I have quite a few things to put on this thread. But ... dinner just arrived!!!!

I’ll be back!!!

Gary


Sorry. Lousy headache tonight. Tomorrow plz. Thks. Gary



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 01/13/2019 06:13PM by barnespneumatic.

Hi.

Sorry I’m a bit late but here. But ... if I had a staff and I was still late ... then it would mean I don’t care. As it is, it just means that I have fifteen pounds of ideas and only five pounds of time. Ha.

I did use those component cutters that I thought might make an ultra light 50 cal slug. But ... I recalled after I’d spoken that the 6061 Aluiis a heat treatable Aluminum. After the mold has been cast, especially a few times, it changes the characteristics of the billet. It doesn’t machine nice anymore. It doesn’t cut to clean edges. It will roll a burr that is hard as nails. And when you go to file it off, it’s just as likely to tear a chip out of any detail edge. A chip in a Mold means a raised lump on the cast slug. Think of a lump on a spinning tire. Thump thump thump. And if our rifle is a Smoothie (didn’t think I’d catch that did you?) ... the Air Shear across the Slug will most certainly find any asymmetrical geometry. Think “Whooooohhooohhhhoo....” like a drunk staggering.

So ....

I have to make another 50 mold for the Outrider. And I’m cutting a cavity on that for an ultralight. With another cutter I “found” in one of my lathes this morning..... ahemmmm.

So; what are you doing?

Gary

Hey Gary,

Sounds like you are super busy, again. 15 pounds of ideas and 5 pounds of time seems to go around. I guess the aluminum will get hard from the heating cycle of casting?

Molds would need a lot of care not to damage edges. Cool that you found another cutter. Hope it all works out well.

One thing I have thought over the years, a steel mold that is sinker EDM. Super accurate and detail and can be 60 Rc hard steel. Never wear out. Unless steel is bad for casting lead?

I will let everyone know what I am up to in a future post.

Thanks,

Pedro

Hi Pedro,

You can get a tremendous volume of castings from an Aluminum Mold. A single shooter will never “Cast it out” ... but they’ll wear it out from not keeping the guide pins lubed by touching a candle wax to them AND the Sprue cutter plate and it’s Pivot. This prevents things from Galling. I use large pins to give longer life too.

If you want to make a commercial grade mold, they use Grey Cast Iron. I’ve made quite a few. They cut nice and cast well.

I started out making some parts of hardened steel. I’ve found it’s pointless Pedro. Just wax to lube every 10-20 throws of the mold. Also consider, a mold is not a permanent thing. Well, it’s relative. I hesitate but ... people will want to try variety. So; it’s like building Shoes, Work Car, Suit, Couch ... all that will last a hundred years. Nobody wants them for that long. So; maybe build/buy for the task. The real challenge is to get folks to enjoy them. No point paying me for a commercial mold that never gets above room temperature. Haha. You gotta go use it up and take pictures.

Gary

The REST OF THE POST

I’ve been recalling, remembering, refreshing. There is soooooo much to building these things. Machining is endless math and recalling numbers. You do nothing without measuring six times per cut.

It’s soooo easy to forget to do something backwards because you can only access it upside down. Then you hope you realize before you ruin a days work.

Muscle memory comes back easy, but not the muscles. I have all kinds of busted this, pinched that, degraded both. Endless repetition when grinding, threading, machining ... can really turn the warning lights on in your brain.

That’s a few more thoughts. I’m going to go cast right now. New mold. The slugs for our Outrider AND a new slug for the 50 Smoothie.

Oh ... before I go; I think just a handful of people see just WHAT I see in Smooth Bore Guns. I believe most fear I have attempted to start a Sad Cult when ANYONE knows that Rifling is here to stay. Haha. Gosh ... my “Rifling Ain’t Groovy” Tee Shirts aren’t selling AT ALL!!! I can’t figure ... yuck yuck.

I’ve made a few Smooth Guns in order to allow the Customers to have their Shotgun and STILL (with my highly refined Smooth Bore slugs), have accuracy nearly as good as anybody can shoot at 30-50 yards. I’m not talking about Kelly (don’t shoot against her), Im talking about the typical mere mortal who shoots. They talk 1/2 MOA. And few show targets. So: when I’ve SHOWN 3” 87 Caliber Smooth Groups @ 100 Yards ... that’s noteworthy. And, a ragged hole group at 30-50 is quite good for most. Now yes, I think you’ve seen me edge shoot playing cards at 50 yards ... and I didn’t use a Smooth Bore. But people who say they hunt deer from a blind or tree, and want to shoot rabbit or squirrel.... I have the stuff. And, there are options with inserts etc too.

So; heck ... some of my best friends have grooves in their barrels. I’m not on a Crusade. But I can see amazing unique things when I build them.

Now I’ll go get you your 1,000 FPS slug so you won’t have to be ashamed looking at my posts. Haha.

Gary

Hi Gary,

Remebering old times... are these yours from back in 2000? Got them with the gun... i don’t dare shoot them...
Kind regards

Brian,

They were from a Gent names Tom Basile. He cast my molds for me. I taught him what I wanted them to look like. We came up with the name “Black Tie Casting” for his business.

When I lost contact with him, I also lost contact with all my molds he had.

Best
Gary