Today was my 5th session at beginning casting and a brief summery of the event.
First this that still strikes me is the amount of time it takes to get set up and then to get the lead melted. Time from start set-up to first cast was roughly 75 minutes. Really beginning to believe this hot plate and pan is not the most efficient method or equipment to do this. Next I noticed that after about 100 drops the mold was starting to over heat and I started getting heavily frosted bullets. Also began to see what I think was heavy oxidation on the surface of my melt. Again this pan is 5.5" wide and I am ladle pouring. So I wax fluxed.
Let thing cool a little and resumed casting and then only lasted about 15 minutes before I myself got winded and had to stop. Turned the temp down and was going to take a break until I sat down and determined that I probably should quit. After looking back to the last session I realized that I only lasted about the same amount of time before I had to stop. Actual time spent casting was about 45 minutes.
So all of this has got me thinking about the process and the equipment I am using or should be using. Evaluating this I think what I need is a pot that will heat up quickly and maintain temperature for the time it will take to pour 4-5lbs. as that seems to be my physical limit before I get tired and need to stop. As a reference I have been resting for an hour already and still do not feel as though I could resume casting yet.
Knowing this what suggestions do all of you with much more experience have suggest, I have no experience with any of the commercial electric pots but I am thinking the 4# Lee is too small to use the Lyman Ladle and the 20# Lee pots are too big. What to do!