tumble lube problems

[brettb75]

I have the lee tumble lube 44 cal 240 grain mold, and i have a hard time getting it to fill out properly. I have tried tempatures from barely over 600 all the way to 850 and still have trouble. Its just a high reject rate, and the problem is mostly with the shoulder not filling out, the bands do ok.

[BABore]

Clean the mold several more times with brake cleaner and a soft tooth brush, scrubbing it well. Run your alloy around 725 to 750 F. Dip the corner of the mold into the alloy for 30 seconds, remove, and wipe clean. Open the mold and give it a light smoking (quickly). When you pour your first mold full, the sprue should take 10+ seconds before it starts to solidify cause it's really too hot. Continue casting at a slower rate until the sprue will set up in 3-4 seconds. It should now be at the correct casting temperature. Go like hell cause Lee molds like to run hot.

It's not really how hot you run your alloy. It's how hot you run the mold. You can do this same procedure while only running the alloy at 650 F. As long as the mold is hot enough. The TL boolit designs are generally a PITA to get to fill out on a good day anyway.

[44man]

Sounds like air can't escape. Lee molds have funny vent systems that might need touched up.
Also try a ladle and hold it tight to the sprue plate and leave the ladle on long enough for the boolit to draw all the lead it needs from the ladle instead of the sprue.

[cptinjeff]

Also try a ladle and hold it tight to the sprue plate and leave the ladle on long enough for the boolit to draw all the lead it needs from the ladle instead of the sprue.


:idea: This sounds like an interesting technique. Is the concept to "pressurize" the fill out?

[BABore]

:idea: This sounds like an interesting technique. Is the concept to "pressurize" the fill out?

Yep. That's why it's referred to as a pressure pour.

[44man]

:idea: This sounds like an interesting technique. Is the concept to "pressurize" the fill out?
No, you really gain nothing by pressure, melted lead is a liquid of course. But keeping the sprue molten until the boolit gets all the lead that will flow is the key. The sprue likes to harden before the lead in the mold and will stop fill out too soon. Done right, the sprue will show no draw from the mold. Only a dimple from the sprue itself getting hard.
I will not use a bottom pour, open ladle or distance pouring. I can cast a 20# pot empty and many times not get a single reject from boolit one until the end. The level of lead in the ladle is never the same when I dip. Just keep the nozzle open and clean. I drill it out a little and as I cast I tap the open part of the ladle on something to keep dross out of the hole. Don't tap the nozzle end, just wipe it on a cotton rag when lead sticks to it. I like the Lyman or RCBS ladles.
Been casting fishing lures, sinkers and boolits for about 60 years, boolits a little less of course, but casting is no longer a mystery.
It gets easier and boring.

[cptinjeff]

No, you really gain nothing by pressure, melted lead is a liquid of course. But keeping the sprue molten until the boolit gets all the lead that will flow is the key. .

Ok, so your keeping the sprue liquid longer allowing the boolit to "draw" in more for better fill out. This makes sense too. Thanks.

I always thought it was backwards to think the boolit would "draw" lead from a sprue that cools faster (being in the air) than the material in the mold. Maybe this could happen with aluminum molds (acting like a heat sink)?

My experience tells me my theory above is all wrong because I seem to get good boolits with a ladle or bottom pour, aluminum or iron, all combinations. I just like to understand things fully so when problems creep up they are easier to solve. :coffee:

[prs]

44Man's excellent description aside, relative to Lee aluminium molds, BABore's advice is applicable too. My solution is similar to his; run 'em hot and fast. Once up to temp, lay one mold on heat sink while filling second mold; that allows the mold to cool relatively fast at first and lets lead from the generous molten spru puddle to help assure full fill. On multi-cavity molds I want the spru puddle strip to be molten from one end to the other after the last cavity is full an set on heat sink. Ya gotta be quick 'n hot t' do it.

prs

[44man]

I will tell you first hand and with many years of casting that Babore can make perfect boolits and the best molds ever. One day I might be able to buy one on SS.
I just broke the bank for some powder though. Primers next AAAAAAWWWW heck! :veryconfu

[Shiloh]

Sounds like air can't escape. Lee molds have funny vent systems that might need touched up.


Sounds like the problem. Scribe the ventsaround the shoulder area. Helped my problem LEE molds.

Shiloh