Well... Thats odd.....

[jdgabbard]

For some reason my alloy is (100% COWW) is completely molten, although not up to temp where the lee pot will drip, at 525 degrees.... Anybody know if they were using Lino for WWs at any point???

[geargnasher]

That's weird. Must be a collection of OLD wheel weights or a batch that had happened to have a lot of tin content.

Gear

[nagantguy]

That is strange had the same happen to me recently with cast lgots that were given to me and told they were pure lead.

[jdgabbard]

Well, this is from a batch that I smelted about 2-3 months ago. Was a full bucket, and so far for the last few pots they're all melting at about 525-550.... Heck, the tin is starting to run on top at about 450.

[I'll Make Mine]

Is your thermometer failing?

[jdgabbard]

I don't believe so. The Lee's Drip-O-Matic starts to work right at about 650ish on the thermometer. Which is where it always have... I don't know, but it is weird.

[cs86]

I've had this same problem with my new lee pot. first time I cleaned it out and started again. the next time when it started to drip I opened it up and let it drip untill it ran smoothly out. Its almost like the spout is to cold, but don't know how that could be. I have the problem when I go around 600 or below. I'd like to try casting at lower temps but I don't think the alloy will let me. Its also COWW, and I have a new RCBS thermometer.

[runfiverun]

bismuth.

[olaf455]

bismuth.

Plus 1

[SciFiJim]

I haven't checked the temp of the lead, but the lead in my Lee pot is always completely molten before the spout gets hot enough to pour. Usually takes an extra ten minutes or so before the first drip. After that is is pretty easy to keep the spout hot enough to stay flowing. It will generally freeze again after adding an ingot. I have used a propane torch before to speed it up but I am out of gas at the moment. Need to add a bottle to the shopping list.

[trixter]

My regular casting temp is right at 700. The spout does not get to the same temp as quickly as the rest of the pot. If I am in a bit rush, I will use my Bar-B-Q lighter and warm it up a little, after that it flows fine. Like you say another 10 -12 minutes and it starts on it's own. And like your pot it too will quit flowing after a refill, then just wait it out.

[Walter Laich]

One reason I got a 20# pot was so the next ingot wouldn't freeze the spout. Also warm the ingots on the top of the pot before they go in.

Usually used the propane torch to heat the spout at the beginning of the cast, too

[jdgabbard]

bismuth.

You saying that there may be bismuth in the alloy? Will it drop the melting temp that much???

[John Boy]

my alloy is (100% COWW) is completely molten, although not up to temp where the lee pot will drip, at 525 degrees...That is a little less then the melting temperature of COWW's made with an alloy of Sn-As-Sb and Pb
Somewhere I read the melting temperate is about 475-500 degrees depending on the percentages

[44man]

It is a hard call to assume what is in lead and I can't do that. Lead starts to melt way before casting temps are reached.
I ladle cast and just set my pot to 750* for any mold. I go to the 800* setting for pure lead.
Just why would you want to cast at such a low temp?
Lead heat is needed for mold heat and you will never find different. Turn the pot up and go away until it is hot. Just because the lead is liquid means nothing at all.
Every single mold I have, either ones I made or bought will cast exactly the same. I have never needed to change a thing for one mold, iron or aluminum .22 to .500. I will never understand why some keep records for molds, saying one needs different then another.
I stay away from the six cavity stuff, too hard to keep the big blocks even and even heat them.
I hate bottom pour drip-o-matics and plug the hole.
Ladle casting does not need a pot with a certain level. I will get a perfect boolit at the first cast until I can't get enough lead in the ladle at the bottom of the pot. I can run 20# without a reject.
Casting is ART, not science. Every single pour is different and what you do and time is different and it becomes feel and natural without thought.
I have run three double cavity molds at once but prefer two. Too hard to pre-heat three molds and speed has to be increased.
I just cast hundreds of my 330 gr and 310 gr lee .44 boolits the other day without a reject. Two different molds working in harmony. I also use two molds, one aluminum, one steel together.
I wish you could come here and cast with me.

[Doc Highwall]

Put your thermometer in boiling water to see if it reads right. Maybe it got dropped or bumped with out you knowing about it.

[runfiverun]

bismuth is showing up more and more in ww alloy.
it does drop the melting point a lot, in fact it is still used in fire sprinkler systems as fusible links.
but it was the main player for years as the little melt tab in the over head sprinklers because it could be manipulated to melt as low as 140-160 f.

[jdgabbard]

Put your thermometer in boiling water to see if it reads right. Maybe it got dropped or bumped with out you knowing about it.

I can guarantee it hasn't, as I'm a single man with no roommates.

As for art or science. I disagree. It's both. We wouldn't have the art we've crafted over the last few decades without the science behind it. It wasn't too long ago when casters thought you had to go hard. Now we know its more about fit.

[Doc Highwall]

I learned a long time ago to check a regular thermometer you could put it in snow to see if it read 32 degrees, or if it went high enough to use boiling water for 212 degrees unless you live at a high altitude it will boil below 212 degrees.

[44man]

I can guarantee it hasn't, as I'm a single man with no roommates.

