Casting 45-70 Slugs With Antique Mould

[44caliberkid]

I just finished pouring about 20 bullets using an antique mould, 45, looks like 500 grain, maybe bigger, haven't weighed one yet. It is marked 45 GOV. Three nice big grease grooves, maybe the original Big Lube? 😊
It doesn't have wooden handles, and before I started I thought, boy, I bet those handles get hot. So I got my leather work gloves and started heating things up. By the time I was getting nice bullets, no wrinkles, full square driving bands, that thing was too hot even with gloves. Guess I'm going to be making handles. Would big file handles work? Any other ideas? I'm handy, but not really a craftsman.

[Bunk Stagnerg]

go to the kitchen supply section and get a pair of Ove Gloves.
Wonderful for picking up very hot items.
They should work for you.
Bunk

[Professor Marvel]

....that thing was too hot even with gloves. Guess I'm going to be making handles.
Would big file handles work? Any other ideas? I'm handy, but not really a craftsman.

Greetings my good Kid

alloq me to first answer with my trademarked (tm) phrase

It Depends (tm)

File handles are made to thread onto the tapered rat tail of the tool. If your mold handles are not rat-tailed it could prove more difficult

can you possibly post photos? with those we can discern the shape of the handles, etc...

if they are spoon-shaped like this:


it can be more difficult. I myself usually take some short lengths of 1x2 pine , file a groove to fit the handle, and hold them on with duct tape.
that way the antique mold isn't irevocableey   irreplacebaly forever ruined.

hope this helps
prof marvel


PS - THANKS BUNK! OVE GLOVES!!! YEAH!! 

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[Dick Dastardly]

FWIW, Big Lube SS handle sets have wood handles held in place with a glue similar to Gorilla Glue.  I use birch wood dowling that I crimp brass hydraulic ferrules on to and drill out for the SS handle forks.  I'm thinkn' that with 1" dowels you could drill deep enough to give good adhesion and yet fit your hands.  Fill the holes with epoxy, push the handles into the holes and let it set up.  If you are artistic you can possibly form the wood handles before you drill them and get a more comfortable grip.  I can see that the steel handles are curved but with careful drilling a fairly good fitting hole for the handle tangs should be possible.

Using this method should not hurt the original mold if the wood handles need be removed.

DD-MDA

[44caliberkid]

They are flat, rat tail shaped handle with a little straight section. I got a 3/4 inch dowel rod today. I'll be busy all weekend, but will make some handles on Monday. Thank you for the replies.