Cast HPs today

[HDS]

With my NOE 429421 RG4 mold. I am still having issues with sticking and fill out. I'm not sure what I should do, increase the heat of the melt or increase the heat of the mold. I tried keeping the mold it at 380-400F today and the heat of the melt at 750F.

It didn't seem to make a difference even though the lead thermometer once said it was a whopping 900F, I had the mold up to 450F once as well and then I got my first frosted bullets of the evening but it was difficult to keep the temps that high. The frosted bullets where the nicest looking ones though when it came to fill out, I seemed to get rounded edges even though I had the temp at 370-400 and I tried keeping the sprue plate warm, usually by warming the mold upside down against a hotplate.

I tried keeping the mold closed for longer periods, counting up to 12 seconds after the sprue had frosted over, it did not seem to make a lot of difference from counting to 5-6, every time required lots and lots of banging to get a release. I had put bullplate lube on the pins as well.

I got about 50 bullets out of todays work that I felt where good enough, lots of rounded edges on one half of the bullet (but it does not follow the casting seam) and wrinkling, maybe it was too cold outside for casting, it was about 55F today.

http://i55.tinypic.com/24liv0z.jpg

What temperature combinations have you that cast HPs with this system found work best?

P.S. I have broken the mold in. Considering graphite on pins, and the kroil method too, though we don't have Kroil in Finland, we got something similar thats called CRC 5-56, wonder if that could work.

[Ben]

750 should work. Sounds like you need to speed up the time of pouring , tapping open the sprue.
By waiting, you'll letting the mold and pins cool too much. You'll know when everything is getting too hot......the sprue won't solidify and the bullets will " frost ", when that happens , you can slow things down......BUT until that happens, speed things up. You have enough heat with your alloy...just speed things up. The mold and pins being too cool are creating the sticking and poor fill out that you're experiencing.

That glassy, shiny appearance in your photo of your bullets tells me that the mold and pins have not got HOT yet. If that were the case, you'd see slight frosting instead of the shiny appearance in your bullets.

Report back with your findings.

Ben

[HDS]

It's strange because I have the NOE mold probe thermometer and from what I understand the mold temp is within operating range. I will try to go faster then and heat the block to 420-440F instead of 380-400F, a problem is I am spending a lot of time getting the bullets to drop.

[Ole]

I drilled out some Lee 200 grain RNFP's this morning.

http://i258.photobucket.com/albums/hh280/Ole1830/IMG_5528.jpg

The plan is to drive these fast enough to expand out of my Charter Arms 44 special. Alloy is 96/2/2 air cooled.

If they don't expand, i'll try some 25/1. :mrgreen:

[Ben]

It's strange because I have the NOE mold probe thermometer and from what I understand the mold temp is within operating range. I will try to go faster then and heat the block to 420-440F instead of 380-400F, a problem is I am spending a lot of time getting the bullets to drop.

Is there a possibility that your HP pins aren't smooth ?

[geargnasher]

It's strange because I have the NOE mold probe thermometer and from what I understand the mold temp is within operating range. I will try to go faster then and heat the block to 420-440F instead of 380-400F, a problem is I am spending a lot of time getting the bullets to drop.

I don't care what your equipment says, YOUR MOULD AND PINS ARE TOO COLD. The huge nose wrinkle on that one on the far left in the pic and th rounded mouths on all of your boolits, combined with the fact that they are mirror shiny tells me that, and it should tell you that too. If the mould needs to be 500 degrees according to your thermocouple to cast good boolits, then so be it. Here's what they should look like, and the only difference is that I was using 675-degree alloy and and casting a LOT faster than you.

Preheat the mould in an oven like this for about 15 minutes on 500, and then use propane torch on full-blast to quickly heat the pins, then get to casting and don't stop for anything. Some graphite or FA mould release might help the pins, but I find the natural heat-bluing of squeaky-clean, polished pins works the best.

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


Here's what they should look like:

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=15701&d=1252306757

If the pins are hot enough, deburred, and clean, the boolits won't stick to them. Think three pour cycles a minute minimum to keep the mould hot enough.

Gear

[white eagle]

what alloy ya using
If you are useing a softer alloy close to pure
you will have that nose wrinkle situation

[cbrick]

Yep, Gear is right, that is just what they shouldl look like except for one tiny, minor little thing . . .

Gear really needs to learn how to . . . .





















Size pictures. [smilie=1:

Rick

[geargnasher]

I hate it when you're right, Rick. :oops:

I tried some Windows program that comes with the XP package that's supposed to do photo editing, but neither my savvy wife nor I could figure out how to even do a simple crop with the program. Now I just set my camera on a lower resolution setting and use the pic hosting sofware, much better. She has the full-blown Adobe Photoshop on her computer, but I wouldn't know where to begin using that, too many brain cells dedicated to other things and no more room for silly photo programs [smilie=s:

Ya'll can just deal with it!:bigsmyl2:

Gear

[felix]

Photoshop was made for artists, not general purpose jocks like us having email requirements. ... felix

[cbrick]

Use Microsoft Office Picture manager and NOT Microsoft photo Editor which I think is what comes with XP. Picture manager should be a free download from Bill Gates if you don't have it.

Here is your picture at 45% and with the file size reduced to under 20,000 from your 89,000, much easier on the bandwidth.

Rick

[geargnasher]

See? What do I need to learn it for, you can do it for me! :kidding:

You're right, it was MS photo editor that we couldn't get to work. I'll try the other thingy sometime.

Gear

[cbrick]

You're right, it was MS photo editor that we couldn't get to work. Gear

Don't feel bad, I haven't even figured out yet just what photo editor is supposed to do. I've yet to get it to actually "do" anything except destroy pictures. I think it is just plain bad humor from Bill Gates.

Rick

[HDS]

what alloy ya using
If you are useing a softer alloy close to pure
you will have that nose wrinkle situation

This was a mix of WW and stickon weights so it should be a softer alloy.

[geargnasher]

Add some tin next time, but don't go over 725 degrees with the alloy or adding it is moot.

Gear

[Blammer]

get a little propane torch, light up the bottom of the pins on the mould. Don't melt anything, jus get them hotter!

Your pins are sticking because they are not hot enough.

OR get your pot up to temp and set the mould on the top of the pot and walk away for 30 min, get that mould HOT.

Your sprue may not solidify until the count of 5, then you are a bit too hot but cast until you start a rythem of them dropping off, close the mould PRONTO, and pour right away again.

smoke the pins lightly, that may help too.

don't be afraid to give a few good raps on your handles to shake the boolits off the mould.