the first cast(casting for dummies)
ok...........lets see if i get this close :-? youins can add tips or suggestions to accomplish each feat. ;-) not necessarily in correct order, as i'm a dummy....remember?
(1)first......search for wheelweights to melt down.
(2) start collecting tools for the job. a lil pot(not fer smokin), a ladle, a heat source, and some bullet lube???
(3) slug the bore in some manner to get correct bullet size. any tips for a way to do this?.....or is it necessary? do ya then need to buy a bullet sizer or stuff to do that with?
(4) melt lead, put in a lil wax(how much?) to skim off nasties, and pour into bullet mold or ingot mold. is it necessary or how desirable is it to melt the lead and form into ingots?
(5) size the bullets. what is required to do this, and what is the least expensive route? can it be done with a regular loading press, or is it even necessary to get good accuracy?
(6) shoot em up n test for accuracy. anything in particular to look for as far as the cast bullets go?........as in seeing something you had done wrong?
yep........i'm a dummy. i gotta be lead around like a ol mule. a step by step procedure in hillbilly terms is what i'm lookin fer, i reckon. :grin:
boolit casting for dummies
kydoe:
welcome to the wonderful world of boolit casting, my casting setup is as follows,
I am a dipper guy, have tried bottom pour pots, I can't get good casts with them,
(i casted for 10 years b/4 trying one.i started casting in 1970 "as memory serves me.")
my heat source is a 2 burner natural gas hot plate, one burner is for my casting
pot, the other i keep a pot of boolit metal ready to top off the casting pot.
i use a propane turkey fryer to melt my ww's with a 4 quart cast iron pan to melt
the ww's in. My engit molds are small bread loaf pans (they make 8 lb engits.)they
fit my casting pot nicely.
i melt my sprues and bad boolits in my reserve pot, not my casting pot, that way I
don't cool down my casting pot.
I flux my casting metal every 15min or sooner if needed, i flux with candle wax,
(purchase this wax in slabs and cut into fluxing chunks to flux with. i use a tea spoon that i have drilled full of holes for skiming off the dross from my casting
pot. use a large slotted spoon to skim off dross from reserve pot, i transfer
boolit metal from reserve pot to casting from reserve pot with a soop ladel.
there likely as many types of casting setups as there are casters.you will likely
change your setup 3 to 4 times b/4 you are happy with it. pay attention to your
dominent hand in setting up your system, will be more effecient if you don't have
to use your weak hand unnaturaly. (i would starve if i lost the use of my right
arm.)
read all articles you can find on casting, lyman's 48thedition reloading handbook
is one good source.
good luck getting started casting , you will enjoy it.
later
ted kelley