Casting bullets in a subdivision

[Rcmaveric]

My wife gives me her sense wax when she is done to use as flux, it smells real pretty.

I steal my wife's smelly good T light candles. Her mom is in party light and sends her a case quarterly. I always beet her to the box and steal what I like for fluxing. Stuff works amazing. Plus the pleasant aroma therapy while casting or reclaiming.

I some times swear there is something majicle in it that makes a good alloy.

Sent from my SM-N970U using Tapatalk

[tmanbuckhunter]

I cant imagine living in fear of my neighbors. I open my garage doors, throw on some music, and get to work. It's none of their business, and if they're walking up my driveway asking what I'm doing they're going to get informed very quickly they're trespassing. So far I've never heard a complaint, never had anyone ask, and probably won't. I'm also usually that guy that will glare at you from the garage if I see you walking down the street and glance this way, so who knows. All the motorcycle stuff going on at my house likely helps with that too.

[Mr_Sheesh]

You never know, someone might walk up and say "Casting! Excellent! Want the 1200# of lead I won't be using as I just can't do it any more?" Friend had that happen, from an old semi cranky guy he thought was anti-gun (but who was just very quiet about it, so as to not be harassed.)

[high standard 40]

I live in a subdivision, which at one time I swore to never do. It's a somewhat rural area and my lot size is one acre. I have a solid board fence enclosing most of my yard that is 6-8 feet tall. There is an HOA but it is rather lenient. Most of my neighbors have and use open burn piles for yard waste. I have rendered COWW into ingots and I cast bullets in my storage room without any issues. I'm lucky, I guess.

[richhodg66]

I live way out in the sticks, can't see any neighbors, but even when I lived in towns, people minded their own business. Opeing a garage door and doing in in there was usually enough.

Don't know how much you like to camp out, but this is the time of year the rush hasn't hit for state parks and such. I'd throw a tent and sleeping bag in a car, find as much fire wood as I could carry and go spend a night or two in a camp site and render down my wheel weights or range scrap over a camp fire. Most state parks charge a few bucks a night, chances are you can fins a site away from anybody else, tending a fire won't draw any attention.

[SwissShooter]

Being scared to do what is 100% legal is the first step down the slippery slope of living as a slave.

His comment about his wife's sensitive nose told it all.

[Mule]

If asked, you are prepping to cast old fashion Christmas toys.

[murf205]

I live way out in the sticks, can't see any neighbors, but even when I lived in towns, people minded their own business. Opeing a garage door and doing in in there was usually enough.

Don't know how much you like to camp out, but this is the time of year the rush hasn't hit for state parks and such. I'd throw a tent and sleeping bag in a car, find as much fire wood as I could carry and go spend a night or two in a camp site and render down my wheel weights or range scrap over a camp fire. Most state parks charge a few bucks a night, chances are you can fins a site away from anybody else, tending a fire won't draw any attention.

PLUS, a lot of state parks have 120volt hook up for campers. Just get a 30 amp to 20 amp adapter at the local camping trailer dealer and you can plug your pot in and cast away.

[richhodg66]

PLUS, a lot of state parks have 120volt hook up for campers. Just get a 30 amp to 20 amp adapter at the local camping trailer dealer and you can plug your pot in and cast away.

I like to go camping. To me (assuming I could get a park which wasn't crowded) Sitting around tending a camp fire for a weekend would be a nice diversion. Bring some good food, a book you're been meaning to read, a few beers, cards or games for the kids, make a weekend of it.

[richhodg66]

If asked, you are prepping to cast old fashion Christmas toys.

This would be a good idea, someone mentioned stained glass a while back. Some folks I know, do this as a hobby and she has made several beautiful framed glass hangings we give as departure gifts that use quite a bit of some kind of solder in them. If you could make a convincing story of doing something artsy, it would probably cause them to ignore what you're doing.

[HP9MM]

Been rolling your predicament for a period. What about purchasing or build a really nice semi large smoker/grill unit. Up in morning and fire up smoker, get lead in pot, fire lead pot, place a couple racks of ribs on smoker, make smoke. Melt, clean, pour, check ribs, melt, clean, pour, check ribs, melt, clean, pour, okay done pouring, fire off, first adult beverage, check ribs, second adult beverage, clean up melt session, wash up real good, third adult beverage, check ribs, late afternoon inform the CO inside getting close, walk in full platter, next adult beverage, fill belly with ribs with reflection upon the victories created through day. Repeat as required!

I don't want to eat BBQ that cooked next to lead being melted.

[fcvan]

When I bought the house in CO, I had a neighbor lady show up at the door with a rhubarb dish. Knowing she picked the rhubarb from my back yard (not fenced at the time) I asked where she got the rhubarb. She said 'out back, Joe always let me pick it.' 'Joe died, I bought the house, you did not ask me for permission and I take trespassing and theft pretty seriously.' She knew I was in Law Enforcement. I also advised her that public access ends at the sidewalk or my front door if you are coming over. She never asked for rhubarb because I pulled it all out.

Same lady comes by when I was painting the house. 'You can't paint the house that color, it goes against the HOA.' 'Is there a HOA?' I asked. She said there was. I said "Neat, that would have been disclosed in my mortgage docs. If it was it would tell me about fees, meeting schedules, and the process for becoming an HOA Board member so I could start the process of disbanding the HOA. I read every page and there is no mention of an HOA. If there was I would not have bought this house because I will be damned if I would ever pay some NGO to tell me what color I could paint my house, whether or not I could mount a flag pole. This is America, you are an Air Force Veteran and should be very ashamed of being dishonest to your neighbor or for ever supporting the willful subjugation of personal property rights to some NGO." She didn't talk to me for 2 years of blissful silence from this nosy busy body. Later she became more neighborly, and I fenced my yard.

