spur elimination

[curly]

Does anyone of you guys use a rotary tumbler to eliminate the ball spur from your balls? I just got one from Harbor freight to make black powder charcoal, and thought I'd be a good idea.
   Curly

[EC121]

The molds I use don't leave a spur, but they do leave a sprue.  I don't bother with it.  By the time  you load it, it is knocked down.  Since you have the tumbler anyway, you might as well use it.

[577SXS]

I did it and it does round the sprue off but not sure it's worth the trouble. My tumbler has a hex drum and I think it is too aggressive. My balls came out dented and almost looked like golf balls. I think a smooth round tumbler barrel might work better.

[smylee grouch]

If you buy a Jeff Tanner mold and cut the sprue off with the right sized wire cutter you will end up with an almost sprue less ball. You grab the sprue with the #12 I think at the base of the ball and twist the ball and it cuts the thing off slick.

[WadePatton]

I did it and it does round the sprue off but not sure it's worth the trouble. My tumbler has a hex drum and I think it is too aggressive. My balls came out dented and almost looked like golf balls. I think a smooth round tumbler barrel might work better.

 
might just be the ticket for bare-ball loadings in smoothies 

[rick/pa]

Most of my molds are Lees which leave no sprue on the ball. Been using them since the 70's with no problems.

[Clark Badgett]

I tumble my balls. It was a known thing back then.

[Scota4570]

IF you want perfect looking balls tumble them.  I add polished steel shot and graphite.  My tumbler is a RCBS sidewinder.  The product is perfect looking shiny black lead balls.  I makes no difference in shooting but they seem to last longer before they oxidize. 

[45-110]

I remember well that many tumbled/rolled their cast balls in a coffee can back in the '70's.  The smooth dimple effect shoots well, not a much different  look than you get from a ball bag after awhile.
kw

[Daryl]

The sprue on the ball doesn't bother me. With a Tanner mould, I pinch with wire strippers, then  twist the ball and the ball ends up sprue-less.

[elkhart]

I did it and it does round the sprue off but not sure it's worth the trouble. My tumbler has a hex drum and I think it is too aggressive. My balls came out dented and almost looked like golf balls. I think a smooth round tumbler barrel might work better.

 
might just be the ticket for bare-ball loadings in smoothies 

Was thinking the same thing!

[Standing Bear]

I am moving toward using only iron molds. Yes they leave a sprue but I think the weights are more consistent once the mold and the lead are properly heated.

Re the sprue, I just load with it pointed with the bore.

Re oxidation, store in a plastic jar that seals well.

[Daryl]

Lee moulds also have a sprue. That it is merely a flat spot on the top of the ball & not a projection as with Lyman and other moulds, does not
negate that it has a visual proof of the mould cutt-off - even though it is in the form of a flat spot. A measurement taken from that flat spot to the
bottom of the ball, will be undersized to the mould's designation. Even Lee moulds do not cast round or to the size they say. The odd one does
and I have had some that cast exactly the same from both cavities.  Taylor's .600" Lee mould casts .608".
The only balls I have witnessed as being sprue-less, are those cast from Tanner moulds with the use of the wire strippers, to cut and
twist off the sprue, then if needed, a file is used to remove the tiny 'tit' that remains some times - it is merely tapped down with the wire stripper.
These measured the same, all the way around.