Dadgummit, no place to cast

[armoredman]

Divorce causes many things, one being I moved out into a place with no place to cast. My Lee pot sits cold and alone in a box, because last time I checked it's kinda dumb to fire it up inside a house. The person I am renting a room from is open to building something in the yard to use for casting/reloading/etc. What recommendations do you have for a spot? She was thinking using cement tiles rather than pour a pad in place, and I don't know enough about that to say yay or nay. Thoughts?

[358429]

Sounds like you need a folding workbench.
Less than 50$ from the harbor freight. Sturdy enough to jump on it.https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20210802/40582755620b5600b6cc3805dbb20d58.jpg

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[GregLaROCHE]

As long as the weather is good, casting outside is what I prefer. A pad made out of the cement tiles you mentioned would be a plus. You probably should put some sort of a barrier down first, to keep grass from growing up between them.

[slim1836]

Pick your spot, get that HF little bench, a 10x10 sun shade, extension chord, and Git-R-Done.

Slim

[armoredman]

Sounds like a plan right there. :D

[GregLaROCHE]

A good point not to forget the sun shade.

[charlie b]

Az City? I'd get shade first :) Grew up in Phx and won't ever live there again :)

I'd go with the tiles too. Soak the area with some bug stuff, the carpenter ant termite mix. Use a lot and just let it soak in. Then put in a good weed barrier, sand layer, a bit more bug stuff (can you tell I hate bugs :) ), and then the tiles. If you take the time to make it large enough and level then putting up a shelter is easier.

Since air conditioning is out :) then just shade will work. I'd also put up some shade on the west side There are some cloth shade awnings made that work really nice. You can crank them up when not needed. I have two on the patio and they have survived winds that have taken shingles off the roof.

[Thumbcocker]

Any place you can put down a half sheet of plywood will work.

[ebb]

A shed on skids that can hold all your gear and can be moved if you need to.

[blackthorn]

The best weed barrier is to use old carpet underlay. Works under decorative crushed rock areas way better than that black cloth stuff sold for the purpose.

[mdi]

Any place that provides shade and a solid place to stand a bench, table, etc. on. I have cast sinkers sitting on a concrete driveway and in the dirt in the back yard sitting on a stump. I prefer to cast where neighbors won't see me.

[fredj338]

If you are going to move it in & out, just get a folding workmate, throw some alum foil over it & put the pot down & start casting. It doesnt take a lot of room. A wooden potting bench works too, doesnt look terrible in the yard & you just need a plug.

[armoredman]

Az City? I'd get shade first :) Grew up in Phx and won't ever live there again :)

I'd go with the tiles too. Soak the area with some bug stuff, the carpenter ant termite mix. Use a lot and just let it soak in. Then put in a good weed barrier, sand layer, a bit more bug stuff (can you tell I hate bugs :) ), and then the tiles. If you take the time to make it large enough and level then putting up a shelter is easier.

Since air conditioning is out :) then just shade will work. I'd also put up some shade on the west side There are some cloth shade awnings made that work really nice. You can crank them up when not needed. I have two on the patio and they have survived winds that have taken shingles off the roof.

Just moved to Casa Grande, but not that far away from that little dumphole of a town. I will look into that. There are plenty of ant nests around, too - red ants.

[charlie b]

Out in the boonies or in town? If I had to live in the valley area I'd get closer to Tucson. But, jobs tend to dictate location.

Ants, yep. They are hard to get rid of completely, but, Amdro granules seem to work best on them for me. There are others that work, just pick one.

I'd just hate to cast bullets outside in that entire corridor. I'd probably wait until Nov and then start casting non-stop until March. :)

Is your name from Army life?

[Mal Paso]

I remember a time when I figured out bathroom had the best ventilation. I think it was raining with nothing else to do. I put plywood across the tub, put the Lee 4-20 on that, sat on the toilet lid and cast away.

[armoredman]

Out in the boonies or in town? If I had to live in the valley area I'd get closer to Tucson. But, jobs tend to dictate location.

Ants, yep. They are hard to get rid of completely, but, Amdro granules seem to work best on them for me. There are others that work, just pick one.

