Still new to casting

[Radioteacher]

I have been lurking here for months. You guys are great! Fun reads and even a book to download on the subject.

I started reloading in 1999 on a Dillon equipment to keep up with my pistol shooting. That's not really true. I helped my Father reload rifle rounds in the early to late 1970's. I came across a box of .270 Win we reloaded a few months ago. Also found three new boxes of 130gr .277 Nosler center partition bullets we used to load in them. I took a picture of the .270 load data so i could make some more later this year.

So last weekend was my second time casting.

Below are some of the results.

.300 AAC Blackout from a Lee TL mold. Here is a good one.

67059

Here are some bad ones. The bottom pour was too slow and the mold was too cold.

67060

Here is the range of frosting I was getting from my Lee .380 ACP mold.

67061
67062

Here is the ugly and the good in .300 Blackout

67063

Thanks for posting and giving me some fine words to read and pictures to see.

Radioteacher
P.S. I used to teach Ham Radio classes.

[a.squibload]

The good ones look good!
Welcome to the forum.

[Woody3]

Keep it up. The more you cast the better you will become and the fewer rejects you will have.

BTW, the "good ones" look good.

Woody

[JeffinNZ]

Keep up the good work and welcome aboard.

[shredder]

Everyone has made boolits that do not measure up to quality control. I do it every time I heat up the mould. Keep up with what you are doing, experience is a great teacher especially if you keep checking in here and reading any hints realted to what you are expereincing. There is sooo much to learn. Welcome.

[Carolina Cast Bullets]

The good thing about the "bad" ones, they can be remelted and "done over"

Jerry
Carolina Cast Bullets

[YunGun]

Lookin good! As mentioned, you're hardly alone in casting rejects; I know I throw a fair number back in the pot, but like Jerry said above, at least you can re-do them... I seem to have a lot more difficulty with the longer rifle boolits than the shorter pistol boolits, but once everything's up to temp & you get a rhythm going, you can wind up with a decent pile of good-lookin bullets in short order! Welcome to the forum!

[Radioteacher]

Thanks for all of the comments. The whole session was a learning experience.

Two weeks ago I took the day off and drove a 420 mile round trip to buy some lead and have a nice lunch with my friend in Houston.

Lead Products of Houston had my order for 6/2 antimonial lead ready to go. I also bought some 99.9+% for my black powder gun. Nice people and I had a fine lunch at Papdeaux's.

So the 6/2 ingots had three 8 to 9 pound sections. I have a ten pound Lee bottom pour pot. How do I get a 9 pound section in a 10 pound pot? I did it the stupid way...chopping at it with a hatchet. If I would have thought about it, I would have cut the sections up with a reciprocating saw.

All of that wasted a bunch of time.

Next issue: The slow pour spout. It was barely pouring...almost a dipping spout. I was able to make a tool out of a stiff steel wire with a filed point on it to clear the spout.

More wasted time.

After all that I was able to get into production. I made about 200 of each boolit when the wife said I had to start getting ready to go out to dinner. I emptied the pot into one pound molds and cleaned up the area. Cleaned me up and went to dinner.

I need a better ventilation system. Even though I was outside in the breeze, I could still taste metallic flavors in my mouth after I was done.

I will be cutting up the sections the next chance I get to be ready for my next run.

Soon I will be ready to hit it again and get more bootlits made. I need to setup a radio so I can get into a rhythm.

I love my .300 blackout and this 230gn boolit looks like it will work really nice. I am going to load up a few and break out the Chrony to test them out in a few weeks.

Thanks again to everyone here.

RT

[Spawn-Inc]

When I first started casting, which isn't that long ago, I was getting frosted bullets galore using lee molds. I have since built a pid temp controller for my pot and have yet to see a frosted bullet! My bullets look way better.

The other thing I did since one casting 600gr bullets for my 500 mag is drill out the orifice for more flow. I reshaped the needle valve but it hasn't made as big of a difference as I wanted from dripping.

[a.squibload]

...Even though I was outside in the breeze, I could still taste metallic flavors in my mouth after I was done.
RT

Stop biting the boolits! :)

There's plenty of crapola in the smoke but
zero chance of "lead vapors" as
some suggest, unless you boil the lead.

