What is wrong with this picture?

[mixinguiness]

I am still very green to casting. I know there area lot of things I still need to learn.

That being said, I have been trying out some of my molds and everything looks goood when I use a single or slug mold but... I tried out two different 6 cavity molds and I am getting odd looking boolits. It looks like the lead isn't pouring right.

I have smoked the molds, and the boolits release ok, one mold is new and the other one was used. Both have the same problems.

For right now I am casting on a camp stove with a small pan. It has pouring lips that I am using to fill the mold.

I'm pretty sure this is a lead content problem, but I'm sure someone here can tell me what I am doing wrong from the following pictures.

Thanks


http://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z202/mixinguiness/Boolits002.jpg

http://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z202/mixinguiness/Boolits006.jpg

http://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z202/mixinguiness/Boolits005.jpg

http://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z202/mixinguiness/Boolits003.jpg

[DAFzipper]

The lead is too cold and or a cold mold. I preheat all my molds on a hot plate before casting. 6 cavity Lees like a lot of heat to get good fillout.

[chaos]

Not enough heat

[Bob Krack]

If, as you say, your single boolits and slugs come out OK - then I'd bet a ten dollar bill against an old stale donut that these pictures depict a cold mould and/or a little bit of taking too long getting the alloy into the mould.

Pouring out of a pain would certainly cause lots of caution (slow down) when pouring.

I could advise several options but, believe me, you will receive much more from the others here.

Bob

Edit:Pouring out of a pan - not pain

[docone31]

Cold mold. Crank it up. They will get better.

[Shiloh]

Ditto to the above.

Crank up the heat. Way to cool to cast boolits.

[OBXPilgrim]

Welcome to the addiction.

For starters, the molds aren't hot enough.

I'd say those single molds heat up pretty good with all that lead in it (slug), but you're not near hot enough. Hot, Hot, Hot for Lee aluminum molds.

How did you clean the molds prior to using? Search for some of the tips about cleaning them, but I'm not so sure that's as much of the problem as how hot your mold is. When you start seeing the boolits "frosty", start backing off if you can't maintain that temp.

Small pan on a camp stove is going to be real hard to maintain any consistancy, but that's what you need. If you can set the mold on part of the pan to let it heat up (safely) that might help.


LOL, boy I type slow - no one else had posted when I started.

[looseprojectile]

it wouldn't hurt to throw in a little solder or tin. Only after you start to get frosted boolits turn the heat down some.
Look like pure lead to me.

Life is good

[hyoder]

More heat and get a ladle

[Leftoverdj]

What did you smoke the mould with? Candle smoke will do that. So will pine stick matches.

Back up and start from the beginning. Clean your moulds. If you must smoke them, use a propane lighter. Preheat your mould, Make sure you have some tin in the alloy, Check that your alloy is hot enough by dropping a bit of wax on it. The wax should ignite in 10-15 seconds. Pour fast in one continuous stream.

You'll catch on, but this time, you may have made every possible mistake.

[Hurricane]

You already got the bad news, you need more heat to keep the larger mold up to temperture. The good news is the bullets will probably shoot good. The wrinkles on the nose of the bullet are not as important as a nice, filled out base of the bullet. If the base is fully filled out and not damaged, it should shoot fine, at least for most plinking and informal target shooting.

[Nora]

Enough said about a cold mold. My question is how "big" is your small pan? Sounds like you need to be casting faster once up to temp. If your pan isn't large enough, and it's on the fire then off on a regular basis, chances are the temp in the melt is doing a lot of fluctuating as well. Perhaps a larger pan and a ladle would be of help for you. A cheep hot plate may also do the trick to heat up that 6 banger.

[Slow Elk 45/70]

Hullo Mixin, and welcome to the loony bin, now that you have the "disease" just settle in a bit and take the advise offered, it is plain to see that your boolits were poured to "cold" and I doubt that your molds are anywhere near hot enough. Aluminum 6 bangers need lot of heat. To bad you did not start out with 2 holers, easier to learn with.

You don't say what you are pouring for lead, if it is pure, you need to add alloy, it doesn't look like WW to me from your pics. Try this web site out for a lot of information you can use: www.lasc.us , also go to the GoatLips thread at the "Classics & Stickies" here at CB. Lots of info there, You jumped into the pond, now you got to learn to swim...Have fun & good luck.

[EMC45]

I would say cold mold, melt and maybe another good cleaning and smoke 'em!

[303Guy]

Just don't spill that pan of molten lead onto a leg or worse! Lead has a way of sticking to clothing and flesh and doesn't cool down!:(

[Bret4207]

I have to disagree on smoking the mould. It insulates the mould from the alloys heat and will turn out a smaller boolit. Neither is good IMO. I only smoke a mould when nothing else will work, and as I go along that becomes less and less.

Clean the moulds really well and get them hot and you'll get good boolits.

[mixinguiness]

Thanks for the tips guys! I'll take all of the suggestions and keep them in mind my next melt.

I think for better consistency I will buy a pot with thermostat.

This is pure lead btw. At least as far as I can tell. I don't have a gauge to check it.

[AZ-Stew]

Did anyone mention that the mould is too cold? Lee aluminum moulds need a thorough cleaning, as well. Spray with brake cleaner, then scrub the crap put of them with a tooth brush and dish washing soap. Make absolutely sure the mould is THOROUGHLY DRY before casting. If there's water in the mould, it will instantly turn to steam and you'll end up wearing all that hot metal.

Regards,

Stew

[zxcvbob]

Pure lead takes more heat than hard lead. It'll also cast much easier if you add a tiny bit of tin; not enough to harden it, just enough to reduce the surface tension, maybe 0.5%. (Has anyone mentioned yet that your mold is too cold?) BTW, those ugly boolits should still shoot OK. Pretty boolits shoot better, but not *that* much better (the base is the important part.)

[243winxb]

Clean mould with Isopropuyl Rubbing Alcohol 91% , Dry it, start casting.

[EMC45]

I have to disagree on smoking the mould. It insulates the mould from the alloys heat and will turn out a smaller boolit. Neither is good IMO. I only smoke a mould when nothing else will work, and as I go along that becomes less and less.

Clean the moulds really well and get them hot and you'll get good boolits.

I instinctively parroted the need for "smoking" and I apologize. The reason for this apology is I used my Lee 1oz. Slug mold the other day and I didn't get a chance to smoke it good enough. It still cast an awesome slug after about 4-5 fills and it was dropping perfect!

[JIMinPHX]

I'm pretty much going to be a parrot here.

1) scrub the mold clean with a tooth brush & alcohol.
2) get your pot temperature up around 700F or so & don't be shy about getting the mold hot too.
3) If you don't already have 2% tin in the mix, then add some. You don't need to go dumping in 2% all at once if you haven't added any yet. Try 1%, then 1.5%, then 2% if you need it. See what happens.

[TAWILDCATT]

You need the 20 lb pot with the 6 cavity.and the lee is cheapest.and works.6 cavities need plenty of heat and you have to keep moving as the alum cools fast.
The stove and little pots worked well for single and two cavity but think about the weight of the lead.a 100 gr bullet into 20 lbs gives 1400 bullets.and it wont take long to CAST 1400 bullets.so you really need 20 lb pot.or you will spend more time waiting than casting.:coffee:[smilie=1: