Skipping Preheating Mold?

[iplaywithnoshoes]

Is it possible without detriment to a steel or iron mold to just start pouring bullets? I know they will come out wrinkled at first but could I do this for a few bullets on my Lyman without warping the mold? I don't know the exact composition of the blocks so i'm not aware of the thermal stresses involved during heating. I tried this method with my Lee molds and the bullets have the same diameter range and roundness as when I preheated the molds, and no obvious problems that I could observe.

shoe

[Dragonheart]

It will take longer to get keepers, but it's not a problem. If you don't want to fool with setting up a hotplate try dipping the lower end of the mold into the melt. Once the mold heats up it the lead will drop off. Try to keep the lead out of the screw heads.

[.455 Webley]

I just park the mold on top of my lead pot and turn the pot on. When the lead is up to casting temp then the mold is not too far behind.

[WJP]

That's exactly what I do.

[Oklahoma Rebel]

I always put alum. foil over my lee 4-20 melter, to help warm it up faster, I set my mold on it, although I doubt it would work with an iron mold, would probably tear. but it might. I also cover it in aluminum foil if I have to walk away, to reduce oxidization and keep stuff (bugs, dust, etc.) out of the pot. same for when the pot is not in use but by setting my mold on the foil it always ready by the time everything is melted. it is also better than dipping it in the lead, I can never wait long enough for the mold to get so hot that the lead runs of without sticking to it, and have found that it doesn't need to be that hot anyways. good luck!

[juan916]

I do the same as Oklahoma rebel, wrap in aluminum foil

[Mitch]

Hot plates at the dollar store are 12 bucks.Sure saves a lot of time casting good boolits within a few casts.It will not hurt your mold without one just a nice thing to have.

[scattershot]

Well, what you are actually doing with the first few casts from a cold mold is preheating it, so no, I don't think it hurts anything.

[mozeppa]

time is valuable....hot plates not so much.

hot plate! .......cuz that's how i roll!

[JSnover]

You won't hurt your mold, it'll just take longer to cast keepers.

[garandsrus]

It is a lot harder to cut the spruce if the mold isn't pre-heated. You could break the handle on a Lee 6 cavity mold if it's not preheated.

[country gent]

Believe it or not a lot of us old timers made good bullets with out mould ovens, PIDs, and other new equipment. Now seriously, Yes you can cast a mould up to temperature with out damaging it. Pre heating on top of pot , dipping a corner into the lead, Or just pouring toil it comes up has been done. Instead of 2-4 pours with the oven for good bullets expect the first 20-25 to be throw backs when pouring up to temp.

[Bazoo]

If i dont use a hot plate, I pour a couple casts, then leave the bullet and sprue and dip the bottom of the mould in the lead and hold a good 30 seconds. Makes the next either good, or frosty (also good), and continue on.

[Smk SHoe]

I place my molds on top of the lead pot while it is warming up. Then, once PB is flowing, I fill the mold with the sprue plate open and let a decent size puddle sit on top. Two or three cycles and its ready for casting. That way I on't have to worry about cutting the sprue.

[tdoor4570]

I use a hot plate to heat up my molds it also keep my coffee hot while I'm casting. just got a second hot plate at a yard sale , that one is used for my coffee pot now

[gwpercle]

Believe it or not a lot of us old timers made good bullets with out mould ovens, PIDs, and other new equipment. Now seriously, Yes you can cast a mould up to temperature with out damaging it. Pre heating on top of pot , dipping a corner into the lead, Or just pouring toil it comes up has been done. Instead of 2-4 pours with the oven for good bullets expect the first 20-25 to be throw backs when pouring up to temp.

That's the truth... for decades we just picked up a cold oiled iron mould and started casting until they started dropping good boolits....threw back all those bad ones and carried on ....didn't know any other way existed. Iron pot on a gas stove, that was it .
To this day I do not own a thermometer , PID , hot plate or toaster oven.
I do warm mould on top of Lee electric pot and/or dip corners into the melt.
You don't need a lot of gadgets to cast , I do well with a ladle , Lee magnum melter , mould and pressure casting .
Gary

[robg]

I just fill the molds let them stand for a while ,a few casts and there up to temp .

[John Boy]

You could break the handle on a Lee 6 cavity mold if it's not preheated. And you'll have to heat the mold to cut the sprue puddle with the sprue plate with a cold mold
* All my molds are put in the flame on a gas stove. Take them off at the pot temperature after I determine their temperature with an infrared thermometer. Normally after 2 or 3 casts - nice bullets

[Mike W1]

Wife always said I like gadgets and she's right. For me they make things more fun as well as easier. So both pots and the hot plate are PID controlled. First bullets out are in the same weight range as the last ones are. That said none of those gizmos are necessary though I'd not be without them now. I added warming shelves to my Lee 10# pots and they help but will only get the moulds to about 250° while the pots get up to temperature. With the hot plate I can have the mould in the 325-340° range when the pots are ready. One gadget I tossed was the IR thermometer as you're still only guessing when you use them.

[HeavyMetal]

AS country gent said back in the day I just put the mold on the pot when I fired it up and had it it when it was liquid.

The upshot of experience, and this web site, is sharing knowledge that makes the hobby easier: so now we have PID's, hotplates and real mold makers who started in the business we provide because the commercial makes couldn't or wouldn't fill a need we provide and pay for!

Yep you can start out with a cold mold and eventually get keepers, and a very strong arm, if that's what you want, for me getting something that was shootable and a lot of it, is what got me looking at better ideas in casting technique's and equipment.

Bottom line is: what ever works for you, some save time, some save money, but the goal in any hobby is to have fun!

When it starts being work the fun is gone, LOL!

HM

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

"Is it possible without detriment to a steel or iron mold to just start pouring bullets?" YES

"I know they will come out wrinkled at first but could I do this for a few bullets on my Lyman without warping the mold?" YES

I like to preheat all my molds now, so I can open the sprue plate with a gloved hand, and NOT have to Beat on it, with a mallet...which I have done, when pouring alloy into a cold Iron mold. Also, It's nice to get good boolits after the first 1 or 2 or 3 pours...instead of 25 or 30 pours, to get the mold up to temp.

[Springfield]

And a lot of people used 1-2 cavity moulds for many years, but I don't choose to if I don't have to. Just makes life easier using some new technology.

[Dragonheart]

I cast my first bullet over 50 years ago and it was out of a iron pot on a Coleman camp stove. I have to say I am thankful for the new technology like my RCBS Pro-Melt, Noe Thermometer, induction hot plate, Brownells Marvelflux, etc. But the fact is my old H&G and Saeco Molds don't produce any better quality bullets, it is just that now I can do them with less effort and faster.

[1_Ogre]

Pre heating the moulds does have it's benefits, but when I start a casting session, I usually place the moulds on the top of the pot while it's melting the lead. When the lead has melted, take the mould and throw 3-4 casts and from my experience, the mould is pre heated and starts throwing good boolits. When you have to put more lead in the pot, put the mould(s) back on the top of the pot and they stay nice and toasty. Well, that's the way I've been doing it for a while, just my experiences