Son #1's first smelting session!

[lead_her_fly]

I didn't start casting when I was young. Lots of family issues that made that almost impossible. That is neither here nor there I guess but, even after starting my own family, it took a while to get both feet headed in the same direction, so to speak.

I started reloading shortly after Shane, son #1, entered middle school. He is 32, been married for 10 years and has 5 kids. I know how hard it is to have "man hobbies" while trying to raise a family on one income.

We shot some while the kids were growing up, we just used factory ammo.

Last year, around June when my father in law passed away, I sent a rebuilt Square Deal press home with him. While they were here, they live in PA and us in IN, he took notice of the casting setup I have. He was really interested and you know me, I started the subliminal messages (cast, you need to cast,cast, you need to cast,cast, you need to cast,cast, you need to cast,cast, you need to cast,cast, you need to cast,cast, you need to cast,cast, you need to cast,cast, you need to cast,cast, you need to cast). You all know the drill!

At any rate, it took. Now he hasn't gotten any boolits yet, but is well on his way in smelting ingots. Thought I would share some of his pictures of it.

It really isn't that hard. It will be something that his 4 boys will be involved in in the future, I'm sure. The thing about it is that soon he will not be beholden to someone else to produce projectiles for some of his firearms. That's a good thing in my book!

All of the stuff he uses in his setup, he got from Wally World except the RCBS thermometer.

So, here are his pictures.

http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r115/Sackettwannabe/Casting/IMG_1665.jpg


http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r115/Sackettwannabe/Casting/IMG_1666.jpg

http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r115/Sackettwannabe/Casting/IMG_1675.jpg

http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r115/Sackettwannabe/Casting/IMG_1679.jpg

http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r115/Sackettwannabe/Casting/IMG_1681.jpg

http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r115/Sackettwannabe/Casting/IMG_1684.jpg

http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r115/Sackettwannabe/Casting/IMG_1685.jpg

http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r115/Sackettwannabe/Casting/IMG_1686.jpg


I asked him if those "pie pieces" fit in the Lee 4-20 Pro pot. He said that they did. You all have seen the setup I have, corncob ingots with the regular Lee and Lyman ingot moulds with the cast round muffin ones too.

Now, Shane is an Engineer and much, much smarter than the Ole' man. But if I can do this, so can you! All you need to do is get started.


Gotta get a mould now!

[lead_her_fly]

Had too many pictures for one post! Here are the rest!

http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r115/Sackettwannabe/Casting/IMG_1687.jpg

http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r115/Sackettwannabe/Casting/IMG_1688.jpg

http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r115/Sackettwannabe/Casting/IMG_1691.jpg

http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r115/Sackettwannabe/Casting/IMG_1693.jpg

http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r115/Sackettwannabe/Casting/IMG_1699.jpg

[arjacobson]

This sounds goofy but I LOVE to smelt WW. Other than the smell it is just neat to take a bunch of dirty WW and turn them into shiny happy ingots.. I am slowly getting my boys involved in casting.. I won't let them around the smelting operation but they like to see what the old man is casting NOW!!

[JJC]

This sounds goofy but I LOVE to smelt WW. Other than the smell it is just neat to take a bunch of dirty WW and turn them into shiny happy ingots.. I am slowly getting my boys involved in casting.. I won't let them around the smelting operation but they like to see what the old man is casting NOW!!

I second that

[Doc Highwall]

lead_her_fly, you are doing it about the same way I am with your set up. I have a 11qt dutch oven for the first melt and I pour the lead into 8" cast iron frying pans that make 20lb ingots. After I alloy it I pour it into the same cornbread pie shaped pans that fit into the LEE pot. By melting it twice it gives me a nice clean alloy that doesn't clog the LEE bottom spout.

[45nut]

he will not be beholden to someone else to produce projectiles for some of his firearms.

that is going to be ever more important down the road.

[lead_her_fly]

that is going to be ever more important down the road.

That is why I usually put a subliminal message in posts.

(cast, you need to cast your own boolits,cast, you need to cast your own boolits,cast, you need to cast your own boolits,cast, you need to cast your own boolits,cast, you need to cast your own boolits,cast, you need to cast your own boolits,cast, you need to cast your own boolits,cast, you need to cast your own boolits,cast, you need to cast your own boolits,cast, you need to cast your own boolits,cast, you need to cast your own boolits,cast, you need to cast your own boolits,cast, you need to cast your own boolits,cast, you need to cast your own boolits,cast, you need to cast your own boolits,cast, you need to cast your own boolits,cast, you need to cast your own boolits,cast, you need to cast your own boolits,cast, you need to cast your own boolits,cast, you need to cast your own boolits,cast, you need to cast your own boolits,cast, you need to cast your own boolits,cast, you need to cast your own boolits,cast, you need to cast your own boolits,cast, you need to cast your own boolits)

:D

[runfiverun]

he needs a slotted spoon he has a lot of good stuff on that cookie tray....
and it goes better if he fills the pot with those ww's..
practice,practice..

[imashooter2]

A fine first effort! I suggest a review of the "Wife's angry" thread and some protection placed under the burner and pour area. Spills and splashes are inevitable.