Stuff we read

[histed]

I spend a lot of time reading stickys and posts here, even though I don't post much myself. Reading is a good thing, understanding is better. I've read tons of stuff about heating molds, maintaining mold temperature, watching lead temperature, ... - guess I read without understanding. Today I cast about 20# of 356-125 2R boolits for my 9mm, using a 6 banger. Once the mold hit the sweet spot, I was off, casting as fast as I could fill the mold. About 1/2 an hour in, I noticed a lot of tear out on the bases of some boolits. Few minutes later I had to add more lead and flux, so I laid the mold down but didn't turn on the hot plate. Started casting again and - BINGO - perfect bases again - for a while. I'm pretty thick sometimes, but I finally realized this was the "pacing" so many of you wrote about. If I slowed down, the tearout went away. Lessons learned: It really is possible to get your mold too hot AND it is perfectly reasonable to expect an experienced caster to run a pair of 6 cavities at once (something else I read, but in my inexperienced mind, didn't understand or believe). So, my grateful thanks to all who share their experiences. Hope this one can help someone else.

[osteodoc08]

Glad it finally hit you like a ton of bricks. I've learned quite a bit since being on here. I continue to learn from many of the sage casters here. I'd call out names, but invariably, I'd leave someone out. You know who you are anyhow.

[sigep1764]

When my bases start tearing, the sprue usually breaks apart too. I dip my hand in the water dropping pot and spill a little water on the towel I use to let my boolits dry on. Then I drag the mold over the wet towel to cool it a bit, kind of steaming the towel like an iron for a shirt. Back to casting and back to smooth base cuts.

[44man]

Success is always a good read!
I cast with a ladle and have a funny mold cooling method that guys made fun of. As soon as the sprue sets, I swing my arm 4 to 5 swings and judge by other time and how boolits look. I don't count seconds. I just hang my arm and swing a little to cool.
If I use two or three double cavity molds at the same time, I set the first mold on an oak board, then fill the next, set on the board and cut, fill the first. Have to work faster with three molds. I hate three, hard to get all molds to temp on the hot plate. Two is easy, cast with the first until the second is hot. I take the little mold oven to 500* for perfect first boolits. To use three, just cast with two until the third is hot. I have a BBQ thermometer in the top of the oven.

[WHITETAIL]

I am glad that it worked out for you.
I am just like most of the people here.
I read alot, and then try this and that.
Then all of asudden BANG it works.:holysheep

[mdi]

"The only way to learn to cast bullets, is to cast bullets"...

[histed]

44 - I'm going to try that next time, and sigep1764's water method. After this, I laugh at nothing and try everything. mdi hit it - reading is good but understanding comes from doing. Whatever works for you is the "right" method.

[AlaskanGuy]

I use a wet sponge.... When I can start to really feel the heat from a fast and furious casting session, I touch the wet sponge a couple times and it really cools things down... Usually about every 10 casts if I am using a six banger... Dont usually have the problem with singles or doubles.... But i keep the sponge ready and wet.... Most of the winter I cast right on thye kitchen stove, and use a spare burner to preheat the mold....... I water drop Boolits into a small metal bucket filled with cold water and a small wash rag with a slit into it... The sponge sits on top of the metal sink so it is readily available....

AG

[**oneshot**]

Every mold is it's own animal. I have a note paper over my casting bench that I keep notes on as to what works with what mold. Saves on remembering for each mold.

[JeffG]

The mold tells me real quick when I'm going too fast, the sprues are cutting too easy, so I add a few more seconds on my wait time.

[ghh3rd]

Funny reading about the two molds at once statement. I was casting some 148 gr (.38) wadcutters and started tearing holes in the bases. I pulled out my 175 gr (.40) semi wadcutter mold, which I was going to use tomorrow, and started using both. Without lowering the temperature in the pot, using two molds at one time let the molds cool enough to stop the tearing.

[dverna]

There is a video of Ausglock casting with three molds. That damn Aussie can turn out a mountain of bullets.

Don Verna

[Whitespider]

The fun really begins after you've tried everything you can remember reading... and none of it works.

[Elkins45]

I'm starting to discover that if I'm casting fast enough to get tear out then it leaves some 'crumbles' of alloy in the sprue hole. The next pour washes them into the mold and sometimes they show up as surface flaws in the boolet. Even if I can't see them I suspect they are still up to no good inside, maybe causing voids or imbalance.

I have a hard time balancing casting hot enough to get good fillout and too hot so they get frosty.

[hickfu]

Glad to hear you figured how your mold likes to cast.... Each mold is different and you will have to treat them differently from the rest.

I have the Lee 356-124-TC (had it for a few months now) but only tried it yesterday.... Before I cast with a new mold I wash with dish soap and a little comit to get any oils out, Then I run my brass brush over the inside of the molds and cavities to make sure no burrs are there. Well this one is a PITA!! I had it sitting on my hot plate along with my mold for the 45acp but cast with the 45 mold first... When I tried the 9mm mold the boolits stick on one side of the mold and wont come off unless I beat the living hell out of the handles to the point im almost hitting the mold block.

I tried it a few times during casting for the 45 but same results.... I may have to see if some of the boolits came out good enough to heat treat, put on a screw with some lapping compound to try and get this mold to act right...

Doc

[gwpercle]

Ever since I could afford more than one mould, I found it easier to get good boolits with two moulds.....alternating filling and opening while the first sprue cooled enough. I have double and single cavity moulds so it is easy to cast too fast with them.
Gary