Problems Casting 9mm Boolits - NEED HELP!

[357Scott]

Hey guys,
I am having problems getting good Boolitsfrom my Lee 90457 6_CAVITY_356-125_2R Mold.I am using a Lee 4-20 pot with a PID Controller.I had my lead tested on a XRF Analyzer andthe lead was pure except for .08% Iron but I am not sure if that XRF gun wasaccurate because my friend’s lead that I also tested read pure lead with .01%Iron…but my friends lead has pewter added and I’m not sure what else.My lead had a hardness of 7.8 so I added pewterto increase the hardness, not sure what the hardness is now. Before I added thepewter the lead had a shinny look and now has a frosty look. I have tried tempsfrom 700 to 850 degrees.I have movedthe mold closer to the pouring spout and further form the spout.I have tried to increase and decrease thelead flow.My mold is on a hot plate whileI am waiting for the lead in the pot to come up to temp.I have tried another Lee 90457 mold. After 20pours the mold should be up to temp but I am still having the problem. The sprue is continuous across the sprueplate.I need your HELP!
Thanks in advance!!!

[twc1964]

By the pic it looks like your mold is still too cold. It should be pretty darn hot when you start. I put mine on a hot plate set on 75 percent for at least 25 minutes. Boolits are just fine with a light frosted appearance. Most of the pics of shiny boolits were buffed up for photos anyway. My mold is the same as yours. I set temp at seven twenty five on the pot. Your hardness of lead is really soft though. Most folks want their 9mm boolits somewhere between 10 and 12 bhn. You may want to order a bar or two of Super hard alloy from roto metals. A little of this will harden a lot of softer lead. This is what u have found in my casting journey. I'm sure others will chime in.

[DerekP Houston]

From that picture the mold is still too cold or not broken in. Keep at it and you'll find nirvana. I turn my hotplate on a good 10 minutes before I turn the lead on. If the XRF scanner is accurate, I'd add some tin to your mix.

[Bomberman]

How much pewter did you add? It has been my experience with Lee molds that I keep the temp of the lead very low, just so it melts and keep the mold away from the hot plate. Aluminum molds heat up quickly just by pouring so there is no need for it. A slow pour tempo keeps the mold from overheating and gives nice shiny boolits. I hope this helps.

[Yodogsandman]

Mold is still not hot enough, residual oils in a new mold or need a little more tin. Clean the mold up some more and when casting, cast real fast without looking at your boolits to heat the mold up to temperature. Turning your hot plate up higher will work, too.

Sometimes a new mold just has to be heat cycled a few times before it works good. Heat the mold up and let it fully cool a few times to rid it of residual oils.

[fredj338]

I have all kinds of issuescasting with the same mold. I hot plate mine too. Just seems to not get repeatable results. I am Using range scrap though, so abit tougher to get it right, but mr reject rate is still to high.

[Shiloh]

How much pewter did you add? It has been my experience with Lee molds that I keep the temp of the lead very low, just so it melts and keep the mold away from the hot plate. Aluminum molds heat up quickly just by pouring so there is no need for it. A slow pour tempo keeps the mold from overheating and gives nice shiny boolits. I hope this helps.

I rarely add tin. Aluminum molds heat up fast. Is your mold clean of all grease?? Your pic would suggest your mold is not up to temp.


Shiloh

[DerekP Houston]

If it makes you feel better, my first 20-30 pours with a new MP mold turned out the same. Just took me keeping at it and now it is cranking out good boolits and raining them much easier. All a matter of time and stubbornness.

[popper]

Dirty alloy/mould & too cool mould. Pour into the hole, not down the side. Looks like the venting at the block half (base) isn't very good. Drag a knife blade across the top edges lightly (very minor bevel there). Use a wood toothpick to clean any blocked vent lines. With your alloy you should be <700F. Your sprue plate temp is good but mould is sucking heat out too fast near the nose Pour faster and not such a large sprue puddle. It's pretty much a cadence thing you'll get used to. It may help to flow some onto the sprue plate, then into the cavity - gets rid of the cold 'drip'.

[GooseGestapo]

Aluminum molds need to be "Smoked". I use a butane lighter to apply a coating of carbon to inside of mold.

Read, then re-read Lee's directions. Follow them.
I have that exact same mold and get same results from molds not cleaned and smoked properly.

[bangerjim]

COLD MOLD! Period. Heat it to FULL CASTING TEMP (not just warm on the top of your pot) with a hot plate. I do that and get 100% drops from the 1st pour!

I always use 2% Sn. Some say they do not, but is has been proven Sn increases your output of good slugs a lot. If you are casting pure Pb, you definitely need Sn to lower the surface tension and get good fills, even on a simple profile like that.

Grease & oil will NOT cause continuous wrinkles! A cold mold will.

Heat that puppy up HOT....HOT.....HOT and try again......with 2% Sn.

Frosty boolits are not bad. Don't sweat it. Shiny boolit are only for pictures on here!!!!!!!

banger

[Freischütz]

Prior to casting I heat molds to 350-400 °F. Unless the mold has some unusual quirk, I get good bullets from the casting session's beginning.

[Rattlesnake Charlie]

Clean your mold again. I use carburetor cleaner. Nasty stuff but really eliminates grease/oil. Then, get your mold hot. If you start at 350-400, then dip the corner of your Lee mold in the alloy for about 30 seconds. Then begin casting. I cast as fast as the sprue cools.