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Discipulus Plumbum
12-11-2016, 02:39 AM
Hi all -

Having lurked on this forum for years, I have read (and reread) the many posts from guys about their first experience casting boolits. So today was the day - a complete newbie here fired up the pot for the first time to try it out. I have wanted to "pour my own" for several years, hence my avid reading here and other sources with like topics. Two things finally happened to push me over the edge and get me going - I retired a few months ago and got addicted to BPCR Silhouette shooting about a year ago.

I just bought a new BPCR Money Boolit mould (410 grain/40 cal) and thought I would try it out. I set the temp on the Master Pot to 650 and dropped in about 15 pounds of 20:1 alloy. While that was getting hot, I scrubbed the mould with a toothbrush and a hot soapy solution then dried with compressed air. Used some sawdust to flux and was ready to go. For grins, I tried the bottom pour feature for several pours - that is going to take some time to figure out - results were not good (read many "Tastes Great/Less Filling" threads arguing bottom pour vs. ladle for big boolits).

So I got the Lyman ladle, and started pouring. The first few dropped out and "resembled" boolits - very bad wrinkling and very poor base fill out. Hmm ... have heard all this before ... "The guy on the forum said keep pouring and don't look at the boolits" - (I gotta look at the boolits :-D). Several more pours, and I noticed less wrinkling and better fill out. Then, after about 20 pours, no wrinkling and great fill out on the driving bands and base. I figured the mould got to the right temp and it worked as advertised. After about 200 keepers, I was tired and out of alloy. Here is a small sample of my success today:

182468

I want to thank all the people who have contributed to the vast amount of knowledge contained in this forum - because of what I have read here, I was fairly confident that I was going to end up with some decent projectiles today. This from a guy who last melted lead at the kitchen stove with Dad so we could pour it into the holes he drilled in the bottom of my Cub Scout Pinewood Derby car.

Now to get the measurements to Lathesmith so he can make my lubesizer die ..!

Cheers -

DP

Bzcraig
12-11-2016, 02:42 AM
Very good! And welcome aboard!

map55b
12-11-2016, 02:48 AM
Looks like you got it! Nice work!

NC_JEFF
12-11-2016, 04:15 AM
Nice looking Boolits, welcome to the addiction

Shiloh
12-11-2016, 09:19 AM
Thousands of years of combined experience on this board. I cast and shoot better bolts because of it.

Shiloh

Tatume
12-11-2016, 09:29 AM
Nothing like begin prepared when you start, is there? Good job!

tigweldit
12-11-2016, 09:31 AM
Way to go DP! Congratulations on your retirement and your first casting. Nice looking boolets.

Thumbcocker
12-11-2016, 10:08 AM
It is good to see someone who took the time to read and apply what is available. Congratulations on your success.

toallmy
12-11-2016, 10:31 AM
Well done , now the shooting begins .

OS OK
12-11-2016, 10:51 AM
Hi all -
This from a guy who last melted lead at the kitchen stove with Dad so we could pour it into the holes he drilled in the bottom of my Cub Scout Pinewood Derby car.


Cheers -

DP

Gosh that takes me back into the 70's when we whittled that car down, streamlined it, painted it, lubed the axles with dry lube...then...poured lead into a hole in the bottom to bring it back up to exact weight limits.
On race day it passed inspection until they found where we added lead...even though it met weight limitations, we were disqualified. Go figure!?

Great job on the cast work! Glad you are here.

charlie

Why don't you post in the Avatar where are you from? It helps to network with other casters in your area and meet new friends.

Discipulus Plumbum
12-11-2016, 11:25 AM
Hi Charlie -

Yes - early '70s - in Ohio. Dad was stationed at the air base in south Columbus. I do remember cars being put on the scale, but do not remember lead weights as a disqualifier if the car was under the weight limit. I am not far from you - just over the hill in Reno. Will add that to my avatar.

Thanks to all for the replies. I am sure I will be back reading more as I keep casting.

DP

OS OK
12-11-2016, 12:16 PM
So you are over there where I have to go every year to find the good stuff! You are 100 miles as the crow flies from me.
Welcome to our crazy corner of the internet...hope you find everything you need here.

charlie

Oh yeah...about the car, my son was devastated and all that the referee would say is ... "but you put lead in it!" It was a circular argument...I'd say that it's not overweight...he'd repeat..."but you put lead in it!"

I said to Jason...let's dump this Cub Scout scene and build ourselves our very own 3 lane slot car racing track in the shop.(I have 3 kids) His eyes brightened and that's what we did that summer, had it for many years.

kmrra
12-11-2016, 12:23 PM
I agree this site is addicting and is full of great information, at last a a real use for the internet.

Skunk1
12-11-2016, 12:25 PM
Nice job. Read, read, read. I've learned more here by reading than anything. Great group of men and women.