TOO COLD to CAST

[Leadmelter]

Everyday, I walk past my casting setup thinking I should fire it up and try some of my new molds. The temperature here in the Frozen Mitten is about 1 without the 30 mph wind chill. Only 60 days or so and I should be read to get started again.
I am considering talking to some contractor about a room in the basement with good air exchange so I can cast all year round. Anybody got a setup like that and how much did it cost???
Leadmelter
In the Frozen Mitten

[geargnasher]

I cast indoors year-round. Because I planned ahead when I built my house, there was plenty of attic room and a good place to route the 6" steel exhaust ducting and remote fan.

I'd be looking for an in-line fan or a cheap, kitchen vent-a-hood in the 500 cfm ballpark, plan to build sides for it and maybe hinge a clear panel of Lucite to the front to give some added protection and lower the hood a bit. Also figure out how you're going to vent fresh air inside to replace exhausted air, and how you're going to heat that cold incoming air.

Gear

[whelenshooter]

I hear you Leadmelter. I cast yesterday afternoon in my uninsulated shop. The temps were in the low 20's for highs and single digits after dark. A fire in my woodstove kept it bearable until dark. After dark it was useless. I found a warmer place to be. Funny how in the summer running an electric lead pot indoors makes you much hotter but on a cold day it does nothing.

David

[Charlie U.]

....... Funny how in the summer running an electric lead pot indoors makes you much hotter but on a cold day it does nothing.

David

Yeah, it does NOTHING.
I'm in Michigan as well. Went out the garage and fired up the melter thinking my activity would eventually warm the garage up at least a little bit...........nope, all it did was keep my hands warm.

[dverna]

Northern MI here. I have a bunch of new molds to play with but not in this weather. Gear has it right.

Don Verna

[geargnasher]

I built a casting corner and vent system into my reloading room so I could cast in the summer. We have the opposite problem most of you are having now. I can cast outside just about any day between November and March.

Gear

[longbow]

I cast outside almost year round and have cast as cold as -15 C (5 F). A guy just has to cast when he needs boolits.

I dress warm and wear gloves. The cold doesn't seem to hurt the casting at all.

Longbow

[muskeg13]

From Alaska, I say, "Boo Hoo." I cast when I need to, or want to, either in the garage or kitchen. Luckily I have a heated garage now. Before, I didn't cast in the house unless my wife would be gone for a while. You can cast on the range top if you have a vented hood to take the fumes outside, but don't use flux that will create smoke.

[Hickok]

We have had below zero temps here in WV. I cast out on an enclosed porch. With a solar heater set close, the old coleman stove running with a pot of melt, it isn't too bad. I throw my sprue into a Lee electric pot, but it doesn't contribute much to the air temp!

Just an old dog who started on the Coleman stoves years ago, and after trying the electric pots, I still do way better with the Coleman stove.

[Fernando]

It's not the temps for me - I work out in this ****.
I can't keep my moulds up to temp no matter the pace.
Maybe if I needed some 300+ grainers but all I'm low on is
38's and small cal. rounds.
To damn cold to go shoot anyhow - at least for me - severe hand pain from
frost and prior bone mishaps.
I'll wait til at least highs in the mid 20's

[DRNurse1]

I cast indoors year-round. Because I planned ahead when I built my house, there was plenty of attic room and a good place to route the 6" steel exhaust ducting and remote fan.

I'd be looking for an in-line fan or a cheap, kitchen vent-a-hood in the 500 cfm ballpark, plan to build sides for it and maybe hinge a clear panel of Lucite to the front to give some added protection and lower the hood a bit. Also figure out how you're going to vent fresh air inside to replace exhausted air, and how you're going to heat that cold incoming air.

Gear


I built a casting corner and vent system into my reloading room so I could cast in the summer. We have the opposite problem most of you are having now. I can cast outside just about any day between November and March.

Gear

I cast in an unheated shed year around. I use a fan behind me to blow the fumes away from me, and add a jet kerosene heater in low temperature situations. I am considering an indoor vented corner in my reloading area, but I also want 'enough' safety space between the casting and reloading areas.


I cast outside almost year round and have cast as cold as -15 C (5 F). A guy just has to cast when he needs boolits.

I dress warm and wear gloves. The cold doesn't seem to hurt the casting at all.

Longbow

Recently added a hot plate and coffee can mould heater to my set up due to a brass mould cooling off too much between casts even in warm weather. This works for my iron moulds, too.

Coldest casting day so far was -5 degrees F (I cast at night) but the shed kept the wind off and I made about 500 Mihec 0.356 boolits, 800 H&G #68's and 300 0.358 x 158 grain RN (HEAVY 6 cavity mould) in that session. Time limited by the tank on the jet heater: fill it then run it Dry. $4.39 for heat. Have to remember to add that into my cost for these boolits.

+100 on dressing appropriately, old/unusable hunting gear is my choice. I prefer casting in warmer weather but this work-gig interferes with my casting, reloading, and shooting hobby. I did that retirement thing (twice), but SWMABO likes to shop.

I found that I cannot water drop in this weather (LOL) and that begs the question of BHN: anyone know how the ambient temp affects BHN? I suspect the 0-32F hardens the boolits a bit more and may speed the age hardening a bit but wonder if the 30 day BHN is any higher for these than the >32F batches. I will try to remember to check back in 30 days with that answer.

[btroj]

I cast in my attached garage. Stays warm enough to allow casting in all but the coldest weather. I cast in heat too, I just grin and bear it.

[DRNurse1]

I cast in my attached garage. Stays warm enough to allow casting in all but the coldest weather. I cast in heat too, I just grin and bear it.

How do yo keep the flux/smoke off of your hat?

[btroj]

I don't wear my hat when casting, it interferes with the headphones for music!

I don't wear my hat at the range either, it shades the rear sight too much.

[Beagle333]

19 this morning, but going to 51. Let the casting begin!:castmine:

(And I want a heated garage too!!!!!!!!!!!) or any garage. :|

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt214/shutupandjump/cast%20boolits/setup006_zpsba5b5247.jpg

[375RUGER]

I turned an old cab-over camper into a casting shed. Sheltered from the sun, wind, rain, etc. air-conditioned and heated.

[161]

I said last night I'm either rabbit hunting or casting tomorrow. It's 10 degrees out now. I run two Lee pots and start a Mr. Heater L.P. when it's real bad. The winds howling so I think I'll cast some Lee TLWC 358. I have one dog on each side of me as I type and I think they are OK with that also. Wind has been bad last few days here.

[longbow]

Hadn't thought much about how ambient temp affects BHN but I am guessing not a lot if any unless there was a significant breeze. Still air is a good insulator.

If it was cold... like 10 to 20 degrees below freezing and you had a fan running to blow air over fresh cast boolits they might cool fast enough to harden some. Easy enough to check if you have a lead hardness tester which I do not at present.

I can't say I have noticed any difference in performance of boolits cast in +35 degree C heat or -15 degree C cold.

Longbow

[Fernando]

What temp do you run your pots at?
I can't seem to keep small moulds up to temp.
Small meaning in the 38 cal. range

[Monttexan]

What temp do you run your pots at?
I can't seem to keep small moulds up to temp.
Small meaning in the 38 cal. range

Ignore this non-thread related post, but had to ask:

Alonso, or Ferrari in general?

[W.R.Buchanan]

I hate to be the smartass here but I feel for all of you in the Frigid zones of this country. It's nearly 80F here in Ojai CA today and dry as a popcorn fart with no signs of anything changing for the next two weeks.

I have never experienced the problems that you guys face every winter. My parents moved us out of Michigan in 1955, when I was 6.

We really need the rain as we are going to be in a severe drought condition very soon if we don't get some soon, and what you will be seeing on TV's nightly news will be massive brush fires burning thruout the state.

Every place has it's challenges. Mine usually don't require wearing heavy coats and boots to walk to my car.

Randy

[Fernando]

Ignore this non-thread related post, but had to ask:

Alonso, or Ferrari in general?

Tofosi -Always Scuderia

[W.R.Buchanan]

I had an interesting discussion with A new friend from Italy at the Show. His name was Luca Rota and the sells really neato shotgun slugs and lives in Bologna,,,, Which is right next to Maranello.

To say Luca was a big fan of the Scuderia is an understatement.

Apparently everyone in Italy is pretty pumped about Kimi coming to the team this year. As am I.

I doubt Nanado is however.

We'll see. everything changes this year.

Randy

[Super Sneaky Steve]

I'm from the cold mitten state too.

Next week should be the coldest of the year. We already hit -15. Right now it's 18. This may be my only shot before the "polar vortex" rolls in.

Time to try out my new Lee 30 cal mould.

[Adk Mike]

I built a back yard shop 10 years ago. Range hood over the bench and heated when I need it. I do most of my casting now. Enough room to fix a car or do some casting. I enjoy that shop and use it year round.

