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Thread: Keep learning things on here!

  1. #1
    Boolit Master

    Mike W1's Avatar
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    Keep learning things on here!

    Using a hot plate was one of em'. Have been casting smaller sized batches and weighing each bullet. The hot plate is PID controlled via the hookup shown in the photo. Mould is a DC Lyman 452374 which I've also modified to help the front cavity average to be as good as the rear one. So far into around 10 sessions and weighing the first bullets out of the mould they're staying within 0.5 grains or better than the batch average using the hot plate instead of the old warming shelf's I had added to my pots. So far with the mod on the mold I'm staying within ± 1 grain of average weight bottom pouring 90% of the time which is better than I shoot anymore!

    Also monitoring mould temperature with my VOM has been enlightening. You don't have to change your cadence very much to change the temperature 10° or more! This mould seems to work best at about 340° F and setting the hot plate at 390° gets the mould darn close while the pot heats up.

    I think I cast fairly good bullets before thermocouples and PID's but they're a little better now and it's nice to just turn on the switches and in 20 minutes produce more consistent bullets than before. Eliminates a lot of guessing for me at least. 390° seems to work to get the mould up to temp.

    Another tip picked up on here is nothing ever goes into my pot but clean metal and beeswax. That last item really made life simpler keeping the pot clean.

    Click image for larger version. 

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    Last edited by Mike W1; 08-16-2017 at 06:40 PM. Reason: add photo
    Mike

    Benefactor Member NRA
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    US Army Vet

    There are two ways to conquer and enslave a nation.
    One is by the sword. The other is by debt.”
    John Adams 1826

  2. #2
    Boolit Grand Master

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    Yeah, there is a lot of collective knowledge on here! I'm a veteran caster and I adopted the hot plate idea from the guys on here! I later added a PID to my casting pot, another idea from Cast Boolits. A member here told me how/what to do to replace those pesky screw heads that are on the bottom of some H&G molds. I'm sure that there are a few others that slip my mind at the moment.

  3. #3
    Boolit Master
    lwknight's Avatar
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    The P.I.D. controller sure made thing easier for me too. Also , getting the alloy clean is important as well.
    Sent from my PC with a keyboard and camera on it with internet too.
    Melting Stuff is FUN!
    Shooting stuff is even funner

    L W Knight

  4. #4
    Boolit Master
    Tom W.'s Avatar
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    If a person can't learn something here he's gonna drown the next time there is a hard rain......
    Tom
    μολὼν λαβέ


    Did I ever mention that I hate to trim brass?

  5. #5
    Boolit Master


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    Mike,

    Have you tried fluxing with sawdust? I have much better results with sawdust than beeswax.
    Sometimes life taps you on the shoulder and reminds you it's a one way street. Jim Morris

  6. #6
    Boolit Master

    Mike W1's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by David2011 View Post
    Mike,

    Have you tried fluxing with sawdust? I have much better results with sawdust than beeswax.
    I just can't bring myself to use it in my casting pot and I've had decent results using stearine in my smelt pot so I'm not likely to change what's working fine for me.
    Mike

    Benefactor Member NRA
    Life Member Iowa Firearms Coalition
    US Army Vet

    There are two ways to conquer and enslave a nation.
    One is by the sword. The other is by debt.”
    John Adams 1826

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Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check