Want to cast my first ingot tonight last minute questions.

[nrasports]

I'm really sorry if somebody has already posted this..I looked didn't see anything.


I have a coleman stove that i recieved for Christmas. I dont' want to do a lot because, if i do something stupid i don't want to make a huge mess. So 2-3 pounds to start seems like a good crawl speed for me before I start cranking stuff out or screw up something big. Plus my bullet molds are backorderd for another month.

One of my questions is: Is it wise to use one of my frying pans to cast with or do I have to use a cast Iron Pan? Currenlty i do not have a cast iron pan yet.

After all my research I think I got the basics down.

Safety:

Conduct outside in the grass
Use Gloves
Long pants
Long shirt
Glasses
Wear a respirator

Melt lead.
Flux with candle wax
Skim
Repeat if needed.

Pour into lyman mold and let cool.

This seems to simple what am I missing?

[dragon813gt]

What is the frying pan made of? The same concept of why you want a cast pot applies to any pot/pan you would use. Personally I wouldn't use a frying pan as they're to shallow. Fluxing and ladling will be a PITA w/out spilling the lead all over.

And I will be the first to say it. Candle wax will not flux the melt :)

[Mlcompound]

3 lbs may not be enough depending on the size of your pot. Watch out when adding the wax, it will self ignite. No biggie just be ready (it still spooks me). Preheat the mold and be sure to properly clean and lube it. Also, a loose sprue plate is ok. Good luck.

[TenTea]

Listing the type of material you are smelting into ingots would be helpful.

wheel weights / range lead / pipe / flashing ?

[383]

Frying pan is likely too shallow and I wouldn't use any pan that has a non-stick coating. Use pine sawdust for fluxing. The pine pet bedding available at the pet store will work in a pinch.

[nrasports]

Listing the type of material you are smelting into ingots would be helpful.

wheel weights / range lead / pipe / flashing ?

Sorry about that. Using range scrap.

[nrasports]

What is the frying pan made of? The same concept of why you want a cast pot applies to any pot/pan you would use. Personally I wouldn't use a frying pan as they're to shallow. Fluxing and ladling will be a PITA w/out spilling the lead all over.

And I will be the first to say it. Candle wax will not flux the melt :)

I was only planning on doing a very small amount to start. What about Parafin wax?

[nrasports]

What is the frying pan made of? The same concept of why you want a cast pot applies to any pot/pan you would use. Personally I wouldn't use a frying pan as they're to shallow. Fluxing and ladling will be a PITA w/out spilling the lead all over.

And I will be the first to say it. Candle wax will not flux the melt :)

I was just going to get a steel frying pan from the kitchen or a steel pot. Unfortunatly, I haven't found a nice cast iron skillet or pot.

[nrasports]

Well my casting pot just showed up actually i guess i'll just use that.

[nrasports]

3 lbs may not be enough depending on the size of your pot. Watch out when adding the wax, it will self ignite. No biggie just be ready (it still spooks me). Preheat the mold and be sure to properly clean and lube it. Also, a loose sprue plate is ok. Good luck.

Sorry guys I don't mean to annoy you with all the newby questions. Lube the mold? Your reffering to the ingot mold?

What do you lube the mold with?

[runfiverun]

it really is that simple.
a pair of gloves a hat and some glasses is what I wear.
it used to be without the hat, but a couple of times doing range scrap changes your ideas of what a little moisture or a missed 22 round will do.

I would also suggest a lid for the pot.
I fill mine with a shovel also, it is just easier for me and adds some distance.

[runfiverun]

no he is referring to the boolit mold.
don't put anything in your ingot mold except a little rust.

[TenTea]

Sorry about that. Using range scrap.

Be aware that any bullet jacket material (copper) will float on top of the melt with any other debris and need scooped out before fluxing and pouring the ingots.

I was slightly intimidated the first time I smelted range lead too, but it is easy, fun and interesting.

Sounds like you are informed and taking your time...good luck!

[nrasports]

no he is referring to the boolit mold.
don't put anything in your ingot mold except a little rust.

