Ball mold making???

[Scota4570]

I made a functional cherry, 0.288 +/- 0.002" all the way around.  That was not easy!  The cherry is case hardened. 

Blocks? I was thinking of making Lyman shape blocks out of aluminum.  I also have bronze and lead alloy steel.   The plan would be to make extra long alignment pins.  The blocks would  be closed on the cherry using the mold handles.   The cherry would be spun in the mill.  An assistant would turn the mill off and on.  The blocks would kept captive with the milling table vice.  Not clamped but just to keep the blocks from moving front to back. 

Anyone done this??  IT took several tries to get a good cherry.  I'd like to not mess up a bunch of blocks.   

[rich pierce]

I’ve heard tell of it but have never seen it done. Fine job on the cherry. I’ve wondered on the blocks whether it makes sense to get a head start on the half round holes using an undersized drill in each block. That might help keep them centered up while the cherry gets started and also the cutting would go faster. Just speculation.

[B.Habermehl]

Taking it one step further useing a ball nosed end mill to spot and rough the cavities. Especially since you have a mill anyway. I might be inclined to turn your cherry by hand with a tapping handle for more feel and control. Use the mills vise to gently squeeze the halves of the mold together as you planned. The vise’s handle would be over kill power wise. I’d use a 8 inch wrench for more feel. BJH

[P.W.Berkuta]

Your cherry is very nicely done. I think your method of introducing the mold blocks to the spinning cherry might not work. no matter how ridged you think you have the mold blocks there will be movement of the two halves as you squeezy the two halves together. the halves of the mold must be parallel to the rotation of the cherry to minimize mold block movement.

Maybe rotating the cherry by hand is a good idea to try but again I think the mold halves must be parallel to the rotation of the cherry to get a good mold.

Maybe try to index the mold halves with dowel pins then spot each half with a 1/4" ball end mill then start your cherry by hand as you bring the two halves of the mold blocks together.

I'm just "spit-balling" here so take it for what it's worth -- good luck.

[Scota4570]

I tried what I described above.  It worked fine.  I ran the mill very slow and had a helper man the on/off switch.  The cavity is about 0.005 longer than wide.  I guess that is why orienting the sprue up is important.  The diameter is spot on.  Now I know can do it.  That was the point.  I want to be as independent from commercial manufacturers as possible.  Now I  can try balls in my most recent target pistol. 

[Eseabee1]

Good job it’s nice if you can make your own stuff. Or have the equipment to do it

[kudu]

I made one and pre drilled the cavities on the mill and used extra long dowel pins
reamed press fit for location as you stated above.

I didn't want to break the cherie cutter so I turned it by hand using the mill vise slowly closing the halves together.

I got a good mill with a kurt vise and the mould turned out perfect to me.

you want the dowel pins "press fit" to achieve no movement the vise will close it no matter, when your done you make one side "Slip Fit".
I did the whole job myself just a drop of oil turn the cuter and blow the chips out with compressed air repeat, repeat...... went pretty fast if I remember correctly

[Daryl]

Making a usable round ball cherry and cutting a useable mould with it --quite a job. Well done Scota4570.

[44-henry]

If you make anymore a self centering vise might make your job easier.

[ScottH]

Nice work. I hope you will show us some cast balls when you get that far! 

[Scota4570]

I am not sure a fancy vice will help anything.  Or, I got lucky.... I think as the cherry cuts if it get a smidge deep in one side the area being cut increases and pushes it into the other side more.  Self centering?  I am sure the old timers had no self centering vices.  This mold is close enough to dead center that the cast balls stay in either side randomly, or just fall out by them selves.. 

The accuracy was not as good as mechanically fitted bullets.  The barrel is 30 cal, 1:10 twist.  It may require thicker patches with the balls.  I like the idea of the balls because of very low recoil and low powder charges.  The bullets make quarter size groups at 25 yards.  That is pretty hard to best. 

[Daryl]

I spray all my mould cavities with Lyman's Moly Bullet coating/lube.  This drys to a molecular coating, which helps release the balls and prevents any lead sticking.
I also spray the aluminum Lee moulds I have.