I'd just hate to cast bullets outside in that entire corridor. I'd probably wait until Nov and then start casting non-stop until March. :)

Is your name from Army life?

No, did armored trucking for 8.5 years, just kind of stuck. Was Navy way back in the day. Sort of in town, but nice large lot, back yard I can set up in. I'll look for those granules - the ants are a pain. I agree - casting out front where passers by can see it, not a real good idea. :D

[armoredman]

I remember a time when I figured out bathroom had the best ventilation. I think it was raining with nothing else to do. I put plywood across the tub, put the Lee 4-20 on that, sat on the toilet lid and cast away.

I think the person that owns the house might REALLY flip out...but what an interesting idea.

[charlie b]

No, did armored trucking for 8.5 years, just kind of stuck. Was Navy way back in the day. Sort of in town, but nice large lot, back yard I can set up in. I'll look for those granules - the ants are a pain. I agree - casting out front where passers by can see it, not a real good idea. :D

Makes sense. I was in tanks many years ago. Wife's dad was Navy, diesel subs. Son was Coast Guard.

The first casting I did with a friend many decades ago was in an apartment in Germany. We put a thin sheet of ply on the oven and turned on the hood fan. Would not do that again :) Bathroom sounds like a workaround....if there is no one to yell at you for it :)

[mdi]

One good place indoors and what I did a few times is on top of the kitchen stove. Range hood/vent provides good ventilation and there's nothing to burn. Small spills are eazy to clean off the porcelain. Of corse I was done and cleaned up before Ma got home...

[gwpercle]

Two or three old cookie sheets or other flat metal pans on top of stove protects it and makes clean up a breeze ... Vented exhaust hood with light is great , open a window and you have good ventilation .
If it's ok with LOH (lady of the house) .
Lee Hand Press and small folding table ... I been reloading all my handgun and cast rifle ammo with this set up for the last 5 years ... beats sitting out in the hot humidity of my un a/c reloading building Seven Ways To Sunday .
Keep reloading stuff in a Gym bag , folding table behind door ...
Get creative ... where there's a will ... there's a way ... think about it !
Gary

[Edward]

Not for the intended purpose HOT LEAD spilled will stink and the lead lost , you folks are over thinking this . A cheap canopy and dirt floor minus the boulders (no tripping) and your done .Cast till your tired of it ,let stuff cool down and put it back from where you got it :bigsmyl2:

[fredj338]

Casting on the stove top isnt q good idea. Even with good ventilation, breaking the mold open leaves tiny lead particle & those arent good eats around the kitchen.
If there is any patio/yard space, just move it outside on a portable bench top. I cast in apts for years like that before my 1st house. Now its all in the garage.

[farmbif]

big back yard.
nothing wrong with casting on a picnic table with Coleman stove. or even a sheet of plywood on a couple saw horses.

[dondiego]

I have read a couple of posts saying it is bad to let the neighbors see you casting in your yard, on your private property. Not sure why that is a problem for you.....???????!!!!!

[gwpercle]

Some say ... don't cast outdoors ... they might see you !

Some say don't cast Indoors .. the Lead will get in your food and kill you !

I say do it the way you want to ... I've done it all and still healthy ... People just like to rain on others parades ... must make them feel good .

Exhaust Fan over a stove in the kitchen ... In the back yard where you can be seen ...
It don't matter , pick a place and go for it .

Both my Mother (when I lived at home) and My wife ( now I'm married) didn't have a problem with my stove top casting ... I was nervous about hot lead dropping on the VCT tile floor ... also the fluxing with wood shavings and beeswax put off a good bit of smoke ... So , outside in garage / reloading building was better for the smoke & smell reason .
I can't believe my Mom ( she's gone on now) and wife put up with some of the stuff I did in their kitchens ... they both must really Love me .
Gary

[armoredman]

Stove is new. Like delivered and installed two weeks ago new. Range hood hasn't even arrived to be installed yet. She would NOT be amused. :D But I like the idea!
Back yard is out of sight of everyone, but no cord to run to the pot. Not a real problem - I can figure something out. I think number one is getting the folding table, because if the morning it is, (relatively), cool and the shade from the house covers a big foot print. I could be back there for a few hours before the sun hits it. But I never have been able to go longer than about an hour before my back cries FOUL and I'm done. The FRONT yard, now THAT one can be seen by everyone driving by. That would not be where I would cast.
That whole bathtub idea keeps nagging me -0 just replaced the exhaust fans in both bathroom sand the second bathroom has a REALLY old ugly cheap tub...I don't think anyone would even notice a scorch mark or five...

