Mike W1
09-12-2014, 05:23 PM
First off still lovin' that PID. I use 2 Lee Prod. IV's stacked. The lower one PID controlled. Set it at 645° and it only varied ± 1° F except one time adding hot lead from above it dropped to 642°. My Tel Tru read about 639° as near as you can read them. I calibrated it awhile back and it seems to be holding there.
Normally I cast with 2 moulds but was only using one today and even with the cooling fan had to slow the pace a bit or the mould was too warm. I made aluminum sprue plates for my moulds awhile back and I do prefer them. Something I picked up from the old Rifleman series reprints booklet.
Likely on this site I picked up a tip of using a Dremel with a brass brush to clean the odd little flicks of lead that seem to occur once in awhile. Tried most of the other methods and the Dremel will be there on all future casting sessions. I used the #536 brass brush FWIW
One other thing I guess. My ingots are pretty clean (I think) so they go into the top pot. Before I use it to fill the lower one I flux with NEI's flux. When the lower pot is filled back to casting. I see no value in fluxing the lower one every fill, all it gets is clean lead anyhow. I will flux the lower on occasion just not routinely.
Didn't learn anything new but spent some enjoyable time with a nice little pile of those shiny babies!
Normally I cast with 2 moulds but was only using one today and even with the cooling fan had to slow the pace a bit or the mould was too warm. I made aluminum sprue plates for my moulds awhile back and I do prefer them. Something I picked up from the old Rifleman series reprints booklet.
Likely on this site I picked up a tip of using a Dremel with a brass brush to clean the odd little flicks of lead that seem to occur once in awhile. Tried most of the other methods and the Dremel will be there on all future casting sessions. I used the #536 brass brush FWIW
One other thing I guess. My ingots are pretty clean (I think) so they go into the top pot. Before I use it to fill the lower one I flux with NEI's flux. When the lower pot is filled back to casting. I see no value in fluxing the lower one every fill, all it gets is clean lead anyhow. I will flux the lower on occasion just not routinely.
Didn't learn anything new but spent some enjoyable time with a nice little pile of those shiny babies!