Pre Heating mold

[30cal]

Is it alrite to pre heat steel molds by holding it partially in the hot lead for a few seconds?I know with aluminim molds its not that bid a deal,but with the steel ones you can start saving bullets alot quiker.

[Mk42gunner]

I do.

I preheat all of my molds by resting them on the edge of the electric pot while it heats up. When I was using a coleman stove, I dipped the front of the mold into the melted alloy.

A hot plate is supposed to be better and easier, but I live in an old house with old wiring.

Robert

[largom]

Before I got my $15.00 Walmart hot plate I preheated ALL of my molds by dipping a corner into the melted alloy until the alloy would not stick to the mold when removed.

Larry

[462]

This is what I use -- a 5" electrical box and lid. It's a very odd occurance when the first cast doesn't produce keepers.

[Hardcast416taylor]

I pre-heat all my molds, aluminum - iron - brass, on a piece of 3/16" X10" square steel on an old electric hot plate set on medium. When the pot temp. is where I want to cast, I hold a corner of the closed semi pre-heated mold in the pot lead to bring it nearer to ideal casting temp. Very few throw backs with this system.Robert

[cbrick]

Is it alrite to pre heat steel molds by holding it partially in the hot lead for a few seconds?

The short answer is . . . Sure.

The long answer is . . . The lead your sticking the corner of the mold into is the same temp as the lead your about to pour into the inside so . . . Sure, why not. just get it up to casting temp. I'm not a fan using a propane torch as some do, just to easy to get carried away and get it to hot.

Rick

[slide]

I preheat also.

[Catshooter]

I used to use the old system of dipping the mould into the melt. Then I read here about using a hotplate. Now I put my moulds (of whatever material) on the hot plate and plug both it and the pot in at the same time.

I rarely throw away a boolit.

Welcome to the forum 30cal.


Cat

[stubshaft]

I just dip the mold in the lead. I don't want another thing cluttering up my table surface. I've done it with ALL types of molds even HP's and then I dip the pin in the alloy to preheat that too.

[DLCTEX]

I do it both ways and with moulds of all materials

[30cal]

Thanx,Im having to rethink a little what I`ve been doing as far as alloy mixture goes and so on.Will be doing a lot of reading and will prob have lots of questions for you guys.

[Shooter6br]

I use the electrical box set up Great idea!

[Arceagle]

After 462's reply to me when I was having trouble getting my mold up to temp, I made a mold oven out of a old ammo tin. I have lots of them, just can't make myself throw them away. I used a heat gun that I used in my home-made oven to bake on firearm finishes. It keeps it a even 400 degrees.

Also the wooden crates that the ammo tins came in are excellent for stashing lead ingots.

[geargnasher]

With two-cavity moulds of all types I just dip a corner until the lead doesn't stick, then dip the tip of the sprue plate for ten seconds and start casting. In five pours it's throwing keepers.

For all else I use a mould oven similar to 462's, only I have a BBQ grill thermometer mounted in mine.

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/imagehosting/thum_89094e5ad65ae2e31.jpg (http://castboolits.gunloads.com/vbimghost.php?do=displayimg&imgid=1966)

Gear

[462]

Gear,
I ordered a Tel-Tru thermometer, last week.

Hmmm . . . I wonder what it'll be like not having to guess?