I usually smelt in Nor CA at the 'beach' house, all of the neighbors know me and many of them worked with me. Never a problem as I would smelt at times so as not to cause much odor, even so, I use old ground walnut for fluxing. Never a complaint, certainly never a concern. Small town there, large LEO presence, I know a lot of the PD, Deputies, and of course former co-workers from my agency. Casting in CO is in the front driveway in the shade. Next door neighbor assists as he is a shooter.

Folks around here are friendly, neighbors take walks all the time, sometimes with their dog(s). Folks stop to chat or just wave. Wife knows just about every neighbor, and they know her zucchini bread. When I am casting and there are passers by, they ask and I tell them, and no one has even batted an eye. It probably pays to research neighborhoods before purchasing. Many of the PD and SO staff live within the development. Heck, the Chief used to live across the street until he bought a bigger house. My Real Estate agent was married to a Deputy. I guess that explains why after researching the weekly crime report map showed zero reported crimes going back 2 years until I found a vandalism case at an abandoned mini golf course.

Sure, you can't always pick you neighbors, neighborhoods, or even the flavor of the politics for the community. I was lucky, I did, and moved the family there a couple of years before I retired. Cross into the county and the next sign says, "Ronald Reagan Highway" which runs past the Air Force Academy, near the US Olympic Training Facility, Cheyenne Mountain SAC facility, and Fort Carson US Army base. The base has a very nice range open to the public with a LEO and retired military discount rate. I think I will just join the NRA affiliated range 20 miles away, or the relatively new indoor range with a 100 yard indoor firing line built a mile away. Their other range was so busy they built the new one. Next goal is to complete NRA instructor certification with my wife so we can teach. Hopefully that would come with keys and permission to punch paper after hours. Well, that is the plan anyway.

[rsrocket1]

1. Get yourself a pellet smoker and start smoking some brisket or pork shoulder at 250F (low and slow).
You'll make so much "good" smelling smoke that no one will notice the godaweful smell of road cr@p of clip on wheel weights or the terrible petroleum smell of burning off the foam adhesive of stick on wheelweights. The pellet smoker puts out such a good smokescreen that you could probably mask off a road tar crew's work.



By the time the meat is done, you should be done smelting and will have a great hunk of meat with a great smoke ring.



With ribs and Tri-tip you can go 4-5 hours without touching the meat so there is no risk of getting "lead-y" hands on it while you're smelting.

Casting boolits from ingots causes no smell other than a short burst of fluxing smoke from a piece of parafin until you light it off.



2. The alternative with nosy anti 2A neighbors and a suspicious wife are probably not desirable. You should have known and made agreements before getting married and before buying that house.

[Alferd Packer]

I would get a sign that says CAUTION: Doberman watchdog on premises.
I would put this sign on garage door which can be raised up 18 inches and let a box fan blow inside toward the opening down one side of the garage. It will scavenge out the fumes and they will be thin enough no one will notice.
You can also set a dog bowl with water in it just outside the garage door under the sign.
No one will walk up and want to raise the door on you.
You can set up to cast just inside the raised door.
It doesn't require much room.

[PhatForrest]

When other people start paying my mortgage, they can start telling me what I can and cannot do.

Be respectful of others, but dont be afraid to do your own thing on your own property.

[243winxb]

I cast/smelt in the garage. Front and back door cracked open. No one can see me. Using a small 40 pound pot.

Avoid heavy smoke from fluxing. You dont want the neighbors calling the fire department.

[OutHuntn84]

I would bypass the smelting process. I am sure you can do some horse trading and get some ingots ready to go. From that point there is little need to flux which causes the smoke and stink. So pick a windy day and cast to your hearts content.

[johnho]

1. Get yourself a pellet smoker and start smoking some brisket or pork shoulder at 250F (low and slow).
You'll make so much "good" smelling smoke that no one will notice the godaweful smell of road cr@p of clip on wheel weights or the terrible petroleum smell of burning off the foam adhesive of stick on wheelweights. The pellet smoker puts out such a good smokescreen that you could probably mask off a road tar crew's work.



By the time the meat is done, you should be done smelting and will have a great hunk of meat with a great smoke ring.



With ribs and Tri-tip you can go 4-5 hours without touching the meat so there is no risk of getting "lead-y" hands on it while you're smelting.

Casting boolits from ingots causes no smell other than a short burst of fluxing smoke from a piece of parafin until you light it off.



2. The alternative with nosy anti 2A neighbors and a suspicious wife are probably not desirable. You should have known and made agreements before getting married and before buying that house.

Was going to suggest this too. get a cheap smoker, throw a pork butt or brisket on and put some hickory on the coals, cast away and have BBQ after. Great day.

[bangerjim]

YES............a smoker with mesquite or hickory woods will cover up your re-melting smells pretty darned good. Like said above.........you are not doing anything illegal, unless you have a carpy association! Even then, I doubt they could get EPA to back them up.

Just do it in smaller batches and use that same mesquite and hickory as flux. And beeswax.....yum...smells good! If you are smokin' meats, just don't handle any while melting Pb!

Now, go melt some lead!

banger

[MrWolf]

If you throw the stick on wheel weights in a bucket with scrap thinners, acetone, or even gas and let them sit for a few days (covered of course) the adhesive comes right off. No extra stinky smell.