PTownSubbie mold question

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jsolie

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Hi, I figured I'd pose this to the collective knowledge here and see what shakes out.

Is there any reason I can't cast the lower tube for a Cigar pen in a Sierra mold?

Reasoning: I have a large order of Cigar pens to complete, and I've had a few of the lowers give that annoying "tick" sound and crack while inserting one of the components. I've found what was causing it (a small burr on the inside of the tube) and rectified that, but now I have about three lowers I need to re-cast.

Since I'm still casting Cigars and using my Cigar molds for that, I was wondering if I could get away with just doing the lower part in my Sierra molds.

Thanks!
 
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jttheclockman

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The cigar lower tube is shorter than the sierra tube which would cause a gap and you will have leakage into the tube.
 

jsolie

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True, but I have cast Aero blanks in the Sierra mold, and those are shorter than the Cigar tube.

Let me pull up that new snazzy IAP app on my phone and check tube lengths....

Aero single tube: 1.98"
Cigar lower tube: 2.09"

and for grins... Sierra tube: 2.21"

My nefarious plan might just work.
 

jttheclockman

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True, but I have cast Aero blanks in the Sierra mold, and those are shorter than the Cigar tube.

Let me pull up that new snazzy IAP app on my phone and check tube lengths....

Aero single tube: 1.98"
Cigar lower tube: 2.09"

and for grins... Sierra tube: 2.21"

My nefarious plan might just work.


Go for it then. Give it a try. You answered your own question.:) I can not help you because I never did it.
 
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If you could find a longer plug, that would work. Maybe putting a spacer block on the inside of the mold, and attach the plug to it. Anything to suspend the tube and block the holes.
 

BSea

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Fred Wissen (aka PTownSubbie) told me you could do that with some tubes as long as you had a snug fit. I think he told me a sierra will work in a Jr. Gent mold. But I'm not sure. If you got your molds from Fred, I'd suggest sending him a question through his site.

PtownSubbie.com

And of course, Bruce's method is the real test. Try it with a blank tube 1st if you have any doubts.
 
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preacherman

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Crossville, TN 38572
I have before. I was a very close fit and there was much room for truing the end but it worked. I was in a rush and only had one mold at the time and needed multiple pens so I gave it a shot with one.
 

KenV

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The fit is close as a cigar tube just slides inside a Sierra tube --- that is the secret to making a one piece cigar pen.
 

arkie

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Siloam Springs, AR
Go for it!

I regularly cast Aero and bolt action in the Sierra molds. Make sure the plug is inside the tube and you have some clear space at each end. Pull the ends of the mold out a little as Fred shows in his video for pressure casting. Any tube you can get in a mold as I described above should work fine for PR and no pressure pot - the only casting I do.

Hi, I figured I'd pose this to the collective knowledge here and see what shakes out.

Is there any reason I can't cast the lower tube for a Cigar pen in a Sierra mold?

Reasoning: I have a large order of Cigar pens to complete, and I've had a few of the lowers give that annoying "tick" sound and crack while inserting one of the components. I've found what was causing it (a small burr on the inside of the tube) and rectified that, but now I have about three lowers I need to re-cast.

Since I'm still casting Cigars and using my Cigar molds for that, I was wondering if I could get away with just doing the lower part in my Sierra molds.

Thanks!
 

PTownSubbie

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It should work. That's the joy of this design!

I don't spend as much time on here any longer so if there are questions, don't hesitate to email me or even PM me.
 

jsolie

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Well the results are in...

Yes, you can cast the lower part of a cigar pen in a Sierra mold. Which, for me right now, is a good thing. I was able to keep casting cigar blanks for my order while using the Sierra molds to cast replacement lowers.

Thanks, everyone!
 

m4skinner

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Zanesville, ohio
I don't get on here much and just seen the post and seen that you did make it work, I do cigar castings in the sierre mold all the time.
 
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