As for art or science. I disagree. It's both. We wouldn't have the art we've crafted over the last few decades without the science behind it. It wasn't too long ago when casters thought you had to go hard. Now we know its more about fit.
I would say it is not science, experience is a better word. The ability to see and change without a single thought is not science.
Give me paint and I will make some blobs on paper but if I made enough blobs for 50 years I might make a picture. It will not be because paint is better.
I need to show. This picture was done by the crayola man using crayons. 66279

[cs86]

Wow! Crayon!

[44man]

6629366292
Wow! Crayon!
Yes, amazing. Give me 3000 years and I might wear out a trillion crayons without a picture. I can cast and molds are made the same and lead is the same unless contaminated. There is nothing new. What I learned about casting and boolits way back when is no different today. The only thing was we had to do it ourselves but now we have this site to pass on things.
We need to appreciate all the wonder of experience that is here. Much faster to find help.
I have a bunch of the Crayola Mans pictures, here is another---ENJOY.
Heck had to add James too.

[Case Stuffer]

AS 44 man posted back in post #15 casting is an art not science. I first started telling others this over 30 years ago when teaching others to cast and reload.

I also hate Drip O Matics and thus is why I sold my Lee 20 pounder years ago after showing a casting student how annoying it could be. I had all-ready purchased a RCBS ProMelt which I still use and it has never leaked. The dial on it stays at 750 F no matter if I am using a single cavity .250 dia. round ball or a 6 cavity 230 gr. one . Mold temp. is controlled with timing / rythum and if I want to maintaine a faster casting rate with a mold then I use a 4" squirrel cage blower blowing across the mold as the pour sets. I use to cast with two or three molds in rotation also but as I no longer cast 10K plus a we and I no longer have a bench set up deciated to casting only space gets to be an issue.

After being away from casting and reloading for years and joining here I was some what amused to find how many are using PIC controlled pots and Digitial Temp. prodes on their molds. Makes me wonder how us older farts ever casted by our seat of the pants methods much less how very early lead slingers such as the buffalo slaughter were able to retrieve their fire lead ,remeltand cast it using nothing but a camp fire for a heat source.

[44man]

AS 44 man posted back in post #15 casting is an art not science. I first started telling others this over 30 years ago when teaching others to cast and reload.

I also hate Drip O Matics and thus is why I sold my Lee 20 pounder years ago after showing a casting student how annoying it could be. I had all-ready purchased a RCBS ProMelt which I still use and it has never leaked. The dial on it stays at 750 F no matter if I am using a single cavity .250 dia. round ball or a 6 cavity 230 gr. one . Mold temp. is controlled with timing / rythum and if I want to maintaine a faster casting rate with a mold then I use a 4" squirrel cage blower blowing across the mold as the pour sets. I use to cast with two or three molds in rotation also but as I no longer cast 10K plus a we and I no longer have a bench set up deciated to casting only space gets to be an issue.

After being away from casting and reloading for years and joining here I was some what amused to find how many are using PIC controlled pots and Digitial Temp. prodes on their molds. Makes me wonder how us older farts ever casted by our seat of the pants methods much less how very early lead slingers such as the buffalo slaughter were able to retrieve their fire lead ,remeltand cast it using nothing but a camp fire for a heat source.
Good post but I see you are a vet from Viet Nam so can I please take your hand and give you a hug? Thank you my friend for your service.

[45-70 Chevroner]

It is a hard call to assume what is in lead and I can't do that. Lead starts to melt way before casting temps are reached.
I ladle cast and just set my pot to 750* for any mold. I go to the 800* setting for pure lead.
Just why would you want to cast at such a low temp?
Lead heat is needed for mold heat and you will never find different. Turn the pot up and go away until it is hot. Just because the lead is liquid means nothing at all.
Every single mold I have, either ones I made or bought will cast exactly the same. I have never needed to change a thing for one mold, iron or aluminum .22 to .500. I will never understand why some keep records for molds, saying one needs different then another.
I stay away from the six cavity stuff, too hard to keep the big blocks even and even heat them.
I hate bottom pour drip-o-matics and plug the hole.
Ladle casting does not need a pot with a certain level. I will get a perfect boolit at the first cast until I can't get enough lead in the ladle at the bottom of the pot. I can run 20# without a reject.
Casting is ART, not science. Every single pour is different and what you do and time is different and it becomes feel and natural without thought.
I have run three double cavity molds at once but prefer two. Too hard to pre-heat three molds and speed has to be increased.
I just cast hundreds of my 330 gr and 310 gr lee .44 boolits the other day without a reject. Two different molds working in harmony. I also use two molds, one aluminum, one steel together.
I wish you could come here and cast with me.
44man! Hear, Hear. The difference between us is I like bottom pour, as for science I failed it in High School. I rarely ever cast with one mold, two in tandum work best. I also use the same temp for any mold 22 cal., to 45 cal 500 gr. The only thing I change is the cadence.

[Case Stuffer]

Good post but I see you are a vet from Viet Nam so can I please take your hand and give you a hug? Thank you my friend for your service.

Thank you ,that felt good and same right back at you.