[boog]

I'm still new to casting, and my equipment is limited to a one quart stainless pan, my camp stove, and a ladle. Been doing it in my garage, and it is too cold for me in Ohio. I have a box that I want to fill with several hundred more boolits!

Might be a month or two before I can get started on that again, unless we luck into a couple nice weekends.

[TXGunNut]

I'm casting tonight, letting the pot catch up a bit. That 6-holer drains it pretty fast.

[Super Sneaky Steve]

It's down to 10f tonight, but I got these made before I froze.
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y123/ex500/SSS/C309-180R_zpsfcde786b.jpg
Lee C309-180R

[country gent]

Im from Northwest Ohio and the temps are still to low for me to be outside or even in the garage for any length of time. I want/need to get some 40s and 45s cast for the bpcr rifles for next season. Sizing and lubing isnt a problem as I di that in the house. I left the pot set up and 100+ lbs of 20-1 in it a fairly fresh tankk of propane ready to go and te temps dropped and snow drifted in front of the door. So Im waiting. here shortly this will change and a couple 3 sessions and Ill have what I need.

[161]

I had a good day casting today. I'd rather cast on a 10 degree day than an 80 degree.

[Hickok]

How many of you more "seasoned citizens" can remember way back to the first time (and last time)you set up a pot on the kitchen stove, got the metal going , and then fluxed, and thought it was a really good idea!!!

Then the new bride came in and just about went into a berzerker coma, "WHAT ARE YOU DOING, WHAT"S THAT SMOKE, YOU'RE GOING TO BURN UP MY KITCHEN!!!!!" (You can add replies from the your lady)

I remember, and will never forget, though it was 40 years ago!

[NYBushBro]

For some reason, my older Lyman 20 lb pot only gets my melt up to ~650 degrees... so I have come to the realization that 40 degrees is the minimum amount of ambient heat for casting in an unheated camp trailer (the family casting shed).

I'd use the Lee 4-20, but I just like the Lyman handle WAY more than the Lee. Perhaps I should find one of those replacement B-200 thermostats and try to get the pot to work at a higher temp.

In our set-up (at these temps), you have to break the ice that forms on top of the WQ bucket every hour or so... and remember to dump it out when finished!

[white eagle]

if ya gotta cast ya gotta cast
I have cast in -5° to +90° extreme's but if you need boolits ??

[sandman228]

its teens to single digit temps here in pa I bought a new affordable shotmaker on e bay it was delivered Friday , I went to scrap yard sat morning bought 25 lb of wheel weights and 25 lb of soft lead pipe to alloy together and make some shot with so I didn't have to dip into my stash . I just use a little Ozark trails propane camp stove when im smelting I got all the wheel weights melted down into ingots and same with the lead pipe, then remelted the ingots and made a 50-50 alloy I attempted to make shot lastnight and again today I get things going then I just cant keep up with keeping the ramp on the front of shotmaker hot enough next thing I know ive got molten lead globbed up all over the ramp and have as many globs in the bucket as shot its just to damn cold and im going through propane cylinders like crazy I just resmelted what I had back into ingot form and put everything away were supposed to have high 40's temps here in a week or so i'll try again then . the only way things will work now is to keep the shotmaker on the campstove with burner cranked and to keep running a propane torch back and forth across the ramp on the shotmaker .

[capt.hollis]

South Tx today is 75 degrees, lol.

[Shiloh]

5˚ with 20 mph. wind. Makes it -14˚ or -15˚ WAY to cold to cast in the garage. Currently?? 0˚ with 35-40 mph wind. Gusting to 52. Feels
like -29˚

Shiloh

[capt.hollis]

South Tx today is 75 degrees, lol.

[Bullshop Junior]

South Tx today is 75 degrees, lol.

It wasnt three days ago lol.

[Mechanicalmayham]

I cast a few RBs a week or so ago in my block garage. I just picked a spot with good light and an electrical outlet, put up some old canvas tarps about a foot from the ceiling and fired up the buddy heater. I added a piece of tin over it to keep the coffee hot. I still water dropped mine. Turned out fine. IIRC it was about -2 with windchill.

[Walter Laich]

Gulf Coast of Texas is looking at some 'fresh' winds and 'interesting' weather for today and tomorrow.

[Deep Six]

It's currently -6 here and -22 tonight with windchills of -45. Most of my free time has been spent keeping the house warm and fooling around trying to get my various internal combustion engines to start; but I'm thinking of setting up the casting apparatus in the cellar entrance to my basement. That way I keep the fumes out of the house but it's still sheltered and kind of warm. Got a couple new molds to try.

