Some Shine--Some Dont

[sw282]

l cast some bullets using my Lee pot and H&G #50 mold for the first time using range lead. l noticed all the bullets shining like new money.

Using the same pot and mold on wheel weights l notice they come out frosty.
l cast both batches the same. Pot at max temp. NO tin or solder added

l have not witnessed this before and am at a loss explain the difference in sheen.

Any ideas??????

[geargnasher]

Mould temperature and antimony content of the alloy is what determines the "frosted" appearance of the boolit's surface. Hot mould=frosty, cold mould = shiny. If little or no antimony is present, they won't frost at any temperature.

Alloy temperature has nothing to do with it, or with getting fully filled, wrinkle-free boolits except when you overheat the alloy and start getting shrunken boolits with undersized midsections.

I'd highly recommend getting off the "max temp" kick, it will only cause you size problems and contribut to difficulties managing mould temperature. Most alloys cast best at around 100 degrees over the full-liquidus point. Best thing I can recommend is to get a casting thermometer and note the temperature at which your alloy goes from grainy slush to smooth liquid, then add 100 to that and make that your casting temperature.

With wheel weight alloy or range scrap, you can get shiny, wrinkled boolits from a cold mould and 900 degree alloy, or you can get heavy frost from a mould at 500 degrees and alloy just barely hot enough to dribble out of the pot. It's all about mould temperature, and your preheating and casting pace determines that.

If you're getting some frosty, some shiny from the same pot of metal, your mould temperature is fluctuating badly, focus on keeping a consistent rhythm while casting, time it with an analog wall clock and you'll find the ideal pace to give you the best boolits. Don't forget to keep an eye on your lead thermometer, some pots require some fiddling to keep them constant.

Range scrap probably has less antimony than the WW you're using, so that might help explain why they frosted less, but it could just as easily have been that you were running the mould at a slower pace and thus cooler.

Gear

[swheeler]

sw; what you noticed is caused by the different alloys, your range scrap has very little antimony in it.

[462]

It took me a couple years to realize that running the pot at its maximum setting was not the correct way to go about getting quality boolits.

Using a thermometer to monitor mould and alloy temperature was a real eye-opener. The numbers on Lee pots have no relation to actual temperature, but I went from 9 to 4 1/2 or five.

[runfiverun]

i run my pot temp as low as i can get away with.
the 100-f over liquidous gear mentioned is the same as elmer kieth recommended no matter the alloy.

[jdgabbard]

Like mentioned above, a thermometer is a must. What I do with WW alloy, is set my Lee bottom pour on 7 until I hit 700 degrees, then I turn my knob down to 4, which regulates the temp at 700. I then cast faster when my molds are dropping crappy boolits, and slower when they are beginning to become too frosted. I've found a little bit of frosting on the boolits is ample. I go for a slight dullness.

[Lizard333]

jbgabbard, have you ever just put your pot on 4 and let it heat up? If that is where you cast you can leave it there. The temperature element will still provide full heat until it reaches your desired setting on your pot, and then it will maintain it there. The pot doesn't provide more heat at 7 than at 4. Your heat up time will be the same, without the hassle of messing with the dial..............

[Bill*]

jbgabbard, have you ever just put your pot on 4 and let it heat up? If that is where you cast you can leave it there. The temperature element will still provide full heat until it reaches your desired setting on your pot, and then it will maintain it there. The pot doesn't provide more heat at 7 than at 4. Your heat up time will be the same, without the hassle of messing with the dial..............
I just thought that through...You're right, the thermostat on a Lee pot is actually a temp controlled on/off switch. All this time I've been doing it like jbgabbard. I can't believe I never figured that out before. THANKS