insanelupus
09-18-2008, 07:01 PM
I just got started really doing any lead melting at the end of June. Since then, I've gone through several 5 gallon buckets of wheel weights and have already learned quite a bit. I used old candles for flux and melted all the weights in an old cast iron pot. I plan to melt the ingots in my new WAAGE, hoping to keep it clean. The cast iron pot was a little dirty at the end of things.
Seemed no matter how much I fluxed or stirred, crap kept floating to the top. I skimmed out most I could get (the dark chunks that were charred and the stuff that looked more like dirt, not the grey skim that was just oxidation), but I did learn when I was pouring ingots to keep the ladle off the bottom and sides to minimize any more junk in the melt than necessary. I also found several zinc weights, but thankfully my stove won't bring the temp much higher than about 675 on a warm day. Just right for lead, keeps zinc solid.
I found my RCBS ingots tended to weigh a bit more than a pound, usually averaging around 1 pound 3 ounces. Is this normal? I assume it is, perhaps I was filling the mold a bit full. Either way, I tried to make it the same on all of them and managed to some of the time.
I ended up with 409 clip on wheel weight ingots and 14 stick on wheel weight ingots which were shinier and I marked differently. At an average of 1 lb. 3 oz. apiece that equates to just over 502 pounds of lead to make bullets from this winter. That job is now done and the learning curve starts all over again with casting bullets.
I have several molds, 2 Lyman Lubesizers (I may rebuild them to start out with, haven't decided yet) and need to buy several sizing dies as well as ordering or making some top punches (I can't find the making your own top punch thread, but I know it's here somewhere). In the beginning, I have a cousin that wants to play around with the 358009 bullet mould I bought (it's never been used, brand new, single cavitiy in the newer gray/black box) so I may cast up some straight wheel weight stuff for him with a touch of tin thrown in if necessary. He wants them unlubed and unsized so he can do that step and try it out in his 35 WCF. At least I can practice casting!
Anyway, a few pictures to go along with the post.
http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j66/insanelupus/IMG_3234.jpg
My setup.
http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j66/insanelupus/IMG_3218.jpg
The beginning.
http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j66/insanelupus/IMG_3219.jpg
Just fluxed.
http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j66/insanelupus/IMG_3229.jpg
Some of the first ingots.
http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j66/insanelupus/IMG_3395.jpg
The end results. A new toy pile and plenty of practice fodder.
Seemed no matter how much I fluxed or stirred, crap kept floating to the top. I skimmed out most I could get (the dark chunks that were charred and the stuff that looked more like dirt, not the grey skim that was just oxidation), but I did learn when I was pouring ingots to keep the ladle off the bottom and sides to minimize any more junk in the melt than necessary. I also found several zinc weights, but thankfully my stove won't bring the temp much higher than about 675 on a warm day. Just right for lead, keeps zinc solid.
I found my RCBS ingots tended to weigh a bit more than a pound, usually averaging around 1 pound 3 ounces. Is this normal? I assume it is, perhaps I was filling the mold a bit full. Either way, I tried to make it the same on all of them and managed to some of the time.
I ended up with 409 clip on wheel weight ingots and 14 stick on wheel weight ingots which were shinier and I marked differently. At an average of 1 lb. 3 oz. apiece that equates to just over 502 pounds of lead to make bullets from this winter. That job is now done and the learning curve starts all over again with casting bullets.
I have several molds, 2 Lyman Lubesizers (I may rebuild them to start out with, haven't decided yet) and need to buy several sizing dies as well as ordering or making some top punches (I can't find the making your own top punch thread, but I know it's here somewhere). In the beginning, I have a cousin that wants to play around with the 358009 bullet mould I bought (it's never been used, brand new, single cavitiy in the newer gray/black box) so I may cast up some straight wheel weight stuff for him with a touch of tin thrown in if necessary. He wants them unlubed and unsized so he can do that step and try it out in his 35 WCF. At least I can practice casting!
Anyway, a few pictures to go along with the post.
http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j66/insanelupus/IMG_3234.jpg
My setup.
http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j66/insanelupus/IMG_3218.jpg
The beginning.
http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j66/insanelupus/IMG_3219.jpg
Just fluxed.
http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j66/insanelupus/IMG_3229.jpg
Some of the first ingots.
http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j66/insanelupus/IMG_3395.jpg
The end results. A new toy pile and plenty of practice fodder.