Lee pouring method

[Shulse]

Hi Boolit casters,
I'm new to casting, just bought all kinds of goodies and getting ready to give it all a try. I have two Lee moulds, a 358-105 and a 309-113. Both two holers. Every magazine and casting manual I have read, until now says hold the mould sideways, stick the ladle spout against it and turn them to fill. I also just got the Lee reloading book and it says "Do not pour like that with Lee moulds and don't use a spout type ladle". It says to get a Lee open spoon type ladle. I have a lyman spout type ladle and I aint waitin' for another Midway order so that's what I'm gonna use. So I'm wondering what method of pouring you fellow lowely Lee mould users use when you pour. Do you hold it horizontal and pour it in or break the rules and use the Lyman method.
One other question: Do you smoke your mould, use spray Drop Out" or favor the Leement method.
I've been lurking on this site for quite a while. It's a lot of fun when doing shift work. Thanks in advance for your comments

Steve

[44man]

Lee wants to sell their ladle! [smilie=l:
I use Lyman ladles and hold them tight to the plate as I turn the mold up, then hold together long enough to let the boolit take as much lead as it needs from the ladle, NOT the sprue.
Lee molds work perfect with a Lyman ladle. So does every other mold.
I have no idea what Lee is talking about! :holysheep That has to be the most goofy thing I ever heard.
I just dumped a 20# pot without a single reject from two molds running together. I do not believe in any rejects at all, not even the first boolit.
I love the Lyman ladle!

[Nightfisher]

I have been using the Lyman ladle for years with the Lee molds. Like 44Man said Lee is just trying to sell their products. If you read the Lee reloading manual you will see a lot more of the propaganda like that put out by Lee. Richard Lee tries to make out like all other products are inferior to his.

[Iowa Fox]

I have one that came in a box of shotgun reloading junk I bought. With my shakey old hands I don't think I could get from the pot to the mold without spilling most of the lead alloy. I have used the lyman ladle for a long time and it works good on lee molds.

[Jim]

I have one that came in a box of shotgun reloading junk I bought. With my shakey old hands I don't think I could get from the pot to the mold without spilling most of the lead alloy. I have used the lyman ladle for a long time and it works good on lee molds.

Fox,
I have the same problem with shakey old hands. RayinNH made a ladle for me that's big enough to carry the requisite amount of lead, but not too big for my hand to hold onto. I encourage you to contact him about having him make a ladle for you.

[mdi]

I have a Lyman and RCBS spout type ladles. I don't use them. Mebbe I'm odd (who said that?!) but I don't think there's any magic in pouring lead into a boolit mold. If you get the melted lead in the mold and the cavity is all filled out, what does it matter if you use a Lyman ladle or a silver spoon? I started with a Lee "spoon" and once I got the knack, I made a lot of .44 boolits. I have a bottom pour pot now and develope a style for each mold (yep, some like really hot melt, or mold really hot, or lower temp. melt, some high pour, and some prefer spout on mold pour.) Try "spout in mold" pouring, and try Lyman type 1/4" away from sprue plate, or vertical mold and small distance pouring, and keep trying different methods until you find something you like doing that gives you good boolits.

IMO too, nuttin' hard to figger out about boolit molds, they're just a shaped hole in a couple metal blocks...

[376Steyr]

For the second part of your question, do you smoke, spray or Leement, the answer is "it depends". Some moulds drop their bullets well without any treatment. A lot of people smoke all their moulds without fail. I think the concensus here is to limit the spray stuff to treating ingot moulds. I've tried the spray stuff on bullet moulds, I wasn't impressed. Leementing (polishing the cavities) only needs to be done if the mould won't drop satisfactorily. Personally, I like to smoke the cavities with kitchen matches at the start of a session, but never seem to remember to do it again.

[mooman76]

I use the Lee ladle. I bought a Lyman ladle later on but used the Lee for so many years that I couldn't get comfortable with it so I switched back. Like others I agree, it shouldn't matter what ladle you use. I tweaked the Lee ladle a bit so it would work better for me. I bent the scoop part so it would dip out more lead with the angle and I took a file and filed the spout so it would pour a little straighter. I tried smoking the moulds and it didn't seem to help all that much and I forgot to do it before casting most of the time anyway so I stopped that. I tried mould release but it builds up after awhile and doesn't come off easy and in some cases it flakes off making your boolits uneven. Quit with that too. I only resently started lementing but I don't really do that unless needed but may start doing it more.

[DLCTEX]

No need to smoke a Lee mould and definitely would not recommend spray on mould release. The spray on reduces the size of the boolit, and when properly Leemented there is no problem with the boolits releasing.