[ACrowe25]

I have never experienced the problems that you guys face every winter. My parents moved us out of Michigan in 1955, when I was 6.
Randy

I feel for you too brother. I'll take my constitutional rights with a side of cold any day compared to the opposite in a hot climate area.

[ACrowe25]

MI is like 7 degrees where I am now, going down to 2 tomorrow. Dress halfway smart and you're good to go. Nice flannel shirt, pair of thick socks and jeans, with a carheart coat and you're good to go.

[guicksylver]

Tried an Infa red heater?

One side would be warm anyways.

[labradigger1]

I have always cast in the weather, hot or cold. This spring and summer i built a dedicated reloading room. In this room i installed a hood above where i would cast and installed a remote squirrel cage blower in the trusses to pull the fumes. I open a "draft" to allow it to draw effectively. Installed electric heat and a/c. Now could care less what the weather is doing outside. As a side note, my handloading and casting/sizing has greatly increased.
Lab

[Mike W1]

"Forced" to fire up the wood stove in the little shop today and enjoy casting with my recently built PID controlled Lee. Didn't really need the bullets but am just having too much enjoyment with that rig. 0° in there when I lit the fire and then spent a couple hours of 75° comfort. Was warmer than the house!

[TXGunNut]

South Tx today is 75 degrees, lol.

Hope you dodge that sleet headed your way Tuesday, lol.

[Michael J. Spangler]

Highs are going to be in the 20s for the next few days here.
I took the opportunity of a 48 degree Saturday to do a smelt.
I'm lucky enough to have a propane heated shop that's semi insulated to work in year round.

I hope I don't burn through the 140 or so pound of ingots before it gets warm again. My smelter was cranking hot trying to fight the cold and wind last Saturday.
That was at around 35 or 40 degrees at night. Can't imagine what some of you have to deal with.

It just goes to show what kind of sick addiction this casting is.

[bobthenailer]

I personaly only cast indoors usually in the month of Febuary when the temps above 25 degrees , i usually leave all the equipment set up until im done casting & L/S 10,000 or more boolets
Im bored enough right now to start casting but its -5 outside today, .

[hickfu]

I hate to be the smartass here but I feel for all of you in the Frigid zones of this country. It's nearly 80F here in Ojai CA today and dry as a popcorn fart with no signs of anything changing for the next two weeks.

I have never experienced the problems that you guys face every winter. My parents moved us out of Michigan in 1955, when I was 6.

We really need the rain as we are going to be in a severe drought condition very soon if we don't get some soon, and what you will be seeing on TV's nightly news will be massive brush fires burning thruout the state.

Every place has it's challenges. Mine usually don't require wearing heavy coats and boots to walk to my car.

Randy

Randy,
I live right between Ojai and Oakview so Im right there with you.... I can cast all year round, I have a little space heater in my casting shed just in case it gets a little chilly...

I havent been casting in a while though because of the fibromyalgia, my hands and joints hurt so much because of the change in weather at night. Hopefully I will get used to it and be able to at least cast a bit. (im trying to sell a 45-70 mold to pay for a NOE version of the 35-200 for the new 35 Rem I just got down at Battlefield Adventures in Ventura :-D


Doc

[zomby woof]

I waited until in got 30 degrees. I fired up the salamander heater and put on the Carharts. The garage warmed up enough to cast my new 452-228LEE.

[Dale53]

I'm really bummed out. A number of years ago, I had a small utility barn built with built in heater and air conditioner. I have bullets cast but the bad weather has me bored with something to do. I went to the barn to cast some bullets yesterday and I have an electrical problem. The barn has fully modern wiring done to code but I have a problem. No heat and my pot outlet is not working.

I'm going to have to wait until it warms up, start pulling access plates and checking voltages, possible shorts, ETC. I am REALLY looking forward to THAT:evil::evil::evil:

In the meantime, I'm still bored to death...:violin:

Oh well, it could certainly be worse. Oh, I forgot, it IS going to get worse. Tomorrow night we are supposed to get 4"-6" of snow and ice...

I am DEFINITELY ready for spring!!

Dale53

[Valerko]

Was snowing today in NY. Kids had no school and I didn't go to work. (Wasn't worth it in **** weather) . Wanted to try new mold ,I'm casting in the garage. I have a raised ranch and garage generally stays around 40f.
Now reading obut all the venting you guys do , got me worry.
In the summer a cast with garage door open , but in the winter , there's not a whole lot of ventilation , except for the cracks in garage door weatherstripping.