What a catch (with pictures)

[Jimlakeside]

I cast my first ingots this weekend from FREE wheel weights!! I cast 37 of them. Turned out pretty good. Next I have to buy my 9MM die and start making boolits!!

My Dad gave me two cornbread cast iorn pans, worked great.

[WILCO]

Gotta love it!

[docone31]

Nuttin wrong with that.
If you know the weight of the fishies, you can calculate any additions if needed.
With 9mm, you probably won't need anything other than WWs.

[Jimlakeside]

I don't know the weight of the fishes, but I am sure that I can find out. I will cast both 125 and 147 grain bollits using Vihtavuori N320 which works well with boolits purchased off the internet (Kead boolits). To quote the website: "The alloy used in KEAD bullets is a 2% tin, 8% antimony mix - very hard and clean".

Any suggestions for mix before I get to casting will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks, Jim

[NSP64]

Welcome to the addiction. If you want to add tin @ 2% for a 10 lbs pot add 3.2oz(will help with fill-out.:drinks:

[docone31]

With my 9mm, I find that straight WW is really clean in a pour. A little tin helps if needed.
I kinda by gosh and by golly the tin when I add it. I first started out with a large amount of tin, and I think I pretty much wasted it.
I use the 123gn TC mold from Lee. With pure WW, I did not have any fill out issues at all. Might be the mold, or everything was just right, I have no clue.
If it were me, I would start with pure WW. If the castings show ripples, even with the mold hot, add some tin. Small amounts. With wire solder, perhaps three inches at a time.
With my first castings, I shoved the entire 1/2lb spool right in and went a-castin. I did not need that much. I went down to pure WW. Still cast the same. Weight was just a tad on the target weight from the mold. Tin was just a tad down. I mean slight.
Just start with pure WW. Cast untill the mold is producing consistent bullets.
I got some 50/50 bar solder. I cut it into three inch pieces. I put one into 20# of WW. Works pretty well. Even my 185gn .311 mold pours real smooth.
Mostly it is by gosh and by golly for your individual molds within the formulas for the alloy. You will see once you start molding. The crappy bullets go into the pot for another try. I water quench all my bullets so watch the moisture if you throw them back in. They do indeed spray hot lead. I save those for the next batch melt. I put them on top of the cool lead before I turn it back on.

[bobk]

It took me a while to figure out what kind of fish they are. Then it came to me! Obviously, they are smelts!
Bob K

[docone31]

Hehehe.

[Ricochet]

Keeps your pot bream-ing full, I'm sure.

That's awesome! I use the corn stick moulds that look like ears of corn. They probably stack in a pot more easily.

[copdills]

Thats Great[smilie=l:

[madcaster]

You guys have me giggaling.....:mrgreen:

[Calamity Jake]

I wana see the fillet knife you clean the babies with!!! :bigsmyl2::bigsmyl2:

[Blammer]

that's cool!

I'd heat up the pot, turn it off and then put a fish in it half way and let it cool then take a pic of a fish "swimming"

[Sprue]

Looks a little fishy to me........

How do they stack?

[Blackdog]

I gotta find one of those molds........just for the halibut.

[targetshootr]

You could really go to 'school' with those. Being interesting to see what they weigh on your 'scales'. Ahem.