Felix, try my new casting method!

[44man]

I have tried all kinds of ways to get better and faster boolits including the wet rag thing and I think I found it. I get the mould to temperature in my mould oven so the first is usually perfect and maybe a little frosted. Then when I pour the next and for all the rest, I wait until the sprue just sets. Then I swing my arm and the mould exactly four times. This seems to be the perfect spot to cut the sprue. Every base is cut smooth with no tear out, no lead smears under the plate or on the mould. Every boolit is filled perfect and all are the same color. I just ran 20# without a single reject.
I think swinging the mould dissipates the heat added from the previous boolit, makes the mould the same temperature as the last pour and makes every boolit the same temperature when it hits the water. I have never had a nicer batch of boolits and I am no slouch at casting.
Make sure you have deodorant under your arm so your armpit doesn't get scuffed.
It is as fast as any method I have used and I didn't have to stop and clean anything. It went so smooth, I have to buy more deodorant! Pig grease under the arm might work.

[Bret4207]

Interesting, but don't try it with a 10 cavity H+G. You'll dislocate your shoulder on the first swing! Have you tried jsut waiting for the sprue to flash over and then counting to, say, 10 and seeing if it works the same?

[Dye]

44 man
What ambient temperature was you casting at?

Be carefull Dye

[nighthunter]

44Man .... where you once a conductor of the orchestra? Sometimes old habits die slowly. Maybe what you need is a fat lady that sings when it is time to cut the sprue. Definately would be easier on your arm. Unless you had to chew your arm off in the morning.
Nighthunter

[slughammer]

Have you ever casted and used a fan? No need to shake the mold in the air, just blow the air past it.

I use an 8" desk fan on my casting bench and a clock on the wall to control my casting rythm. Depending on the mold I run a cycle time of 15, 20 or 30 seconds between sprue cuts. I have a block in front of the fan and I hold the mold there for a few seconds until the clock says it's time to cut.

[Beau Cassidy]

Holding the mold out too high and swinging it fast for too long will get you a trip to see me to get your rotator cuff fixed. Other than that, it seems like a good methodical "method to the madness".

Beau

[44man]

I was running the Lee pot at 750. It also works for my double cavity by going to 800. Since I make my own, I don't have any 6 cavity ones.
I tried a fan but have to count. It seems as if swinging the mould cools down both sides instead of the top only. I have just counted to ten and cut but they keep changing because the mould gets hotter with each pour until they frost. Then I have to adjust the pot. Swinging seems to make things more even.

[Bucks Owin]

FWIW, frost is cool. Some guys will ONLY shoot frosted bullets. I think Paco Kelly is one example if memory serves....

Dennis

[44man]

I like them frosted also, but I usually get some not frosted too. When all are frosted I have to wait longer to cut the sprue so I just make them all just at the start of being frosted. They are the gray color, not shiny.
I tried another mould today and had to turn up the heat to 800 before it worked. I got more nice boolits. Looks like each mould will be a little different. This was a larger boolit. I had a few that the base didn't fill out. I found that the nut on the plate had tightened sealing the top so air wasn't getting out. My chamfer needs a swipe with the file too. I cured it by holding the ladle on the mould longer after loosening the plate back up. I haven't worked with this mould much. It's a 430 gr .475 GC. They be purdy though!

[LAH]

Sounds Vooodoooooooish.........be careful not to jinks the mould.

[44man]

Watcha gotta do some times, hex dem tings.

[rbstern]

"Hey, Doc, my elbow is a bit sore. Think I've got some tendenitis."

"Playing tennis lately?"

"Nope"

"Playing a few rounds of golf?"

"Nope"

"Watcha doing, then?"

"Casting bullets."

"Oh. You must be using that mold swinging technique that's all the rage these days."

"That's it! How'd you know?"

"Third case of lead elbow I've seen this week."

[44man]

Thats great!, my arm is getting longer already. Now I reach down and at least get one sock on. Have to switch arms now so I can tie my shoes.

[LAH]

Watcha gotta do some times, hex dem tings.



Gotta do what'a man gotta do. HEE HEE

[Bass Ackward]

Well .... for folks that don't know me I am always trying to experiment. I tried this method and added the twist of using my radio. Instead of rotationg my arm, I grabbed the misses for a little do-see-do.

And as my luck would have it, CRS took over and I lost track of what I was doing. Result, my wife's wearing an imprint of a 6 cavity LEE mold block on her posterior.

Bullets did come out nice though.

[44man]

HEE, HEE, Bass you're GREAT.
I started out to be serious but this has turned into more fun then I expected, thanks guys!
Dang, haven't heard from Joe yet---WHERE ARE YOU?

[HORNET]

44MAN,
Maybe Joe's holding his comments 'till the next family reunion, you being kin and all.
More relevant is that we haven't heard from Carpetman about juggling molds, cats, and sheep again.

[44man]

Joe won't admit to being kin when I get goofy ideas but I have a hunch he is off somewhere swinging his arm! I think he messed it up and can't type.

[Blacktail 8541]

These posts have brought tears to my eyes, great enjoyment!

[StarMetal]

44man,

Actually I've been off shooting the hell out of my 30 Lugers, all four of them, and also my SKS. The weather here is been just beautiful up in the high 70's all week and for the next week coming too...yahoo...better weather is here.

Joe

[44man]

I made a mistake taking my little dogs for a walk in the woods every day. Now they drive me nuts until I take them. Katherine needs to lose weight and is the reason I started. She's still fat and this is cutting into my gun stuff. They are so spoiled I have to take them for a ride every morning to see the deer.
At least you are shooting.

[StarMetal]

44man,

I walk my two german shepherd (elite stealth all black killers) around the perimeter of my seven acres everymorning...I NEED TO LOSE WEIGHT......[smilie=w:


Joe