[RED333]

On getting a big hunk of lead in a small pot, lay it over the pot.
Get ya a propane torch and melt the lead into the pot, makes heat up time faster as well.
Good looking boolits, Wear some kind of mask when messing with lead.

[Bullet Caster]

Welcome to the forum and the addiction. The wrinkled boolits are from a cold mould. Need to preheat the mould. And flux. You didn't mention anything about fluxing your silvery stream. I've heard that crud settles to the bottom so ya need to flux and scrape after lead melts. Just my 2 cents worth. BC

[mold maker]

Nothing settles to the bottom of melted lead except gold. The crud on the bottom is only trapped there by surface tension. When you flux, scrape the bottom and sides, of the pot away from the spout, with a putty knife, spatula, or such. Once you get the junk loose and into the melt, it will quickly float. It's much easier to keep crud out of your bottom pour, than to deal with it in dripps and speckled boolits.

[9-toes]

"I have since built a pid temp controller for my pot and have yet to see a frosted bullet! My bullets look way better.

+1 on the PID. They're not hard to build and mine kept the temp on my pot right where I set it. My boolits are much more uniform now and I could focus on casting without fighting the pot.

[justing]

welcome to the forum and enjoy the wealth of knowledge that resides here.

[glicerin]

On a new or oiled mold I scrub with detergent and boiling waterX2. I preheat mold on top of pot, then dip a 6cav(mold&sprue cutter) minimum 1 min, lots fewer wrinkles that way. good luck

[Radioteacher]

Spawn-Inc - I have a two really nice temp controllers (from the late 80's) that I used to use for Ham Radio gear. They are digital process controllers. i was thinking about picking up a K Temp probe that will work in that range and putting it to work. I have a Laser Pointer Temp gun that I can use on the mold.

67790

a.squibload - I will try to stop the knawing.

Red333 - That is a fine idea but I have cut steel with my Makita saw (recipicating- like a Sawzal) so lead should be easy.

Bullet Caster and Mold Maker - I was using Flux but maybe need to use it more often and scrape harder.

glicerin - I have read that and did that. I washed them in Dawn, Scrubbed them with tooth paste and washed them in dawn again. Then I smoked them. I really did not have an issue with bullets sticking to the mold at all.

Better Preheat and a Better flow out of the spout would have helped a lot.

Next weekend I will setup and make another run if I have time.

Thanks again for all of the help!

[Buzz64]

Save up for the Lee Pro 4-20 pot. You can adjust the flow pretty easily. I've got a little over 300lbs through mine since I got it and hardly a drip! Agree with the above comments but also suggest you get a thermometer and don't let the level in the pot get below about a quarter full - keeps the crud away from the spout.

[Coonazz]

Don't waste your time with the sawzall, it doesn't work. I am a contractor/carpenter and that was my first thought and attempt for cutting 25# pure lead ingots. I am currently using a hatchet and a 4# hand maul to cut them into pieces.... If anybody has a better method I'm sure a lot of us on here would like to know!

[David2011]

Don't waste your time with the sawzall, it doesn't work. I am a contractor/carpenter and that was my first thought and attempt for cutting 25# pure lead ingots. I am currently using a hatchet and a 4# hand maul to cut them into pieces.... If anybody has a better method I'm sure a lot of us on here would like to know!

If (a) Coonazz from South Louisiana hasn't found a better way the rest of us might as well give up and follow your lead. Where in SE Louisiana? I spent a few years in Thibodaux. Welcome to CastBoolits!

David

[Coonazz]

If (a) Coonazz from South Louisiana hasn't found a better way the rest of us might as well give up and follow your lead. Where in SE Louisiana? I spent a few years in Thibodaux. Welcome to CastBoolits!

