Suggestions for a newbie?

[knfmn]

I've been interested in casting and have been lurking around for a while. I finally pulled the trigger (pardon the pun. :) ) and ordered a Lee 20# pot, ladle, two cavity mold and the Lyman cast bullets book. They're being delivered tomorrow. I've got about 60# of old scuba weights laying around and planned on melting them down to use as my first lead. I've watched a couple of videos about preparing the molds and casting. Does anyone have any good suggestions? I think I might be overthinking this a little bit. Thanks!

[mdi]

I'd recommend you not use the casting pot for melting/cleaning your lead. It's really easy to have a bit of junk/dirt in the melt and if you use a bottom pour it will more than likely cause a leak. If there's dirt in the melt it will show up in your bullets. A stainless steel pot over a good heat source works great for smelting/cleaning.

It's been said many times; "the only way to learn to cast bullets, is to cast bullets". But you've already got a good text, also look here for other pointers http://www.lasc.us/Fryxell_Book_Contents.htm. And of course read the stickies here, and hang out watching what others are doing...

[jcren]

Don't stress the details yet. Melt lead, pour it in a hole. Melt and mold temp are just a few of the variables that can be tweaked to suit your taste, but just get started and watch what changes as you learn. One helpful tip for me was to watch your spruce for temp clues, too cold, spruce is hard to cut, too hot and lead spreads across plate and takes more than 5 or 6 seconds to frost.

[country gent]

Several pointers getting started are going to be straight forward and simple. One wear proper saftey equipment Boots ( leather or other heavy shoes to protect from drops and or spills) Saftey Glasses, glove ( mould handle get pretty warm slips onto hot metal and spatters spills) an heavy apron ( optional but does protect from spatters and or spills) , long sleeved heavy shirt. The above can safe some very nasty burns working with molten metals. Now for casting pointers. If possible clean lead ( Smelt or render) in a big pot and open flame fluxing several times. A heavy soup ladle can be used to pour into ingots suitable for your casting pot, this keeps impurities and crud out of your good pot, and may save some leaking spout troublles. If you need to "blend" an alloy no is the time to do so in one big batch. Clean moulds and then clean again making sure they are dry before casting. Pre heat moulds either on a hot plate or on top of casting pot when warming up. Pour a large sprue puddle to allow bullets to fill completely. Start with around 700-750* measured with a termometer. Lightly lube sprue plate hinge pin mould handle hinge and blocks mount pins. alighnment pins also should recieve a very light coat of lube. Beeswax also works here. A metal paint roller tray works good for dropping bullets into layer 3-6 hand towel into it to cushion bullets. Leave the front metal edge eposed. This makes a nice surface to set mould blocks on when closing, this helps to "pre alighn" them saving wear on alighnment pins and mating holes. HAve a tapper handy. Plastic cap hammer, small dead blow hammer, wood dowel or hammer handle all work here. Nothing metal to raise a burr od ding. This is handy for cutting stubborn sprues closing sprue plates, and other tasks. I also like to tap lightly 2-3 at the block handle junction on one side to ensure blocks are fully closed and seated. Read the casting section in the luman manual several times before starting its also very good and informative.

[toallmy]

Can I add lead is recyclable so don't worry to much . I just started casting myself. Be careful hot hot hot don't touch the little shine works of art . Be safe well and ventilated .

[sigep1764]

Where are you located? Maybe one of us is near you. I'm in st louis

[knfmn]

North Shore of MA. I'm about 45 minutes north of Boston.

[Blackwater]

Congratulations and welcome to the club. Best advice you'll get is to just start casting, and read the directions that come with the equipment, and then just start casting, and observing what you do and the results. You'll teach yourself if you do this, and find the right settings, etc. When you're starting out, a thermometer can be helpful. Please note that each mold will have slightly varying preferences, and the lube you use can be a factor in the final results you get, and even in accuracy with some loads. If you want to make your own lubes, go to the lube section and read there. Lots of good info on lubes, and observations of what works and the situations it works in.

