My goodies arrived

[trucker76]

Well my furnace, molds, and alox TL arrived. Gotta say the furnace definitely feels cheap, the handle was broken out of the box but is an easy fix. Now I know I need to degrease and clean the molds. Should I clean out the furnace and if so how?

[Tim357]

Plug the furnace in and turn it on. The oils will burn off in short order.

[Walter Laich]

There are stickies at the top of sub directories on how to prepare new molds

[runfiverun]

well you bought a lee furnace it's less than half the cost of any other lead melter out there.
if you want one that weighs 40 pounds empty, then you'll have to buy one that costs @300 or more dollars.
it'll do the job and then some though.

[trucker76]

Yeah, I was on a budget. A $300 furnace does me no good if I can't afford the molds or tools after I buy it. It's why I got a rock chucker instead of a dillon when I started reloading.

[David2011]

Rock Chucker instead of a Dillon? One of these days you'll be glad you have the Rock Chucker even if/after you get a Dillon. I use both regularly. They compliment each other; it's not an "either-or" for me.

David

[Randy C]

If you set your thermostat in the pot keep it off the bottom for a accurate reading and a little torch to heat up the orifice if it plugs.

[Johnch]

Yeah, I was on a budget. A $300 furnace does me no good if I can't afford the molds or tools after I buy it. It's why I got a rock chucker instead of a dillon when I started reloading.

I have both press's
Each has a use
But both if only 1 press or a first press
IMO the Rock Chucker is a wise choice

John

[Slow Elk 45/70]

Welcome to the insanity, let the trial and highs & Lows begin !!! Good Luck , Jim :groner:[smilie=w:

[trucker76]

Yes I like the rock chucker for my 7mm target loads and other rifle hunting loads where I try to be super accurate and don't load more than a few boxes at a time. But loading 500 each of .45acp and .38 spl at a time for plinking/target shooting can get a bit tedious. I gotta feed the whole families guns, except for the 12yo, she uses a ruger sr22 and that ammo nightmare is a whole other headache.

[runfiverun]

one step at a time.
I started out with a little table in a 2'X2' closet, most of my clothes were in that closet too.

now I have a room in the house, the garage has been closed into a casting/reloading/swaging shop, and most of the basement is for ummm "storage".
I really need about 12-16' more bench space to mount most of the presses I have stored.
I could probably get by with one rock-chucker, one Dillon, one ponsess warren,a swage press, and one casting pot too but it didn't work out that way.

[mold maker]

I'm sure that if I had to, I could get by with the RCBS Jr press and the Saeco pot I started out with, but what fun would that be?
I'm not going back on 55 years of experience, nor the equipment I gained along the way.
I've added 3 presses and 2 pots, in just the last couple years and now my bench is over full, but it's a real joy to dedicate a job to the press that does it the easiest. After all they're just tools. But than I'm an OF, and easiest is best.

[BNE]

I have both press's
Each has a use
But both if only 1 press or a first press
IMO the Rock Chucker is a wise choice

John

+1

I've been doing this for 14 years and ONLY have a Rock Chucker. Loaded thousands on it. Still like new.

The lee pot works well. You have to start somewhere, and depending on what you are going to do with it, it may last a lifetime.

Welcome to the addiction. The next few months will be filled with frustration and the most fun you have ever had. Read, Read, Read. It's all here somewhere.

[3leggedturtle]

I bought my Lee 10lb bottom pour back in '75 or so when Gander Mtn. was a mail order firm. My pot is still working good. What molds did you get and what you loading for?

[Jayhawkhuntclub]

I've been reloading for 15 years and I haven't moved on from the Rock Chucker. It's made thousands of rounds.
As soon as I wear it out I'm going to upgrade.:mrgreen: I mean it!

[Smoke4320]

I've been reloading for 15 years and I haven't moved on from the Rock Chucker. It's made thousands of rounds.
As soon as I wear it out I'm going to upgrade.:mrgreen: I mean it!

I think you mean when your grandson wears it out you hope he upgrades :)
Bought mine used in 1977 and have loaded many many thousands of rds and its still like new !!!

[trucker76]

I bought my Lee 10lb bottom pour back in '75 or so when Gander Mtn. was a mail order firm. My pot is still working good. What molds did you get and what you loading for?

got a lee 140gr swc for .38 and a lee 230gr tc for .45acp. Loading for a S&W model 28 .357 and my xd.45, also a ruger LCR in .38. I have a SBH in .44mag I still need to get dies and molds for but only got 100 brass for it as I just got it recently. I also load for my 7mm rem mag but I gotta do a little research first to see if casting will be a viable alternative to jacketed bullets for that one, I honestly haven't checked yet. On the list of dies I stll need is my stepsons .270 and the womans 6mm, those would be hunting loads.

[gray wolf]

I cast 450 keeper bullets today with my Lee 20#Der, 50* outside and sunny, I was surrounded by Snow.
I would suggest a thermometer, they do make life a tad easier, and only clean metal in your new pot.
Welcome to the hobby, we need more casters. You will be very happy in this forum, very nice people.

Sam