Predator Bass Baits Posted February 10, 2007 Report Share Posted February 10, 2007 I know if I search I probably will find answer but man using the correct word in search and time, man it is just easier to ask, I have the new do-it darter mold and 1/2 of the 1/16th oz heads never pour full, just a bummer to get so many duds. I am using the gamakatsu 604 that I was told would work in the molds. any suggesttions ? Thanks Guy's Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
donkjc2 Posted February 10, 2007 Report Share Posted February 10, 2007 Have you smoked the mold with a candle? This will make the mold pour awsome every time. Just place the mold cavity over a candle flame until it turns black. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richoc Posted February 10, 2007 Report Share Posted February 10, 2007 Put a tiny vent to each area of the mold where is shorts out at. Do not smoke it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
donkjc2 Posted February 10, 2007 Report Share Posted February 10, 2007 Why not smoke it? I have done this to every mold I have ever owned and have had no problems. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
microtek60 Posted February 10, 2007 Report Share Posted February 10, 2007 first what type of lead are you using? is it soft lead? If it is not this is one of your problems. If it is soft lead than it could be that your mold is not getting hot enough. Remember that if you are pouring to slowly into a cold mold it will solidify very fast and give you a bad pour. Also I have found sometimes that I pour to fast and it clogs the spru hole. Hope this helps you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cadman Posted February 10, 2007 Report Share Posted February 10, 2007 Predator, I have roughly 30 molds that I pour. Each mold has its own characteristics. Some molds will pour completely parallel, some need to be tilted slightly nose down, others slightly nose up. I don't smoke my molds, I do use pure lead no mix, and I do use candle wax in my pot. First of all before you put hooks in the mold to pour, save yourself some time, and pour as many blank pours(without hooks) as you have to to get good consistent pours. Watch which way you hold the mold, to get consistent pours, then right it on the mold for next time. Only then start putting hooks in. Also the mold has to be hot. I live in the midwest and I can not get good pours when its cold outside. The mold and the lead cool too fast. Also like Richoc said drill or file vent holes in the mold, where your shorts are, you may have trapped air, which will not let the lead flow through. I had to do this to my Poison Tail, and it pours perfect every time. If you have any more questions, or need any more help, you can PM me.......Ted Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richoc Posted February 10, 2007 Report Share Posted February 10, 2007 I use water based paints and they react with the carbon wax coating. Finish on the casting also suffers. If I must blacken it is only on the gates. I polish out the cavities. The shortys are caused by the trapped expanding air in the cav. If you blacken a vented mold you can block the venting and make it worse. You will get better pouring by venting and polishing the molds. Once done right you will get 100 percent good pours using the correct lead mixture. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
microtek60 Posted February 10, 2007 Report Share Posted February 10, 2007 cadman, I am interested to know what the candle wax is for. Thanks Daniel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cadman Posted February 10, 2007 Report Share Posted February 10, 2007 Microtek, about 8 years ago, when I started pouring, a guy told me to put a chunk of beeswax, to every full pot I pour (to help in pouring), and then add more as I add new lead to the pot. I told the guy I couldn't find beeswax, so he said candle wax will work also. I have been doing this ever since. I can't tell you for sure if it helps pouring, but I know I don't have any problems except for the ones I mentioned in a couple of posts above. I'm curious if anyone else does this?????? And what is their reason..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Predator Bass Baits Posted February 10, 2007 Author Report Share Posted February 10, 2007 Thanks for all the responces, I am using soft lead, mold is plenty hot I think, I will try the venting when I get time again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
microtek60 Posted February 10, 2007 Report Share Posted February 10, 2007 thanks cadman I might try it on a couple of my jigs and see what happens. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LedHed Posted February 10, 2007 Report Share Posted February 10, 2007 Adding the wax to the lead helps clean the lead. Really helps with melting down wheel weights. Also heard that Bee's wax is supposed to be the best. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rollo Posted February 10, 2007 Report Share Posted February 10, 2007 Short pours drive me nuts! Can someone explain exactly how to put vents in the mold? Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WidowMaker Posted February 10, 2007 Report Share Posted February 10, 2007 Try holding the mold under the pot so that the discharge barrel drops down into the mold gate. This wil reduce chances of air cooling the lead before it enters the mold. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cadman Posted February 11, 2007 Report Share Posted February 11, 2007 Rollo, the easiest way to do this is to file a groove in the mold where you have the problem, or you can use a dremel. I only file one half of the mold side, on all cavities, if they all give you the same problems. You don't need to do both sides of the mold. Filing vent holes for me is a last resort. Make sure you try everything possible before you do this. It's not a problem to file vent holes, it's that sometimes like I posted earlier, you might have to tilt the mold one way or another to get excellent results. Also do not file any other surface on the mold halves that you don't need, because if you do, and you put a gouge in the mold face, you will get flash. So take your time, think it through and have at it. If you screw it up you can always use JB weld to fix your mistake. One last thing. When you do put in vent holes, you will get lead sometimes seep out where the new vent hole is. It looks like a small sprue, depends on how deep you file your vent hole. Don't worry about this sprue, it's no different than the pouring sprue you get when you pour lead. Just cut it off after the jig has cooled. If you want pictures and an explanation on how to do this, PM me with your e-mail, and I will send you detailed pictures, of how I did some molds. Guys I have nothing to hide here, so this goes to all TU members. The reason I don't post it is that the file size with the pictures is about 4 meg. If anyone else doesn't understand this, just PM me......Take Care Ted Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rollo Posted February 11, 2007 Report Share Posted February 11, 2007 Thanks very much, Cadman. That was a very helpful explanation. I'll follow your advice and try tilting before I haul out the Dreml! Regards, Rollo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richoc Posted February 11, 2007 Report Share Posted February 11, 2007 These vents do not have to be large at all. I first will cut one with a razor blade. You hit the cav. where the short is. Come out at 1/8 inch the turn a" z ", then make shure the vent leads to open air not a place where the mold fills in when you pour. The lead will never pass the change in direction, but the trapped expanding air will. If you make it right it will never even need to be trimmed of at the vent. Only do one face. Start tiny and work up to small. You can make the vent as large as you like after the "z". Use needle files......dremel can get away on you. Use the triangle file and draw it away from the cav. Files only cut in one direction so rubbing it back and forth is useless. Work tiny to small. Start at the cav. and work to out side. Heck draw it on with a pencil for a pattern to follow. Also this should all be done on a cold mold. When warm you will rase the edges, and cause flash. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jigmaster Posted February 11, 2007 Report Share Posted February 11, 2007 I had the same problem with the 1/4 and 3/8 version of this darter mold.....soft lead did the trick......something about the way the sprue was cut on this design, I guess.. regards JM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr B Posted February 14, 2007 Report Share Posted February 14, 2007 Microtek60, my uncle was a machinest for RCBS for 30 years he was a compitition shooter also. He reloaded all his own bullets. He too told me to add the parafin wax. It acts as a flux and helps everything flow. I have never had any problems after smoking a mold. It has only helped however I dont used water based paints. Before you file any additional vent holes try what cadman said and tilt the mold. Imagine the empty area as an air bubble inside the mold. before pouring in the lead tilt the mold so this area will fill up first and the air pocket will be pushed out. Mr B Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
