TOO COLD to CAST

[W.R.Buchanan]

I hate to be the smartass here but I feel for all of you in the Frigid zones of this country. It's nearly 80F here in Ojai CA today and dry as a popcorn fart with no signs of anything changing for the next two weeks.

I have never experienced the problems that you guys face every winter. My parents moved us out of Michigan in 1955, when I was 6.

We really need the rain as we are going to be in a severe drought condition very soon if we don't get some soon, and what you will be seeing on TV's nightly news will be massive brush fires burning thruout the state.

Every place has it's challenges. Mine usually don't require wearing heavy coats and boots to walk to my car.

Randy

[Fernando]

Ignore this non-thread related post, but had to ask:

Alonso, or Ferrari in general?

Tofosi -Always Scuderia

[W.R.Buchanan]

I had an interesting discussion with A new friend from Italy at the Show. His name was Luca Rota and the sells really neato shotgun slugs and lives in Bologna,,,, Which is right next to Maranello.

To say Luca was a big fan of the Scuderia is an understatement.

Apparently everyone in Italy is pretty pumped about Kimi coming to the team this year. As am I.

I doubt Nanado is however.

We'll see. everything changes this year.

Randy

[Super Sneaky Steve]

I'm from the cold mitten state too.

Next week should be the coldest of the year. We already hit -15. Right now it's 18. This may be my only shot before the "polar vortex" rolls in.

Time to try out my new Lee 30 cal mould.

[Adk Mike]

I built a back yard shop 10 years ago. Range hood over the bench and heated when I need it. I do most of my casting now. Enough room to fix a car or do some casting. I enjoy that shop and use it year round.

[boog]

I'm still new to casting, and my equipment is limited to a one quart stainless pan, my camp stove, and a ladle. Been doing it in my garage, and it is too cold for me in Ohio. I have a box that I want to fill with several hundred more boolits!

Might be a month or two before I can get started on that again, unless we luck into a couple nice weekends.

[TXGunNut]

I'm casting tonight, letting the pot catch up a bit. That 6-holer drains it pretty fast.

[Super Sneaky Steve]

It's down to 10f tonight, but I got these made before I froze.

Lee C309-180R

[country gent]

Im from Northwest Ohio and the temps are still to low for me to be outside or even in the garage for any length of time. I want/need to get some 40s and 45s cast for the bpcr rifles for next season. Sizing and lubing isnt a problem as I di that in the house. I left the pot set up and 100+ lbs of 20-1 in it a fairly fresh tankk of propane ready to go and te temps dropped and snow drifted in front of the door. So Im waiting. here shortly this will change and a couple 3 sessions and Ill have what I need.

[161]

I had a good day casting today. I'd rather cast on a 10 degree day than an 80 degree.

[Hickok]

How many of you more "seasoned citizens" can remember way back to the first time (and last time)you set up a pot on the kitchen stove, got the metal going , and then fluxed, and thought it was a really good idea!!!

Then the new bride came in and just about went into a berzerker coma, "WHAT ARE YOU DOING, WHAT"S THAT SMOKE, YOU'RE GOING TO BURN UP MY KITCHEN!!!!!" (You can add replies from the your lady)

I remember, and will never forget, though it was 40 years ago!

[NYBushBro]

For some reason, my older Lyman 20 lb pot only gets my melt up to ~650 degrees... so I have come to the realization that 40 degrees is the minimum amount of ambient heat for casting in an unheated camp trailer (the family casting shed).

I'd use the Lee 4-20, but I just like the Lyman handle WAY more than the Lee. Perhaps I should find one of those replacement B-200 thermostats and try to get the pot to work at a higher temp.

In our set-up (at these temps), you have to break the ice that forms on top of the WQ bucket every hour or so... and remember to dump it out when finished!

[white eagle]

if ya gotta cast ya gotta cast
I have cast in -5° to +90° extreme's but if you need boolits ??

[sandman228]

its teens to single digit temps here in pa I bought a new affordable shotmaker on e bay it was delivered Friday , I went to scrap yard sat morning bought 25 lb of wheel weights and 25 lb of soft lead pipe to alloy together and make some shot with so I didn't have to dip into my stash . I just use a little Ozark trails propane camp stove when im smelting I got all the wheel weights melted down into ingots and same with the lead pipe, then remelted the ingots and made a 50-50 alloy I attempted to make shot lastnight and again today I get things going then I just cant keep up with keeping the ramp on the front of shotmaker hot enough next thing I know ive got molten lead globbed up all over the ramp and have as many globs in the bucket as shot its just to damn cold and im going through propane cylinders like crazy I just resmelted what I had back into ingot form and put everything away were supposed to have high 40's temps here in a week or so i'll try again then . the only way things will work now is to keep the shotmaker on the campstove with burner cranked and to keep running a propane torch back and forth across the ramp on the shotmaker .

[capt.hollis]

South Tx today is 75 degrees, lol.

[Shiloh]

5˚ with 20 mph. wind. Makes it -14˚ or -15˚ WAY to cold to cast in the garage. Currently?? 0˚ with 35-40 mph wind. Gusting to 52. Feels
like -29˚

Shiloh

[capt.hollis]

South Tx today is 75 degrees, lol.

[Bullshop Junior]

South Tx today is 75 degrees, lol.

It wasnt three days ago lol.

[Mechanicalmayham]

I cast a few RBs a week or so ago in my block garage. I just picked a spot with good light and an electrical outlet, put up some old canvas tarps about a foot from the ceiling and fired up the buddy heater. I added a piece of tin over it to keep the coffee hot. I still water dropped mine. Turned out fine. IIRC it was about -2 with windchill.

[Walter Laich]

Gulf Coast of Texas is looking at some 'fresh' winds and 'interesting' weather for today and tomorrow.