David
David,
First and foremost, thanks for the welcome. I am from a little bitty place called Pass Manchac; my family(the German side) has resided here since 1800. The Cajun side moved to Madisonville a few years before that. I currently live in Madisonville on the old, old (did I say old) family farm.
I lived in New Mexico for 4 years, too. Whereabouts are you? I lived in Cloudcroft. Drew an either sex permit for Elk in the Gila Wilderness while I was a resident....Shot a nice 5x5 bull there with a 300 WM @535 yards. My dad ranged it for me(w/a rangefinder) and still to this day he says "I wished you would've missed". Real nice of him; he sure as hell didn't turn down any of the spoils, however!!
John
PS- didn't mean to hijack this thread...just had to answer

[Coonazz]

Back to the OP,
Give up on the sawzall; I have tried this with metal blades to the most aggressive blade that I could find. Steel doesn't behave like lead when tryin to cut.... Just my .02
John

[Jim..47]

Welcome to Cast Boolits

A couple quick tips for you to try.

When you first start a casting session and are wanting to get your mold up to temp, (whicl eliminate most wrinkled boolits) leave the boolits in the mold for a longer time. This will allow the mold to suck the heat out of them.

To clear your spout or anything else needing cleared or fluxed, try a generous portion of paraffin.

The good boolits look real nice, so you are getting there.

[dbosman]

A band saw with a metal cutting blade works nicely.

[Cane_man]

a PID temp controller is the bottom pour pot's best friend

[eljefeoz]

Welcome and nice pics there RT
I used to run a call sign a long time ago, too much QRM now, prefer to cast.
Just did my first run of 145 RCBS-Sil for the 7x57.getting better with each session- over a 100 perfect projjies.Not much I can add, except, yeah, lurking pays off. I did it for about a year...

[USMC87]

Hey everybody has rejects, You have some nice looking bullets to load and shoot. Keep at it and you will be 2nd to none.

[bigbore3x]

Hey all, new here but the best way I've found to deal with large chunks of lead is a bigger pot over my turkey fryer burner and pour it into 1lb ingots. easier to store and work with and fits the lee pot perfectly.

[max range]

As mentioned, you can toss your rejects back into the pot. If they aren't around, nobody can see them. If nobody sees them, they don't exist. hahaha. Every caster has a few rejects, its part of the game.

[markshere2]

I used a circular saw to chunk up some thick lead for my buddy. Keep the blade speed up and forward advance slow.

worked fine.

[Crash_Corrigan]

Nobody ever sees me major mistakes. Although a partially open Lee Leakomatic did make a fine sculpture and I have it over my workbench so I do not do it again.

[Grumpa72]

The Lee bottom pour pot does get some "stuff" trapped at the bottom at least for me. Every two or three casting sessions, I empty the pot (unplugging it of course) and then disassemble the rod that shuts off the flow. I then take a piece of stiff wire and run it up and through the hole to clear it out. Then, I take a steel "tooth" brush and invert the pot and scrub it. When I am done, the inside of my pot is very clean and has nothing left to clog the hole. Don't file the point of the rod or drill out the hole. The lead will come out too fast.

[bear67]

I stole the idea from someone else, but I break big "hunks" of led up with my gasoline log splitter. Just put a piece of 2x lumber between the lead and the anvil and "split" away. I did a 220 pound weight off of a sailboat keel once.

[leeonious]

I am a NOOOB TOO thanks for giving me encouragement. Looking forward to the laughs!!
Thanks for having me everyone
PEACE

[melter68]

WEll i have been casting for about ten years and you still learn new tricks and tips, so class me as a NOOB too.

Peace too

[TXGunNut]

Still feel like I'm pretty new to this, had a pretty humbling experience with a new mould last session. Probably had more re-melts than keepers but I had a nice pile of shiny boolits when I got it figured out so it's all good.
Your boolits look good, you know what to do to make them better and we'll always be looking for ways to improve our process so you're off to a great start.

[Garyshome]

Ha Ha cut lead with a swazall? I tried not that easy

[Vinne]

I stole the idea from someone else, but I break big "hunks" of led up with my gasoline log splitter. Just put a piece of 2x lumber between the lead and the anvil and "split" away. I did a 220 pound weight off of a sailboat keel once.

Hay, now that's an idea!!

[Radioteacher]

Thanks everyone for the pointers, tips and tricks.

Melted fifteen pounds of lead on May 26. I used two molds. The first is my new Lee Tumble Lube 124gr 9mm six place mold. (TL356-124-2R 9mm Luger). The second is the two place 230gr .309 300 Blackout Lee Tumble Lube mold. (TL309-230-5R) I think that Midway has an exclusive on this mold.

I made about 300 124 grain 9mm and about 300 230 grain .309 boolits. I had very few issues and did very well.

I added a box fan to do a better job controlling lead fumes and to keep me cooler.

This time I really did a good job cleaning and fluxing the pot. I had very few drips. The lead flowed very well from the bottom spout.

I cleaned the molds in the sink with Dawn soap, used toothbrush and toothpaste to polish the new molds. After that I washed the toothpaste off with Dawn and dried the molds completely. I smoked the molds with a lighter and heated them up on the pot.

Bullets dropped free most of the time. Had to tap the handles a few times but not very often.

I took all of the boolits that did not pass inspection from the first run and remelted them. I had a really good run. Very few rejects and remelts this time.

I did not grip the 9mm mold very well once and created bullets with wings.....they flew back into the pot.

Did not have to use the big ingots this run. I am ready to melt them down in a cast iron pan and pour them into a one pound mold with a ladle.

I know that Tumble Lube Boolits are not favored here...but it is what I have.

Liquid ALOX is a bit sticky....so, I use 1 part Liquid ALOX to 1 part Johnston (floor) paste wax with a 1/2 part of mineral spirits.

Does anyone have a different Tumble Lube recipes I could try?

Here are two photos from the run.
My wife said "You look like the Walter White character from Breaking Bad with that gear on!", then she giggled and walked away. Certain jobs require safety equipment what can I say.

72842

Heating up the 9mm mold.

72841

[Radioteacher]

I bought the leather apron, gloves and face shield at Harbor Freight.

I am going to get a second apron from them and sew them together to make a wider apron. When sitting the single apron does not cover both legs. I did not have an issue with burns but I can see that my jeans would not protect me as good as leather.

Safety First!!

[mold maker]

You're not a noob any more. "Ya done got sperience."
Welcome and, come back often.

[w5pv]

w5pv ham since 1975 5

[popper]

I thought about the apron but as I sit (roller chair) to cast, I just use a thick cotton towel across the lap. It will protect against major dumps.

[beefie]

I just sit, somewhat hunched over, with a 5 gallon bucket of hot water between my feet. That's where the sprues and bullets get dumped. it serves as a fire and burn preventer, and it cushions the fall of the bullets. No more nicked or dented spots on the slugs, either. :-) I use a 4' x 4' piece of 3/8" particle board to keep crud off of the floor, and as a protectant in case I somehow let a mold hit the deck. they can't tolerate such a fall onto concrete. At least, it certainly ruined one aluminium mold. When I used H and G molds, I'd quench the mold after filling it, but I'm a bit squeamish about doing that with aluminum blocks. So I just invert the mold onto a damp sponge. This solidifies the sprue and prevents dragging semi-liquid lead across the top of the blocks.

[markshere2]

Don't waste your time with the sawzall, it doesn't work. I am a contractor/carpenter and that was my first thought and attempt for cutting 25# pure lead ingots. I am currently using a hatchet and a 4# hand maul to cut them into pieces.... If anybody has a better method I'm sure a lot of us on here would like to know!

I chopped up big hunks of lead with a plain ole circular saw.

Go slow, wear eye protection, DO NOT let the blade get trapped!

My buddy had struggled with big hunks of elevator weights and didn't believe it would work ... until I did it.

[beefie]

As a kid, dealing with lead sheeting, I just used an axe. :-) Modern day, given the same problem, I'd try an air-chisel.

[monmouth]

I bought the leather apron, gloves and face shield at Harbor Freight.

I am going to get a second apron from them and sew them together to make a wider apron. When sitting the single apron does not cover both legs. I did not have an issue with burns but I can see that my jeans would not protect me as good as leather.

Safety First!!

Thank you for the gear detail, will be heading over to harbor freight. I'm also new to casting.

[Tarkid]

Good ideas here for cutting lead ingots. I've never had to worry about this in many years of casting, until recently. A contractor friend gave me a 37 pound piece of lead. A circular saw. Kinda scary, but no reason it should not work!

[LuvMy1911]

Good Luck on your casting! I'm also a bit of a noobie, (less than 20 sessions of casting).

Each time you learn a little more and have fewer rejects! I made a lotta mistakes, but less than I would have without reading here and learning some very good tips.

However, the time I forgot to smoke the new mold... that was ALL my fault! Was tough getting those out of the mold. I won't do THAT again!

[tward]

Radioteacher, I am also a relative noobe. Used to get a metallic taste in my mouth after casting I found that using a different toothbrush than the one I cleaned the mold with helped a lot! As for rejects, would that all rejection was as easy to deal with as bad Boolits! Set up in the yard last week and cast about 1000 keepers. Lots of work, lots of fun. Really good idea about sewing 2 aprons together, I have the same problem with coverage. Welcome aboard, and good casting! Tim

[Mrupe]

I just started casting also, so thank you Radioteacher for the heads up on Harbor frieght. Picked up the leather apron and gloves, I also bought one of the welding blankets to cover my work bench with. Spent a couple hours melting my lead into 1 lb ingots for later. I have several types of lead to start with and want to match my alloy and hardness to the type of gun and shooting style? I am starting Cowboy action shooting and want this to be the main reason I cast and reload, but I also shoot old milsurps that are getting harder to find cheap ammo for them. So I'm here to learn and have fun.

[chief45]

bought my first set of molds from accurate molds for a 30/30....here I go head first..;)

[Buzz64]

Welcome Chief - now you get to try some of NOE's and MiHa's molds to "make sure you have the right one"!

[Gmangh15]

trial and error is all it takes

[rick173]

Radioteacher,
I live about 60 miles to your north. Have a good friend up here who is a Collins collector. A few years back I built him a museum for all his stuff. Pretty neat hobby.
On the subject at hand, I use 20lb ingots in a Lee pot. Never measured but they're about a foot long. I just stand them on end and they self feed as they melt. No problems with the method.
Anyone thinking about the saws-all or hacksaw Don.t! This is where you get into problems. Along with the chips and shavings you also are making finite breathable particles. All this stuff about the fumes is just that, stuff. Lead not washed from your hands and ingested or dusted into the air your breathing is where the lead poison stories come from.
Is there anyone on this forum over sixty who didn't chew the lead paint of their wooden toys? God only knows how we are still here.
Anyway Radioteacher welcome and happy casting.

[Walstr]

Thanks everyone for the pointers, tips and tricks.

Melted fifteen pounds of lead on May 26. I used two molds. The first is my new Lee Tumble Lube 124gr 9mm six place mold. (TL356-124-2R 9mm Luger). The second is the two place 230gr .309 300 Blackout Lee Tumble Lube mold. (TL309-230-5R) I think that Midway has an exclusive on this mold.

I made about 300 124 grain 9mm and about 300 230 grain .309 boolits. I had very few issues and did very well.

I added a box fan to do a better job controlling lead fumes and to keep me cooler.

This time I really did a good job cleaning and fluxing the pot. I had very few drips. The lead flowed very well from the bottom spout.

I cleaned the molds in the sink with Dawn soap, used toothbrush and toothpaste to polish the new molds. After that I washed the toothpaste off with Dawn and dried the molds completely. I smoked the molds with a lighter and heated them up on the pot.

Bullets dropped free most of the time. Had to tap the handles a few times but not very often.

I took all of the boolits that did not pass inspection from the first run and remelted them. I had a really good run. Very few rejects and remelts this time.

I did not grip the 9mm mold very well once and created bullets with wings.....they flew back into the pot.

Did not have to use the big ingots this run. I am ready to melt them down in a cast iron pan and pour them into a one pound mold with a ladle.

I know that Tumble Lube Boolits are not favored here...but it is what I have.

Liquid ALOX is a bit sticky....so, I use 1 part Liquid ALOX to 1 part Johnston (floor) paste wax with a 1/2 part of mineral spirits.

Does anyone have a different Tumble Lube recipes I could try?

Here are two photos from the run.
My wife said "You look like the Walter White character from Breaking Bad with that gear on!", then she giggled and walked away. Certain jobs require safety equipment what can I say.

72842

Heating up the 9mm mold.

