Wrinkled bullets after an hour trying

[6bg6ga]

Molds will clean with simple brake cleaner. Ideal temp depends on the molds used and the lead alloy. Preheat molds... not really necessary as they will heat up to temp after a few cycles. With my bullet caster I can get good bullets in around 12 cycles and the cold ones are sent back to the pot. Ideal temp is when bullets are neither wrinkled or frosty in my opinion. I don't pay attention to the PID temp control as I just ramp it up or down if needed.

[TXGunNut]

When my moulds refuse to cast, especially a new mould, I set it aside and cast with another mould. After the offending mould cools I'll give it a good soap & water scrubbing and try again on another day. Lately I've been breaking in new aluminum moulds by bringing them up to temp and letting them cool for three cycles. Not sure why this works but it seems to.
OTOH some days you just need to unplug the pot and walk away. When things aren't going well I'd rather not be working with molten metals.

[Moonie]

I've been casting since the early 90's and while some others are able to cast with multiple molds I've always found it too much work and rarely can I get as good results as casting with one mold. Normally I'll cast for a bit with one mold, then switch to another if I need different boolits during the session. But I normally use molds with more than 2 cavities.

[cdngunner]

Just went through this myself....just keep plugging away....have 2 out of three casting properly.

[montana_charlie]

The Lee aluminum molds have always been, in my opinion, tempermental. Lezzzzz see what happens.

That certainly sounds like the voice of experience talking.
How long have you been casting bullets?

CM

[fredj338]

Stop smoking the molds & use just one at a time. I just clean the molds & cast, no smoke or release agent. It sounds like they aren't staying hot. Rotating molds is fine, but they need to be hot enough to rotate out. When I hand cast, using a pair of molds, I cast with one until it starts to throw frosted bullets, then swap to the other & repeat. If the sprue is not taking 4-5 sec to go solid, the mold/alloy isn't hot enough.

[wallenba]

One of the mistakes I kept making before I came here and began learning from pros, was that I kept putting the reject boolits and the sprue cuttings back in the pot. What that did was keep cooling the pot down. Are you doing that? LOL. When I stopped doing it, and got a pot thermometer, things got much better.

[Jevyod]

Thanks for the link to the other discussion gear! I had not read that post until now. It cleared up a lot of stuff for me! I was just cranking the heat up till the bullets stopped wrinkling. The problem was, by then my alloy was running @ 900 and I was getting terribly frosted bullets. So its back out, this time PROPERLY pre-heating my mold, and see what happens! So I guess I will go shopping for a hot plate!

[docone31]

Listen, set the molds in mineral spirits over night. No smoke, no tin, just heat on casting. I use only Lee molds. I stopped getting wrinkles when I heated the mold in the melt. I sprinkle Kitty Litter on the melt, then set the mold on that. By the time the melt is hot enough for pour, the mold is also preheated.
You need the heat from the casting in the mold to keep the heat going. When you set the mold down and cast from another, you are bleeding off heat. You need heat to be wrinkle free. The mold being cold, or cool, will freeze the melt, producing layering.
I have read the 10 second count for casting. I use six seconds. From total pour to melt freeze, you should have six seconds. The sprue will still be soft, the mold will fill out, and you can dump the castings. Four castings a minute is pretty quick, I might try for three complete castings.
Do not hit the mold with metal! Damage occurs. If the mold holds the casting too long, then spin a casting with lapping compound in the cavity. Not too much, just a tad.
Pour, count to six, cut the sprue, dump, pour. I use the handle on an old hammer to push the sprue plate. I also dump in water, but that is another matter.

[wiliamr]

I've been casting since 81 or 82. Never had this happen, BUT I like the thought to put the toys away and try another day. WHich is what I did. I let the molds cool and scrubbed the heck out of them with Dawn, brake cleaner and a splash of Old Grandad.. no the Old Grand Dad was splashed in me.

I open the sprue with heel of hand wearing welding glove. I was casting pretty slow with 3 molds, but at the end I was just using the RCBS and running 4 or so a minute. Have scrubbed the molds down with Dawn, rinsed with brake cleaner, poured Old Grandad in me and will see what happens now.

Guys I really appreciate all the ideas, I was about of ideas which is why I called for help. Bill

[wiliamr]

That certainly sounds like the voice of experience talking.
How long have you been casting bullets?

CM

I have been casting 32 or 33 years. For my blasting bullets use range lead, for BPCR I use Rotometal foundry lead and I also melt roofing lead and alloy it with pewter or pure tin. I cast everything from 223 to 45-70. Been through all kinds of twists but this one has me scratching my head.