Loosening Up Do-it Molds

[BBK]

I have about 20 molds that are really stiff, and 5 or 6 that are really loose... then a ton in the middle. The loose ones were givin to me, and I cant for the life of me figure out how he got them so loose. I can hold on to one handle, flip the mold over and it will open right up with no force. I've tried everything I can think of and cant get any of mine that loose. I've tried oiling the pins, stripping the pins of oil then oiling them, nothing works! Any ideas?

[dlaery]

I have about 20 molds that are really stiff, and 5 or 6 that are really loose... then a ton in the middle. The loose ones were givin to me, and I cant for the life of me figure out how he got them so loose. I can hold on to one handle, flip the mold over and it will open right up with no force. I've tried everything I can think of and cant get any of mine that loose. I've tried oiling the pins, stripping the pins of oil then oiling them, nothing works! Any ideas?

I know what you mean, I don't like the stiff ones. The stiff ones aren't worn out yet. We didn't use to oil the hinges and that will make the loose quicker. But we didn't want them too loose. When I open the mold, I want the open part to be standing straight up while I load the hooks and then I wouldn't have so far to go to close the mold. If it was too loose it would fall, so I wanted it just loose enough so it would stand straight up.

You could drive the pins out and use a flat file to file the two surfaces that mate togeather, but that could cause a miss alignment where you would have a parting line. That would be the same effect of not oiling the hinges and using them alot.

[sdsaw]

I know what you mean, I don't like the stiff ones. The stiff ones aren't worn out yet. We didn't use to oil the hinges and that will make the loose quicker. But we didn't want them too loose. When I open the mold, I want the open part to be standing straight up while I load the hooks and then I wouldn't have so far to go to close the mold. If it was too loose it would fall, so I wanted it just loose enough so it would stand straight up.

You could drive the pins out and use a flat file to file the two surfaces that mate togeather, but that could cause a miss alignment where you would have a parting line. That would be the same effect of not oiling the hinges and using them alot.

So we like them loose, eh?

Don't do any enlarging of the pin hole on the aluminum mold

Another thing you can do is to drive the pins out and squeeze them a little smaller in a bench vice. Calipers would help a lot here to measure the pin so you don't make it too small or make them out of round.

The pins are standard split pins that run oversize so they will press into a standard fraction sized hole: 1/8, 5/32, 3/16, 1/4" etc.

If it ends up too loose, you can find these pins at the hardware store

[turkeylegs1246]

I have about 20 molds that are really stiff, and 5 or 6 that are really loose... then a ton in the middle. The loose ones were givin to me, and I cant for the life of me figure out how he got them so loose. I can hold on to one handle, flip the mold over and it will open right up with no force. I've tried everything I can think of and cant get any of mine that loose. I've tried oiling the pins, stripping the pins of oil then oiling them, nothing works! Any ideas?

Those molds are broke in! Powdered graphite will help some. The more the molds are opened and closed the easier they'll open. Just my thoughts!

[Go55]

I've got same problem on my Do-it mold before. Hinge pin got rusted. I sprayed PB Blaster on it and sat over night. PB Blaster liquid penetrated into rusts then loosen them. Now opens and close smooooth like butter!!!