Leather/rawhide mallet for use with casting molds

[Michael F. Roche]

Hi, Anyone have a source for obtaining a leather mallet of approximately 1 1/2 inches in diameter? I want one for removing sprue from top of mold and also for opening the mold without harming the mold

[Sky C.]

Try Tandy Leathers...

http://www.tandyleather.com/

Best regards-

Sky C.

[spook2]

Just got one at Ace Hardware.

[Bumper]

Bought mine at a Flea Market years ago. Does not mar moulds and works great. Rbump

[Canoe112]

I've seen them at OSH (Orchard Supply Hardware) in Santa Barbara. Might have them in San Diego.

I've had mine for 30 years, don't remember where I got it.

[Omaha Poke]

If you need a rawhide hammer to open the sprue plate, you are doing it all wrong. The sprue plate should be just pushed aside with a gloved hand or at most given a light push-tap with a hammer handle or some such pieci of handle material. You don't need anything to whack the sprue plate with. You will just end up damaging the plate, the mould, the screws, or all of them. Randy

[Lee Stone]

Randy,
I started using a small rawhide mallet on the advice of Paul Jones. Paul advocates using the mallet to make a series of very light taps on the sprue plate. This cannot damage the sprue plate or mould and it cuts the sprue with a series of very small cuts that show up on the base of the bullet looking like a series of quarter moon marks. Paul contends this give the base of the bullet a better finish than one push with either a gloved hand or a stick. He said that a single cut is more likely to damage the base of the bullet by pulling the lead. A series of very light, rapid taps produces a series of very light cuts that leave a better base. So far it seems to work for me anyway.

[powderburner]

now thats interesting Lee , it follows along with something I read I believe by MLV that you can actually shift the bullet in the mould by removing the spru albiet very slightly . this tapping would mimimize that a lot I'll wager .
As an aside,I found a piece of hdpe plastic I use for a mould hammer no splinters like wood and I stuck it in the lead pot with no adverse effects it seems to hit the spru plate with little or no shock unlike hard wood
I have been using the hand twist off method and like it but I think I'll try the tapping way you could probably let the sprus harden up a little more that way. something else to play with,aint it fun ................Dean

[cruzurr]

Lee is abosolutely correct, Paul Jones does in fact recommend using a small rawhide mallet to lightly tap the sprue plate multiple times to cut the sprue. This results in a clean cut across the base and looks like multiple cresents as Lee also stated.

Phil Blais

P.S. to Lee: Paul and I will get that video out this year I promise.

[KHR]

Hi all,
Yesterday, I tryed the multiple tap method of cutting the sprues and it really works! Multiple taps require less effort and less stress on the mould. Seems to make real good cuts.

keith

[Lee Stone]

Phil,

As soon as the video is ready, please consider my order in.

[flintski]

Omaha Poke

I'm with you on the gloved cut off. It seems easier on the mold and I have ruined one mold with the hammer handle and will not do that again. Thank goodness it was an old Lyman mold. All my molds now are custom and I won't wack them with anything. If the mold/lead temp. is right you have a perfect cut with the gloved hand. Remember you are beating on a $150 piece of perfection. Throw those hammers away.

[Ken Hartlein]

Since Paul Jones makes the molds I'll just take his advice and use the rawhide hammer.

[Trigger Dr]

Just finished casting, size and lube 200 Lyman 457132, and used the several taps method for the first time. I am hooked. The best bases I have ever had on my castings.
Trigger Dr.