Finally

[dale2242]

After casting by the dipper method and having very little luck with a bottom draw, I finally learned to cast great bullets with a bottom draw. Bright and shiny. Well filled out. How sweet it is!!!!.:-D I can see I need a lead thermometer. When you get the flow rate right and the temperature right good bullets come easy.

[IcerUSA]

Yepper, but getting there sometime drives a person crazy . [smilie=b:

Keith

[Bass Ackward]

After casting by the dipper method and having very little luck with a bottom draw, I finally learned to cast great bullets with a bottom draw. Bright and shiny. Well filled out. How sweet it is!!!!.:-D I can see I need a lead thermometer. When you get the flow rate right and the temperature right good bullets come easy.


Absolutely. Still, for heavy or real long, small diameter bullets, I still find better weight consistency and less defects with a ladle that has been opened up a tad. The weight of that lead and the heat that goes with it, just has advantages.

Get everything correct and your reject rate will be basically zero and your casting secession will go smoothly. Always worth the time to get it right. Helps to make notes for that mold too so that the next time, you don't have to reinvent the wheel.

[MakeMineA10mm]

I've only ever cast two or three rifle bullets, and I'd agree that longer-skinny shapes cast better (more consistently) with the dipper.

However, since I'm 99% pistol cast boolit shooter, the bottom pour has always been my "go-to".

(Good thing about the bottom pour furnace, is you can still use a ladle out of the top of it! :-D )

[leftiye]

Also getting the mold temperature right is a BIG plus. I have one of those cheap point and shoot infrared thermometers from Harbor Fart that enables me to know the temp of the mold- big help. Once you know the temp that is good for casting you just heat it up to that temp. Mold temp can further be controlled by using a mold heater with temp control while casting.

I'd guess that with these enhancements and a second pot to melt/ flux additional metal, and your casting pot covered with fluxing material like ground charcoal that a bottom pour pot method gets to be pretty much as good as the next method.

[dale2242]

I`m using a old electric hotplate a friend gave me to preheat my mold, keep my mold hot when adding metal, and to preheat metal before adding. I keep the temp just below the melting point of my alloy. Seems to work well that way. BTW, I keep a 1/4" plate of steel over the elements.

[jawjaboy]

I`m using a old electric hotplate a friend gave me to preheat my mold, keep my mold hot when adding metal, and to preheat metal before adding. I keep the temp just below the melting point of my alloy. Seems to work well that way. BTW, I keep a 1/4" plate of steel over the elements.

+1

Never could catch a yard sale that had the single element hooters. So I broke down last week, took out a loan at the bank and bought a new one. $7.99 at the dollar store! :wink: Already had the steel plate to cover the element coil.

[Shiloh]

.... I can see I need a lead thermometer. When you get the flow rate right and the temperature right good bullets come easy.

A thermometer really helps eliminate the guesswork of where the correct temperature range is.

There is a variance in my molds of where the "Sweet Spot" is to get good boolits from every pour. Also tells you when you're good to go after adding metal.

Shiloh :castmine: