Newbie: Supplies Needed

[Northface37]

Hi everyone, I am very new to the casting world. I have only casted few bullets with a friend of mine and was instantly intrigued. I have done some research and do know that I want a bottom pouring pot. However, I dont know what is good and what isnt. I have seen alot that range from like $40 or $50 up to $200+. As of right now I am mainly wanting to cast for my hunting rifles but can easily see myself wanting to cast for pistol ammo at some point in my lifetime.

Is there a specific casting bottom pour pot that you would recommend?

Size? 5lbs, 10lbs???

Can I use muffin tins or will the lead stick? Do I need the moulds I keep reading about? Or what do u think about cast iron tins?

How can I make it easier for the lumps of lead to fall out of the mould?

Thanks for all replies!


- Andy

[waksupi]

Welcome aboard. Take a look in the Classics and Stickys section. I believe all of your answers will be found there.

[Buckshot]

Hi everyone, I am very new to the casting world. I have only casted few bullets with a friend of mine and was instantly intrigued. I have done some research and do know that I want a bottom pouring pot. However, I dont know what is good and what isnt. I have seen alot that range from like $40 or $50 up to $200+. As of right now I am mainly wanting to cast for my hunting rifles but can easily see myself wanting to cast for pistol ammo at some point in my lifetime.

Is there a specific casting bottom pour pot that you would recommend?

Best bang for the buck, LEE.

Size? 5lbs, 10lbs???

20 lb

Can I use muffin tins or will the lead stick?



LEFT: Brand new ones. That gold stuff is simply some of the packaging they came in. Could depend on what type of coating they have on'em. For making lead ingots NO coating is best. If yours has some type it'd probably be best if you weren't standing downwind while it was being burnt off The older and crudier they are, the better they are. RIGHT: Batching/rendering down the wild scraps into domestic ingots. That muffin tin sitting inside the aluminum turkey pan is sitting on a brick, and the aluminum pan has water in it. Sure makes the ingots cool faster! Makes LOTS of steam too!

Do I need the moulds I keep reading about?

For ingots? If you're bucks up buy the factory ones.

Or what do u think about cast iron tins?

Fine if you're sure no one will try to make muffins in'em later on!

How can I make it easier for the lumps of lead to fall out of the mould?

They should have sufficient draught to the edges, no seams the lead can get into, and if the lead has cooled a bit they generally fall right out.

Thanks for all replies!


- Andy

As Waksupi recommended, check out the Classics & Stickies. Lots more there to wrap your brain around.

[Northface37]

Thank you fellas for the wealth of info bestowed upon me!

[prs]

Your casting pot, bottom pour or not, is NOT your smelting pot. The Lee 20# bottom pour is the best value for casting for my use. My smelter was nearly a freebee and does 100# if yield pretty quick. It is a propane turkey cooker/fish cooker burner and a 10 quart heavy steel pot. Is close to turkey time again, so lots of post oil fire accident propane cookers will be at the yard sales soon. Rendering scrap in your casting pot is bad JuJu and gives ya drips worse than a two dollar street walker.

prs

[Northface37]

Im having trouble deciding on whether or not to get the bottom pour pot or some alternative with dipper. What do you guys think?

[HammerMTB]

Im having trouble deciding on whether or not to get the bottom pour pot or some alternative with dipper. What do you guys think?

I have 2 bottom pour pots, and have cast with a ladle. By far, I prefer bottom pour pots.
As has been said, do NOT smelt in your bottom pour pot. I did, and it took a lot of work to clean that up. Since it has been cleaned, I marvel at how nice it pours. I will never again smelt in my bottom pour pots!

[quilbilly]

I have been custom casting fishing jigs commercially as well as CB's with the 10# Lee bottom pour for 30 years and have no complaints. They last about 4 years until the valve gets too leaky. You can smelt limited amounts of scrape lead in the Lee but you have to do it out of doors and keep an old steel spoon handy to skim off the sludge so it doesn't foul the bottom spout. As for pouring CB's, I wouldn't use anything else because the bottom pour is so efficient.

[NHGrumpyGramps]

When picking up muffin pans for use as ingot molds make sure you don't get those that have a tin coating (the silver colored coating). Molten lead will melt the tin coating and make a permanent bond to the steel (don't ask me how I know) and you will have to beat the ingots out of the pan.

[Northface37]

I believe a friend of mine has a bottom pour potand possible a dipper. I will probably try both and see which seems to be easier for me. So far the majority of people on here prefer bottom pour pots.

[Sonnypie]

When picking up muffin pans for use as ingot molds make sure you don't get those that have a tin coating (the silver colored coating). Molten lead will melt the tin coating and make a permanent bond to the steel (don't ask me how I know) and you will have to beat the ingots out of the pan.

If that ever happens again (unlikely), use a propane torch to melt it out.

I use a SS condiment cup for my "ingots", and I found a brass cup thing that I am also using.
But I think the SS condiment cup works the best for me.

[RKJ]

If that ever happens again (unlikely), use a propane torch to melt it out.

I use a SS condiment cup for my "ingots", and I found a brass cup thing that I am also using.
But I think the SS condiment cup works the best for me.

+1 I got mine in the part section at Walmart, 97 cents for 4 of them. With WW's they drop about 1.2 lbs. an additional bonus is they are small and stackable.

[Sonnypie]

I use a Lee Pro 4-20 bottom pour for casting.
And I have a small ladle I use for my smelting. It holds just the right amount for my ingots.
I am looking for a good pot.