Author Topic: 1" bullet mould - (Read 2723 times)

Cat Whisperer · « **on:** March 28, 2009, 12:47:56 PM »

SO Lance came over and we did it - made a bullet mould for his 1" Dalgren.

Let me preface this with I AIN'T NO MACHINIST and this was a learning process. You'll see it all here, mistakes and all - for you folks who ARE MACHINISTS to comment on how it is SUPPOSED to be done!

First the two blocks of aluminum - T6061 because I couldn't get anything locally harder.
The bar was 3/4 x 1-1/2 purchased originally for bullet moulds for rifles - not this big a bullet. You'll see the consequences and how we worked around it - almost.

Blocks of aluminum shown. Sawed off and sawn off ends trued up a bit with endmill.

Cat Whisperer · « **Reply #1 on:** March 28, 2009, 12:50:05 PM »

Clamped in two blocks to drill, ream for dowel pins (3/16" 0.1875").
Paper is to ensure clamping pressure on both blocks.
Mating faces were matched for best fit and simply sanded a little flatter - didn't want to spend a whole lot of time on my FIRST mould surfacing it an cutting vent lines.

Cat Whisperer · « **Reply #2 on:** March 28, 2009, 12:53:51 PM »

Set up to drill for the first dowel - meant to pick a drill .010 or a little more smaller than the dowel.
Didn't miss by much.

Cat Whisperer · « **Reply #3 on:** March 28, 2009, 12:55:26 PM »

Drilled 2nd hole for dowel pin with the correct drill this time.

Cat Whisperer · « **Reply #4 on:** March 28, 2009, 12:58:46 PM »

Reamed through both holes with 0.1865 reamer (press fit for 0.1875 pin) and then reamed top block with 0.1885 reamer (clearance fit for 0.1875 pin).

Here I'm pressing in second pin into left block with another pin going through clearance hole in right block. Pins and blocks are 3/4" long/thick.

Cat Whisperer · « **Reply #5 on:** March 28, 2009, 01:00:33 PM »

Here I'm squaring up the outside surfaces of the pinned-together block pair with a fly-cutter. FIRST time I've used a fly cutter.
Got caught making a comment about something ....

Cat Whisperer · « **Reply #6 on:** March 28, 2009, 01:02:16 PM »

and here's Lance punching in "1" on both halves of the blocks - serial # 1.

Cat Whisperer · « **Reply #7 on:** March 28, 2009, 01:06:32 PM »

Now to the lathe - 4 jaw chuck.
Wrapped a bit of aluminum flashing around the block - two pieces - to keep jaws from marking the blocks.
Thickness of each piece was measured first and recorded.
Blocks were then centered left-right so parting line was in the middle.
COULD have done that in the other direction ... but it wouldn't have mattered - as the blocks were just a little too small ....

Cat Whisperer · « **Reply #8 on:** March 28, 2009, 01:09:51 PM »

About to center-drill - lined up well.
Note the home-made holder for boring bars.
The hole is about 1-1/2" for which I have a number of 'rounds' that are drilled (and have set screws) for particular boring bars from 1/4" up to and past 1". It is adjusted for height and rotating the bar adjusts for angle.

Cat Whisperer · « **Reply #9 on:** March 28, 2009, 01:11:31 PM »

Drilling first.
Note rubbing alcohol being used as coolant and lube. Chips and cutting tools were kept cold.
Boring bar in holder.

Cat Whisperer · « **Reply #10 on:** March 28, 2009, 01:14:32 PM »

Finished boring.
Time for lunch.

Cat Whisperer · « **Reply #11 on:** March 28, 2009, 01:17:11 PM »

Mould with sprue cutter.
1/4" thick I think. Simple 1/4-20 cap screw (not even a shoulder-bolt - YET).

Cat Whisperer · « **Reply #12 on:** March 28, 2009, 01:20:03 PM »

Ready to cast.
50% WW and 50% tin - approximately.
First and Second bullets.
Two styles - coupler and cap. (For 3/4" copper tubing)

Cat Whisperer · « **Reply #13 on:** March 28, 2009, 01:21:50 PM »

More bullets.

Cat Whisperer · « **Reply #14 on:** March 28, 2009, 01:22:45 PM »

And at last - in garrison:

Max Caliber · « **Reply #15 on:** March 28, 2009, 01:45:40 PM »

Tim, Great stuff. Now tell me about the cookies.

Max

Cat Whisperer · « **Reply #16 on:** March 28, 2009, 01:51:19 PM »

Quote from: Max Caliber on March 28, 2009, 01:45:40 PM

Tim, Great stuff. Now tell me about the cookies.

Max

Darlene said they were chocolate chip and sugar cookies. The hamburgers had pepper-jack cheese and horseradish - ask Lance.

GGaskill · « **Reply #17 on:** March 28, 2009, 02:33:19 PM »

50% tin is extremely wasteful of tin. Even 9-10% is a lot.

Cat Whisperer · « **Reply #18 on:** March 28, 2009, 02:49:08 PM »

Quote from: GGaskill on March 28, 2009, 02:33:19 PM

50% tin is extremely wasteful of tin. Even 9-10% is a lot.

Not if you have more of it than lead and it cost only a buck something a pound.

It was in the pot. Time was more important. It would have taken another hour to have melted and emptied the pot and found more WW and started again.

lance · « **Reply #19 on:** March 28, 2009, 03:34:16 PM »

Quote from: Cat Whisperer on March 28, 2009, 01:51:19 PM

Quote from: Max Caliber on March 28, 2009, 01:45:40 PM
Tim, Great stuff. Now tell me about the cookies.

Max

Darlene said they were chocolate chip and sugar cookies. The hamburgers had pepper-jack cheese and horseradish - ask Lance.

The hamburgers and cookies, which i ate way too many, were very good. Thanks Darlene, i had no ideal you were preparing a feast,while Tim and i were holed up in the bunker. Thanks Tim for a wonderful fun filled day, It was full of suspense,adventure, and a whole lot of interesting learning experiences. I can't wait to come back and watch mould #2, maybe i'll be of more help for the next one.

Cat Whisperer · « **Reply #20 on:** March 28, 2009, 03:41:27 PM »

We did have a fun day!

There were MANY things learned, but not yet discussed.

One that my not be apparent in the pictures is what looks good on the outside may not really be. Namely casting lead alloy into the caps - there was no way for the air to vent out - so there were some air pockets here and there revealed if one could get the copper cap off the lead alloy casting (a few were removable). It will be interesting to see how they fly!

seacoastartillery · « **Reply #21 on:** March 28, 2009, 04:53:01 PM »

Tim and Lance, Looks like you guys are Highballin down the track. Very nice looking projectile, certainly worthy of being shot from a good looking cannon. Lance, is that an SBR, 1/7th Scale Dahlgren 9" Shell Gun? Thanks for the excellent series of photos, Tim. We really appreciate knowing what's going on step by step. Can't wait to see some results from a range session.

Regards,

Mike and Tracy

EL Caz 66 · « **Reply #22 on:** March 28, 2009, 05:02:51 PM »

Tim & Lance, Looks like you men had a great day. The step by step photo's are well appreciated. Lance looking forward to the range report.. Oh yeah Lance good to see you back, it's been while..

Ed

lance · « **Reply #23 on:** March 28, 2009, 05:38:30 PM »

Mike and Tracy, yes it's an SBR, 1/7 scale Dahlgren 9" Shell Gun. It's a heavy little rascal-55lbs...i'd much rather tote bags of feed and salt blocks. I'm curious about how many different projectiles we'll end up having for it.

Hey Ed, Good to hear from you,Thanks. It might be a little while for the range report, i have to make a few items for the Dahlgren. Worm, Rammer, Sponge,Etc.

GGaskill · « **Reply #24 on:** March 28, 2009, 07:21:24 PM »

Namely casting lead alloy into the caps - there was no way for the air to vent out - so there were some air pockets here and there revealed if one could get the copper cap off the lead alloy casting (a few were removable).

Did you flux (soldering flux) the copper before pouring in the lead? That might help get better adhesion and eliminate the bubbles.

RocklockI · « **Reply #25 on:** March 28, 2009, 07:24:25 PM »

The projos look good ....is that Dalgren rifled?

Victor3 · « **Reply #26 on:** March 29, 2009, 01:07:40 AM »

Lookin' good. Nothing wrong with that; it worked. That's the main thing.

Quote from: Cat Whisperer on March 28, 2009, 12:47:56 PM

Let me preface this with I AIN'T NO MACHINIST...

I wasn't one either, 'till I tried. Looks like you're well on your way.

Now all you need is some WD-40.

Cat Whisperer · « **Reply #27 on:** March 29, 2009, 01:26:58 AM »

Quote from: GGaskill on March 28, 2009, 07:21:24 PM

Namely casting lead alloy into the caps - there was no way for the air to vent out - so there were some air pockets here and there revealed if one could get the copper cap off the lead alloy casting (a few were removable).

Did you flux (soldering flux) the copper before pouring in the lead? That might help get better adhesion and eliminate the bubbles.

I considered tinning the inside first, but I'm glad I did not as I would not have known of the bubbles. However I'll have to do some now, as it certainly would have affected adhesion and may well have affected voids - ONE way of finding out - do it and section them.

Cat Whisperer · « **Reply #28 on:** March 29, 2009, 01:32:04 AM »

Quote from: RocklockI on March 28, 2009, 07:24:25 PM

The projos look good ....is that Dalgren rifled?

That's the reason for the copper caps - I think they'll shoot VERY well if paper patched - to control the windage to a very accurate degree.

The two that we did without copper - wrinkles - even though we pre-heated the mould with a tourch. I'm guessing we got it up to about 300 F. Experience has taught me (with 45 cal) that the mould should be up around 400 for wrinkle-free casting. Alloy also affects it. Straight WW with a little tin casts differently, as does pure (almost) tin does VERY well in a COLD mould - and comes out as hard as copper.

Cat Whisperer · « **Reply #29 on:** March 29, 2009, 01:41:17 AM »

Quote from: seacoastartillery on March 28, 2009, 04:53:01 PM

Tim and Lance, Looks like you guys are Highballin down the track. Very nice looking projectile, certainly worthy of being shot from a good looking cannon. Lance, is that an SBR, 1/7th Scale Dahlgren 9" Shell Gun? Thanks for the excellent series of photos, Tim. We really appreciate knowing what's going on step by step. Can't wait to see some results from a range session.

Regards,

Mike and Tracy

M&T - thanks, it's a learning experience.

I found that one NEEDS to be VERY careful on cleaning the chips from drilling - I thought I was, but wasn't and produced a clearance fit hole that should have been small enough to ream out. OK, do it again. This was on the mill using a water-base lube - perhaps WD40 or rubbing alcohol would have cleared chips better - don't know until I try both.

Drawing out the moulds in CAD would have helped. We winged it. There was ALMOST enough space between the pins for the cavity.

OK, so were into the pin on one side - carbide WILL cut through hardened steel. It did for the most part. Afterall this is the PROTOTYPE (should have numbered it # 0). Sort of got away with it. Insert in the boring bar chipped. *&%^*& Didn't have a torx wrench for it, couldn't rotate it. Monday I'll order spare inserts and a wrench. Continued - the chip didn't affect the smoothness of finish (WOW!).

Also learned that I need to have a set of tools premade for doing the nose form cuts. Didn't. Will have.

It will be another thread on nose form boring as I figure it out.