Half frosty-ish boolits

[Fordprefect]

So I am new to casting, in my first casting session I cast about 800 shiny boolits that are perfect(well they were perfect after I got them to stop wrinkling[and I have to say thanks to everyone on this website and the wealth of knowledge that you share that made it possible]). My First casts where range scrap that I melted down and cleaned up myself. The problem I am having is with my second casting session once again I cast about 800 boolits but they came out sort of foggy or half way to a frosty look. This lead is CWW and I am worried I may have a bad alloy. I am inserting two pictures of the same three boolits from left to right is a nice shiny one from the first cast and the second one over is the foggy boolit and the third is a frosty boolit, from when I got everything a little to hot added as a reference point. Anyone know what could cause this?
8363983638
Sorry about the picture I got the camera out and the memory card is missing so these are pictures taken with the phone.

[Pb2au]

The frosty appearance is due to the temperature of the mold/alloy being a wee bit higher than needed. It is nothing to get concerned about, the gun you are shooting them out of will not know the difference.
A good thermometer in your pot will help you keep track of the lead temp, and I use a wet rag to cool my mold against occasionally to help moderate it's temp.
I hope this helps.

[Pb2au]

And or 42. That is the answer as well.

[62chevy]

I'd say shoot 'em that's what I did with the frosty ones from my first cast.

[gwpercle]

Nice boolits Douglas, you are doing just fine. It's just the heat, A little frost doesn't hurt a thing, I like to cast right at frosty-ish my self. Bump your heat down just a tad....and keep on keepin on...looking good. Your alloy is OK .

Welcome to site from Baton Rouge, La.
Gary

[bangerjim]

Great lookin' slugs. Don't let frost stop you! As said above, play with your temp.

I prefer frosties as I ES gun powder coat everything and it seems to stick even better with a little dull finish on the slug.

Heck.......I even shoot wrinklies.....if not too bad!

Welcome to the group.

bangerjim

[snuffy]

I would NOT call any of those frosty. I call them grey, gray, or lead color. All my boolits look like that, UNLESS I want them to be bright and shiny. Then close temp control will get you shiny boolits. That's IF you have the right alloy. Wheel weights don't have enough tin for them to always be shiny.

These were 17-3 lino to pure lead, cast with two molds and cooling both with a wet rag.

83653

83654

That's lee 452-300 and lee .501-440.

Are these what you'd call frosty?

http://photos.imageevent.com/jptowns/cannont2ifolder/websize/8-25-11%20006.jpg

How about these? I believe they're the same boolit as yours. I don't consider either of these frosty.
.
83655

Your boolits will shoot just fine. Looking good for a first and second session. :bigsmyl2:

[PS Paul]

Welcome to the forum, Ford. Out here in Kitsap......... I prefer a "satin-like" finish to my boolits- just like the 3rd photo of boolits in the above post with red lube. Melt temperature is important, but your casting speed and resultant temperature of your mold will have more influence on the frosting or non-frosting of your boolits than will melt temp.

I try keep my melt temp lower, allowing a faster casting cadence. As mentioned above, a wet/damp rag or sponge (I keep a sponge in a square tray with a very little bit of water in it) near the pot for cooling the mold while casting.

Your boolits look terrific!

[Rainier]

Fantastic looking boolits! I'm sure no "expert" by any stretch of the imagination but I intentionally run my pot and mold a bit hot to get my boolits to "frost" some - all my molds are tumble lube and the lube seems to preform better on "frosted" rather then shiny ones.
Just my two cents,
Rainier

[Love Life]

They look fine. Now go shoot them!!

The majority of the bullets I cast look like that. Now when your bullet breaks when it comes out of the mould, then your mould may be a bit hot....

[Gtek]

Newbie Huh? Welcome aboard. As you will find as you progress the only thing you need to deal with is the never ending variables. I write everything down, ambient, pot, alloy, what mold, count on cut and dump. The force is there, you must concentrate Jedi! Gtek
Oh, and it may be cause you like Ford's- [smilie=s:

[Brett]

Don't panic :-)

[runfiverun]

it's mold temp.
control the consistency of the mold and alloy temp [and the cadence you cast] and you control the outcome.

[wistlepig1]

Shoot them, I have shot 1000's that look like that and the target hasn't said anything about the Frosties.:bigsmyl2: Welcome form Colorado

[razerok1]

.

83653

[/ATTACH]




wow those a pretty looking.

[detox]

Frosting is caused by mould getting too hot for your casting pace. Keep turning down the pot temp until frosting is to your liking (keep your same productive pace)

I use a small infra red temp gun ($35.00) to check mould temp when preheating. Every mould is different and requires different temp. Once you find sweet spot make a note of it. 180 degrees is a good starting point.

[1Shirt]

I like a little frost. Think it helps to hold the lube a little better
1Shirt!

[Eric H]

Those look alot like mine when I first started. Like what has already been said. Its more heat related than alloy. I use straight range scrap with a pinch of tin soldier For my 9mm ,40 SW and 45 acp. they all shoot good. Frosty or not. Those are a fine looking boolit as far as I can see

[CGT80]

Don't listen to all these guys. Even though my post count is low, I know you shouldn't be shooting those boolits. It would be a shame for you to have to remelt them, so just PM me and I'll give you my address. I would be willing to help the new guy out and dispose of those for you.






And I would do it at the rate of somewhere between 700 and 1900 feet per second!

:kidding:


No, really. I would shoot those. There is something captivating about those works of art that Snuffy posted, but most of mine are just slightly frosty. Some have come out so frosty that they cracked like ice, but they went back into the pot and got a second chance. I built a PID control unit for my Lee 20 pound pot. It was money well spent.

83813

83814

[blikseme300]

Some purty boolits there, FP. Welcome to the madness.

Some molds need to be run hotter to get a good fill and the frosty finish is normal with those. With most rifle boolits frosty is the norm and nothing to worry about.If the boolits break, bend or slump when dropping from the mold then you need to run cooler.

[Sensai]

Piece 'o cake, and a little frosting don't hurt! There is a slight color difference between "range lead" and COWW, but I think that everyone is right and you're just running a little hot. Nice start, and welcome!