Dropping from mold without damage?

[RG1911]

I recently got back into casting and found that my technique leaves a bit (a lot) to be desired.

I'm returning about 500 bullets to the pot because, on examining the bases, I found that the majority had dings that probably would degrade accuracy. This apparently happened when they were dropped from the mold onto the pile of bullets.

:oops: Yes, I know. I didn't realize how soft the alloy remained when it was fresh from the mold. And I used to drop into water, but do not want to do that now. (Makes it tougher to get through the sizer/lubricator die.)

So, before I reinvent the wheel, I'm sure someone here has a fool-proof (remembering that we're ingenious) way to drop without damage and without slowing up the process excessively. I was thinking of dropping onto a sloped surface (cardboard) that would give the bullets a little extra time to cool, and that would reduce the force when they landed on the pile.

Thank you,
Richard

[Jayhawkhuntclub]

I drop them onto an old bed spread. You could also use an old (one you aren't going to use again ;-)) towel or blanket. Just drop them on an empty spot on the towel. When they build up, move them out of the way and drop some more.

[high standard 40]

I use an extra large bath towel, folded a few times to provide some loft, and do as Jayhawk suggested. I drop bullet onto an empty spot on the towel and move them as needed. You can simply lift one end of the towel and roll all the bullets into a pile at the other end of the towel.

[country gent]

I line an paint roller tray with fluffy towels and drop on an open area when the tapered area gets full pick up edges of towel and gently roll them down into the depresion area. start over and fill the open area to when you need to roll bullets down again. I may lay 3 or 4 towels in the pan and when one gets full I cn pick it up and stat over, or if Im casting 2-3 diffrent bullets that day. The paint roller trays work good for me. I have several metal ones and the rolled edge gives a straight surface to pre alighn the blocks on when closing also.

[RG1911]

[Slaps forehead!]

Another problem that didn't require a high-tech solution.

Thanks!

Richard

[375RUGER]

Use a large piece of leather on top of a 1" thick foam mat. Not styrofoam.
don't drop boolits onto other boolits.

[fastfire]

This vvvvv



i use an extra large bath towel, folded a few times to provide some loft, and do as jayhawk suggested. I drop bullet onto an empty spot on the towel and move them as needed. You can simply lift one end of the towel and roll all the bullets into a pile at the other end of the towel.

[osteodoc08]

I have a box that I line with a folded bath towel. It must be cotton. If not, you can melt it. Don't use the microfiber stuff. I drop, allow to cool and grab edge of towel and roll boolits off to side. When they build up, I lift towel up and cooled and hard boolits go to the bottom and place the towel back on top. I have to be careful with this as they boolits build up fast......and so does the weight. 40# lead in a box is heavy to carry up and down stairs!

[Maximumbob54]

I just water drop everything. It may make it tough to go through the sizing die but a quick pass through a Lee push through will make quick work of them going into the lube die.

[**oneshot**]

I lay out a towel on another folded towel or chair cushion. I drop onto a clean spot until the towel is full then lift two corners and they roll to the back. When I'm done I let them cool for a while then, I lift the towel and gently pour them into coffee cans for later.

[tward]

I drop in a galvanized bucket that has a bunch of cotton towel scraps. Like the others when towel is full roll them. Off on to one underneath. Tin bucket because of fire concerns:oops: Tim

[gwpercle]

I use an old bath towel, folded and lain into a shallow sided card board box. Drop bullets onto towel so they don't drop on each other. When towel is mostly covered , lift up one side of towel and gently roll them to one end of box. Do it again until you run out of towel room.

[country gent]

Todays casting session I layered 4 hand towels in the paint roller tray. When I ran out of room and the pile was big enough I just gathered the corners of the towel up and picked up the bullets and set them off to the side out of the way. Fresh towel already in place ready to go.

[lightman]

Wish I could share a fancy hi-tech trick with you, but I use an old towel too! I fold mine up a few times and use a beer flat ( half of a box) for a landing zone.

[Irascible]

I use a section of bubble rap inside an old flannel pillow case. Been using the same one for 10+ years.

[fredj338]

A simple folded towel, like the rest, just move the bullets so you are dropping on the towel.a cardboard box works too, move the bullets out of the way.

[youngmman]

Yep, the old bath towel works great.

[Safeshot]

I use a 5 gal bucket about 1/2 full of water with an old towel draped over the top and down into the water so that the Boolit slides or rolls into the water without splashing. Empty when the bucket is 1/3 full of Boolits. This "takes care of itself" so that you can concentrate on the casting efforts.

[a.squibload]

Same as above but red shop towel is enough, fold in half, lay in a flat baking pan.
I spray a little water on it but it's not likely to catch fire anyway.

[Stephen Cohen]

You can get those dings from not opening mould enough, and the soft cast base hits mould on way out.

[Whiterabbit]

towel in a pot for me. Water drop? fill pot with water. No water drop? No water in the pot. When the boolits stack too high, tip the pot and they roll to one side. When they fill the bottom, pull the towel and put it on the layer of boolits.

Store pot under casting pot when not in use.

[Andy_P]

Maybe open the mold closer to the pile of bullets, so the drop is not so far? Perhaps your mold is getting too hot? Any sprue smearing?

[bigjake]

I just water drop everything. It may make it tough to go through the sizing die but a quick pass through a Lee push through will make quick work of them going into the lube die.

I agree with you Maxbob, I tried the towel thing and it was way too slow. I cant figure out what the advantage of dropping boolits on cloth is. water droped boolits might be a little harder, but not enough to sweat.


You can haul *** dropping in water. :bigsmyl2:

[Oreo]

Noone has tried increasing the viscosity of the water so that dropped boolits fal slowly through? I'm thinking of those water crystals in the garden section.

[bigjake]

Noone has tried increasing the viscosity of the water so that dropped boolits fal slowly through? I'm thinking of those water crystals in the garden section.

water crystals? i'm interested in your idea.

[Whiterabbit]

I just water drop everything. It may make it tough to go through the sizing die but a quick pass through a Lee push through will make quick work of them going into the lube die.

I suppose I should admit I do this too for my .459-.460 casts that get sized to .452. Lee push through unlubed will lock the gas check on and size to .454 or .452 (depends on lead hardness, not water dripping that depands I use the .454 sizer rather than the .452), then into the .452 luber-sizer die in the lyman 45.

No lube needed in the LEE when using a gas check. No leading.

[fecmech]

If you wish to keep water dropping and don't want the hard sizing you can get around it 2 ways. One, size right after casting, like the same day. If that's not to your liking, immediately after casting put them in a freezer till you want to size them. That will arrest the hardening process for at least a week to 10 days and they will remain about the same as when you took them out of the water.

[DrBill33]

I utilize a pan with 6 layers of paper towels covered with a cut and fit terry-cloth (3 layers deep) over the paper. So far, so good!

Also hit my first milestone! 100th post. I read a whale of a lot more than I write!