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292
01-28-2012, 01:06 PM
I was going to wait until I got a casting thermometer but figured if the pioneers could cast over a campfire I could cast with a propane burner. The idea of water dropping appealed to me so I water dropped my first ones. The first thing I learned was; if you were so excited at casting your first 2 boolits that you forgot to close the sprue plate, the 3rd boolit would not turn out too good. I did not smoke my molds, just cleaned good with brake cleaner and an old toothbrush. Other random thoughts: If the sprue seems to take forever to cool the alloy and the mold are at the right temp. If you are not casting cannon balls you don't need a full ladle. The more careful the pour the prettier the boolits. Drop the sprues on the outside of the pot.

odfairfaxsub
01-28-2012, 01:19 PM
electric lee pots cost less to opperate than propaned fueled burners/propane fuel. just a thought not a sermon. (support coal energy lol)

fcvan
01-28-2012, 01:21 PM
Your story and pictures bring back fond memories. Enjoy your new obsession er, I mean hobby. Frank

dragonrider
01-28-2012, 01:31 PM
OK you are starting out well enough. Boolits look good. A mold that has been properly prepared prior to casting does not need smoke, mold release or anything in the cavities except lead. Check out the Lee-menting stickies for some education of preparing a mold. I am not a fan of using anything to clean a mold except hot water and dish soap. Brake cleaner and carb cleaner bring their own problems that have to be delt with IMHO. Keep reading, ask questions, we want you to succeed in the hobby and will help all that we can.

Recluse
01-28-2012, 02:39 PM
I am not a fan of using anything to clean a mold except hot water and dish soap. Brake cleaner and carb cleaner bring their own problems that have to be delt with IMHO.

Agree.

I think it's an evolution of sorts. I started out using every caustic "anti-greasing/de-greasing" agent I could find to clean my molds and figured having to cast four or five thousand before all the residue burned off was just normal.

Been a long time since any molds have seen anything other than water, denatured alcohol (worse case scenarios) or dishwashing soap.

:coffee:

Cherokee
01-28-2012, 07:40 PM
Congratulations !! Good start..

GL49
01-28-2012, 08:20 PM
Good job on the boolits, 292. I've got one mould that really likes to be "sticky" no matter what I try. A quick spray -AND I MEAN QUICK!- with an aerosol can of MIG welder anti-spatter spray, problem gone. Best part is, you can spray it on when the mould is up to temperature and it starts to give you fits. Not too much or you'll be back at the kitchen sink with a toothbrush and the dishwashing soap, or put a few casts back in the pot as rejects. Except for that one mould, I'm able to run my moulds without a release agent. But I do put MIG dip on my HP pins.

Frank,
I, too, prefer to call it a hobby. But ask my wife? She'll tell you the first word is correct.

LAH
01-28-2012, 10:50 PM
Looks pretty good.

adrians
01-28-2012, 11:39 PM
:2_high5:

1Shirt
02-01-2012, 08:39 PM
Yep, good start! Welcome to the addiction!
1Shirt!:coffeecom

williamwaco
02-01-2012, 10:16 PM
I have been casting bullets since before 1960. I just bought my first thermometer about six months ago from NOE here on this board. It is an interesting toy but totally unnecessary for casting good bullets.

All you need to know is one simple thing taught to me by mentor who received it from his mentor.

Flux with beeswax or old candles. If the smoke from the wax doesn't self ignite, your metal is not ready. Wait five minutes and try again. When it does self ignite, you are ready to cast.

Now that I have the thermometer, I know that happens between 650 and 700 degrees.


The old Scot says "Don't spend money on stuff you don't need."


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