My First Boolits! What's wrong with em

[chemist308]

I used those ingots I made today to cast my very first boolits. :drinks:

Thing is, they seem to have lines in them. I followed the Lee directions, and can't seem to figure out what I did wrong. Below is a picture of the worst out of the batch. Many others cast were better. But all had some of these lines to some degree. Will they shoot? Is this normal? Did I do something wrong?


http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3562/3516215685_338400d7cc_b.jpg?v=0

[docone31]

How hot was the mold when you cast?
That looks like classic cold mold syndrome.

[chemist308]

My one deviation from the Lee directions: I tried heating the molds with a torch. I thought I got them hot though. How hot do they need to be?

[targetshootr]

Mold wasn't warm enough. I preheat molds on a gas stove burner for several minutes.

[chemist308]

Will they shoot if they look much better, or do I need to re-cast?

[targetshootr]

They will shoot if the contact surfaces are filled out. But wow they're ugly. :-D

[zxcvbob]

I dunk my molds (Lee's) deep into the hot lead and hold them there until they are really hot. It cures that problem -- but they may get frosty looking right away. (I don't see that as a bad thing)

[Wayne Smith]

Cold mold, cool melt, or just possibly a dirty (oily) mold. All will give you those symptoms. How many did you cast? Usually up to the first 10 or so out of a cold mold will be like that until the mold heats up from the boolits you cast.

[wiljen]

an $8 hot plate from the big box store will cure that. I put the mold on the hotplate with it at about 2/3 setting at the same time I put the pot on to melt the lead.

[docone31]

I float my mold on the melt, untill the lead falls off the mold.
From there, I either dump my castings quickly, or hold the casting in the mold to absorb the heat if needed.
You will get the feel for it. Just need to cast more.
Also, I soak my molds for a few days in mineral spirits. Great castings right out of the box.

[243winxb]

As said, Cold mould, Cold alloy. Dont worry about preheating the mould. Start with a oil free mould, then just keep casting with the pot temp. on high. When you get good bullets, back off on the pot temp. some.

[mooman76]

Like docone31 said, dip in the already hot lead until the lead dosn't stick to the mould. Usually for me anyway about 16 second for 1x and 22 seconds for a 2x. Fugly but they will shoot. Just keep practicing and you'll get better in no time.

[runfiveswife]

your mold was too cold and you might of been pouring too slow

[oldtoolsniper]

My first boolits looked like used suppositories too. Once the mold was heated to the point that she was tossing frosted well formed boolits I slowed my pace and all was good. I scrubbed the mold with brake cleaner and q-tips and promptly ordered some bull plate lube which has made a hundred and ten percent difference in my casting.

[jsizemore]

When you start your pot, spray the mold with brake cleaner to get the oil off. When it looks dry I lay it across the top of the pot to help any residual cleaner evaporate before I start pouring lead. Mold ain't hot enough. Lead ain't hot enough when the sharp edges of the bullet are rounded like the edges of the lube grooves of your rifle boolit. Your almost there, keep going.

[stubshaft]

A little more heat and a little more practice. They're not perfect yet, but they are your own handiwork. Keep at it...It's an addiction!

[Down South]

Cold mold, cool melt, or just possibly a dirty (oily) mold. All will give you those symptoms. How many did you cast? Usually up to the first 10 or so out of a cold mold will be like that until the mold heats up from the boolits you cast.
Ditto, cold and or dirty mould.

[boommer]

mould to cold !

[snaggdit]

My first efforts had wrinkles, too. It was a result of not getting the mold clean enough. Brake cleaner was mentioned, but I used coleman white gas. Use a Q-tip, dip it and wipe out the cavities, then use a dry end and wipe them again. Smoke the mold with matches or a lighter and get it hot. Dip a corner into the melt for a minute or so. After casting a few they should begin to drop good. Don't get discouraged. We have all had to go through this stage at some point, too. Also, when (if) you choose to use Bull Plate Lube, be sure you follow the instructions and apply it with boolits squeezed in the cavities. If you get some in the cavities it will wrinkle a few boolits before it works itself out. Don't get me wrong. I love the stuff and use it exclusively and recommend it. Just giving you the heads up.

[zxcvbob]

The boolit on the left should still shoot just fine (at least mine that looked just like it, same mold, shot OK.) The rifle boolit... I dunno. It's *really* ugly :)

[snaggdit]

In remembering the Lee instructions, something else comes to mind. IIRC, after cleaning and smoking the mold they direct you to apply some stick lube to the alignment pins and the sprue plate hinge. If you apply too much, this will find it's way into the cavities and cause the wrinkles. Cleaning again will cure this.

[303Guy]

#1wife
Boolit Lady

Wow! I wish my wife were interested in shooting, let alone casting! Glad to 'meet' you!:drinks:

[WHITETAIL]

308, Welcome to the forum.:drinks:

[WHITETAIL]

Now you did it!
You are bitten with the boolet bug.
Their is no cure in the store fore this.
:castmine:

[John Boy]

Chemist - don't have much to add except this casting procedure that will produce 'pretty' bullets for you ...
The 8 Phase Casting Cycle (http://www.longrangebpcr.com/8Phases.htm)
And I tip my hat to you - posting the 2009 Ugliest Bullets. Most folks don't have the nerve to post a picture, just saying 'they look bad'!:drinks: