This ever happened to you?

[mugsie]

I'm a super duper expert at casting, having cast a total of 60 purdy bullets the first time out! Seemed like a breeze, everything went perfrct. Well today I tried pouring some more and was frustrated to pieces! It seems as though this time out I can't get the mold hot enough. I was casting outside where the temps were in the high 20's maybe very low 30's. I would get one good pour, then the other cavity would jam up and not anough lead would enter. There didn't seem any way I could get enough lead in the two cavities (Lyman mold blocks, poured with the sissy laddle and the minimag pot). Could the cold have been cooling things down too quickly? After getting lead between the blocks so they wouldn't close properly, I finally yelled uncle and gave up for the day.

As I said, could it have been too cold outside for a proper pour. The other day the temps were in the low 50's and the pours were going perfect. That's about all I can think of. How bout lending some advice. Oh yeah, I did try heating the blocks on the pot for a good long time, but I gotta believe it's too small to do a decent job of heating them, especially with the temps as cold as they were.

What say ye?

[NVcurmudgeon]

A little more information would help. What heat source, was it windy? I am a dipper caster, too.
I never did like the too-small Lyman dipper as I like to pour a generous sprue. I won't cast outsde because it is difficult to keep a uniform flame on my Coleman stove in the wind, and there is always a longshot chance of a sudden rain, suicidal bug, or other moisture source. I do all my casting in the garage with the big door open and 0, 1, or 2 man doors open on the other end, depending on wind and temperature condtions.

[montana_charlie]

Casting at 50 degrees, especially if you are in the sunshine and out of the wind, doesn't sound bad, at all.

Doing it in the high 20's doesn't sound sane...
CM

[lathesmith]

mugsie, casting outside in those temps definitely could be your problem. Wait for warmer weather, and as an aid to preheating your mold place it on top of the lead pot and cover everything with aluminum foil. You will get a much better preheat this way, and you will be cranking out wrinkle-free boolits much faster. Good luck!
lathesmith