My first Smelting

[stanley2]

Hi today I made my first smelting, using lead ingots and linotype, in a proportion of 75% lead 25% lino.

What I learned, to big a pot and to thin, need a cast iron one.

Why do some ingots broke when geting them out of the mould? to hot?

the pics:

http://img441.imageshack.us/img441/5032/image055nx7.th.jpg (http://img441.imageshack.us/my.php?image=image055nx7.jpg)
http://img441.imageshack.us/img441/5765/image054sg6.th.jpg (http://img441.imageshack.us/my.php?image=image054sg6.jpg)
http://img441.imageshack.us/img441/2096/image053qg4.th.jpg (http://img441.imageshack.us/my.php?image=image053qg4.jpg)
http://img441.imageshack.us/img441/3357/image052nj0.th.jpg (http://img441.imageshack.us/my.php?image=image052nj0.jpg)

The next step, to make some boolits!!

I want to thank all in this forum for the great information!!!!!

[R.M.]

Yup, let those ingots cool a bit more.
It sounds like you're well on your way. Get a cast iron pot and go to it. [smilie=s:

R.M.

[imashooter2]

That pot looks like it's made of aluminum. If it is, cease use immediately. Aluminum pots, and especially thin aluminum pots, are a huge safety hazard. They will fail without warning and leave you standing in a puddle of molten metal.

[stanley2]

Imashooter, the pot is made of steel, I used a magnet to check it, but is to thin, first and last time I use it.

RM the next thing to buy will be a cast iron pot.

thanks.

[imashooter2]

That's good to know. Glad you were safe. Harbor Freight has a decent deal on cast iron Dutch ovens...

[Lee]

Buy the set of Harbor Garbage cast iron dutch ovens if you can find them........

Pick the one you want to use for your smelting......

Use one of the other ones for waksupi's pesole recipe;

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=3821

Oh Yeah! Smeltin' good and eatin' in the neighborhood!!

(Try the recipe...you'll never look back:-D )

...............................................Lee :wink:

[zipdog]

Stanley, did you weld up those ingot moulds from angle iron? what size?

[stanley2]

zipdog, yes I made the ingot moulds out of 1 1/4" angle iron, they are 4" long, almost 1 lb when full.:)

[stanley2]

Thanks to all the great information here I was able to cast my first boolits, I used one LEE 452-200 SWC 2 cavities mould and one LEE 452-230 2R 6 cavities.
It was fast and painless.

The bullshop bulplate lube is magic!!!



http://img441.imageshack.us/img441/5823/image064ma5.th.jpg (http://img441.imageshack.us/my.php?image=image064ma5.jpg)
http://img441.imageshack.us/img441/7807/image066yk0.th.jpg (http://img441.imageshack.us/my.php?image=image066yk0.jpg)

I also loaded 40 with the 2R and 10 with the SWC, using 4.1grn of Bullseye, they functioned flawless.

It is very rewarding!!!