old book molds, yay or nay?

[leethal]

I'm gonna buy these bad boys if they are truly diamantes in the rough, otherwise I'll get a slightly better much more expensive set.

So who here thinks that the steel is gonna scrub up real good like Cher on her 100th birthday, and who thinks they are too old and brittle for pressing.. like Cher on her 100th birthday?

[ROLANDJAYS]

Well I would sand blast them . The use a dense scotch bright wheel on the surfaces you want to use. If its real bad get someone to re machine the face or grind it ....

[leethal]

Yes I was thinking I would tape off the fittings and blast em, mike suggested cleaning the innards with a closed circuit of Rust remover. Once the crust is gone I don't think I can help myself, gonna paint and polish the shit out of em

[leethal]

So is it safe to deck the plates? I was worried it may weaken them, but Ilol definitely take em to the engineer for shaving if it's safe

[ROLANDJAYS]

well.... as far as reworking the surface, but I don't know how this works and what is critical.

how much they cost ?

[leethal]

If anyone knows of a used preform die for sale that shapes my stampers for this type of mold, I would like to buy you a beer..

[leethal]

My $150 molds arrived today, and they are cleaning up nicely! Garden hose runs easily through the steam passage, and overall I'd say they look ok (in my rookie opinion).

But I suspect they are not a matching pair, a few small differences I've noticed and also the obvious puzzle of the hinges.

-Included was a pair of hinges loose in the box, but the top mold has hinge points cast into it (no way to bolt on like the bottom half).
-The top has the number 3104 stamped on its front edge between the steam ports, the bottom has the number 665111 stamped into its right side edge.
-The bottom stamping face seems slightly raised from its body, whereas the top seems flush.
-Included with the hinges were a few centre mount pins and such, 2 of the 3 large bushings kinda match and the other has a thread within its tubing.
-I'm not sure how the flat discs come into it, and then there's the tiny centre pin.
-I have one stamper strap, the circular outer one, but its chewed out. My lathe friend can machine all the missing bits coz he's a bloody legend.

Can somebody please give me a detailed analysis of what is what, and what should be where, also what I am missing?

Heres some pics of the top half:

[leethal]

heres pics of the bottom half:

[leethal]

heres the bits:

[mossboss]

First you need to make sure you get water to circulate through the galleries If they are corroded inside and the water does not circulate they will be good for door stops If you do get full flow circulation through them, hook them up to a temp water supply system than place them under 150 PSI pressure to make sure the do not leak any where It would be wiser to put them under steam pressure but I doubt you have steam at that pressure available
When under steam any minute cracks will expand than they leak steam which also makes them useless attempts to weld them up have been mixed over many many times some times it works sometimes not
I wouldnt be spending any time on them unless I check them out as above you If they hold on not leaking than you need to make sure there is enough meat left on the faces to take another re profile Hard to tell as you have no history on them They can take about 3-4 re profiles however the plant keeps a record, Usually after the 3rd or 4th machining they done
By the look of these they will need a re profile However if the do not meet the above few simple tests as I said Door Stops
Cheers

[leethal]

I did the garden hose test as soon as I opened the boxes, flow is excellent. As you can see from the pics they cleaned up well with rust remover followed by wire brush. I'm currently negotiating a steam boiler but won't have it for a while. I will add compressed air to check for leaks though, thanks for that tip!

The real issue though is the apparent incompatibility of these halves. I need to source a match for at least one of them.

[mossboss]

If there is enough meat left on the face of the one the has is higher profile your gun machinist would be able to machine it to suit the other
On the pressure test side
Air will not cut it but a high pressure water cleaner will do it
Fill the cavity with water plug one end pressurize the other
Adjust the pressure to around 170-200 psi
Dont use air, To dangerous, You can compress gas but not liquids
So make sure there is no air in the galleries if you going to hook up a high pressure water jet cleaner to test their integrity
Cheers

[leethal]

I've noticed that the large holes (one in each corner) dont line up between the 2 halves. This seems like and end game scenario for this set up unless someone can put me onto a used book half....

[Aussie0zborn]

If the large holes in each corner don't line up, you could have two different models / brands here. These holes should contain locating pins that fit snugly into the corresponding holes in the other half of the mould.

The two round things that look like donuts in your photo are called "cups" and they don't fit this mould. Once cupless centres were developed, cups became redundant. I'm not sure if your centre bushes have a tapered edge. If tapered, they are cupless but if parallel then you need cups to suit.

I would dispense with cups as they leave an unsightly double ring under the label which most often tears the label so get the centre hole tapered and make tapered bushes to suit. The advantage of cups is that you only need to punch a centre hole in the stamper and its ready to use - the is no forming required. Another advantage if you're going to press re-issue records on the Blue Note label is what collectors called "deep groove records" - the cup leaves a deep groove under the label like the original pressings of the 1950s and this is highly sought after by collectors. http://forums.stevehoffman.tv/threads/blue-note-premium-vinyl-reissue-series-by-emi-japan.264946/

[leethal]

I understand what you mean by the cups holding the stamper in place without need for forming, but why then are there outer ring braces?

I have a machinist friend that is gonna make a new plate for the half with removable centre, this way he can align the corner holes and make some rings braces, bushes and pins. That way at least it will be usable for my learning stage.