[armoredman]

I have read a couple of posts saying it is bad to let the neighbors see you casting in your yard, on your private property. Not sure why that is a problem for you.....???????!!!!!

We don't like to let the people driving think by that someone owns guns here, HOWEVER, most common criminals don't have the foggiest idea what a bullet casting setup even looks like, much less the ability to make the mental jump to connect them, I am guessing.

[charlie b]

I cast in my garage usually with the door open to let out all the smoke from the flux. There is probably no one in my entire neighborhood who would know a casting setup if they saw it. I think I'd get more comments from the smoke or smell than casting.

I am also one of those 'grumpy old men' who will just grumble if someone says hi to me. :)

[farmbif]

about casting in the driveway or front yard, I seriously doubt very many people would even look twice at you and how the heck would they know what your doing but I have lived in neighborhood with nosy neighbors, if anyone asks just tell em your making fishing sinkers. when it comes to general public or for that matter even general gun owner population, when it comes right down to it how many know much anything about bullet casting or how many actually do it.
there were what something like 20 or 30 million guns sold in US last year., Pretty much anyone who seriously wants to cast their own or is an avid caster probably is registered on this web site. and there are what like just over 50,000 of us, a small drop in the bucket compared to how many legal gun owners there are.
no matter what way you decide to go with your casting bench I hope it works out well for you, there have been lots of good suggestions here.
when I lived in suburbs and was wanting to do bullet casting or ingot casting session out in front of garage I just used a 1/2 sheet of 3/4 plywood on a pair of saw horses and kept another 1/2 sheet nearby to cover everything up with in case of rain or wanting to take a break from it without putting everything away.
once I did my smokey fluxing and cleaning of sometimes very nasty raw alloys or even wheel weights with asphalt imbedded in it to make ingots I had more options where I could do bullet casting.

[358429]

The picture with the Coleman stove is from a couple months ago.

All the other pictures are from last night.https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20210805/02146e4fdab2b181ec394d5e73f914f8.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20210805/01cfc89bd6d3e9d35bc8e9af28dca961.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20210805/ffe87e926f9cb8ccba69aa85c2472c33.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20210805/77dae2aff2cea63505ead781d99f5cd9.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20210805/ff099311b8ec24aafebd28ea43baa63d.jpg

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[armoredman]

NICE!:lovebooli

[Bashby]

I smelt on the back of a trailer in the driveway. I have a piece of Hardy board like you use under tile floor I lay down, it’s fire proof and keeps the ingots from charring the trailer deck. The driveway slopes down so I use the trailer jack to level it out.

Tried to upload photo from my phone..

[Drew P]

I just bought a cube van and guess what? I’m setting it up as a mobile work station/casting pod! It’s 14’x8’ of dry insulated space that I can just turn a key and drive and also because it’s a white commercial van, it’s practically invisible in the street. People don’t think twice about a moving van parked for long time, where an RV would stick out like a sore thumb. Just a thought. It was 1000$

[dondiego]

We don't like to let the people driving think by that someone owns guns here, HOWEVER, most common criminals don't have the foggiest idea what a bullet casting setup even looks like, much less the ability to make the mental jump to connect them, I am guessing.

Got it. I also seem to have read that you were renting and that can change things too.

[dondiego]

We don't like to let the people driving think by that someone owns guns here, HOWEVER, most common criminals don't have the foggiest idea what a bullet casting setup even looks like, much less the ability to make the mental jump to connect them, I am guessing.

Got it. I also seem to have read that you were renting and that can change things too.

[Drew P]

287113

Here’s my new casting shed. Insulated, 112sq/ft invisible commercial duty dry and covert

[The Dar]

287113

Here’s my new casting shed. Insulated, 112sq/ft invisible commercial duty dry and covert

I like your way of thinking. Sweeeeeeeeet.