Dahak
02-27-2022, 06:43 PM
Hopefully someone who is on the fence about casting will read this and take the leap and join us. I say us because I have my first boolits made and waiting to powder coat and then size.
My first thread was here: https://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?437632-Time-spent-melting-and-then-casting
I got a lot of great information that encouraged me to jusr jump in.
I now have an RCBS Pro Melt 2, a Lee 358-158-RF 38 6 cavity mold, and a dial thermometer capable of handling casting temperatures. Here's what I learned:
1. You can't trust 1 thermometer. My RCBS unit's built in PID (on-board digital thermometer is how I understand it) is mis-calibrated. 850 on the PID is about 710 in reality. It took the second thermometer for me to trust my barely educated instinct that the temp was wrong. I'll be calling RCBS to see what can be done to reset the PID.
2. Failed boolits go back into the pot. There is no cost other than time to failing.
3. Preheat your mold. In case this was unclear, PREHEAT YOUR MOLD. 2 minutes on top of the pot before pouring does not count. Unless you like remelting your first 50 or so bullets per session, preheat your mold. I was getting really discouraged that my 3rd session was going to be a total failure and then I got the mold to temp. The skies parted, birds sang and pretty, pretty boolits started to appear and then they kept coming by the hundreds.
4. Pots like being at least half full. The pour and temp consistency was a lot better with 10 pounds of alloy than 5.
There are several other things that I did right, like doing prep work on the mold before using, researching my alloy, ventilation and PPE, but I learned those in advance from research, the above is what I learned the hard way. I'm sure the info was already out there, I'm sure that I read it, but for whatever reason, some things just don't stick until experience serves up the lesson. Hopefully others will be able to learn at least these lessons the easy way.
I'm sure more mistakes and learning are coming my way, but I'm hooked. To the forum regulars who have contributed to my prior thread and all the threads I read as research before getting started, thanks!
My first thread was here: https://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?437632-Time-spent-melting-and-then-casting
I got a lot of great information that encouraged me to jusr jump in.
I now have an RCBS Pro Melt 2, a Lee 358-158-RF 38 6 cavity mold, and a dial thermometer capable of handling casting temperatures. Here's what I learned:
1. You can't trust 1 thermometer. My RCBS unit's built in PID (on-board digital thermometer is how I understand it) is mis-calibrated. 850 on the PID is about 710 in reality. It took the second thermometer for me to trust my barely educated instinct that the temp was wrong. I'll be calling RCBS to see what can be done to reset the PID.
2. Failed boolits go back into the pot. There is no cost other than time to failing.
3. Preheat your mold. In case this was unclear, PREHEAT YOUR MOLD. 2 minutes on top of the pot before pouring does not count. Unless you like remelting your first 50 or so bullets per session, preheat your mold. I was getting really discouraged that my 3rd session was going to be a total failure and then I got the mold to temp. The skies parted, birds sang and pretty, pretty boolits started to appear and then they kept coming by the hundreds.
4. Pots like being at least half full. The pour and temp consistency was a lot better with 10 pounds of alloy than 5.
There are several other things that I did right, like doing prep work on the mold before using, researching my alloy, ventilation and PPE, but I learned those in advance from research, the above is what I learned the hard way. I'm sure the info was already out there, I'm sure that I read it, but for whatever reason, some things just don't stick until experience serves up the lesson. Hopefully others will be able to learn at least these lessons the easy way.
I'm sure more mistakes and learning are coming my way, but I'm hooked. To the forum regulars who have contributed to my prior thread and all the threads I read as research before getting started, thanks!