i cast my first boolits tonight !

[superior]

I couldn't resist the temptation to cast some quick boolits before the wife got home. I just wanted to see how easy or difficult it was gonna be. My Lee TL.401-175-swc mold worked great. I washed it with dish soap and a bottle brush, rinsing it in very hot water. Out in the garage(with the doors open) my coleman stove, pot, ladle,candle, pliers, wooden dowel and mold were ready. I followed the simple insructions and lubed the mold. I quickly dropped 8 perfect slightly frosty boolits, then the wife pulled in. She didnt say much when she saw what I was doing and didn't even seem to mind the smelly candlewax fluxing. I shut the stove down and brought in my 8 PERFECT boolits. The lla is drying on them now and I'm sure I'll be making some more tomorrow. Cant wait to load'em up. That mold was incredibly easy to use and get perfect bullets on the first cast! I was fluxing periodically with candle wax and the first time I did it the smoke ignited from the camp stove scaring the crap out of me lol ! From then on I was hoping it would ignite! I had a blast casting my first few boolits and I can tell this is just the beginning of a life long hobby.:-D

[Sprue]

Good for you and Congrats.

When I'm fluxing if the smoke doesn't ignite itself, I light it with a lighter. Cuts down on the amount of smoke.

:drinks:

[copdills]

Welcome to the Brotherhood

[missionary5155]

Good morning
Yaaaaaaaa Hoooooooooooo Welcome to the world of Independent Accuracy ! Just stock up on primers and powder before some one else buys them all.
50+ years ago my dad was casting with his police friend and shooting on the dunes around Benton Harbor Mich. I got my first lead burn in 1955... dumb kid playing with a hot pot while my dad was looking for something ... but that all got me strarted and no looking back at.

[Tom W.]

Welcome to the DARK SIDE !!!!!

[ddeaton]

Wow, I wonder if there is a cure? This seems to be spreading. I just started myself. Welcome

[skeet1]

Superior,
About 30+ years ago a friend in Minnesota who had the decease showed me how to cast using a Coleman stove just like you did. I didn't realize at the time that he was infecting me with the incurable. He sold me the mould that I was using that day a single Lyman 357446 that I still use. I hope that you will enjoy casting as much as I have.

Skeet1

[Echo]

I can really imagine the big grin you displayed! Ain't it great!?!

[buck1]

I pitch a match on top when I flux.

[georgeld]

I've gotten where I don't do a thing with new molds other than make sure they're hot to start with, no washing, smoking or anything else and they drop 'em all easy unless there's a burr. Then I just rub a stick of wood along the edge and that fixes that problem.

For flux, I've gone to Midways brand of powdered flux, works great and no smoke, nor fire. As I cast, just drop the sprues back in so most of the time I don't even stir the melt much as that seems to do it enough.

I've also gone to Lee's six cavities for everything they make 'em for that fit my needs. Keep a couple extra ingots on the rim to preheat so the water is evaporated out of them to prevent rapid cooling and explosions.

Also, if you don't have one yet, get a lead thermometer and keep it in the melt as you work. Don't waste your time casting when it gets less than 700 and you'll seldom have a reject.

Good luck and have a happy life now! Welcome to the club too.

[dk17hmr]

Thats how I started out a few years ago, about 20 pounds of lead, 1 Lee 9mm mold, coleman stove, old hammer handle, small lead pot, and a dipper. I also lubed everything with LLA and sized with Lee sizer. Now I have a bottom pour 25+ molds, 2 luber/sizers, with about 600 pounds of lead stocked up.

No turning back now.

[cajun shooter]

Georgeld, If you are talking about using Magaflux, be careful as this stuff really attracts moisture. I rusted up two pots before I found out what was doing it. I now use the flux sold by one of our forum members and love to smell that wood doing it's job. Oh and no more rusted pots. We do have humidity in Louisiana.

[dukenukum]

You have been assimilated resistance is futile you will cast more to shoot more . :brokenima :twisted:

[putteral]

Like you superior I too cast my first batch of boolits on Christmas day. Lee double cavity 200 SWC in .45. Same as you I did mine on a Coleman stove, 4 qt cast pot I got in a garage sale for $5, picked up 100lbs of wheel weights for .40 per pound. Followed the directions on the mould as you did. Could not believe how easy it is to make boolits. Made 285 first time out and only had 2 rejects. I'm hooked!!!!. Hope I can keep finding a supply of wheel weights.

[copdills]

Welcome to the forum too, putteral and welcome to the brotherhood of the silver stream

[RayinNH]

Superior, good for you although you will need to up your daily output :wink:...Ray

[GP100man]

now it begins!!!!!!!
don`t even look for a cure & withdrawals are tuff to , i suffered em for bout 7yrs .
then got the pot & molds back out , all is better now!!!!!!

GP100man:castmine: