Testing lead casting temperature with newspaper?

[sthwestvictoria]

I came across this statement in "Reloading Simplified: by Cyril Waterworth. This was an Australian guide, printed in 1965. It was published by Sporting Shooter Magazine, which is still going - the journal of our Sporting Shooting Association Australia.

In this book, on page 61 he states:

The correct casting temperature can be found by taking a piece of newspaper, about 10 x 4 inches folder in four, long ways. Plunge it into the molten metal and remove it immediately. If it is coloured a light straw brown, the temperature of the metal is around 600 degrees F. If it is coloured a light brown the temperature is approximately 700 degrees F. If is it coloured a chocolate brown, 800 degrees F is indicated. Finally, if the paper ignites the temperature is around 900 degrees F.

I trialled this for myself, although I do not have a thermometer so I can't be sure it does seem to roughly indicate the temperatures at which I would start casting is around 700 and over.

http://i45.tinypic.com/260db4l.jpg

The newspaper swatches run from 1 to 7 - at 1 the WW were just coming apart and were lumpy oatmeal mush to stir. Clips were still in.
Swatch Two was when lead was fully liquid, after fluxing with sawdust and removing clips.
Swatch 4 & 5 was where I would start casting
At Swatch 7 there was colour coming to the surface of lead - golds and bronzes so I stopped there.

Thoughts? Would someone be interested in comparing this who owns a thermometer?

Would this be a useful trick for a new caster? I know most people without a thermometer just rely on looking at the boolits and feel of the pour.

[ku4hx]

I like things simple, but simple doesn't always mean correct or accurate. If you can precisely assure the consistency of the newspaper (density, moisture content, amount of ink and etc.) and precisely regulate the time the melt comes into contact with the paper, you might get some repeatable and accurate results. But I'm not sure you can cover those basics, every time with repeatable consistency, in order to assure an accurate indirect indication of temperature. Casting is a whole lot different from say, feeling the temperature of baby's formula on your wrist to see if it's too hot

In this case, simple and accurate to me is still a reasonably priced quality thermometer.

[Texantothecore]

I like things simple, but simple doesn't always mean correct or accurate. If you can precisely assure the consistency of the newspaper (density, moisture content, amount of ink and etc.) and precisely regulate the time the melt comes into contact with the paper, you might get some repeatable and accurate results. But I'm not sure you can cover those basics, every time with repeatable consistency, in order to assure an accurate indirect indication of temperature. Casting is a whole lot different from say, feeling the temperature of baby's formula on your wrist to see if it's too hot

In this case, simple and accurate to me is still a reasonably priced quality thermometer.

Newsprint is extremely consisent and this should work. It is all the same. If it feels like newspaper, it the same paper as most anything else.

[Jim]

HERE (http://www.weyerhaeuser.com/pdfs/msds/067.pdf) is a link to the MSD of newsprint from Weyerhaeuser. See Section 5, Fire and Explosion Data.

[sthwestvictoria]

I like work-arounds and little tricks like this - the pencil hardness testing is a great example.

The debate is whether newspaper is the same world around and how reproducable this would be.

[fredj338]

Yeah, it's a good guess, but a lead therm is cheap enough & way easier to ues. Sometimes ease of use trumps cost.

[Wayne Smith]

If I remember right this same idea was printed in the Lyman Cast book Vol 3. At least I know I've read it somewhere before, and I've never come across that author.

[runfiverun]

i have seen some older guy's lay a piece of newspaper on top of their melt.
and when he edges browned and curled up they cut the heat back and started casting.
i guess the moisture is driven out causing the wood fibers to shrink and curl the paper.