Some of the anchors I just finished. I need to do a few more, but I think I am going to hold out for some more linotype lead. I may sell this mold and make one slightly larger.
With the linotype lead I head they only came out at 3.55 to 3.57 ounces. With X-Ray lead they came out at 3.77 to 3.80 ounces, but it is much softer lead. The linotype seemed to pour a little better too.
I guess I messed up the math or forgot to account for something somewhere.
These are awfully shiny. I would like to coat them, with something dark and flat in color, but I have not decided waht yet. Maybe just a simple metal primer, flat green enamle, and mat clear coat. Just rattle can stuff for simplicity.
If you are doing some lead casting, yes the old, "blacken the mold with candle smoke" trick does work. I had heard that some of the expensive mold release agents for metals where graphite based, so I went and bought some spray on dry graphite lubricant. I have to say it worked a lot better than candle smoke. More than half of the anchors fell out, and half the rest popped out very very easily. The only issue I had was that when I sprayed on a second coat (probably unnecessary as the anchors were still popping out easily) I had some little bumps and clumps that I had to blow out when I realized they were affecting my anchors.
Fabulous Blaster. Less than $5/can at Home Depot.
