my cast 45's way to hard (ww's)?

[gunoil]

WW's and some spent range stuff. This is first time i had this happen after around 10 thousand cast. What hapoened. I can cut with bismuth and some tin i have and make it work.

[454PB]

I don't quite understand your question, but if your alloy is too hard, add pure lead to soften it.

[44man]

WHAT happened?

[Larry Gibson]

If you mixed the "spent range stuff" with the WWs you probably increased the antimony content considerably if it had a large percentage of commercial cast or alloy from j bullets. I suggest you add 50% lead to your "mix" and then add 2% tin.

Larry Gibson

[gunoil]

Yea will add tin and lil' bismuth for flow. Dang sprool plate on 6 hole'er 45acp was real hard to move. I have added more spent range before. Maybe zinc got in? I saw one floating when skimmed, thought i had em all. Thanks.

[MikeS]

You should probably leave the bismuth out of the alloy. Bismuth does something to the alloy that makes it not good for boolit casting, but I don't recall off hand what it is. I've never seen a boolit casting alloy that had bismuth in it, lead - tin - antimony are really the only metals that should be in your alloy. Adding pure lead is the best way to soften an alloy, tin makes the alloy fill the mould better (makes lead pour better), and antimony is for adding hardness to the boolit. Just my .02¢

[mdi]

WW and range lead shouldn't be that hard. What is the reason you say they're too hard?

[max range]

Adjust your alloy as suggested and try some of that blue "bull"? sprue plate lube. It does wonders. A little dab will do ya for a long time. I have noticed if I let the sprue plate cool past the point where the excess cools and "dimples" the six cavity molds take a little more effort to move.

[runfiverun]

just open the mold sooner.

[dondiego]

Per 44man......WHAT happened?

[Max Brand]

Did I miss something here?

[DLCTEX]

Never heard of bismuth being added to boolit alloy.

[454PB]

From what I glean here, Gunoil is having trouble opening the sprue cutter on a 6 cavity Lee mould. I think the problem is more technique than alloy.

[kir_kenix]

I wait until the sprue just starts to "frost" or freeze over. Cut immediately and repour as quickly as possible. This method gets me quite a few more pours/hour and keeps the mold temp more stable. If you let the sprue solidify too much, they can get pretty tough to cut, with or without the lee camming sprue plate.

[Jim..47]

I wait until the sprue just starts to "frost" or freeze over. Cut immediately and repour as quickly as possible. This method gets me quite a few more pours/hour and keeps the mold temp more stable. If you let the sprue solidify too much, they can get pretty tough to cut, with or without the lee camming sprue plate.

yeah, thats what I do too and seldom have a problem. In fact I keep my lead about as hot as I can get it. I use the electric pot heater and most of the time have a propane pencil torch flame aimed at the bottom of the pot.

I just use pure wheel weights but just ordered some tin and antimony a few minutes ago. I plan on making a sperate backstop for this gun as I want to recover all the "Boolits" :Fire: