My First Boolits Ideal 454190 Thanks to all for the advice!

[jonp]

Attachment 95407

[Beagle333]

And you're on your way to boolit-making! Congrats and have fun shooting 'em!

[pworley1]

Nice start. Congratulations.

[Frozone]

getting better!!
Still a little weak on fillout of the band edges and base, but not bad.
Those should be square with the version you use of that mold - it's an older 'Ideal' if I remember what you said earlier?
The new Lyman version has round grooves.

Try a little more of what you have done.
Add a little more heat maybe pour a little slower.

[jonp]

Everyone is a critic! Seriously, i welcome all comments, critiques and advice. This is an older Ideal mould not the lyman. I got so many rounded bands last time that I remembered reading on a thread here about that and looked.
Still experimenting but will try a little hotter. I did find that mould fill out was much better if I shook the mould a little while poaring.

[Echo]

What alloy?

[Bullshop]

You need to add heat to the mold not necessarily to the alloy. If you can develop a rhythm that will produce close to 4 casts per minute your drive bands will square up nicely.
I don't know at what temp you are running your alloy but if too hot sometimes you must turn the temp down in order to get the 4 casts per minute. The reason is to reduce the sprue hardening time.
Another way is to keep the alloy temp up for good fill but use a small cooling fan to reduce cycle time and get that 4 casts per minute.
A hot mold with lower temp alloy will produce far better castings than the reverse. The 4 casts per minute is the means of maintaining the necessary mold temp.

[jonp]

What alloy?

I am using 50:50 COWW/PB with a little Tin Solder

[jonp]

"If you can develop a rhythm that will produce close to 4 casts per minute your drive bands will square up nicely."

Good rule of thumb and I will shoot for that rhythm next casting.

[AlaskanGuy]

There ya go... Lots of good advice... Dont disguard that boolit though, its a shooter... Nice start.... Way better then my first ones...lol