docone31
10-20-2008, 02:07 PM
I just got done with one of the smoothest casting days I have ever had!!!!!
First of all, I got to meet one of us through private message. Great guy! Second, everything went flawlessly! I mean, four rejects out of about 200 castings.
I bumped the heat on the pot up a notch, let the mold sit in the lead longer than usual, and had a smooth relaxing, except for cramped hands, casting day.
I use the Lee bottom pour 20lb pot, and Lee molds. I just love em.
I let my mold sit in the pot untill the lead rolls off the mold.
I can just push the sprue plate, dump the sprues back in the pot, open the mold, turn it sideways, close the plate and do it again.
Now, I paper patch. I size my .312 castings down to .308 so I am not concerned with rounded lube lands. They are gone after sizing.
I even mixed some zinc in the melt just to see the results.
Great castings! I had the pot cranked up, with kitty litter on top.
No drips, no plugged outlet, no crud in the pour.
It was just a great day!!
Now I got some wrapping to do.
The only critique I have on my molds.
The sprue plate has a provision to open it with a 1" dowel, but no provision to close it with the dowel. That is where the cramps came from.
Just a little hook in the plate opposite the angled cut and it would work like lubed roller bearings.
It could not have gone smoother.
I made some castings with machine screw nuts on the sprue for polishing later. I plan on using 1200 grit lapping compound and my nut driver. I poured through the nuts and let them freeze.
My way of LeeMenting.
A great day of casting.
First of all, I got to meet one of us through private message. Great guy! Second, everything went flawlessly! I mean, four rejects out of about 200 castings.
I bumped the heat on the pot up a notch, let the mold sit in the lead longer than usual, and had a smooth relaxing, except for cramped hands, casting day.
I use the Lee bottom pour 20lb pot, and Lee molds. I just love em.
I let my mold sit in the pot untill the lead rolls off the mold.
I can just push the sprue plate, dump the sprues back in the pot, open the mold, turn it sideways, close the plate and do it again.
Now, I paper patch. I size my .312 castings down to .308 so I am not concerned with rounded lube lands. They are gone after sizing.
I even mixed some zinc in the melt just to see the results.
Great castings! I had the pot cranked up, with kitty litter on top.
No drips, no plugged outlet, no crud in the pour.
It was just a great day!!
Now I got some wrapping to do.
The only critique I have on my molds.
The sprue plate has a provision to open it with a 1" dowel, but no provision to close it with the dowel. That is where the cramps came from.
Just a little hook in the plate opposite the angled cut and it would work like lubed roller bearings.
It could not have gone smoother.
I made some castings with machine screw nuts on the sprue for polishing later. I plan on using 1200 grit lapping compound and my nut driver. I poured through the nuts and let them freeze.
My way of LeeMenting.
A great day of casting.