Bad "Silver Buddy" Pours by Hinge?

[snapshotmd]

I have a Do-it Vibrating Blade Lure Mold with the 1/2 and 1/4 oz cavities.  I cannot get a good pour in the cavity by the hinge.  I can get a complete pour on a blank, but if I have the insert in, I cannot.  The other 3 cavities give me good molds.  Any suggestions on what might be the problem, and how to fix?

[walleyeking]

Pics would help if you can post what it looks like. Have you tried drop out. Some molds I have a hard time getting to pour complete I spray drop out in and it helps a lot.

[smalljaw]

Most likely what is happening is the lead isn't getting in fast enough. The fact that it pours well without the insert means the lead is freezing up instantly when it is hitting the lure blank. There are a few things you can do, either increase the temp of your lead,  or you can heat up your lure blank before putting it in the mold, or you can try to get the lead in faster. I don't know if you have a ladle or bottom pour pot but if you use a bottom pour you can try getting the spout closer to the gate, you can even put the spout in the gate, this will keep temp loss down to a minimum. If it was me I'd go with increasing the lead temperature first and getting the mold a little closer to the spout assuming you are using bottom pour and your pot has some room to increase the temperature.

[NM Hevi]

Could you please keep us informed with your pours as I’m considering buying this same mold.

Thanks John

 

[Basseducer]

If possible I would also increase the flow rate. I also warm the blanks, but I do it in the cavity with a mini butane torch. Be careful on cold days doing this because it causes condensation and the first two or three pours it tends to spit a little

[snapshotmd]

For some reason, it is always on the same cavity.  The mold I'm using has two 1/2 oz cavities, and two 1/4 oz cavities.  The cavity that consistently does not fill correctly is always the 1/4 oz one by the hinge; the other 3 cavities fill fine.  What I do is I put the blanks in the mold, put the mold on the cast iron pot for about 30 secs to 1 min, then I ladle the lead, put it up to the pour hole, then rotate the mold and ladle together to pour.  The mold itself gets pretty hot; if I hold the aluminum for about 5 secs, it gets too hot to hold.  What if I opened the pour hole a little, would that help?  Probably not too much, because then the sprue would be harder to break off?  Another thing is the ambient temp I was pouring in was about 40 degF.  I will try the suggestions thus far in my next molding session. 

11 hours ago, NM Hevi said:

Could you please keep us informed with your pours as I’m considering buying this same mold.

Thanks John

 

I would go ahead and get it.  The cost savings is like 5X!  I only have an issue with one cavity.  The other version of the mold has only one cavity for each weight.  So the upshot is if you had that mold instead, you'd be molding one 1/4 oz bait per pour anyway.  Plus, I use the 1/2 oz bait more anyway.

Edited December 19, 2017 by snapshotmd

[NM Hevi]

Thanks for your update Snapshot.

I have a guy that sells me 1/2oz & 3/4oz unpainted for .70cents for nickle, and .65cents for brass for a 100 pieces. I have a shad pattern thats semi foiled that i use the nickle for and a semi foil perch pattern for the brass. Walleye like some crazy patterns, however i think Walleye fisherman are even crazier! LOL 

Was only thinking i could pour some if in a pinch some time with the 5 cavity mold that has 1/2, 5/8, and 3/4 fits my needs well.

Thanks

 

[DaBehr]

I pour using a ladle and have no issues, but I live in Minnesota and craft in my garage, so I always warm the molds and blanks up in the toaster oven first.

I have to warm hooks up on other molds too.