Mold temperature?

[etcher1]

Have not casted any bullets yet, been reading about warping aluminum molds.
So how hot is to hot for an aluminum mold (lee mold)?

[bangerjim]

I just sit the mold on the edge of the pot as the alloy and pot are warming up. If you stick the end of the mold in the lead and it sticks, the mold is not hot enough. You can warm it up by keeping the end in the hot lead also...faster.

Some use a hot plate, but that is just another source of me burning myself! I know to watch for the pot, but a stupid hotplate sitting there.......naaaaaaa.

Once you cast a few the mold will be cooking. In fact, you should keep a wet towel (a distance away) to cool the mold if it gets too hot. You can tell if the sprue does not cool in a few seconds.

Search the site for some coooool info!

bangerjim

[shadowcaster]

The nice thing about having a hot plate and mold oven is that you can regulate your mold temp. I set mine in the 400 to 425 degree range, sometimes a bit higher. They are hot enough to get good fill out with 700 degree lead and cool enough so that it doesn't take long for the sprue to harden. You can use multiple boolit molds this way (use 1 while the others are in the oven) and you can also preheat your ingots if needed. The mold oven is cheap, easy to make and to operate.

Shad

[462]

Using a hot plate and a mould oven allows the mould to produce first cast keepers. Depending on the mould, 375 to 400-degress works for me.