of the time (in my case) that was not the trouble
If the flow is to slow it can cause the same trouble
Have you tried smoking the cavities

Charlie, are you pouring just one jig cavity? If so I would pour all the cavities to get the inside of the mold hotter. Pouring just one cavity the mold may not heat up enough.

Also u could try warming hooks. Sounds to me like hot lead cooling down. Doesn't take much coolness for lead to start setting.

It might be as simple as hook size. Did the mold pour the #4 or #2 hooks without any issues? Sometimes stepping up to a larger hook means the extra metal in the hook itself creates a heat sink and stops the lead from fully pouring into the cavity. Check the wire diameter of the #1 hooks to see if there is a significant difference in diameter from the #4 hook the mold recommends. Heavier wire can really throw a wrench in casting when certain and specific hook sizes are called for.

I have a Do-It 1/32 collarless mold that I have modded to accept #2 hooks and hand pour it with sickles and no problem at all. I am certain that if the mold was for a collared head I would have issues using the larger hooks.

Before I would open the gate up any I'd find a way to vent the cavities a little to help get rid of air so the lead flows easier. Other-wise, the advice given is pretty much spot on.