Casting Weather...Finally!

[Treetop]

I was born in Houston in 1947 and I've lived in SE Texas all of my life. I have NEVER endured a hotter or drier summer than this blistering 2011 summer!

We have experienced our first "cool front" of the 2011 fall season and, let me tell you, it feel great. Highs in the 80s and lows in the 50s for the next few days!

I usually do all of my smelting and casting after hunting season, but before warm weather starts, but this year I'm going to have to start early because I'm out of 9 mm boolits and almost out of Lee 155s for my AKs. Those two calibers just naturally eat lot's of boolits (especially with two grandsons!).

Also, I have two new molds, an NOE 311284 (3 cavity with one HP) and a Mihec 6 cavity, 140 gr. 9 mm that I can't wait to try!

Several times, I have read posts by my northern neighbors that have started out, "well, it's just been too cold and nasty to cast lately..." So I thought I would give y'all a little taste of what it's been like down this summer. Some of my ingots, stored in the garage, reached the "mushy" stage during August so I had to move them into the air conditioning, so they wouldn't melt all over the garage floor! :bigsmyl2:

[Cadillo]

Lucky you. I'm in Texas too, but it's still too hot in my locale. Projected to be in the mid to upper nineties the rest of the weekly forecast.

Ingots, propane, moulds etc. are prepped and waiting for some marathon sessions between the heat of 'La Canicula" and the cold of winter. I figure about two to three more weeks to get some minor relief.

[Three44s]

You folks in Texas have sure endured more than your "fair share" of problems lately!! We all feel for you!!!


It's been a rough year for most Americans as to weather this year .......... the North central folks had sheer hell during last winter ..........


Three 44s

[FN in MT]

We are finally near NORMAL here in Central Montana with season temps predicted to start in a few days and last a week or so.

We have had high 80's and even low nineties for daytime highs these past two weeks. CRAZY considering normal daytime highs should be mid SIXTIES.

It's October and we have not even had a good frost yet!

[Jim]

I was thinkin' just the other day, it's about time to hit the shed and 'far' up the ol' pot.

[sig2009]

I've been casting all summer! Hot or not.

[oneokie]

It is amazing how enjoyable casting is when the temps are around 80, compared to when the temps are 100 or higher.

[snuffy]

I've been casting all summer! Hot or not.

Me too! INSIDE! I could not cast if I had to cast outdoors, no shed, garage, just a lean-to-canopy where the car sits. I do smelt under the canopy, should do a bit of that soon before the snow starts.

[cbrick]

It's been in the upper 90's to about 105 here for the last couple of months. I have a very strict rule regarding casting weather . . . If I need bullets I cast, whether I have to sweat or shiver, bullets have priority not mother nature. I have been known to be at the casting pot at 5 AM to beat the heat of the day but what ever it takes, when ya need bullets ya need bullets.

Rick

[mongo]

Its 58 degrees now but looks like its going to rain. I cast outside. Better cast in a couple daty when there is no chance of being rained out. I cast all summer also but it is more fun when you arent sweating,

[colt 357]

I casted up a bunch of 9mm the other nite kind of got a little cold out by the time I went in.think it was about 42 out then. its was 80 today but thats life in iowa

[runfiverun]

been seeing frost on the windows lately with a chance of snow thursday and friday nights. highs in the mid 40's predicted.
all last years snow isn't gone yet, and the leaves are red and gold already.
i must have taken the day of summer off this year or slept in or sumthin.

[Treetop]

This was in a local news "Tweet" today:

"Houston has had 139 days with temps of 90 degrees+ this year. That's more than half of this year’s days. More. Than. Half."

[waksupi]

This was in a local news "Tweet" today:

"Houston has had 139 days with temps of 90 degrees+ this year. That's more than half of this year’s days. More. Than. Half."

Is that math from the Texas education system? [smilie=1:

[casterofboolits]

Beautiful casting weather here....50/60's. but can't cast for awhile, had a stroke six weeks ago that affected my left side. Got home from the nursing home/rehab center last week. Still a bit wobbly, but strength is improving every day.

A buddy put rails on the front porch steps and grab rails in my bath room. Looks like I will survive! This was my second, the other was nineten years ago. Same side. I was back shooting IPSC in six months. Casting is good therapy and helps improve grip and strength.

[Treetop]

Is that math from the Texas education system? [smilie=1:

This is the 276th day of the year. Down here in Texas we divide 276 by 2 and we get 138. So far this year we've had 139 days of 90 degree or higher temperature... Tt.

[crabo]

It was 101 a couple of days ago.

[big dale]

I also live in the Dallas area and it has been pretty hot and dry for quite a while. It is amazing how much friendlier folks are now that the temp dropped about 25 degrees. As for the lack of rain...my bermuda grass in the yard went to yellow before it went to brown and then it blew away. Now it is just black dirt.

Big Dale

[sav300]

casterofboolits. Hope you on the mend real quick and can get some casting before winter.
Is heading into summer here.

[mold maker]

Two weeks ago it was 90 +, night before last it was down to 39. What happened to Fall????
We have had several days in the 70 s and I smelted (cleaned) over 900 lbs of lead collected over the Summer. The ingots are all stacked away in milk crates ready for the casting pot.
I never used to mind hot weather, but I've gotten soft with retirement. Now I'm addicted to AC, and just can't see sitting next to the turkey fryer while wearing the needed safety garb at 90+.

[Treetop]

Beautiful casting weather here....50/60's. but can't cast for awhile, had a stroke six weeks ago that affected my left side. Got home from the nursing home/rehab center last week. Still a bit wobbly, but strength is improving every day.

A buddy put rails on the front porch steps and grab rails in my bath room. Looks like I will survive! This was my second, the other was nineten years ago. Same side. I was back shooting IPSC in six months. Casting is good therapy and helps improve grip and strength.

Prayers on the way up for your quick and complete recovery, casterofboolits! Tt.

[Echo]

Born & raised in Houston, but live in AZ now. As a 'Zonie', I can say (of Texans complaining about temp in the 90's) - Poor babies!
Daughter asked this morning 'Why is the temp in the house 72*?' Reason being we actually got down into the 60's last night. First time in months that the AC didn't run all night, with thermostat set at 74*...

[grullaguy]

It has been raining here for the last 5 days.
With no overhead cover, that is a show stopper for casting. Fortunately we had a cool summer with a few weeks of clear skies, so I was able to stock up on bullets.
I still need to smelt more ingots as the rain makes it easy to pick up range lead. The joys of living on an island in the Pacific Northwest.

[LabGuy]

I shut down my casting and smelting operations in May. In the last week the temperature dropped down to the 80s and I have started thinking about firing up something. I don’t “need” any boolets. But I have picked up a few “new to me moulds”. Also have ten 5 gallon buckets of sorted wheel weight to condense into ingots.

[Hang Fire]

Has finally cooled down here in the part of Arizona, don't think will get over 100 degrees rest of the week.

[trixter]

It has been raining here for a few days, and I had to shut down the smelting operation (outside in the shade, under the apple tree) I actually got quite a bit of it done. Then I had to move the melting pot inside into the "activity" room to cast bullets, and managed to get a pretty good batch done. Plugged in the Lyman 450 and got about 300 lubed and sized. got about 800 more to do in the next few evenings. I am kind of liking this indoor thing.