first casting heres what I got what do you think

[edadmartin]

I finally got an after noon to myself and no rain so I fired up my new lee 4-20 pot to make a first test at casting. Wow what a blast. I got all my info from Cast Bollits ,so thanks everyone.
ok The lead was bought on line ,don't really know what he sent, the boolits have a very shiny look and seem pretty good except for seemingly one spot on one of the lube grooves.
My thermometer didn't make it here today, so all I know is the pot was at 8 and half. only had a handfull of saw dust to flux too. I miked these shown, and length varied .002. the diameter was .4535 to .4545,which seems right for sizing to .452. Well what do you see and how should I step it up on the next batch.
Also after my mold is cold do I clean it again with a small brush and add anti seize on the pins and spru nut. do I need to resmoke the cavities? can I tumble lube bullets ment for sizer lubing?

[loaded303]

I tumble lube before and after resizing. Lube and let sir over nite on wax paper. No problem. Make sure the drive bands clean up after sizing. Have fun!

[TXGunNut]

Can't see the pic but congrats anyhow. Lots of fun to finally get things set up and cast some boolits, huh? I don't smoke my moulds any more. Figure I'll relube from time to time but not after every session. If using ferrous moulds it may be a good idea to wipe them with a lightly oiled rag down after use, depending on where they are stored.

[jonp]

What picture? I've tried a couple of ways besides smoking. Kroil or Ballistol in the mold seems to work well but I think that if you run it dry and they drop then I would bypass that. Others with far more experience will chime in here I bet

[Yodogsandman]

Congrats, I'm imagining some very pretty boolits, good job! No turning back now!

[edadmartin]

maybe this will work

[osteodoc08]

Bases sharp. Sprues cut cleanly. No wrinkles. No frosting. (Best as I can tell on my old iPhone anyhow) I'd say you've done very well grass hopper. Now we need a mountain of boolits and not a few for show and tell.

[cdngunner]

Gold bullets, cool.

[bangerjim]

I never clean molds! For years! I smoke them once when new and go right to preheating on a hotplate to CASTING TEMP.......and drop perfect boolits. Preheating is the key to success.

8.5 on a 4-20 is waaaaaaaaaaaay to hot on my pots!!!!!! I run them at about 6 to 6.5 max. Get a thermometer in there and check it. Once you know what the dial means you do not need the thermometer. Experience is the BEST thermometer!

Practice!

Welcome to the madness.

bangerjim

[DrCaveman]

Lee 255 grain, yes?

I also stopped smoking my molds...no difference in performance for me. But now that you mention it, i may try a few of my newest aluminum molds with a match, see if they drop easier. It currently takes a little tap to the handle bolt

No special care required for aluminum mold block, they do not rust or corrode. The sprue plate or pins could react if left for a very long time, but i havent seen it

Your boolits look pretty good, but like said above... You need a bunch more! Im surprised they are dropping that large of diameter, my mold of that type never drops above about .453"

Fun stuff, casting, eh?

Welcome

[DrCaveman]

Also, as for pot temp on the lee 4-20, i used to run it up around 8.5 as well, mostly due to impatience and working from the lee reccomendations. Mold fillout was great, molds also produced frosted boolits quickly at that level. I have since backed things down to around 6-6.5, like bangerjim. It is giving me slightly larger boolits, and now they are so shiny and attractive. They now seem photo-worthy, and are larger to boot.

[GaryN]

You also get to pour more boolits with the alloy cooler. The sprue cools quicker so you can cut it sooner. Then you just go faster and faster. The increased speed will keep the mold hot. Last time I cast a bunch of pistol boolits I did over 1500.

[edadmartin]

good call bangerjim. Ill get my thermometer usps tomorrow and will try again. Ill test boiling point first to see if its true and when the pot dial is set its a starting point. I was impatient and at 6-6.5 on the dial it flowed a small trickle and did not fill so when it heated at the 8-8.5 It flowed like water. I understand that pure lead melts at 621 and I shouldn't go past 787 which is zink melting point. I think Im closing in on it . I told my buddy next door that I had already smoked the mold and he looked at me like I had 2 heads lol He said in 25 years hes never smoked his molds and he's a die hard lee user.This goes to the reason this forum has been relied on by so many.you get the truth !
I think my camera is crapping out I tried different settings and most of my ebay store pics have that vintage gold hue too,oh well, maybe santa will bring a new one. thanks.

[bangerjim]

Old trick............Lee 4-20 bottom pour not pouring with melted Pb in the pot? Heat the pour spigot with a butane grill lighter! You know, one of those with the long flexible head. Heat it up and if the lead is molten, it WILL pour!

To smoke or not to smoke........it is sort of a religious thing. I do, some do not. Your call. Just try one. If done lightly and properly, it forms a very thin release layer that allows the boolits to drop easier. Scientific fact. Has been done for more years than I care to count.

bangerjim

[hickfu]

I always use a brass brush on my molds during and after casting to make sure no lead is building up on the inside of it. Brass wont hurt aluminum, plus it helps the boolits fall out when they start to stick.

I run my pot between 6.5 and 7 (I have a PITA mold that likes it at 7)
Sometimes I smoke the mold and sometimes I dont...

[edadmartin]

I decided to upgrade yesterday, from the lee production IV pot to the 4-20 pot so Ill do my next load with that . Nice tip on the brass bristle brush.

[runfiverun]

yeah..
the mold doesn't need repeated cleaning or anything added to the cavity's, smoking a mold is a crutch.
if the boolits stick, polishing a mold or cavity takes about 2 minutes. [plus however long it takes to find a drill, a wood/drywall screw, and some whitening tooth paste]
those boolits look nice,,,, But,,, I'd run things a bit hotter looking for an even grey colored galvanized look.
the boolits aren't as pretty but they will be more consistent in weight, have fewer voids/blemishes, sharper corners, and will fill out better in every other aspect also.
I can generally see the cut marks from the cherry spinning in the mold,, cast into my boolits.

[MaryB]

I clean my Lee molds when they arrive, a little lube on the sprue plate and pins and cast away. No smoking required. One of my 9mm cavities was a tiny bit sticky so I used a cast bullet from that cavity, drilled it for a screw, chucked it in the drill and used a little polishing compound. Smoothed it out plus I gained .001 that I needed for my HiPoint C9 with a .358 barrel.