Sprue removal

[Nessmuk]

Quick questions for the experts.
Which is better to remove sprues?

!). A rotary tumbler
2.) A vibratory tumbler
3.) A method I've probably never heard of before

Just finished casting 600 balls in 5 calibers and this inquiring mind needs to know.

[rollingb]

Quick questions for the experts.
Which is better to remove sprues?

!). A rotary tumbler
2.) A vibratory tumbler
3.) A method I've probably never heard of before

Just finished casting 600 balls in 5 calibers and this inquiring mind needs to know.

4.) LEE moulds 

[Hank in WV]

I use a Lee mold with a sprue cutter. Whatever sprue is left I just send down range with the ball.

[Fyrstyk]

Nessmunk: I made a roller plate using two heavy glass plates.  The bottom plate has a wood frame approximately 1" higher than the plate.  I spread a couple dozen balls on the bottom plate, and use the top plate to roll the balls by working in a circular motion.  A couple of minutes, and it is very difficult to find the former sprues.

[BEAVERMAN]

Funny you should mention this, I  just pulled the last 180  .530 balls from my rock tumbler this morning, I have a Harbor Freight dual cylinder tumbler that I bought 10 years ago, each cylinder holds 3 lbs, I toss 90 530 in each and turn it on and walk away for 5 to 6 hours and done! you would be hard pressed to see any sprue marks  and any seam lines are gone, they look like Speer store bought, tried the plate glass before this, worked OK , I'm just lazy and would rather be working on a rifle or a horn instead of rolling balls by hand. Now that's tumbling the balls with NO polishing medium in with them, just the balls rolling against each other!

[Nessmuk]

Thanks for information ,  Friends . Being a little lazy AND having a 25% off coupon for Harbor Freight  sounds like a rotary tumbler will do me fine.   

[PetahW]

.

No need to buy a tumbler.

There are two much less coslty choices:

1) Load the ball with the sprue towards the muzzle & shoot as normal 

2) As above, place several balls onto a steel plate, cover the balls with a 2nd steel plate, then roll the balls all around via manipulating the upper plate until the sprues are ironed out.

.

[Spotted Bull]

.

No need to buy a tumbler.

There are two much less coslty choices:

1) Load the ball with the sprue towards the muzzle & shoot as normal 

2) Place several balls onto a steel plate, cover the balls with a 2nd steel plate, then roll the balls all around via manipulating the upper plate until the sprues are ironed out.

.

Yep, I always do choice number 1 if I have a sprue...

[Winter Hawk]

+1 for loading the sprue to the front!

~Kees~

[BEAVERMAN]

Well fellas I've done some of my own testing from the bench on a gun vise with sprus, front, back and tumbled balls and the tumbled balls have always been a bit more consistent, sometimes shooting the same ragged hole, like everything else in this hobby, everyones got what works for them and good on ya!

[Nessmuk]

Thanks for the input, friends . I bought the rotary tumbler at Harbor Freight   (I  just couldn't  let that 25% coupon go to waste). Tumbled every ball I  cast and they look great. I'm  going to try them out on Mike Fink tomorrow .

[dave951]

Load sprue towards target. Aim. Pull trigger. Sprue gone

[Ohio Joe]

Thanks for the input, friends . I bought the rotary tumbler at Harbor Freight   (I  just couldn't  let that 25% coupon go to waste). Tumbled every ball I  cast and they look great. I'm  going to try them out on Mike Fink tomorrow .

Well Nessmuk they worked! You posted a 38 on ol' Mike Fink and a 38 score ain't shabby by any means!!! 

[One Shot]

Jim, Have you measured your balls. Are your balls symmetrical after tumbling?

[BEAVERMAN]

Jim, Have you measured your balls. Are your balls symmetrical after tumbling?

Never measured, don't really care about that, just a trace of the sprue sometimes, have to look real close to see it, I can tell you that from the bench, on a good day) I can usually shoot groups that are touching or close to touching and sometimes hit the same hole (ON A GOOD DAY) Not bragging, just saying they usually hit what I'm aiming at, I've never been worried about ballistics and suck, even with modern ammo, if it fires, hits where I'm aiming at, good enough for me!