Do I need tin? These don't look right. Many pics included

[Just Duke]

I fire up the Lee pots today with a new lot of wheel weight lead and I have not got any good bullets. The bullets pictured are from the 500 S&W 450 grain NEI mould and the 540 grain 45-70 is from a vintage NEI mould. The 500 S&W mould is brand new and I cleaned both moulds thoroughly with MEK and a nylon bristol brush after soaking them.
I am wondering while I was skimming my foundry pot If I had skimmed off all the tin because these are not filling out like my 45-70 in a different lot did. I used a thermometer while smelting and carefully watch the temp of the lead in the smelting pot.
I have tried many different tempertures to see if that would help but no dice. I even tride smoking the mould but got the same results.
Little history about me casting; Until recently post joining here I would melt everything in the pot including the zinc wheel weights as I did not know at the time. I was at anytime able to shoot glass Gatorade bottles one right after another, fast! at 50 to 75 yards with my pistol Custom 1911 .45) with any and all bullets that came out of the soup. That's was back when I could see the sights though.
TIA,
Duke







The third bullet has a fleck of lead on it when it fell over but it brushed off.

[Namerifrats]

Some days you just can't get good bullets. Those don't look that bad to me. Just a couple of small bad spots. I usually toss those back in.

[docone31]

It looks like they just need a good stir.
I might not toss those back, they look ok. Better is in front of you, those are not too bad.
Crank up the heat a bit.

[runfiverun]

duke,
for the big boolits you gotta ladle pour.
it seems that about everything over 400 or so just does better this way.
but those will shoot fine.

[BABore]

Try them again at the same temperature with a ladle. Turn the mold 90 degrees, put the spout tight to the sprue plate, and turn the works upright. I'm thinking your fill rate is too slow. Need to get the lead in there faster. Tin rarely solves more problems than it causes, for me. 700 to 775 F pot, get the mold hot so the sprue freezes in approx. 3 seconds, high fill rate, and a healthy sprue solve most things bad.

[Calamity Jake]

Yap like everyone else, them big boolets needs ladle casten above 750° and I will add one other thing!!!! Before you start casten, Flux the fire out of it, that should take care of the inclusions as in the 4th pic, first boolet on left, bottom groove.
You might loose a little tin with the skim, but it won't be much, just remove the big trash first
then flux good then skim the dirt.

[Just Duke]

Like a RCBS ladle?
I flux religously.

[Wayne Smith]

As above, but flux some more also. I see some dirt inclusions in a few of the boolits.

[docone31]

Another point along with Calamity's pointers.
Flux!!!! Stir! especially the corners. That is where the oxides hide. Stir em loose, and cast your brains out.
I had thought I had really clean melt, then I stirred deep into the pot. Wow! Floating blob of crud. Not large, just a bunch of small ones.
I do it every time I melt up.

[deltaenterprizes]

That is about the best you are going to get with WW that only has 1/2% tin. If you want pretty bullets add enough tin to make it 2%,they didn't put all that tin in linotype to just waste money,it was to get good fill out!
You are starting to get frosting indicating mold is getting too hot also.

[Cactus Farmer]

Ditto to flux and stir + ladle pouring is the way to go IMHO. I shoot sillywets and did no real good shootin' until I got out the ladle.
??? What camera are you using ? sure does great closeups!

[Just Duke]

Ditto to flux and stir + ladle pouring is the way to go IMHO. I shoot sillywets and did no real good shootin' until I got out the ladle.
??? What camera are you using ? sure does great closeups!

It's a Nikon D50 with a Aspherical Macro lense http://www.photokina-show.com/0419/s...igmamacrolens/ OMF GAWD! I just found out the price the wife paid for it. Ouch! I guess that I need to be there when she goes shopping!

[John Boy]

Duke - generally speaking, from the looks of your bullets - the molds needs a good cleaning and the mold pins need lubing (or squeeze the handle tighter).

As for smoking a mold - forget about it. Use Micro-90 which will really clean the mold and no smoking is needed. I haven't smoked one in over 3 years since I found the Micro-90 concentrated cleaner. Use a 2 - 5% solution
Free Sample ... http://www.ipcol.com/shopcontent.asp?type=requestsample and be sure to key in a company name and position title

As for the pin lube ... Permatex Anti-Seize

[DaveInFloweryBranchGA]

It's a Nikon D50 with a Aspherical Macro lense http://www.photokina-show.com/0419/s...igmamacrolens/ OMF GAWD! I just found the price the wife paid for it. Ouch! I guess that

LOL

Dave

[Just Duke]

Duke - generally speaking, from the looks of your bullets - the molds needs a good cleaning and the mold pins need lubing (or squeeze the handle tighter).