[turbo1889]

I rarely ladle cast anymore (spoiled rotten with several bottom pore pots on the bench). However, when I do ladle cast and I am using a Lee mold, I do find that a non-spout type ladle does work best for me especially with the six cavity molds.

I do not, however, use the ladle that is sold by Lee, don't buy it, it is completely worthless and is like a dinky little table spoon. I use an dollar store ice cream scoop instead with a nice big bowel shaped stamped metal scoop part that works great as a ladle and is made of nice thick heavy steel. It also has a nice sturdy insulated handle, it works great and holds enough lead in one scoop full to fill all the cavities on a Lee six cavity mold and leave a nice generous sprue puddle as well.

[Elkins45]

I use a Lyman ladle and usually hold the spout 1/4 to 1/2 above the sprue hole when I cast with Lee molds, and have been doping so for over 20 years.

[firefly1957]

I also use a spout type and pour at only a slight angle (of mold) everyone has a little different technique getting good bullets is what counts.

[avan47]

Lee says using the Lyman method develops a hot spot in the mold on the side of the boolit, and that spot is the last part of the boolit to freeze, causing shrinkage on the side of the boolit instead of the base of the boolit where it should be. He also says that continuing that process will eventually damage the mold. I have cast a lot of boolits with Lee molds, and I don't know if what Lee says is true or not. I usually smoke my Lee molds. Note that it is very important to lubricate the mold according to Lee's instructions. I usually hold the mold horizontally, and pour the lead from my RCBS (same as Lyman) ladle, forming a puddle on top of the sprue plate. It takes some practice to get it right. I just got a new bottom pour pot that I am planning to learn to use.

[Recluse]

Well, Shulse, welcome to Cast Boolits. Good bunch of folks here.

You didn't mention what kind of pot you're casting with. Ladle pouring is no problem with Lee or any other brand of mold. I have quite a few Lee two-cavity molds, and I ladle-pour ALL my rifle boolits as well as shotgun slugs. I just get better boolits doing that.

As far as smoking the molds? I wouldn't do it. Every Lee two-cavity mold I get immediately gets Lee-mented, without fail. Big things I make sure to concentrate on are the vent lines and then polishing out the cavities--the latter something I really spend some time on.

One result of all this is that I've never had a Lee mold drop a small boolit. Always been the size as advertised or larger. Easier to size a boolit down (push-through sizer or lubesizer) than to try and size it up. :)

One thing I haven't seen mentioned here yet, that surprises me, is what lube to use on your mold.

Far as I'm concerned (and a huge number of other Cast Boolits folks), there is no other mold lube other than Bullplate. http://bullshop.gunloads.com/

If you cast with aluminum, it's a must have.

:coffee:

[Bent Ramrod]

Lee's advice may well be right. Until I started using the Lee method with their roundball moulds, I got a hot spot and shrinkage on almost every casting. You can, however, use the Lee casting technique with a Lyman or RCBS ladle, pouring the lead in from the side with the cavity held vertically.

I never take anything as an absolute in casting. Some moulds cast perfectly almost from the start. However, some are balky and need smoking or spraying with mould release. Some need long break-in times. Some need differing pouring techniques. Some need venting, some need a severe talking-to, some need continuous tapping with the sprue cutting stick while the melt solidifies, and some need variations in temperature throughout the casting cycle.

[Mk42gunner]

The "mate the ladle spout and sprue plate together, then rotate" method doesn't work well for me. I use an RCBS ladle, and usually pour from about 1/2" away from the sprue plate.

RObert

[44man]

Lee molds that are tricky are the TL designs. You can get a hot spot. Changing the heat or casting tempo will cure it.
There is no way to damage the mold, just adjust to cure the hot spot.
Does a Lee mold need lubed? I don't think so. Close it gently after dropping boolits and it will last forever. Slam it shut and yes, you can wear it.
Forget the wax, etc and use Bullplate if you are rough on molds.
If you get good boolits, it does not matter how you pour, I just like my way. :drinks:

[Shiloh]

Look up LEE-Menting in the search feature. My LEE molds that have had this treatment don't need smoking or anything else. I had a very difficult LEE mold that now cast flawless boolits after treatment, and scribing some of the vent lines.

Welcome to the Forum.

Shiloh

[XWrench3]

If you read the Lee reloading manual you will see a lot more of the propaganda like that put out by Lee. Richard Lee tries to make out like all other products are inferior to his.