Yeah I'm just making ingots... won't have my boolit molds <---- hey i think i used the right term....until the end of the month.
Pardon my ignorance. The rust thing is a joke right? Sorry brother with me descriptions using sock puppets maybe needed.;)

[nrasports]

Be aware that any bullet jacket material (copper) will float on top of the melt with any other debris and need scooped out before fluxing and pouring the ingots.

I was slightly intimidated the first time I smelted range lead too, but it is easy, fun and interesting.

Sounds like you are informed and taking your time...good luck!

Yeah i figured the jacket think out.

[BIGRED]

the rust isn't a joke, it creates it's own "non-stick" type coating which allows ingots to drop out of mold easier. I use a little bit of candle wax and then stir like crazy. then add Sawdust and light it on fire with torch or put a little piece of candle wax on top of it, when the wax melts it ignites which ignites the sawdust. once sawdust is almost powder like. stir it in to the melt and scrape sides of casting pot. Skim off the dross and repeat process until the melt is clean. usually 2 - 3 times is sufficient. pour into a "DRY" mold and let it cool.

[bgoff_ak]

I don't do range scrap ( not above it just can't find any / dig any up ) So ive never had a 22 go bang in the pot... is it the water in the nose or the round actually discharges, ever happen with a .44 etc more me just wonding if some one ever gave me a bucket of range scrap do i need to go through it really good ?
also does it blow lead every where or does it head off in a random direction... sorry i was never the kid to toss .22 into the fire and run like hell, so i don't really know what the outcome is.

[PS Paul]

The round discharges and causes a mess.... dangerous too.

I smelt a lot of range scrap (got a free source from large PD Range), so I have done a bit of this. No .22 rounds gone off, thankfully. Scrap is really clean from that range because they have a conveyor that takes it out of the media. Really helpful(!). Sawdust works good for cleaning/fluxing. I sometimes soak the sawdust in two-cycle oil. THAT makes a nice big black cloud of smoke, but it does clean the melt pretty well.

Use of a respirator won't hurt, but if outside, I just keep upwind from the cloud and hold my breath when getting close to stir/skim, then breathe with my had and body turned away from the pot.

You're on track for success there, dude! Good luck!

[nvald1982]

was casting hard?, was thinking of getting into it

[BIGRED]

it isn't hard but takes some trial and error to get it right. I was casting bullets in 10 minutes. these people on this site have helped beyond words.... I have cared for dinners for many many years. it is very similar but you will strive for better quality than a sinker. I already had most of the equipment. as I got more addicted to casting I upgraded some things and fine tuned my setup.I am no expert but I have been able to make several thousand bullets for my 45acp. they shoot great and are very accurate. I am hooked bad.....

[runfiverun]

i have a big piece of sheet metal i dump the stuff on this gives me a good chance to eyeball it before it goes into the pot.
i also like to pick out stuff i know is a certain alloy.
22's go into a separate bucket for their own batch of alloy.
and you have to watch plated and full jaxketed stuff it will break and squirt,
or not melt the lead out, so you have to pull it out and crack it with a hammer.
nothing major.
it's just that every once in a while thing you have to protect yourself against.
by pouring it out i can catch that 22 round.

[nrasports]

WHOOOOOO HOOOOOOOOOOOOO Made my first ingots!!!!!!!!!!!

http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b18/rob99vmi04/leadingots_zps6185f93d.jpg (http://s16.photobucket.com/user/rob99vmi04/media/leadingots_zps6185f93d.jpg.html)

Couple of things learned.......

My Lee pot is to small for casting ingots I'm getting a turkey fryer.

I figured out if I separated the Lead dust using a sifter from the jacketed stuff you have a lot less material to scope out when you skim if you use the jackets big clumps.

I'm not sure i'm skimming right.

Chinese stainless spoons aren't really stainless!

THIS IS SUPER FUN!!!!!





Questions:

Is a light coat of brown on top okay?

I used the bottom pour on the lee pot to get my ingots into the mold this okay?

The first time I just emptied the pot to make the ingots, the second time i emptied half way then would add more lead and just just fluxed each time is this okay? Or should i empty it each time?

OO forgot when i go to make bullets should I skim again and flux before I do the bullets?

