Can you get too much soot on a mold?

[cbrick]

You guys nailed it! Cleaned the molds really well and started casting. BTW, I've always used a 4 lb bottom dripper to cast with. This is my first experience with a ladle. What I've learned:

Don't smoke it.
Get it clean!
Get it clean some more.
Get it hot!
Don't pour slowly or dribble with a ladle. Set the ladle in the sprue hole with the mold turned sideways, turn it up and let it dump.

The mold that was pouring .457 @ 501 to 503 is now pouring 458-59 @ 505-509.
The mold that was pouring .454 @ 507-511 is now pouring .458 - 460 @ 520 - 525.
What a difference!

I love a story with a happy ending.

Rick

[felix]

Me too, Rick!

Wayne, lead pressure - versus - both mold and lead together temps, is the only game in town. It is just sometimes easier with a good ladle to find that perfect situation. Of course, it all varies with the ambient conditions, so nothing can be set in stone except for that one condition. The larger diameter the boolit is, the more pressure is NORMALLY is required with lower lead temp, but still a relativity high mold temp. ... felix

[Shiloh]

I used to smoke the molds.
I got tired of re smoking when I got troublesome boolits. Had to be a better way.

After boiling the molds, I scrubbed with Comet cleanser. I scraped the corners of the cavities to make sure there was nothing in them.
I don't need to smoke anymore. The boolits fall with a gentle tap of a rawhide mallet.

Shiloh

[jgh4445]

Well, I thought the problem was solved...now its back to casting small and then large. Maybe something I'm doing or not doing. I have noticed that when I get one that has the correct diameter, say 457 or 458, I can leave it in my calipers and turn it and the diameter goes down to 451 up to 454, down to 434 and back to 457. I think it may not be a truly round mold.

[JSnover]

You need to lap the mold. I bought a kit from a member here, years ago. Don't know if those are still available.

[JSnover]

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/show...ation-w-Photos