nickf829
02-25-2010, 12:20 PM
Just a new guy from NW Virginia checking in
I just found your site recently and have been overwelmed ever since. Tons of great info. In the past week I have started and I'm thinking finished collecting everything I need to start casting. I'll be casting 230gr .45acp RN and 125gr 9mm RN to start with. Here is my list of what I have so far, is there anything else I will need to do my first smelting this weekend:
Turkey fryer - used - free from aunt
Propane tank - already had
Dutch oven - used - free from aunt
Dutch oven - used - $10 from flea market (bought prior to getting freebies)
Lee Pro 4-20 - new
Lee TL-452-230-2r 6 cavity & handles - new
Lee 365-125-2r 6 cavity & handles - new
Frankford Drop Out
Frankford Clean Cast fluxing
Lee Ladle
A few stainless condiment cups to make ingots
Half a 5gal bucket of wheel weights
Anything else you can think of? I will eventually need a few other things I'm sure, but for my trial run, I'm thinking I might have enough
I plan just to smelt the 60-80lbs of wheel weights that I have now, and see how that goes. I probably wont do any casting right now. I think this is more of the learning stage and I think smelting is a great way to start.
I have a few generic questions that I'm sure I could find with the search, but I'll throw them in just in case:
1. After I start casting some respectable bullets, I would like to cast quite a few at once. I don't have a lube/sizer yet(my .45s will need to be sized to .451). If I cast my bullets now, will it be OK to wait to lube/size until next month when I get my lube/sizer? I know the lead will harden after a few days, so I wasn't sure if it was best to size within the first few days, or if its ok to wait a few weeks.
2. As far as bullets that don't need to be sized, is something like Lee Liquid Alox suitable to coat these. I only ask because when you buy cast bullets around here, they all have a thick blue gunk type of lube in the grooves and didn't know if I needed something like that instead of just the Liquid Alox. I assume the blue gunk lube on the store bought cast bullets is lube from being sized, am I correct?
Thanks for all the information and any input you can give on my situation. I can't wait for this weekend to get out and do some smelting.
I just found your site recently and have been overwelmed ever since. Tons of great info. In the past week I have started and I'm thinking finished collecting everything I need to start casting. I'll be casting 230gr .45acp RN and 125gr 9mm RN to start with. Here is my list of what I have so far, is there anything else I will need to do my first smelting this weekend:
Turkey fryer - used - free from aunt
Propane tank - already had
Dutch oven - used - free from aunt
Dutch oven - used - $10 from flea market (bought prior to getting freebies)
Lee Pro 4-20 - new
Lee TL-452-230-2r 6 cavity & handles - new
Lee 365-125-2r 6 cavity & handles - new
Frankford Drop Out
Frankford Clean Cast fluxing
Lee Ladle
A few stainless condiment cups to make ingots
Half a 5gal bucket of wheel weights
Anything else you can think of? I will eventually need a few other things I'm sure, but for my trial run, I'm thinking I might have enough
I plan just to smelt the 60-80lbs of wheel weights that I have now, and see how that goes. I probably wont do any casting right now. I think this is more of the learning stage and I think smelting is a great way to start.
I have a few generic questions that I'm sure I could find with the search, but I'll throw them in just in case:
1. After I start casting some respectable bullets, I would like to cast quite a few at once. I don't have a lube/sizer yet(my .45s will need to be sized to .451). If I cast my bullets now, will it be OK to wait to lube/size until next month when I get my lube/sizer? I know the lead will harden after a few days, so I wasn't sure if it was best to size within the first few days, or if its ok to wait a few weeks.
2. As far as bullets that don't need to be sized, is something like Lee Liquid Alox suitable to coat these. I only ask because when you buy cast bullets around here, they all have a thick blue gunk type of lube in the grooves and didn't know if I needed something like that instead of just the Liquid Alox. I assume the blue gunk lube on the store bought cast bullets is lube from being sized, am I correct?
Thanks for all the information and any input you can give on my situation. I can't wait for this weekend to get out and do some smelting.