Mostly, all you lack is experience, and the only way to get that isn't on this board, though it makes the best of all possible springboards from which to take the leap, but actual casting will always be your greatest teacher. And the good part is if you "mess up" a few casts, you can melt them down and get a free do-over. Can't get better than that, really. Just make sure you use good judgment about the safety issues, and that's really about it. In just a short few years, or even sooner, you'll be helping other newbies. That's just the way this works. Good to see another member here.

[JSnover]

It's hard to say what the scuba weights are made of. Watch your temperature to get any zinc out. Beyond that, if they're clean (not covered in paint, etc) you can sneak them through your casting pot without much trouble… for now. The advice above is far more important when cleaning wheel weights or scrap, but it is correct: Generally use two pots.

[gwpercle]

Welcome to the addiction !

Since you said Lee 20 lb. pot and ladle I'm thinking you got the magnum melter and will be using a ladle. Good choice for double cavity moulds. I got the magnum melter and love it. Set the dial on 7.5 or 7.75 to get started, if they start coming out frosty turn it down to 7.25. Clean your mould really well , the alumn. has machining oil in the pores. I give mine a soak and toothbrush scrub in acetone.
The only thing I don't care for is the Lee's open ladle, ( I use a Lyman with the side spout to pressure cast) but go with it and get started, casting is the only way to learn.
Preheat the mould by corner dipping, keep the ladle in the pot so it stays hot. Everything has to be good and hot to cast keepers...the metal, the mould and the ladle.
Pour a sprue puddle , let it frost over, count to 5-6 then open. Opening before the sprue is hardened will result in smears and galling of sprue plate and top of block.
The only thing I do differently than most is I use Liquid Wrench Dry Lube to lube mould and cavities, spray or apply with Q-tip and let dry(it dries quick, alcohol solvent).
I do this because it does not contaminate the cavities or cause wrinkled boolits.
Good luck, have fun!
Gary

[knfmn]

Welcome to the addiction !

Since you said Lee 20 lb. pot and ladle I'm thinking you got the magnum melter and will be using a ladle. Good choice for double cavity moulds. I got the magnum melter and love it. Set the dial on 7.5 or 7.75 to get started, if they start coming out frosty turn it down to 7.25. Clean your mould really well , the alumn. has machining oil in the pores. I give mine a soak and toothbrush scrub in acetone.
The only thing I don't care for is the Lee's open ladle, ( I use a Lyman with the side spout to pressure cast) but go with it and get started, casting is the only way to learn.
Preheat the mould by corner dipping, keep the ladle in the pot so it stays hot. Everything has to be good and hot to cast keepers...the metal, the mould and the ladle.
Pour a sprue puddle , let it frost over, count to 5-6 then open. Opening before the sprue is hardened will result in smears and galling of sprue plate and top of block.
The only thing I do differently than most is I use Liquid Wrench Dry Lube to lube mould and cavities, spray or apply with Q-tip and let dry(it dries quick, alcohol solvent).
I do this because it does not contaminate the cavities or cause wrinkled boolits.
Good luck, have fun!
Gary

I got the Lee Pro 4. It's a bottom pour, but I was thinking that using the dipper might be a good way to start out. The mold I got is their 158 grain SWC two cavity mold, so hopefully using it with the dipper won't be too bad. I eyeballed the Lyman dipper, but decided to skip it since I figured I'd probably be getting a six cavity mold once I figure all this out.

I realize that the lead I have probably needs to be melted down and fluxed good before using it for molding, but I'm kind of in a sticky spot here. I live in MA, which might be one of the most anti-gun places in the US, so I'm trying to keep all of this on the down low. Plan is to do the casting in the garage with the door open and a fan blowing to take the fumes out. I'm trying to avoid nosey neighbors, which is hard in a condo complex. I might break down and order some clean lead from eBay to use until I figure out where I can do some smelting.

[scottfire1957]

Instead of e-bay, try the swapping and selling and also the vendors forums.

