How cold is too cold?

[pharmpoke]

OK, the WW are smelted into nice clean ingots (about 400 lbs), the furnace & molds(rcbs 44 & 38 SWC) have arrived and been cleaned up, I've read all the books and posts I can, and I'm ready to start casting. Problem is, the temperature hasn't been above 30 degrees in 3 weeks; might make it to 32 degrees today. I have no sufficient ventilation in the house, so it will have to happen in the garage with doors open, or out on the back patio. Will the mold temperature stay consistent enough, will the 10lb Lee furnace be able to keep the lead hot enough-- can I make good bullets at this temperature, or will I just get frustrated? Also, I've read about water quenching which I don't want to do because I intend to hunt with these bullets, but is this air so cold that the bullets might harden just being air cooled?

[44man]

I cast in my unheated garage no matter what it is outside. No problems.

[BABore]

The last few times I casted in the garage, in front of the wide open door, it was between -10 and 0 F. Without the windchill. Tis why I like ladle casting over a turkey fryer burner. Hell, 32 F would be great. Almost "shorts" weather.

[snaggdit]

I make my ingots outside on a turkey fryer, which is where you get all the strong odor. Then, once I have ingots, I cast in my garage. Very little odor at all (really the only time I smell anything is when I flux). It has started to get above 0 again here... Enjoy the 30 degrees! :-)

[BABore]

Also, I've read about water quenching which I don't want to do because I intend to hunt with these bullets, but is this air so cold that the bullets might harden just being air cooled?

Alloy for the hardness that shoots well in your gun first. Don't fret too much about the hardness of your hunting boolit. Accuracy first. A very hard boolit (WDWW's) is fine if the meplat is adequate. If you want hard and expansion, alloy your WW's with 50% PB, and then water drop them. They will come out at 18-22 Bhn and will expand well at magnum handgun and rifle velocities. This alloy is more malleable than WW's do to the lower antimony level. Less likely to fragment too.

I've only had AC'd boolits harden some if they were dropped onto a wet/damp towel. Dry towel is no problem. Remember, WD'd or OHT'd boolits take 1 to 2 weeks to get fully hard and consistent. The "consistent" part is what will get you on load workups and accuracy testing. Old boolits are a good thing.

[home in oz]

Should be fine. Been there done that myself. Just ensure mold is prepped and you have the mold hot enought or you will have lots of "wrinkly" boolits.

[fourarmed]

The coldest weather I have cast in was about 15 above. I was casting the 500 gr. Lyman Gov't boolit in a single cavity mould. Nearly every one came out with a porous surface. Never saw that any other time. I went ahead and loaded them, and they shot normally.

[kodiak1]

40 Below with any kind of wind is to damn cold!!!!!!!!!!!!!
39 Below is tolerable but definetly on the chilly side.
Actually I don't cast much after 10 below.
Ken.

[HeavyMetal]

I was gonna complain the temp here hasn't been above 54 degrees in the morning......but I don't think I will.

I would give it a try, lots of heat comes off the turkey fryers but if your using an electric pot you may end up getting a porpane heater that attaches to a bar b que tank to heat your garage.

Kind of curious how that will work out so keep us posted OK?

[pharmpoke]

Report is in- 20degrees isn't too cold to cast some nice (I think) boolits. Feet got a little cold and the mold got a little hot. Now if I can get this sizing/lubing thing figured out so it's a little less messy I think I may actually be a real boolit guy.