I think I've had an epiphany.....

[rondog]

I'm still pretty green at this boolit casting stuff, but I've had pretty good results so I thought I had a grip on it. Maybe not so much.....

I use a Lyman Big Dipper Casting Furnace and a Lyman ladle, one of those little ball things. I've always figured the best plan was to pour pour pour and keep pouring, until the ladle was empty. Let the excess melt just run all over the sprue plate and back down into the pot. I always hold my molds over the pot and pour them over it to catch the runoff.

Thought being, force that melted lead deep into the mold cavities for maximum fillout.

Seemed to work well, but I had problems with excessive flashing around the bullet bases and lead buildup on the bottom of the sprue plates. Figured this was just part of it.

Tonight, pot was getting low and dipping was getting tough, so I started just pouring enough to fill the cavities and make a little puddle on top.

Lo and behold, no flash on the bases! No sludge under the sprue plate! Much better boolits! :shock:

Think I may be on to something, so I refilled the furnace. Should be about ready now. Eh, so what if it's after midnight, I've got some 'sperimentin' to do.....

[rondog]

Just went through another potful of melt with my "new technique".

Pouring slower with a thinner stream, holding the mold level instead of angled (for runoff), dipper only half full, and stopping when the cavities are full with small puddles on top and wow, results were amazing! I'm humbled. A corner has been turned.

I can hear y'all now, "well duh, ya been doin' it wrong!"

[OS OK]

So what do you think? Sprue plate got too hot?

[rondog]

So what do you think? Sprue plate got too hot?

Definitely too hot, but mainly pouring too much lead and too fast forced it under the sprue plate. I just didn't know better. I done lernt sumpthin'!

[Walter Laich]

When the molds get too hot also this will happen. Glad to were able to solve this. We all learn something new now and then no matter how much time we have invested in casting.

[rancher1913]

now if we can just convert you to a bottom pour pot [smilie=p:

[Mk42gunner]

now if we can just convert you to a bottom pour pot [smilie=p:

Bite your tongue:razz:. I get better boolits by using an RCBS dipper than by bottom pouring.

I actually do use both methods depending on what I am casting, it is just that I like dipping more.

Robert

[rondog]

Yeah, I don't really have any desire to change to a bottom pour pot or go to 6 bullet gang molds either. I'm good for now. As it is, I already make more ammo than I shoot, I could never use up what I already have stashed.

[gwpercle]

Yeah, I don't really have any desire to change to a bottom pour pot or go to 6 bullet gang molds either. I'm good for now. As it is, I already make more ammo than I shoot, I could never use up what I already have stashed.
You don't have to use a bottom pour. I listened to that , bought a bottom pour and made many boolits with that method ....the problem was most weren't well filled out...more rejects than I cared for. I want perfectly filled out boolits with all edges sharp...the bottom pour wasn't cutting it.
Magnum melter and Lyman ladel , pressure cast and leave a nice sprue puddle is what works for me. The bottom pour just sits there waiting for me to plug the hole and use it as an open top.
There are a lot of us open top ladle casters..... don't fall for the "you can only cast with a bottom pour pot " it just ain't so !

Gary

[runfiverun]

just different techniques.
you did learn something about head pressure from a liquid filling a cavity though.
to simulate what you just did with the ladle, when using the bottom pour, just turn down the flow rate.

[country gent]

On the big heavy for caliber bullets I cast 365 grn to 575 grn I use your original method and pour a full ladle into the mould letting excess run off ( I use a rowel 1 lb ladle even). I get better fillout and consistancy this way. I normally cast with a 100Lb pot propane fired as these bullets drain a 10 or 20 lb pot pretty quickly. I cast around 700* on the pot and run 2 2 cavity moulds together also. Ussually the 48s together and the 50s together then the 45s I mix in with the others when I need them. The first to are diffrent enough to easily tell them apart due to diffrent grease grooves on them. The big 45s are close enough that sorting becomes an issue. I have a 10 lb lyman dipper pot and while it works good Im waiting for lead to melt more than casting with these bullets. Alloy, alloy temp, mould temp all have an affect on this. I cast using the overfill method. Most of my sprue plates are now 1/4" thick and vented or grooved to allow this.

[RogerDat]

For what it is worth, when I think the mold needs a bit more heat I just let some extra run off the side of the mold to help it heat up. Rest of the time little puddles, but that is because I am sort of anal about pouring stuff :-)

[mdi]

I had one of them epippy things and the doctor said it would prolly go away by itself...

I tried "pressure pouring" (don't know what else to call it. Placed ladle spout in sprue plate cone and turned mold over.). I got flashing no matter what the temp., except a cold mold. I just kept the ladle spout away from the sprue plate, poutred with the mold level and made dime sized "puddles". Worked until I got a bottom pour pot...

Glad you figgered it out!

[EDG]

That was only one mold. Try another mold and see what happens.