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Gentlemen,
I just bought a used H&G and so far love it. It cast easy and they drop out easily. After sizing and lubing some I noticed that the mold halves are .001-.002 offset. One side sizes the other doesn't touch. Is there anything that can be done to line it up better as far as the pins go.
Thanks for any information,
David
Greetings,
Sounds like the alignment pins are not doing the job.
Remove the handles, and sprue plate from the mould.
Now, try to move the blocks in opposite directions when assembled.
Do you feel any movement?
You may have to tap the dowel in a wee bit further to engage the hole in the other block.
First, stone away any burrs around the block with the holes. A raised burr will cause the same issue.
Ideally adjusted, the blocks will just show a very small gap of light when you hold the assembled blocks to the light source.
A gentle tap will seat the pins fully and cast away.
Cheers,
Dave
In stickys of this forum is a H&G users guide. Check out page 13-14 of the below link on how to adjust your alignment pins.
file:///C:/Users/User/Downloads/H&G%20Mold%20Manual%20Part%202.pdf
It's worth it to read the whole manual. The stuff applies to any mold you use.
Great molds.
The adjustment of the standard Hensley and Gibbs mould (Post 1940's) is via the threaded hinge bolt *and* the dowel alignment pins. The threaded stud on the hinge bolt is captured by the threaded nut after you make the adjustment to the hinge. Here is how I recommend performing this maintenance on four, six, eight, and ten cavity Hensley and Gibbs Moulds: (Two cavity blocks are similar, but slightly different depending on the style and period of the hinge design).
1. Loosen the nut on the hinge approximately one half turn. Mark the top of the bolt with an alignment mark so you can see where you started.
2. Once you have loosened the nut, and make the reference alignment mark, tighten the threaded bolt (not the nut) until you can barely close the two mould halves. You should feel just a bit of resistance before the mould closes completely.
3. Tighten the threaded nut.
4. Operate the mould. If it is too stiff to open, or close, repeat step 2 but stop 1/8th of a turn before your previous stopping point. I usually place an alignment mark showing when I stop on the bolt tightening each time I move the threaded bolt.
5. Re-tighten the threaded nut on the hinge bolt.
The combination of the threaded bolt and nut, which pass through the threaded hinge holes, act in harmony to closely align the two mould halves as they open and close. The threaded nut compresses the interface as you tighten it, which is why you have to use trial and error to get the perfect alignment.
Many users do not realize that the hinge assembly is threaded. The two separate handles are both threaded in the hinge hole. The bolt that passes through this threaded hole to hold the two mould halves together are threaded. Lastly, it is all locked in place by a threaded nut.
Perfect alignment is when the two mould halves open about 45º to 75º and no more, and close with just the slightest bit of resistance. When you have this alignment, the hinge bolt and nut are compressing the hinge to prevent the two sides from sagging, and forming egg shaped alignment holes in the blocks. The threaded hinge bolt/nut is a wear point. It does not hurt to dab just a tiny tiny bit of lube when the mould blocks are up to temperature on the hinge point to provide lubrication. As these two mating surfaces wear with use, you will have to realign the blocks from time to time. Lack of the proper alignment is why the blocks sag, and the alignment pins create egg shaped holes in the blocks.
After you have adjusted the hinge bolt/nut, then you can drive the alignment pins in just a tiny bit to help the blocks stay aligned.
Just remember, the threaded hinge bolt and nut are doing 90% of the alignment work, not the alignment pins.
Gentlemen, thank you for the information.
David