[dragon813gt]

Using a production pot to smelt down raw lead leads to a contaminated pot. You will eventually have junk plug up the stem. It's best to have two separate pots so clean alloy doesn't get contaminated.

[nrasports]

Using a production pot to smelt down raw lead leads to a contaminated pot. You will eventually have junk plug up the stem. It's best to have two separate pots so clean alloy doesn't get contaminated.

Dang my pot just cooled and the bottom spot is stuck......When i reheat it will it loosen itself or am I screwed? Does cleaning it uncontaminate?

[Mlcompound]

It will melt next time you use it. I leave about 1.5" in the bottom to help keep the stem from getting junk in it. I also use an old 2 qt pot and a camp stove for smelting. Eventually I will go big and do the turkey fryer with a Dutch oven. Looks good.

[Mk42gunner]

WHOOOOOO HOOOOOOOOOOOOO Made my first ingots!!!!!!!!!!!

http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b18/rob99vmi04/leadingots_zps6185f93d.jpg (http://s16.photobucket.com/user/rob99vmi04/media/leadingots_zps6185f93d.jpg.html)

Couple of things learned.......

My Lee pot is to small for casting ingots I'm getting a turkey fryer. A turkey fryer works very well for smelting lead. Just make sure the stand is sturdy enough, you really don't want a hundred pounds of molten lead alloy spilling uncontrolably. One of the cheap cast iron dutch ovens from Harbor Frieght will work for a smelting pot. A soup ladle from the nearest secondhand store works for filling the ingot mold, I have read that it is best to get one with the bowl of the ladle riveted on, makes sense to me.

I figured out if I separated the Lead dust using a sifter from the jacketed stuff you have a lot less material to scope out when you skim if you use the jackets big clumps.

I'm not sure i'm skimming right. As long as you flux and skim until the surface of the lead is shiny you shouldn't have any problem.

Chinese stainless spoons aren't really stainless!

THIS IS SUPER FUN!!!!!





Questions:

Is a light coat of brown on top okay? It will disappear when you remelt and flux to cast boolits

I used the bottom pour on the lee pot to get my ingots into the mold this okay? The turkey fyer and pot is a much better idea.

The first time I just emptied the pot to make the ingots, the second time i emptied half way then would add more lead and just just fluxed each time is this okay? Or should i empty it each time?

OO forgot when i go to make bullets should I skim again and flux before I do the bullets? Yes. at tlhe very least you will have some oxidation of your ingots.

If you keep at this, eventually you will need more ingot molds, I cannot imagine trying to empty a 4-5 quart dutch oven by only using one Lyman ingot mold. My ingot molds (multiple) are made of angle iron, and most cast an ingot that weighs two to three pounds.

Stay safe and have fun,

Robert

[nrasports]

If you keep at this, eventually you will need more ingot molds, I cannot imagine trying to empty a 4-5 quart dutch oven by only using one Lyman ingot mold. My ingot molds (multiple) are made of angle iron, and most cast an ingot that weighs two to three pounds.

Stay safe and have fun,

Robert

Cool thanks for all the help brother.

[bgoff_ak]

If you hit up your local thrift shop you can find a cast iron pot to do your first run smelt. It's what I use ( and I would assume a lot of folks here also )

Also runfiverun what's in .22 alloy ? I just never knew it was different, I learn some thing every day here...

[Teddy (punchie)]

We cast for our first time about two weeks ago. Best way we found is to heat in metal bucket, on turkey cooker base. Then using something to get the trash out , we used sheet metal skimmer. Using a coffee can we moved the lead to the Colman stove to reflux and clean the lead. Next filled 8 oz. , 1 pound, and 2 lbs ingots.

Used AL pot on the stove. Next time I was cleaning up some lead, I didn't let the lead start to melt enough and well the old Colman stove turn up on full made a 1/2 inch hole in the pot.

Started with 530 lbs. of very dirty range lead and end with about 425-435 of clean ingots. We are going to try a new plan. I fill there is too much lead left in the waste. Going to get a huge heavy 8" c - channel beam a make a slide for the lead to flow down on.

We had gone over the range lead before melting. But the last bucket 75 lbs. we must have missed 4-5 loaded 22's there was some popping we had not had in the other batches. Teddy