72841

White Label Lube offers a Delux Xlox which is 45/45/10, with the "10" parts being mineral spirits. Yes, this dries much faster & little or no sticky issues. I use 2 applications for my 45-70-405 tumble boolits.

[capt.hollis]

yes,,, an Oxygen/Acetylene torch. not necessarily to cut with, but melting them to more of a desirable size very quickly
Don't waste your time with the sawzall, it doesn't work. I am a contractor/carpenter and that was my first thought and attempt for cutting 25# pure lead ingots. I am currently using a hatchet and a 4# hand maul to cut them into pieces.... If anybody has a better method I'm sure a lot of us on here would like to know!

[dsundberg]

I am new to casting and am trying to learn the techniques for getting a very small spread in drop weights. My goal is to get less than a one grain total variability out of 100 .358 wadcutters from a Lee mold. What are the critical variables that I have to control?

[Del-Ray]

Alloy consistency.
Alloy temperature.

Hard to get good weights if you lead is made differently every time.

And temp is a big one. This can make good weights in the same alloy impossible as well.


There's a guide on here somewhere to make a great PID for an electric pot that holds the melt temps dead nuts.

I'm not that concerned. I cut the heat when the thermometer hits about 50 degrees over the temp where the mold drops good. And fire it up again after it gets about 10 degrees away from it (while still above it) at the temp will float before rising.

[longrifle]

casting is a very green hobby, you are always recycling your bad ones

[David2011]

I am new to casting and am trying to learn the techniques for getting a very small spread in drop weights. My goal is to get less than a one grain total variability out of 100 .358 wadcutters from a Lee mold. What are the critical variables that I have to control?

Another variable to tighten up is the pace at which you cast. That affects the mold temperature more than the temperature of the melt. The faster you cast, the hotter the mold gets. If your pace is erratic then the mold will get hotter and cooler as the pace varies. This is more feel than science. When your boolits look like you want them to, keep a steady pace to maintain the mold temperature. If you are just starting to develop frost and it becomes heavier, slow down. You can wait a few seconds after dumping before you refill to cool it down. You still want to get the boolits out of hte mold as soon as the sprue firms up. Bullplate Sprue Lube is a miracle product that will keep lead from sticking to the sprue plate and mold top and let you open the sprue plate before it is fully frozen. I open the sprue plate with my gloved hand instead of a mallet because of the Bullplate Lube. http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?137982-Mould-Lube-Instructions-(works-with-BullPlate-too)

The seller is Bullshop and he's a member here.

David

[1bilmr59]

A lot of good info thanks.

[upnorthwis]

I use a log splitter for cutting up ingots. Even then I can only take small "bites". Which reminds me, I have to put another log on the fire.

[Silfield]

Hello,
I am relatively new to casting as well and am gradually ironing out the problems one by one. Its a long and rewarding road but made so much easier by the good folks on here.
With regards to your issue with the Lee 10lb pot, I had the same problems with a dripping spout and an inconsistent flow which was driving me nuts. In the end I plugged the spout with a self tapping screw and took out the valve mechanism and use a Lyman dipper instead. It has made the whole process much easier as I am much less restricted by the size of what goes into the pot and fluxing and skimming is a breeze as there is nothing to get in the way.

[Lead]

Don't waste your time with the sawzall, it doesn't work. I am a contractor/carpenter and that was my first thought and attempt for cutting 25# pure lead ingots. I am currently using a hatchet and a 4# hand maul to cut them into pieces.... If anybody has a better method I'm sure a lot of us on here would like to know!

I've used a chop saw but cutting torch works the best. Lol use the small tip.

[markshere2]

Circular saw will hack up lead
Keep the speed up slow feed rate and don't let it get trapped .

Worked great for me.

[Littlewolf]

you guys are talking about getting big hunks into a small pot well I found an iron cauldron at an auction for cheep and a turkey fryer set at a yard sale also cheep. in the cauldron I can stand 4 40# blocks and still add a gallon of range mining and only end up with about 3/4 of a cauldron, once its all melted and skimmed an antique iron lead ladle 3#er goes to work pouring 2# corn cob molds.
there is a user on here that makes smelting kettles out of old propane tanks for all the guys that still seem to need a way to make boolits this would be a good person to do business with me thinks

my $0.02 worth