Source for standard mold bases

S

swamp dweller

Cast Iron

Joined

Jun 10, 2010

Location

Central Florida USA

• Jul 10, 2014

• #1

Does any one know a source for standard A series mold bases besides MBI and DME? I need a 1729A-17-13. That's 16-1/2" X 29-1/2". I'm pretty sure National went under several years ago and I don't know any other supplier that will have one that big standard. Thanks in advance for any info.

 

JRIowa

Diamond

Joined

May 27, 2003

Location

Marshalltown, Iowa, USA

• Jul 10, 2014

• #2

Superior Die Set
Superior Die Set - 3D CAD Link Resources
JR

 

D

Davis In SC

Diamond

Joined

Sep 14, 2005

Location

South Carolina USA

• Jul 10, 2014

• #3

PCS has them, as far as I know.. Used to be some cheaper, but last base I bought, DME was actually the best price. I lost touch with National when they closed the SC mold base plant. I do know there was a big auction of some of National's Jersey facilities. I sure miss the SC plant. Mold bases with small cosmetic or slight dimensional errors could be bought for half price.

 

S

swamp dweller

Cast Iron

Joined

Jun 10, 2010

Location

Central Florida USA

• Jul 10, 2014

• #4

You're right, Davis, PCS does have them that big, not the exact size, but close. I didn't think their line got that big. I haven't dealt with them much other than ej. pins and such.
I know what you mean about National, I kind of miss Helen Zeus showing up regularly with her free stuff.

 

S

swamp dweller

Cast Iron

Joined

Jun 10, 2010

Location

Central Florida USA

• Jul 11, 2014

• #5

Thanks JR. I tried to PM you but your box is full. Have you ever used them as a mold base supplier? Just curious of the quality of their products. I have an old catalog of theirs but never looked at it for mold bases. Probably because of the name.

 

D

Davis In SC

Diamond

Joined

Sep 14, 2005

Location

South Carolina USA

• Jul 11, 2014

• #6

swamp dweller said:

You're right, Davis, PCS does have them that big, not the exact size, but close. I didn't think their line got that big. I haven't dealt with them much other than ej. pins and such.
I know what you mean about National, I kind of miss Helen Zeus showing up regularly with her free stuff.

Click to expand...

Wow, you knew Helen... That's right, she did move to Fla. after being widowed. I can't count the times I went out to eat with she and her late husband Alex. They were good friends. Enjoyed going to a lot of Clemson football games with them.

 

JRIowa

Diamond

Joined

May 27, 2003

Location

Marshalltown, Iowa, USA

• Jul 11, 2014

• #7

Used a lot of Superior die sets and mold bases. Never had a problem with either. Most of the time, we were having Superior rough in the pockets. They have the big equipment and could do it cheaper than we could. Up here, we use them a lot for Blanchard ground plate. We have some custom stuff we build for testing and Superior does a lot of the machine work.
JR

 

S

swamp dweller

Cast Iron

Joined

Jun 10, 2010

Location

Central Florida USA

• Jul 14, 2014

• #8

Looks like National merged with Midwest Steel in 2010 and are now based is Wheeling, Ill. doing custom mold base work. I sent them an E-mail, we'll see what happens.

 

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toolmaker96

Hot Rolled

Joined

Jul 9, 2003

Location

Carson City, Nv. USA

• Jul 14, 2014

• #9

Like Swamp said, National is still in business & building nice bases. Also DME will build you a custom base that size & do a nice job. PCS quality is for the most part pretty good, but all Chinese steel.

 

S

swamp dweller

Cast Iron

Joined

Jun 10, 2010

Location

Central Florida USA

• Jul 14, 2014

• #10

The guy from National called within an hour of my sending an e-mail. Sounds like the name is all that is left of the original. The company that bought them is the company that supplied them with steel. No standard, off the shelf bases but their area is doing the pocketing, water lines, bolt holes, ej. clearance, etc. All the stuff I really don't want to do anyway. They will make a standard but "really shine" doing all the internal machining, according to the rep.I talked to. I will have them quote the job along with DME,MBI,and
Superior. Can't bring myself to let PCS get involved. I know a lot of their stuff is from China.

 

P

PBMW

Titanium

Joined

Aug 13, 2005

Location

Bremerton, Wa

• Jul 14, 2014

• #11

We buy a lot of DME stuff

 

S

swamp dweller

Cast Iron

Joined

Jun 10, 2010

Location

Central Florida USA

• Jul 22, 2014

• #12

Got my quotes all in and it looks like National is the low bidder. I haven't purchased a base from them since they merged so I'm wondering about their quality. I know what DME and MBI are like as they have been my main suppliers for several years. Toolmaker96, you say that National is building nice bases. Is that first hand experience? I'd like to hear from someone who has actually used their product before I cut them a P.O.
Thanks to all that responded.

 

Thomas Paine

Hot Rolled

Joined

Jan 9, 2013

Location

SE PA

• Jul 22, 2014

• #13

fyi, moldmaking technology magazine has a supplier list on their website:
Mold Bases Suppliers : MoldMaking Technology

 

J

Joec@westminster

Aluminum

Joined

Mar 2, 2013

Location

Eastern CT, USA

• Jul 22, 2014

• #14

A bit late to the party but I wanted to throw out there Target precision, We use them near exclusively for mold frames, it is all they do. Excellent quality not so sure about prices but you get what you pay for. It is a rare occurrence when we have trouble with finished cavity blocks fitting when the base comes in.