AIN'T THAT THE TRUTH! the funny thing is, that I find a lot of the things that Mr. Lee talks about being so simple to use, and so much superior to be much less superior, at least in my humble opinion. several of the things that he makes, that came with my first kit, have now been retired and basicly collecting dust. i will either find a home for them, or make special tools of one sort or another from them. as for the lee ladle, it is a way to short, way to small peice of stamped steel that isn't really woth owning. i bottom pour mostly, but basicly from the little ladel pouring that i have done (mostly for the experience of at least trying it) i dont think it would matter which way you did it, as long as the cavity is filled, that is all that is important. i tried using spray on mold release, JUST DONT DO IT unless the boollits are simply casting to big. it will make the boolits drop smaller than they should on a normal mold. with lee molds, what i have found to work is simply casting with them. CLEAN them very well first. mineral spirits, then hot soapy (dawn dish detergent) and a good hot water rinsing. then just cast. i find that you have to get them casting H O T hot. hot enough that the boolits are coming out heavily frosted. then, let the mold air cool down (along with the lead) and start casting again. it will probably take 30 - 50 casts before the mold is casting right. something about hot lead flowing across the surface of the mold. i dont know if it is getting the cutting lube out of the pours of the aluminum, or if it somehow "tempers" (for the lack of a better word) the face of the mold, or ???? but it will take a little time for them to start casting correctly. smoking never really seemed to much for any of my molds (i own 7 of them). so try it if you like, just do not use smoke from a candle, or oil lamp! just figure on the first half hour or so as a learning curve, and dont plan on using anything you cast. if they turn out good, great! you either were blessed, or got extreemly lucky. i just figure the first half hour of a new mold is scrap to be remelted. of course, i am fairly slow, some people might "git-r-dun" in 15 minutes. just know that the first ones are going to look pretty ugly, and will get better with time.

[Shulse]

Big thanks to everyone for all the replies.
Recluse- I bought the Lyman starter kit about a year and a half ago and a friend gave me a bunch of nasty tire weight ingots that had sand and junk imbedded in them. A couple of weeks ago I finally got everything out, melted, fluxed, cleaned out that lead and poured nice new ingots. My friend also loaned me a Lee 6 hole 44 mould which I tried while pouring the new ingots. I spent all day making the new ingots using that dinky Lyman pot. That night I ordered a Lee Magnum Melter. I went with the ladle type instead of the bottom pour. I might go for a bottom pour later on. I will have to order some Bullplate. I read that you can use silicone lube for moulds. I have some food grade silicone spray lube I'm going to try to see how it works.
When I used the 44 6-hole mould I first tried the Lyman tilting method and it seemed akward so I tried just pouring in with the mould horizontal and pouring from about 1/4" above like several of you said and it seemed to work for me fine. The Boolits came out good too. I tried the spray release on that mould and it worked good but I am not going to use it on my new moulds.
By the way, another thread asked how to get the spray release off the mould. Kroil took it right off of one side and brake cleaner took it right off the other. I helped it along with a tooth brush but had them squeaky clean in about three minutes so the stuff isn't hard to get off. Spray release sure is wonderful on the ingot mould.
Thanks for all your input. I'll let you know how how my Boolits turn out.

Steve

[blackthorn]

Quote "I spent all day making the new ingots using that dinky Lyman pot".

Do any initial scrap rendering/melting/smelting in something other than your casting pot!! An old steel, or better yet a cast iron pot works well. OR, if you are cheap (like me) cut the bottom off a 20lb propane tank and melt scrap in that. Have a nice day.

[midnight]

I found a heavy aluminum pot at a rummage sale for next to nothing. I holds about 125 lbs. That way I get a lot of ingots that are all the same. Its especially helpful in cleaning range lead. I check the Saeco hardness of each batch and they run from 4 through 7.I use a large 220 volt range burner. It takes a lot of heat to keep 125 lbs melted.

Bob

[waksupi]

I found a heavy aluminum pot at a rummage sale for next to nothing. I holds about 125 lbs. That way I get a lot of ingots that are all the same. Its especially helpful in cleaning range lead. I check the Saeco hardness of each batch and they run from 4 through 7.I use a large 220 volt range burner. It takes a lot of heat to keep 125 lbs melted.

Bob

Do not use aluminum! They can have a catastrophic failure, and do you some severe damage real fast.

[nicholst55]

Do not use aluminum! They can have a catastrophic failure, and do you some severe damage real fast.

Buy a cast iron dutch oven; I bought mine at Harbor Freight, but they turn up at yard sales, too.

[Shulse]

It's funny you mention getting a cast iron pot for scrap lead. I was just talking to a friend that hits all the yard sales every week. I have him on the lookout for just such an item. If he turns one up for me, I'll run over to wallyworld and snag a cheap electric hot plate and be ready for next time. Funny how Boolit minds think alike. Thanks guys, this site is a hoot.

Steve