Casting Notebook

[TXGunNut]

I've kept a reloading notebook since 1994 but loaded for years without one, don't want to make that mistake again. Broke in my 7th and 8th moulds yesterday and realized they were nothing like my other moulds. I'm working on a casting notebook format and looking for suggestions. Am considering a section for each mould, first page will list mould data and basic likes and dislikes. Next pages will detail casting sessions with alloys used, number of boolits cast, cadence, conditions (I cast outside) and comments.

:lovebooli

[geargnasher]

I used to keep a detailed notebook with a tab divider for each mould, but after a few years I settled into a routine that quickly gets great results from the start. The problem with logging mould number, weather, alloy, mould temp, alloy temp, casting pace, etc. is that no two casting sessions will be the same, and you have to adjust anyway.

What I do now, regardless of mould, alloy, or weather, is to first determine the full-liquidus point of the alloy using a reliable thermometer and a PID controller with thermocouple. Just a thermometer is good enough if you keep an eye on it while casting and make thermostat tweaks as necessary. Once I get the alloy temperature 100 or so above full liquidus, fluxed, and stabilized there, I get ready to start casting.

I preheat all my moulds, the small ones by dipping a corner in the melt until lead won't stick to it any more, and the larger/bulkier ones in my mould oven (steel electrical box on a hotplate) until they are around 400 degrees for at least ten minutes. BBQ grill thermometer installed in the top of the box confirms air temperature within.

Then I start casting. I can tell by the time it takes the sprue to set if the mould and sprue plate are hot enough, or if I need to adjust pace or size of sprue puddle to get the temperatures right. After three or four pours I usually have it right on the money, and begin casting keepers.

This works regardless of ambient temperature, humidity, alloy, or mould type, since all you're basically doing is (1) getting your pot temperature set to the point that is best for the alloy, and (2) getting your mould set to the temperature it likes best to drop good boolits.

If using pure lead, the pot needs to be run much, much hotter than 100 over full liquidus, but that's a rare exception for me. Those who cast lots of pure lead know this already. Since ther isn't any tin to worry about burning out of the metal, it isn't necessary to observer the 100-over-liquidus guideline for pot temperature.

Gear

[Roger Ronas]

Hello Gear,
Off topic for the thread but as a pic is worth a thousand words, do you have a pic of mould oven (electric box) setup?
Will do search as well.
Back to your normal programing.
Thank you,
Rog

[geargnasher]

I have to leave for a Co. picnic at the moment, I'll post one when I get back later this afternoon. I stole the idea from Montana Charlie, you might do a search in the meantime as he's posted pics of his several times.

Gear

[TXGunNut]

Thanks, Gear. Maybe all I need to do is write the alloy temp on the mould box for a starting place. I don't have a hot plate yet but that will be my next piece of equipment. Lots of wrinkled boolits went back in the pot yesterday before everything got up to proper temp.
I'm guessing you're using a standard electrical switch or junction box for an oven. I like that.

[cbrick]

I also have load data notebook. Keeping records of loads that didn't work well is as or more important than the loads that do work. I know me too well, if I didn't keep the records of what didn't work I would just keep doing them over and over again. The load notebook is by firearm and each folder for that firearm is by powder. As an example, all loads for my FA 357 match revolver with H-110 lists all bullets, charge weights etc with that powder with that gun. If I click on FA 357, H-110 I get everything I've ever tested in that gun with that powder. All tests with say H-108 lists everything tested with that powder. I also print out the notebook and have Carbonite back up, I lost 20 years of loading notes trusting them all to a computer that crashed.

I have a seperate mold log that lists each mold by caliber, mold number, number of cavities, bullet style, stated as cast weight, actual weight in WW, as cast diameter, nose diameter (bore riding), meplat percentage, nose length, bearing surface percentage, bullet length. A picture of the bullet from the mold etc.

With over 70 molds it's extremely convienent to bring up the mold log on the computer and see what I have that casts what for a given caliber. I also slug all bores so I can easily see which mold will or won't work when starting a new load work up with a given firearm.

I don't keep records of the weather or such because as Gear said, each casting session is unto itself, besides I cast indoors in my shop and my alloy temp is always 700 to 730 regardless of which mold.

Rick

[geargnasher]

Hello Gear,
Off topic for the thread but as a pic is worth a thousand words, do you have a pic of mould oven (electric box) setup?
Will do search as well.
Back to your normal programing.
Thank you,
Rog


Here 'tis, the opening is cut to fit Mihec and the large-block Accurate moulds, and the box is plenty large enough to accept NOE and Lee six-cavity blocks and handles no problemo. Note that I left a little lip on the bottom of the opening so I can prop the mould on the hinge bolt (or handles, depends on the height of the blocks) and keep the bottom of the mould blocks flat on the bottom of the oven for more direct contact. Also, I open the moulds up to let the hot air circulate between the blocks, this also results in faster heating.

Gear

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/imagehosting/thum_89094e5ad65ae2e31.jpg (http://castboolits.gunloads.com/vbimghost.php?do=displayimg&imgid=1966)

[Bullwolf]

One of my favorite tips that I read here on Cast Boolits, is to use a hot plate to pre-heat my molds, and ingots. It really helps warm up up the boolit molds, and keep them at a constant casting temperature.

I just use a cheap electric hot plate for this.

(you can see it i the upper left hand corner of the picture)

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/picture.php?albumid=539&pictureid=3973

I set an old skill saw blade on top of the burner, and use it as a flat base to pre-heat my ingots on, and to set my molds on top of.

It really is convenient, especially if you are using more than one mold at a time!

I don't have a picture of it at the moment, but I use a metal box for a wind guard on windy days. It is the same type, that is often used along with a Coleman camping stove.


- Bullwolf

[geargnasher]

I heat ingots on top of mine, too, I leave the unit on during a casting session so I can park the mould in it if I need to stop for a minute to refresh my beverage or dispose of used beverage ;-) add ingots, flux, scratch, stretch, move the boolit pile, etc. during a session. Since it's just sitting there being hot most of the time, I decided I could further justify leaving it on by stacking ingots on top to keep the Tinsel Faery away.

Gear

[Roger Ronas]

Thanks Gear, Several good ideas in your posts.
Rog

[kbstenberg]

Like Rick an Gear my mold log besides giving a discription of the mold only includes the basics on dia with spacific alloys. All other inf. on loading go into my loading log book. The only other diary I keep is a rifle discription.
Kevin