Hollow Core Boolits - a Fairy visit

[Petander]

Got a H&G #50 last week. A lovely mold,just a little rust I want out.Gently.

I made a pile of boolits,then took a casting break,cleaned the cooled mold with penetrating oil and a toothbrush once again, there is some minor rust. I then sprayed brakekleen and finally washed the mold with soap and hot water. Just like yesterday.

I left the mold on a hot plate for half an hour,just like yesterday,went to watch TV,then came back and poured the first bullets from Pro Melt... BANG!




Looks like I invented hollow core boolits.

I can't understand how there still was humidity in the mold, my hot plate was on a hotter setting than normal because of H&G bottom screws. I turn it up for H&G.

Well,live and learn,it's at least 15 years since The Fairy visited me the last time. I'm glad I wear glasses when casting now,I felt a pressure wave on my face. Luckily the mold was under the Pro Melt. Wife came from other end of a house because of "a gunshot".

I did hear a sizzle when I started pouring but it was too late...

All is good but well,it could have gone real bad without glasses,sleeves,gloves...

[Winger Ed.]

It's easy to do. I haven't had a problem for over 20 years, until last week.

I had drip/splatter bits all around the floor from casting a bunch in the last few weeks.
I took a break last week, and swept it all up. The pot was low, it was the alloy I'd been using, etc.

Without thinking I dumped the dust pan back into the old Pro-Melt.

I sounded like a muffled shot when about 3 pounds jumped up out of it.

I decorated the ceiling, table top, floor, a nearby boat engine, and totally ruined a coat & knit hat.
I have a 6" x 1" shallow, but 3rd degree burn going up under my chin.
Another 1/2" x 2" on the back of my hand.
And,,,, now I have almost solid silver lenses on my favorite pair of safety glasses.

I didn't take pictures, and cleaned everything up real quick so the Mrs. didn't see it,,,,, that could be problematic.

[gwpercle]

This is the exact reason I don't buy into washing my moulds with soap and water .
Water is something that I don't want anywhere around or inside my moulds .
I Clean them with acetone and a toothbrush ! The rest of you can wash them in the sink but I'm not doing it ... see what happened !
Gary

[tomme boy]

It was the oil

[Petander]

It was the oil

I washed the oil out with generous amounts of brakekleen. And then washed everything with hot water - brakekleen is my reason for using hot water,they even add "lemon scents" and stuff to brakekleen these days. So you have to wash brakekleen away.

And the little "pre-sizzle" that I heard a fraction of a second before "BANG!" ... water.

[bmortell]

so it let you fill all 4 cavities before it went off? I didn't think it would take that long

[Petander]

so it let you fill all 4 cavities before it went off? I didn't think it would take that long

No,I think I was pouring on the second cavity. The lead flew out through the fourth pour hole,that was the only cavity with a hole in the sprue cutter. I don't know how the lead got in every cavity,mucho pressure...

Maybe the humidity was in the second cavity.

Here's Pro Melt bottom:

[jonp]

That's interesting and I'm surprised that after that long on the hotplate there was still enough water in the mold to do that. I'm a little mystified as I would have thought 1/2hr would have been plenty to get it out. It also reminds me to get a new pair of safety glasses as my old ones are a little hazy. I'll pick up a pair at Lowes when I go up to get some molding this morning.

[nun2kute]

All I'm gonna say is I'm glad it wasn't more serious.

And thanks for sharing so the rest of us know how it happens.

[OS OK]

Geeeez! . . . That would'a scared the pants off me. Going along cleaning up the shop, hummin a tune in your head and then suddeny...'BLAM!"

Well, now that it's over, place those casts up on a shelf somewhere where you'll see them from time to time as I can't think of a better safety reminder or warning label than to see these 'special cast boolits'!

We all have our 'shelf of shame' where flub-ups go and at some point in time, you'll look back and chuckle as you say . . . "How the heck did I do that?"

[Four-Sixty]

Is this what is meant by a visit from the tinsel fairy? A steam induced explosion?

[lightman]

Is this what is meant by a visit from the tinsel fairy? A steam induced explosion?

Yes, thats it!

Most of the time the Fairy visits while smelting scrap but She can show up anytime molten lead is around. It happens because water was forced under molten lead.

[lightman]

I would have thought that 30 minutes on a hot plate would be enough time to dry the mold out.

You can improve on those screws that H&G uses with a couple of 10-32 set screws and a couple of 1/8in X 3/4in roll pins. Then the mold sits on the hot plate better and fits the mold guide better.

[tomme boy]

I washed the oil out with generous amounts of brakekleen. And then washed everything with hot water - brakekleen is my reason for using hot water,they even add "lemon scents" and stuff to brakekleen these days. So you have to wash brakekleen away.

And the little "pre-sizzle" that I heard a fraction of a second before "BANG!" ... water.

If your hot plate was working, and it still did this after everything you did it was oil in the cavities. Not water. There would be no way that water could still be in there unless your hot plate never got the mold hot enough to evaporate the water. So it would have to be oil still in there.

[Rattlesnake Charlie]

I clean the oil off molds with carburetor cleaner. Not the green weenie stuff. Do it outside and keep your nose upwind. Nasty stuff, but works better than anything else I've tried. Nitrile gloves recommended also. Safety glasses a given.

[Conditor22]

Glad you weren't hurt.

I think it was Water trapped in the cavities, HP base didn't let mold heat up enough to evaporate the water. my experience to date oil would just make them look ugly.

I always blow out my washed molds, 1) safety 2) they are 99% dry

[Iwsbull]

Good thing you were wearing your protective gear. Glad you were not hurt.

[woodbutcher]

Safety gear for my face,eyes and head consists of:
1-Regular glasses
2-Safety glasses
3-Full face shield
Maybe a bit of overkill,but I only have one working eye.
Good luck.Have fun.Be safe.
Leo

[whisler]

It is only overkill until you need it. Then it is just smart.

[hendere]

Man!!! Glad you’re ok. Thanks for the reminder.