[jcren]

[QUOTE=knfmn;3315876]I got the Lee Pro 4. It's a bottom pour, but I was thinking that using the dipper might be a good way to start out. The mold I got is their 158 grain SWC two cavity mold, so hopefully using it with the dipper won't be too bad. I eyeballed the Lyman dipper, but decided to skip it since I figured I'd probably be getting a six cavity mold once I figure all this out.

For what it is worth, I have a lee 158 swc mold and it is one of the easiest for me to get in rhythm with. Nice balance of bullet size and mold mass I think.

[RobS]

Definitely look into the forum members here for lead. As to smelting your scrap lead I used an old hotplate and a cast iron pot/pan for a long time before I ended up with a smelter. As been mentioned if the scuba weights are not dirty you may be fine using them in your bottom pour pot. Welcome to the addition..............there is no looking back once you start this and no you will not save money either..............but will shoot more and become better doing it.

[knfmn]

Instead of e-bay, try the swapping and selling and also the vendors forums.
Done.

[lightman]

It looks like you have gotten a lot of good advice. I was going to suggest you run. Run hard and run fast! Just kidding! Its addictive! That first good boolit will cause you to want more molds, bigger molds, more lead, faster sizer/lubers, the list goes on and on! You'll be taking pictures of bullets, smelting set-ups, lead scores, ect ect! Welcome to the hobby! My only serious suggestion is to save your first good bullet for a keepsake. I have my first reload but not my first boolit.

You are in a beautiful part of the country, but I can't imagine not being able to cast or smelt without offending the neighbors. Maybe you can work out another place to do the dirty jobs at.

[bangerjim]

Diving weight can be ANYTHING that melts and casts! They are made for weight and not content. The many pounds of them I have are all over the map on content.

You need 2% Sn to get good cavity fill. Get some.

Forget evilbay and buy your Pb and alloys from the good folks on here. You CAN trust them, unlike evilbay.

Once you use the bottom pour, you will be hooked. Easier than dipping! And MUCH faster. My bottom/side pour CI ladle just hangs on the wall gathering dust.

You did not really tell us what guns you are shooting or speeds your trying for. That will help determine the mix. (probably something other than just diving weights) Download the FREE alloy calculator on here to help you with all the "what if" questions.

If you cannot afford a hardness tester, look into the artist pencil test method well outlined on here. It is a SWAG, but close enough for starters.

And do not re-melt dirty alloys in your casting pot! You will really muck things up.

this is not rocket science. It is just melting lead. Go do it and have fun. You will answer most of your own questions by just doing it. Than God lead remelts!!!!!!!

banger

[mdi]

I haven't cast any bullets in many years (as far as the neighbors know). But I do make a lot of fishing sinkers and jigs (most look exactly like bullets though! :bigsmyl2: ).

[roberts1]

158 gr swc so im going to guess 38special/357magnum. If so should be pretty easy to get them shooting even with mystery metal as long as they fill out in the mold decently. For tin you can buy some solder for plumbing to get you started. Not the cheapest way but easy to get from any hardware store. I would follow the above advice of try it and see. If they dont turn out you can just remelt them and start over. As you can see by the responses plenty of help is available. Make sure you lube that sprue plate so you dont gaul your shiney new mold. Also I sand the bottom of the sprue plates with 600 grit paper on a flat surface to make sure they are flat. Often when they drill the sprue hole it leaves a bur thatll screw up your $20 investment.

[gwpercle]

Try out casting both ways, ladle and bottom pour, they both have their advocates. It's really just personal preference, some use a ladle for 2 cavity moulds and a bottom pour for 6 cavity. You will learn if you have a preference after casting some. Experience is a great teacher.
Gary

[Ken in Iowa]

I'm in my first year of casting. Every time I think that I'm getting the hang of it, I discover something new. Practice is a great teacher.

One item that was really a game changer for me was a casting thermometer.

I totally agree that using some known alloy in convenient sized ingots is a great idea for a noobie. Visit the Vendor/Sponsor and Swapping and Selling forums.