klausg
05-15-2006, 02:26 PM
Hey gang,
It's the rookie again; let me start this with I now know why you guys refer to this as an addiction, (not quite addicted yet, more like obsessed). I would also like to thank all of you @#%&'s for tying up all of my disposable income for the foreseeable future :mrgreen: . Anyway, I actually managed to produce some 'boolits' this weekend, and even had a fun time doing it. Along the same lines of my last thread, I'll try to brighten your dreary Monday with some of my mis-adventures, but please read carefully as I do have some questions interspersed in there.
DAY 1:
Beautiful day in AK, no hits on the bear bait, so I won't be sitting in the tree stand all evening. I load up the back of the pickup with all of the gear, I'm psyched. Got my blocks, (311252) mounted last night and we're gonna make some little .32's for the H&R.
1) The guys on this forum have way more experience than you. So when you read that your sprue plate should be loose enough to pretty much fall open on it's own, DON'T try to out-think the experts. It seems metal expands when it gets hot, DUH! Yes, my sprue plate is now tight as hell, it takes about 3 whacks w/ a rubber mallet to get it open, and I can't even close it by hand. I do have enough sense not to want to mess around with fine thread screws when they're that hot, so I continue; I'm CASTING.
2) Casting little .32's 2 at a time is tedious. 475/480- we need that group buy 32 TODAY!! I have got to get a six-banger for this caliber. On a serious note; I have a lot of trouble with those little suckers sticking in the mold; not sure if they're cooling down in the time it takes me to beat the sprue plate open or if I have problems elsewhere. Any suggestions out there?
3) Put a chair in the back of the pickup! Doing the kim-chee squat for 3 1/2 hours in the back of a pick-up is almost, but not quite, as much fun as being castrated with a rusty saw blade.
4) If you have more than one mould, you should have more than one set of handles.
DAY 2:
Another beautiful day; we're paying for them today as it is cloudy & cold now. I load up the PU; I've mounted my other blocks, (see #4 above), 358477. I've got a 5 gal bucket for a seat, padded with an old GI towel, my sprue plate is loose, let's hit it.
1) I have to get another chunk of scrap marine plywood. I keep one in the back of the pickup for use as a fileting board. Now that that one is covered in slag, lead splatters, etc. I don't think it'd be a good idea to filet a salmon on it anymore.
2) Everything goes much smoother when you follow the advice of the experts. Also casting 357's vs 32's is much more rewarding; the level of lead in the pot actually moves now.
3) Fresh lead splatter on your boots/Carhartt's is NOT a fashion statement; it is also a PITA to remove from your boots.
I would go into the joys I had pan lubing, but this is already too long. Suffice it to say that next on the to-buy list is a Lyman 450/4500, and my thumb is still numb. I also tried Lee's liquid, "frog snot", not sure who's term I'm quoting, but it's a good description; I didn't like the stuff. I managed to produce 358 for the .32 and around 350 of the .357. Take care.
-SSG Klaus
It's the rookie again; let me start this with I now know why you guys refer to this as an addiction, (not quite addicted yet, more like obsessed). I would also like to thank all of you @#%&'s for tying up all of my disposable income for the foreseeable future :mrgreen: . Anyway, I actually managed to produce some 'boolits' this weekend, and even had a fun time doing it. Along the same lines of my last thread, I'll try to brighten your dreary Monday with some of my mis-adventures, but please read carefully as I do have some questions interspersed in there.
DAY 1:
Beautiful day in AK, no hits on the bear bait, so I won't be sitting in the tree stand all evening. I load up the back of the pickup with all of the gear, I'm psyched. Got my blocks, (311252) mounted last night and we're gonna make some little .32's for the H&R.
1) The guys on this forum have way more experience than you. So when you read that your sprue plate should be loose enough to pretty much fall open on it's own, DON'T try to out-think the experts. It seems metal expands when it gets hot, DUH! Yes, my sprue plate is now tight as hell, it takes about 3 whacks w/ a rubber mallet to get it open, and I can't even close it by hand. I do have enough sense not to want to mess around with fine thread screws when they're that hot, so I continue; I'm CASTING.
2) Casting little .32's 2 at a time is tedious. 475/480- we need that group buy 32 TODAY!! I have got to get a six-banger for this caliber. On a serious note; I have a lot of trouble with those little suckers sticking in the mold; not sure if they're cooling down in the time it takes me to beat the sprue plate open or if I have problems elsewhere. Any suggestions out there?
3) Put a chair in the back of the pickup! Doing the kim-chee squat for 3 1/2 hours in the back of a pick-up is almost, but not quite, as much fun as being castrated with a rusty saw blade.
4) If you have more than one mould, you should have more than one set of handles.
DAY 2:
Another beautiful day; we're paying for them today as it is cloudy & cold now. I load up the PU; I've mounted my other blocks, (see #4 above), 358477. I've got a 5 gal bucket for a seat, padded with an old GI towel, my sprue plate is loose, let's hit it.
1) I have to get another chunk of scrap marine plywood. I keep one in the back of the pickup for use as a fileting board. Now that that one is covered in slag, lead splatters, etc. I don't think it'd be a good idea to filet a salmon on it anymore.
2) Everything goes much smoother when you follow the advice of the experts. Also casting 357's vs 32's is much more rewarding; the level of lead in the pot actually moves now.
3) Fresh lead splatter on your boots/Carhartt's is NOT a fashion statement; it is also a PITA to remove from your boots.
I would go into the joys I had pan lubing, but this is already too long. Suffice it to say that next on the to-buy list is a Lyman 450/4500, and my thumb is still numb. I also tried Lee's liquid, "frog snot", not sure who's term I'm quoting, but it's a good description; I didn't like the stuff. I managed to produce 358 for the .32 and around 350 of the .357. Take care.
-SSG Klaus