Problem mould...

[mikeym1a]

As I am new to casting rifle boolits, I have had to buy some new moulds. I have two that cast 3 different boolits. A bonus for me. My latest is a Lee, in 8mm. A few days ago, I was altering some WW's, and decided to cast a few with the new mould. As it was a very cool say outside, I actually set the base of the mould in the top of the pot to get it warm. My others don't cast very well until they are hot, so I decided to do this. It is a 2 cavity mould, and out of fifty attempts, I might have gotten 10 complete boolits. It appeared that the alloy was solidifing on the sprue plate. (this computer keeps telling me I'm spelling lots of words wrong. If so, sorry 'bout that!) I stuck the sprue plate into the lead to get it hot, but, it made no difference. I've never had any problem like this with my other rifle moulds, or any of my pistol moulds, so I am at a loss. Anyone have any ideas? :-?

Thanks for any replies.

[chboats]

I sound to me like you need more heat. Increase the pot temperature . I usually start HOT until I get everything working right and then back off the temperature to a more reasonable level. Every mold has a personality of its own.

Carl

[DLCTEX]

You answered your own question, mould too cold. I preheat my moulds by setting on a hot plate. I have also dipped the front corner of the mould into the melt to bring the mould up to temp. When the lead releases from the mould it is warm enough. You can also dip just the sprue plate if it is too cool.

[Moonie]

I always pour a large sprue on top until it gets to a temp that I can easily open the plate with my thumb.

[mikeym1a]

Thanks, guys. I actually did all of those, but, it still didn't work. I'll have to give it another try, now that the weather has warmed, a little. I was actually trying to get a few made so I could lap the mould. All my Lee moulds do not like to release the boolits. I read about lapping, and tried it on one mould, and it worked. Boolits drop free very easily. I didn't have a temp guage that day, but have gotten one since. But, the alloy seemed hot enough. (so did the mould when I accidently touched it. No, no gloves.) Could the holes in the sprue plate be too small? They don't look very big.....

[runfiverun]

aluminum molds like to be run at 400-435-f
a slight breeze will cool down an aluminum mold real quick.
I have a 2 cavity lee 45/70 mold and in the garage with no breeze I have to keep the mold moving along to get well filled out boolits that drop easily.
I run it on the edge of frosting.
actually through the frosting stage back to silver again then maintain that speed.
my count is 4 as in fill, count to 4, and open.
I run my 4 cavity noe mold the same way, but with less count time, it is on the verge of smearing the lead across the mold.

[Mk42gunner]

Cool day, casting outside, probably a breeze too. Mold too cool, plus a new Lee mold.

I have a Lee 312-185 that didn't really like to produce boolits until about the fourth time I cast with it, then the boolits started falling out of it like it was a Hensley and Gibbs mold from San Diego. I have since read that some of the custom makers recommend heat cycling brass molds; so I figured that had to help the aluminum Lee mold also.

One thing I have found is that it is best for me to run one Lee mold at a time, never setting the mold down; or it will cool off and I have to heat it up again. When running on about the same cadence as runfiverun; I never have to pick up a mallet, I just push the sprueplate open with my gloved thumb (I'm not crazy enough to try it without a glove) and the boolits fall.

This doesn't leave much time for adding the next ingot to the pot, but it is doable. I preheat my ingots by laying them across the top of the pot.

Robert

[41 mag fan]

Thanks, guys. I actually did all of those, but, it still didn't work. I'll have to give it another try, now that the weather has warmed, a little. I was actually trying to get a few made so I could lap the mould. All my Lee moulds do not like to release the boolits. I read about lapping, and tried it on one mould, and it worked. Boolits drop free very easily. I didn't have a temp guage that day, but have gotten one since. But, the alloy seemed hot enough. (so did the mould when I accidently touched it. No, no gloves.) Could the holes in the sprue plate be too small? They don't look very big.....

Mike ....you answered your own questions in your post.
Your using a Lee mold and any and all of my Lees like to be HOT to cast properly. For some reason and it might just be me, but Lees take longer to heat up even on my hotplate and oven box I use.
Without a thermometer, you could of only been running like 625-650* on your melt, esp if you was outside, and had even a slight breeze blowing.
What you might think is hot, for lead though is not hot enough, let alone for the mold.
At 200* to the touch it will seem "hot" and 250* really "hot", esp if you're not used to handling hot objects regularly.
Without a thermometer, you're really playing a guessing game if casting outside and in cool weather.
I think I seen where you bought or have a thermomter now, hopefully that'll help you out.
Good Luck on your casting!!

[Larry Gibson]

A few days ago, I was altering some WW's,

What exactly is "altering"?

Larry Gibson

[William Yanda]

An altered bull is a steer. I don't know what an altered wheelweight is. Probably depends on whether it was lead, Fe or zinc originally.

[btroj]

Well, when we melt them we alter them?

[mikeym1a]

Well, when we melt them we alter them?

Well, they certainly don't look the same afterward!!! I had WW alloy, and was altering to Lyman #2 with the appropriate amount of lead/tin. I do need a larger pot and burner for processing (is that a better word??!?) my WW's. Gonna look for a used turkey cooker. One day process WW's, and another deep fry a turkey!! (different pots, of course!)

Seriously, Thanks for all the advice. It's been cold and wet here, so, I've not been able to do any casting. I did get a small bucket of WW's from the local tire store. They give them to me, but, I always tip the guys in the back who save them for me. (About 20 years ago, I could go into that same store and get a 5 gallon bucket every other week, and there was another guy who came for them as well.) I did at lease get 37lbs gross. After culling the junk out, I had 34lbs of lead, and after 'processing' I had 29lbs. Not much, but, more than I had before. The #2 alloy works great in my pistols. But from what I've been reading, I considering trying the copper enrichment to strengthen the alloy for my rifles. Not positive, but thinking, and trying not to hurt myself.....

[dromia]

Are you sure that no zinc has got into the mix?

[mikeym1a]

Are you sure that no zinc has got into the mix?
Not 100%, but, I don't think so. I have two Lee pots. One is about a 5bl open top pot, the other a 10lb drip-O-matic. (curiously, they use the same heating element. I took them apart.) Anyway, before I got my temp guage, I would set the temp control to a point on the small one that would just melt the WW's. On my pot, it's about at 4 1/2. On the 10lb'er, it's more like 7. I would reduce the WW's at that level. One or two Zn marked weights slipped past me and ended in the pot, but did not melt at the temp the rest of the alloy was melting. When I pulled them out and checked it, I saw the 'Zn' and recognized it from reading other posts on this site. Yesterday's melt had 3 slip past, but, no melting. Previous advice was '..smelt low, cast high..', and for the zinc, it did work. They just floated to the top of the mix, and did not melt. I do have a large lump from a previous melt that had to run VERY hot to get it to melt. Again, they floated to the top of the lead alloy and were set aside. I threw them in the pot to see if they would melt, but, it was very high, and I just poured it into a crucible I have and made one big lump of it. Due to the high heat, I presume it to be zinc.

[mikeym1a]

And, it's been so nice out, that I think I'll set up my pot, and reduce some old WW's that I have found on my porch. They were laying in a pile, and I had put something over them, and forgotten them. Found them yesterday, some of them are big 6oz truck weights. Doesn't take many of them to fill a pot. Time to get into the sunlight.

[Larry Gibson]

If the alloy is #2 and there is no zinc then it sounds like not enough heat of the alloy on that "very cool day outside". When casting where it's cool care must be taken to assure the alloy in the pot is hotter (20 degrees at least) and it comes out of the spout quick and hot. Open the spout for a quick spurt before inserting the mould under the spout. You'ld be surprised how much cooler the alloy can be in the spout vs the pot. Keep the sprue plate with in 1/4" of the spout when pouring. Pour a genrous sprue even if it runs off (helps to have an ingot mould under the spout to catch the runoff). Open the adjustment on the spout so the alloy gets out as fast as possible. Up the casting tempo to keep the mould hot enough.

Lastly you might want to reclean the new Lee mould to make sure all the grease/oil is off. Sometimes even the most experienced of us overlook the obvious........

Larry Gibson

[Airman Basic]

Another tip I learned somewhere, when heating the Lee molds on top of the pot, lay it upside down on the pot. The iron sprue plate heats up slower than the aluminum mold. Seems to get me good casts a little quicker.

[mikeym1a]

I was trying to cast with a ladle out of the small pot that day. I had set the bottom of the mold into to lead to heat up, but hadn't thought of putting it upside down. I had cleaned the mould with 'Brakekleen' previous to the moulding attempt, and allowed it to dry. But, will take it to the sink and clean it with Dawn and an old toothbrush before the previous attempt. That cold front of the other day has moved off, and the temps are now a good 20 degrees higher, and no rain!! Now I have to mow. Found some old WW's that had been ignored, and am slowly processing them. Still thinking of the copper enrichment. Wonder how much of that I need? Guess I'll enrich it, and then try the normal formula. More to consider....

[blackthorn]

From reading your post(s) it appears you are using your casting furnace to reduce raw WW to liquid alloy. If you are you should really consider using some kind of steel or cast iron pot to melt your WW before you put them into your casting furnace. Only clean alloy should go into the furnace!

[mikeym1a]

From reading your post(s) it appears you are using your casting furnace to reduce raw WW to liquid alloy. If you are you should really consider using some kind of steel or cast iron pot to melt your WW before you put them into your casting furnace. Only clean alloy should go into the furnace!

I do flux the alloy, to help clean it. Also, between melts, I use stainless steel wool to clean the little pot. I think I need a new liner for the 10lb'er. it is rather pitted. I actually took it apart, and ran a bore hone down through it, as far as it would go, to try and clean it, but, was only partially successful. I like to do this outdoors. Free Vitamin D, and I just like being outside anyway. House is too much like a cave, for all its amenities, during the winter. But, I need a new burner for my WW processing. I picked up a cast iron loaf pan that will probably hold 20lbs of alloy. If I can find a used stainless steel one, I'll use that instead. Maybe save the loaf pan for food. Stainless steel cleans up well between casts. The bowl of my little pot appears to be stainless. Discoloration, but no pitting. A bit of scrubbing with the SS wool, and it is shiny and smooth.

[TXGunNut]

A few days ago, I was altering some WW's,

What exactly is "altering"?

Larry Gibson

I prefer to call it repurposing, recycling, occasionally even smelting.

[mikeym1a]

The weather has warmed, sporatically. One day it is in the 70's, and a couple days later it's back in the 50's. As advised, I polished the mould with a brass bore brush. Made it really shiney! And now, it drops boolits easily. The alloy still sticks to the sprue plate. I think I'll remove it and polish it on a diamond grit sharpener, to see if it smooths out. Thanks for all the help.