Mold Bases

It has been a few years since I bought any new mold bases.. Got a quote on one from PCS, and I was shocked.. Price is almost double what I used to pay.. Anyone got a source for a decent base at a reasonable price? 08-08 size with A&B plates 1 3/8 thk. #2 steel.

Mold Base Industries - Mold Base Industries, Inc. - www.moldbase.com - 1-800-241-6656

DME - D-M-E Company, an essential mold technologies resource to customers worldwide

National - National Tool and Manufacturing Co. - Molding and Mold Making

Superior - Superior Die Set - Quality die sets, mold bases and components

Here's a place that advertises alum. 8x8's on Ebay, don't know if they build steel bases too?
http://cgi.ebay.com/Prototype-Mold-...635?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item19c27f7633

I've gotten quotes from PCS on MUD sets before, and they were high. I always wondered if PCS actually builds bases, or just buys them somewhere and marks them up.

Last time I bought MUD style ear plates, Cross Tool had the best price, and the quality was good.

Cross Tool & Manufacturing, Inc. - Interchangeable Mold Base Inserts and Frames

Dennis

I'm pretty sure PCS bases are asian sourced, as well.

Don't forget about these guys:

MOLDs by OMNI Mold Systems

Nice looking bases and neat slide carriers.
Unfortunately, haven't done any mold work lately, so can't comment on current prices.

Cross Tool is great for MUD style inserts, but I don't believe they build any dedicated bases, even 8x8's.

Hmmm... I took the OP's "08-08" to be a MUD designation, but I guess not.

Dennis

I usually go with DME. If I am looking to save a few bucks and can make it work I will us a "Mold Basics" from them. These are imported from Brazil and are pretty nice mold bases. They are only available in certain sizes though.

mold bases

If price is the first consideration, try TPI. I have used their bases on a number of occasions and they are OK, but not super. Imported needless to say and the steel quality may vary a bit, or at least it used to. I have also used the cheaper DME bases but watch out on those as the outside edges may not be finished as well as you would like them. Have had to square them up to work off the outside of the base on occasion.

Prices certainly are not what they used to be. The last couple that I got came from DME and MBI. DME has been surprising competitive with their prices in the last couple of years. Working on one now using Omni. I like their slide assemblies. I can't make the assemblies for what they sell them for so it's a no brainer to design the tooling around their componants.
Was contacted last week by a company in Arizona that I will check out next time I need a base. Precision Mold Base Corp. They sound like they may be worth looking into. Don't know if DME is totally American made anymore but MBI, Omni, and Precision are.
Good luck!

We make all of our own,, if we are too busy then we farm them out to other local moldmakers for help, we have not had too much luck with purchaced bases.

Thanks for the input.. I plan on checking out the Moldbasics from DME.. I have used them in the past, good buy for the $$$ a few years ago.. No need for a super accurate base for this job. Although I am putting in hard cavities, one side is flat, so no partline match is needed..

Moldbasics from DME

Hi Davis:
I had poor success with the last Moldbasics set I bought a couple of years ago.
Some really dumb things like blocks not square (not even close), sprue bushing sloppy in its bore and out of alignment with the puller pin, ejector box not flat, A and B plates not parallel and on and on.
Oh yeah, the weirdest thing of all, the sprue bushing head was not concentric with the body, so the bushing would only go in one way...very very strange!!!

I don't know if I got a particularly lemon flavoured example, but like 5 axis Fidia guy, I've gone back to rolling my own.
I find especially if I need to cut deep pockets, I often have problems getting any pre-made set to slide back together properly after the plates curl from the stress release...the hassle correcting this alone seems more than the work of making my own set.
I did have better success with the standard DME sets I used to buy way back before I started making my own.
I sure wouldn't buy another Moldbasics set though...I really noticed the poor quality.
Your mileage, of course, may vary.
Cheers

Marcus
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