Dipper with a six banger

[lastborn]

Does anyone here use a LEE six cavity with a Lyman ladle ? I have tried a four cavity 358156 with the Lyman ladle, and yes I use a hotplate, and I can't make good boolits.I can't keep it hot enough. I would think a Lee six banger would be even more difficult. Am I correct? I have a bottom pour Lee pot, but to be honest, I just don't like bottom pouring. And another thing, I have read on here how ya'll " use your gloved hand to push the sprue open" how in the world do you cast fast enough to do that? I have to tap on the spru plate with a wood mallet. There sure is more to making GOOD boolits than just having the eqpt to do it! Hats off to you guys that have mastered this art. It's way more involved than making sinkers and jig heads. I will figure it out sooner or later[looks like later]. I do ok with two cavity molds. I still have to many rejects. Part of my problem is I am a perfectionist, or so that is what my wife and friends tell me. To me, if it's worth my time it's worth doing right.:castmine:
Thanks

[stubshaft]

I use a RCBS ladle which i modified by drilling out the spout to 3/32". I have no problem casting with a six cavity Lee. I don't find it any more/less difficult than using any other mold. Sounds like your alloy may not be hot enough or (as you say) you may be casting too slow.

[GP100man]

turn up te heat man !!!!!

Do ya got a thermometer ???

I`ll admit it ,I cast for many yrs. without 1 but when I got 1 it helped cut down on rejects & help consistency hands over & I found out ya need to run hotter than ya think to warm things up then as all comes to temp then ya can back off a bit to suit your pace !!

[lastborn]

Thank you Stub for the direction and advise. I'm making boolits now. It's amazing how just one or two little things can make so much difference.Heat and speed makes a difference.
:Fire::bigsmyl2::bigsmyl2::bigsmyl2::cbpour::redne ck::bigsmyl2::bigsmyl2:

[Mk42gunner]

Lastborn,

I use an unmodified RCBS ladle and can keep up with a six cavity Lee mold, depending on the size of the boolits.

The trick to sutting sprues by hand is to twist the sprue plate as soon as the sprue solidifies, but the sprue is still soft. If you wait to long you wil be tapping it with a mallet.

Robert

[imashooter2]

I got best results by pouring 3 holes, refilling the dipper and pouring the remaining 3. It wasn't any problem keeping the block temperatures up with boolits in the 150 grain and up range.

[Mk42gunner]

I got best results by pouring 3 holes, refilling the dipper and pouring the remaining 3. It wasn't any problem keeping the block temperatures up with boolits in the 150 grain and up range.

Thats what I do with my six holer for 250ish grain 38-55 boolits. My 314-120 I can fill all six with one ladle full.

Robert

[selmerfan]

I have troubles with my 3 Lee 6-cav molds and a Lyman dipper - except I'm working from a 10 lb. pot and some days it isn't big enough!!!

[GLL]

I also use an RCBS ladle(drilled out a bit) and the "double-dip" technique. My 20 pound WAAGE pot is ideal for ladle work and capable of high temperatures when required.

Jerry

[JIMinPHX]

In the years before I had a bottom pour pot, I used a Lyman ladle to cast everything, that included a 6-cav Lee mold. It wasn't so bad with a mold that had small cavities, but when pouring into the bigger ones, I would need to dip the ladle into the pot twice to get the whole mold full. It's not the fastest, but it can be done. For WW, I ran the pot between 650-720 degrees F, depending on what mold I was using. The 6-bangers usually wanted to be closer to 720, especially the ones with small cavities. Those 6-bangers seem to shed heat pretty quick. The faster you move, the better they seem to like it. I have even attached cardboard to the outside of them before to act as an insulator & keep the heat in a little longer.

One thing to be careful about with the 6-banger is closing the sprue plate ALL the way. If it's fully closed, then that little cam at the end of the opening handle gives you extra leverage. If the sprue plate is just a little bit open when you pour, then you don't get the leverage & can easily break the little pivot piece when you try to pull it open.