Big Thanks Guys, Getting Closer!

[joecool911]

I posted earlier in the week about cold weather woes and my first casting session. I got past the problem with your recommendations. I set my mold in the pot with the cold lead and let it heat up with aluminum foil cover the pot. When it was hot enough to flow out of the bottom pour spout, I was ready to go. Did 25 cycles in a two cavity mold. First ones came out frosty. So I let the mold cool a bit. Then got acceptable results for the most part. I rejected half of my sessions bullets due to imperfections. Some got frosty at times, but that alone was not reason for rejection.

Rejection issues...

Lube bands did not line up.

Slag formation where the mold halves meet.

Dropping a hot bullet onto a cool one and deforming the hot bullet. This is an easy fix.

Would appreciate your feedback on the slag and mold halves not lining up. Lee 432-265 from Ranch Dog. Problems not epidemic. More periodic.

PS Dang pot still drips, but I put a catch bowl under it and just recycle.

[btroj]

Frosty is ok. I actually go for that.
As for lube bands not lining up, is the mold closing properly? If it is they should be ok. lee moulds, 2 cav in particular, can close without things being all lined up. It it usually pretty obvious. Would be interesting to see a photo of the ones you culled for this.
The dropping bullets on each other with resulting damage is why I water drop everything. Much less tendency for this to happen. Otherwise, just keep moving the vullets to the side as you go so you have a clear spot to drop em.
I also would like to see what you are calling slag. I will sometimes get a small inclusion of debris in a bullet but not often. How well dis you sit the melt? Did you flux? With what if you did? A photo, if you can, would help tons here.
And 25 cycles with that bullet is way more than enough to heat the mould. I bet it is plenty hot after 10 to 15.
Now go shoot some. Bet even the ones with some flaws shoot just fine. That is a good bullet and should do well for you.

[Ranch Dog]

If this is a 2-cavity mold, the handle pivot bolt might need to be tightened. This is a "by feel" adjustment. Too tight and opening or closing it is tough. Too loose and you experience alignment problems.

If it is a 6-cavity mold, a pin might not be totally seated forward, facing the opposite mold block. Use a appropriate punch to tap the pin so that the steel flat around the pin is flat with the mold face. Stake the hole to hold the pin in place.

[docone31]

Iffen it is one of the Lee Molds, I have had that issue also.
First, I like frosty! It gives my lube a better grip. I pan lube. Second, I close the sprue plate, then close the mold. I have found, even without a piece of slag between the halves, that can give issues. Closing the sprue plate seems to line up the mold halves better.
Sounds like you are on the path.
It comes in no time.

[geargnasher]

Frosty is ok. I actually go for that.
As for lube bands not lining up, is the mold closing properly? If it is they should be ok. lee moulds, 2 cav in particular, can close without things being all lined up. It it usually pretty obvious. Would be interesting to see a photo of the ones you culled for this.
The dropping bullets on each other with resulting damage is why I water drop everything. Much less tendency for this to happen. Otherwise, just keep moving the vullets to the side as you go so you have a clear spot to drop em.
I also would like to see what you are calling slag. I will sometimes get a small inclusion of debris in a bullet but not often. How well dis you sit the melt? Did you flux? With what if you did? A photo, if you can, would help tons here.
And 25 cycles with that bullet is way more than enough to heat the mould. I bet it is plenty hot after 10 to 15.
Now go shoot some. Bet even the ones with some flaws shoot just fine. That is a good bullet and should do well for you.

+1 broj.

Preheating the mould by floating it on the melt should only take 30 seconds at the most with lead up to casting temp and covered.

Light "frost" is good, means the mould is hot enough for good fillout of the bands, which is otherwise difficult to do with Lee moulds for some reason. Rarely have I seen a shiny Lee boolit that had clean, sharp edges.

Lead foil or debris between the blocks can happen with just one pour if the mould isn't perfectly closed, then it haunts you for the rest of the session causing oversized boolits and mould alignment issues. A little Bullplate sprue lube or "wet" silicone spray applied very sparingly to the alignment surfaces with Q-tip will greatly help Lee moulds close properly without binding.

Gear