Tried my first casting tonight.....

[rondog]

Finally got brave enough to try my first casting tonight. Definitely got some learning to do! Might have to get on the list for those loaner DVD's. Sure glad they can be remelted!

[JSnover]

Clean and hot were the first two things I needed to learn. Dirty or cold will ruin your boolits every time.

[Yodogsandman]

By just trying it, you've accomplished what many handloaders will never know. We all started somewhere with varying degrees of success. Keep at it and you'll do fine with a little learning. Congrats on casting your first ones!

[pjames32]

Clean metal, hot mold, hot lead...............practice!
Welcome to a new bad habit :)

PJ

[jcren]

It really isn't as hard as it seems. A lot like welding, one you get over the heat, smoke and "sense" of rush, it is pretty straight forward. Keep after it, it will all fall into place.

[rondog]

That's what I was thinking, everything wasn't hot enough. I have a two burner hot plate that I had the molds on, but I probably didn't have it hot enough. Gonna get a couple of ceramic tiles today to put on the burners to set the molds on as well. Will also push the melt temp higher too.

[bangerjim]

Here is a simple temp indicator I have used for years and it really works:

Drop your cast boolits right of the mold into a pan of water with a towel in the bottom. A good temp boolit should "talk to you".......sharp fast sizzle. Not sizzle.....lead & mold too cold. Also your sprue plate should "freeze" over in 3-5 seconds. Too fast....too cold.......too slow...too hot.

This ain't rocket science!!!!!! I do not use a thermometer or digitala controller. Just a hotplate and a Lee 4-20 bottom pour pot. Preheated molds (to FULL CASTING TEMP!!!!) drop perfect boolits from the 1st one!

Keep up the practice. You will learn much more by just doin' it than reading all the paper in the world written about it.

If, after playing around, you have questions, feel free to ask.