Water Dropping / Quenching - Minimizing splash

[Mike Malat]

I have the basics of water dropping down. Open mould over bucket of water, tap, let gravity do it's thing.... However, what I don't like is the resulting splash around the casting area and missing that drop of water that may be left on the mould. (granted if the mould is hot enough it should boil off) but I don't want any surprises when I do the next pour. So, what does everyone do to minimize / eliminate the splash back? I stand while casting so the boolits are dropping from about waist height.

Also. I noticed that some of the WD boolits are dinged up due to being knocked against each other from the drop. I assume this can be eliminated by adding more water as I'm currently dropping into about 6" of water.

Thanks
Mike

[Themoose]

First, I sit while casting, so the bullets don't drop as far. Second, I put a sponge in the bucket of water... the soaked sponge floats and when I open the mold, I try to drop them on the floating sponge... the weight of the bullets will cause the bullets to fall off the sponge and continue to fall to the bottom of the bucket, but slower...I have had no issue with water on the mold... as you pointed out ... the mold is very hot.. the water the occasional drop of water that may hit the hot mold, will be turned into steam long before you close the mold and refill with molten lead.

TheMoose

[btroj]

You can use a rubber band to hold a piece of cloth over the bucket. A slot is cut in the cloth to let the bullet thru. Works well enough.

You can also float a thick layer of packing peanuts on top of the water. Bullets get thru easily but splashes are contained well.

I have used both but currently use nothing. I stand to cast and have a coffee can of water I drop into. I use a bit of cardboard to cover the pot to prevent water from hitting the melt. Water drops on the mould can be an issue but I have learned to close the mould slower to give time for evaporation if that occurs. I also listen for that telltale sizzle.

[Themoose]

I forgot to add, that I also use more water... I use a five gallon bucket that is about 3/4 full.

[kenyerian]

I take two old t-shirts and put one about three quarters of the way over my bucket. I let it sag some. than I overlap from the other side pulling that one tighter. I then take a bungee cord around the bucket to hold them tight. Boolits hit cloth, slide into water, splash contained by cloth, boolit slowed down so it doesn't dent.

[Mike Malat]

Thanks guys for the ideas. I'll give the cloth/t-shrit a try. Possibly later today.

[winelover]

I use a 5 gallon bucket, about 3/4 full. I cut about a 6" slit in a old towel and hold it in place with the o-ring seal, that comes with the lid for said bucket.

Winelover

[44man]

I also use a 5 gal bucket, 3/4's full. It is on a low stool to the side on the garage floor. Turn, dump and cast again.

[sljacob]

In the summer I have used an old t-shirt or rag, I the winter a layer of snow on top of a bucket of water

[Iron Mike Golf]

I do like 44man, except I use a kitty litter bucket. Drop height is 3 to 4 inches. The bucket ends up being 3 to 4 feet from the pot.

[Shiloh]

I do it the way Btroj does it. An old towel with a slit in the top. Works great.

Shiloh

[DRNurse1]

Note to self:use natural materials...sponge, cotton, etc. Even wet, man made stuff can be a problem. I have two cotton surgical towels with slits sewn in them at right angles I bungee around the bucket with a bit of slack on the lower one like the T-shirt post above.

I like the snow trick and kitty litter sounds good, too. Maybe ice cubes during warmer months. I think I will try packing a pail with snow and casting until it is all melted or the pail is full. Any math whiz guys want to guess how many 230 grain boolits will fit in a 2 US gallon pail (I cast @ about 730*F)?

[cheetah]

Four feet of four-inch pvc drain with a cap glued on one end - strap the top end to the bench. That even keeps the tender Lee .30/230 injury-free.

[TMenezes]

I sit while casting with a rectangular a soft plastic rubber made type bucket on the floor between my legs. I would guess it would hold about 5 gallons but I only put about 2 gal in it. Then I lean it over against the bench. When I drop the hot slugs the hit the side of the plastic and roll/slide down into the water with little or no splash. Even if it does splash because of the angle of the bucket it stays in the bucket. I tried the towel methed but it just wasnt working as well as this method. Hope this helps.

[Wayne S]

I made a "trough " out of a 6" x 4" card board box, one end is attached to the bench, the other end 4' from the pot dumps into an old ice chest.

[Mike Malat]

Thanks everyone. Once again this board shows that there's more than one way to skin the cat.

[cainttype]

I use a 13 gallon tall kitchen waste basket with a mesh laundry bag submerged inside and draped around and over the top lip, both available at Wally-World. That gives me a tall water column (and a cover for when it's not being used) with a short drop. When the session ends I simply remove the laundry bag, allow a quick drain, and pour cooled projectiles out on a stainless 1/4 mesh screen for drying. I have used a home-made baffle with 2 tiers before, but nowadays it's only used with fairly soft alloys when I'm being extra cautious.
The splash doesn't cause any real concern as long as the mould is kept up to temp. It doesn't contact the mould too often, and evaporates quickly.

[Bigslug]

Buy a package or three of cheap kitchen sponges and cut them up into little strips/cubes. Float enough of these to cover the surface of your quench bucket. Bullets fall right through with no splash to speak of.

[Idaho Sharpshooter]

I drop boolits on a folder towel, refill the mold, and while it is cooling, I pick the boolit up with a pair of 6" tweezers and look at the sprue. If it ain't round, the boolit goes back into the pot. Good ones get dropped gently (nose first) into the water from about a 2" height, a 1 gallon ice cream container 3/4ths full of water positioned about 24" away from the pot. This is with rifle boolits, which I can usually coax into the moa range at 100/200yds.

Pistol boolits I seldom bother with the water part.

Rich

[hickfu]

I use a sponge that is normally used for grout work in tiling (VERY LARGE SPONGE!) Its about 1 1/2" thick so I cut in in half to make it 3/4" thick but still a very large sponge. It fits almost perfectly in my bucket (or better in the square kitty litter buckets) When I drop the boolits into the bucket they hit the sponge and drag it slightly under the water line to cool them quickly and then they role to one side and the sponge tips that way and lets them fall into the bottom of the bucket. I used to use the t-shirt with the cut in it but alot of times the boolits would sit on top and I would have to use a stick to nudge them towards the hole.

What ever works for you is the best way to do it..

Doc

[mikeym1a]

I agree with themoose, I use a 5gal bucket, about 3/4 full, and drop from just above the top of the bucket. I occasionally get a drop that hisses, but not often. When I first water dropped, I was doing it to cool the boolits quickly, so as not to burn my fingers when I went to pick them up. But, that is how I do it. CHEERS!

[bobthenailer]

cut a 5 gallon bucket apart about 3 " below the the reinforcement ribs at the upper end of the bucket these will slip into another 5 gal bucket perfectly to give you a splash shield.

Or you can glue the buckets togeather to increase the buckets capacity to elimate bullet damage

What i use is a 7 gallon plastic bucket with a splash shield has worked best for me !

[prsman23]

I use one of the large folgers coffee cans with a cloth rubber banded kind of tight kind of loose and a hole cut in it. Plenty of room. And can put in on my bench.