First casting session(s); more lessons learned

[klausg]

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

[Dale53]

SSG Klaus;
After your mould is up to heat, just use your fingers to "twist" the sprue plate. This works increasingly harder depending on the number of cavities. I put the line at 4 (over four cavities I may use a hardwood stick for the sprue plate). I converted over to using my hand to twist the sprue plate instead of hitting it many years ago. There are TWO benefits, one is you definitely get better bases, and two, you take no chance on bending your sprue plate. Much more efficient for a third...

Dale53

[Buckshot]

................What good ole Dale failed to mention is that he does wear a glove while thuimbing over the sprueplate. I do that too with lead up to about WW. harder then that and it's a rat bast*rd to swing the plate. Guess I may be a *****.

........Klausg, you're a gonner dude. Don't let a little negative stuff bother you at first either. Like learning to ride a bike, after getting the hang of it it's worth it. BTW, if you have a 30 cal rifle, say 30-30, 308 etc those little 311252 are keeno over bitsy charges of Bullseye, Red Dot, W231 etc. I mean like 4.0grs & etc. They can do postage stamp sized groups at 25 yards.

But since it really isn't much more then a round ball with a lube groove and a flat base it fades away rather quickly. If you run a trap line, they're great for dispatching critters at close range with head shots.

So anyway pretty soon you'll be doing stuff with cast boolits that lesser beings would have never thought of, and sometimes can't figure out why YOU'RE doing it. Mainly you do the odd stuff (like the 311252 in a 30-06) because you simply can, and they CAN'T.

You'll need to begin working on your cast boolit shooters sneer of superiority as you are truly among the illuminati. Don't try and over do it at first or people might think it's simply gas. It will eventually come to you. While practicing if you dip, do not let any snoose dribble out the corner of your mouth as it has a detrimental effect on the overall sense of elan' you're trying to create.

..................Buckshot

[Dale53]

>>>What good ole Dale failed to mention is that he does wear a glove while thuimbing over the sprueplate. <<<

You dern better believe it! Welder's gloves, at that (also seen them labeled as "Fireplace Gloves".

Dale53

[Bigjohn]

>>>What good ole Dale failed to mention is that he does wear a glove while thuimbing over the sprueplate. <<<

You dern better believe it! Welder's gloves, at that (also seen them labeled as "Fireplace Gloves".

Dale53


Ouch ouch ouch ouch ouch NOW you tell me:kidding: Actually it pays to ensure that there is no holes in the thumb portion before you start.

I find that swinging the plate by hand can tell you a lot about how you are casting and it does cut cleaner.

John

[klausg]

Guys-

Thanks for the input, I think in my efforts to be humorous I wasn't exactly clear. I think my problem w/the sprue plate was that I had the screw too tight to begin with; I sort of had the stupid idea that a loose plate wouldn't work well. Any suggestions as to how to solve the sticking problem with those little .32's? Thanks again.

-SSG Klaus

[StarMetal]

Klaus,

By tightening a sprueplate screw, you can alot of time tip the plate. That's not good. When the screw is adjusted more losely the plate has some clearance to lie flat atop the blocks. Each has their own favorite adjustment, me I like mine just a tad loose.

Joe

[bruce drake]

Do you smoke your molds? Putting a layer of carbon in the mold cavity helps with the bullet release. Lyman's Moly Spray is a faster method tht costs a bit more than a couple of wooden matches but it works too.

Use a Wooden Sprue Cutter Whacker (A Wooden Tire Checker or 3/4" wooden dowel works Fine) instead of the Rubber mallet. I think the reason it is taking three whacks to open the sprue plate is that the rubber mallet rebounds more and doesn't transfer as much energy to the cutter bar.

For your PanLubing. Use an old 30-06 case opened up to your desired diameter (312 for 32s, 358 for your 357s) and take a dremel to cut a long squared U (make sure it is wide enough for your bullets to pop out) in the side of the cartridge case. Bend that U (tongue) down into the case itself. This will provide a sloped ramp that your pan lubed bullets will be slid along to exit your sizer. This way you can just punch, punch, punch and on the third punch into your pan your first bullet should pop out the top of the ramp. To save wear on your thumb, Drill a hole in a wooden handle to glue the cartridge case into. Now you'll have a pan cutter with a handle that ejects your lubed bullets and doesn't wear out your thumb.

Casting in the back of your truck, I assume you have a camper shell. Make sure you ventilate. I shouldn't have to warn you about lead vapors or smoke from fluxing. Open a few windows or keep the back open and cast off the tailgate so you don't have to squat like you had the Pusan Potato Soup.

Bruce

[powderburnerr]

For sticking bullets , rap the hinge pin on the moulb before opening it and if they still stick then rap the pivot again... Dean

[44man]

My friend, Joe, has it right. The plate has to be a perfect fit to have a tighter one. My home made moulds can have a tight plate but some of the factory moulds need a loose one or you will see light under them. Not good for even bases.
If you use a piece of wood to cut the sprue, DON'T cut with one huge whack. Make small taps until it is cut, this will make a nice cut instead of a tear.

[Pawpaw]

I use a piece of clothes-rod dowel as a sprue whacker. Mine is just exactly as long as the pot is tall. Makes it easy to put in the box when everything is cool.

After a long day of dealing with idiots, I like having something I can whack with impugnity. My lady is adamantly opposed to me whacking people and she has her own firearms, so whacking the sprue plate is good therapy.

Haven't bent a sprue plate yet.

[Bigjohn]

A good friend of mine who does more casting than me at the moment makes a special tool for opening the plate and tapping the hinge point (If a projectile sticks).

He casts a 3/4" diam. rod of bullet metal approximately 8" long. He then sets these into a sleeve of poly (Pipe).

When he strikes the plate he tilts the mold down and only needs a light swing with the weight plate striker.

John.