As for smoking a mold - forget about it. Use Micro-90 which will really clean the mold and no smoking is needed. I haven't smoked one in over 3 years since I found the Micro-90 concentrated cleaner. Use a 2 - 5% solution
Free Sample ... http://www.ipcol.com/shopcontent.asp?type=requestsample and be sure to key in a company name and position title

As for the pin lube ... Permatex Anti-Seize

Some of those I ran the temp up to temp so I know about the flashing. I tested with every temp from 625 to 850 running 20 bullets at each setting.
I did clean the heck out of both moulds 3 times with MEK.

[Just Duke]

This looks like the solvent http://www.ipcol.com/shopexd.asp?id=15
I tried to down load the MSDS safety sheet but link had been dropped. Wanted to see If I could make it up or if was a petroleum distillate base.

[Maven]

Duke, I don't think the problem can be traced to either a "dirty" mold or temperature problems. Rather, I'd try the ladle if you haven't already, add only enough Sn to bring your alloy to 1% Sn, and flux your melt some more. Although it has an undeserved reputation for rusting everything in sight, I'd suggest Marvelux (Brownells): No smoke, no stink, and it does an excellent job removing impurities. Save the black goo that forms and add it to your next smelting operation before you turn the heat on.

[Just Duke]

Duke, I don't think the problem can be traced to either a "dirty" mold or temperature problems. Rather, I'd try the ladle if you haven't already, add only enough Sn to bring your alloy to 1% Sn, and flux your melt some more. Although it has an undeserved reputation for rusting everything in sight, I'd suggest Marvelux (Brownells): No smoke, no stink, and it does an excellent job removing impurities. Save the black goo that forms and add it to your next smelting operation before you turn the heat on.

Yes I'm not sure if I could get the mould much cleaner. MEK is pretty much the same thing as brake cleaner and you know how strong that stuff is.
Yes I have used Marvelux for years but stopped because it gooed up my pots so much )when I was younger) that I had a hard time bringing the lead up to the desired temperture.

[Just Duke]

I just got off the phone with Ranger Rick and he said he uses the Lyman ladle.
The RCBS ladle seems to be bigger though. Here are the reviews.
http://www.midwayusa.com/eproductpag...142&t=11082005
Average Customer Rating:



John Kessler of Kansas City, Ks
Date Posted: 7/26/2008Well made cast iron holds heat well and is large enough to make multiple casts on small bullet molds and single casts on large bullets. I drilled out the pour hole a little and now it pours just a little faster, which is what I wanted. Has a good wood handle which hasn't come loose, and is long enough to keep you away from the heat.
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Robert Williams of Westmoreland, Ks
Date Posted: 1/24/2005I drilled, tapped the oppsite side of the dipper and moved the handle for left hand use then I ground the heat fin off because I have a shallow lead pot and have came up with the best dipper I have used yet. I cast various bullets, balls and sinkers. The best thing about this dipper other than it's good quality is that it holds plenty of lead to fill multi cavity molds with out having to dip twice.
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Lee Miller of Shawnee mission, KS
Date Posted: 10/12/2004When I received this dipper I couldn't be happier, it's just larger than my current lyman dipper to make a huge differnce in being able to keep pouring lead on top of the moulds to keep the cut off plate hot to give the cavities lead to draw in as it cools. Buy this one over the lyman dipper, you will be much happier with this one. My bullets come out well filled and sharp cornered.
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Jeff Moore of Harrah, OK
Date Posted: 10/1/2003Very well made! Like the pre-heat fin on the bottom and the ease of pour.
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Michael Pfeiffer of Russellville, AR
Date Posted: 3/10/2002Great lead dipper, especially for deep pots. Holds enough for even my big brown bess .735 lead balls.

[Maven]

Duke, While it's true that Marvelux does form an unappealing deposit in lead pots, it is also true that it can easily be removed with boiling water. Either add boiling water to a cool, empty pot, let stand for 15 mins. or so and scrub the sides with a metal brush; or add water and bring it to a boil in the pot. Repeat either procedure as necessary.