Pouring technique

[selmerfan]

Ok, so I'm new at this, I just cast and lubed my first 72 bullets last night and today. The question I have is this: I'm using a Lyman ladle, how does one get that nice pretty sprue puddle on top of the sprue plate? I'm pouring how the Lyman manual instructs, mould sideways, mate the spout to the sprue, turn both together. When I remove the spout, I get lead pouring everywhere on the sprue plate and it doesn't pool nicely on top, no matter what I do. Regardless, I get a good bullet fill-out and the large majority of my bases are filled well. What are your tips for ladle pouring boolits?
Selmerfan

[FWAddit]

I get that neat solidified puddle only when pouring from an open ladle like the little one Lee sells. When I'm using the Lyman style ladle with a nipple, I just hold the nipple tight against the sprue hole till the lead solidifies and then tilt the mold and ladle back over together so the lead doesn't spill when I separate them. Try that and see if it works.

[JIMinPHX]

Everyone seems to have their own little method, or two, or nine, etc. If you are doing the tilt, join, tilt upright to pour method, you can tilt back a little before separating & then flatten out the top of the blocks as the after pour dribbles from the ladle. You can also just pour from above the blocks & not join the ladle to the blocks. I usually do the tilt, then join, then pour & just let the led splash all over the place as I go from cavity to cavity. I do this over the pot. I keep the mold tilted slightly forward so that the overflow trickles back into the pot & not on my bench. For some molds one method works better, for other molds a different method may work better. Try a bunch of different stuff & see what works for you. There is no single “right” way to do it that is best in all situations with all molds & all boolit alloys at all temperatures.

[mooman76]

I wouldn't worry about it. If you are getting good bullets, then you are doing great. The other stuff will come with time and practice.

[Marlin Junky]

If you're using a Lyman ladle hold it vertically with the mold until the bullet base solidifies. This will take about 3 or 4 seconds depending on melt temp, etc. The metal in the ladle will in affect be your sprue puddle. The function of the sprue puddle is to ensure there is enough molten metal to fill the mold cavity without voids when the cooling metal shrinks. Of course, you'll then need to return the ladle to the pot before you fill the next cavity otherwise the metal in the ladle will be not hot enough to fill the next cavity the same as the first. To fill mold cavities much faster (and more accurately than a bottom pouring furnance) acquire one of these before you get used to the Lyman dipper:

http://www.buffaloarms.com/browse.cfm/4,1423.html

When you cast with a Rowell#2 put two steel/iron alloy molds in rotation and after you get the hang of it, you should be able to cast approx. 200 excellent (virtually perfect) bullets in an hour after preheating your molds on an electric hot plate. Keep in mind that your technique with the Rowell may vary from mold to mold. Some molds may like the metal to be dropped from a half inch or so while others may prefer the spout to be laid directly on top of the sprue plate and the metal trickeled in. This is where the Rowell beats the heck out of bottom pouring devices... you can adjust the rate of pour to suit different conditions while delivering consistency that doesn't exist with the bottom pour systems because head pressure is constantly changing as the melt volume changes in those bottom pouring furnaces.

MJ