Weird lead texture

[newton]

While pouring some new boolits from the new style Lee mold I was noticing the boolits were frosted. Figured it was too hot. Maybe that's what it is. But I wanted to check.

What was weird was the sprue cuttings would crumble when I hit them. I checked a boolit by hitting it with a hammer, didn't crumble. I started to wonder if I had too high of a content other than pure lead. I have no idea what the alloy is. I got the ingots a while back. Guy didn't know what they were.

Whatcha think? To hot alloy? Too much of something else in the mix?

[shredder]

Contamination!

[R.M.]

What was weird was the sprue cuttings would crumble when I hit them.

The sprue was probably still very hot. Try it with a sprue that has cooled, and I'll bet it won't crumble.

[newton]

Got it. Sometimes I speak before I think. Got a PM that kind of slapped me in the head for doing that. I'd love to make an excuse but I can't.

Anyways, the lead/mold was just too hot. Guess its going to take getting used to using the new lee molds. They must heat real easy. I cast a few hundread just the other day with an old style mold, keeping it at the same temp setting, and never had a hicup.

Oh well, sorry for posting a dumb question before I sat back and thought. I let everything cool off when I came in and asked the question, went back out and tried a lower temp and it did fine. Still a little hot though. Old molds I could keep a quick pace. This new mold I have to go slower.

[runfiverun]

new molds are a different aluminum alloy.