Talk to me about bringing moulds to temp

[JesseCJC]

I didn't have any problems bringing a Lee 2 cavity up to temp by resting it on the 20lb pot as the alloy got to temp, after about 3/4 drops the boolits were no longer full of waves and the mould was up to temp and started dropping nice boolits. Well, fast forward to trying out a 6 cavity and my new Miha .452 cramer and I can't get these up to temp to save my life. I guess the brass mould in the Miha takes a lot more heat to bring up to temp and I resorted to dunking a bit in the alloy which obviously got it too hot so my boolits came out nice and frosty for a bit. With the 6 cavity, I also seem to have bad luck bringing it up to temp. Is a hot plate advised here for the larger moulds and the brass moulds? Am I just not letting it rest on the pot for long enough?

Thanks!

[MT Gianni]

For a 6 cavity I dip the end in for 2 minutes, then cast the further est hole for 2 pours. I then add a hole every 2-3 pours until warm. For smaller boolits i would go slower to add a hole maybe 3-4 pours. No experience with brass molds.

[RobS]

I use a hotplate to preheat all my molds............it is easier for me, it is more consistent as you can control how hot you make the mold prior to casting, it heats the entire mold, and you can set your hotplate to different settings for different molds. I vote for a hot plate as I never liked dipping the mold into the molten alloy as I feel it heats up the mold too quickly.

[grumman581]

When you use a hotplate, do you just put the mold directly on the electrical heating element or do you have a pan over the top of the element?

I tried dipping a mold once in the pot, but it slipped and it seemed to take forever to remove the lead and http://grumman581.sh-cs.net/images/excrement-icon.gif that had hardened in the groove where the handles meet the mold... Finally just took a propane torch to it and heated it up very hot and then beat it on the table...

[Bret4207]

I cast really fast till the mould is up to heat. Even with my humongous H+G 10 cavity it only takes 10-20 cycles to get things going. The more often hot alloy is hitting the cavity and the less time it remains empty the more it heats up.

[zomby woof]

I use a single burner hot plate with a small piece of SS sheet metal over the burner.

[Casting Timmy]

I use a hot plate that has a solid top. Some people use a toaster oven to preheat their molds, but I prefer a hot plate as I can also use that to make my lube.

On small molds, I usuaslly preheat them with the handles pointing towards the sky. Larger molds that will stay in contact with the hot plate I just sit them level like how thye get poured. Really you just need a way so a surface has good contact with the hot plate.

I prefer to preheat just slightly below the running temp of the mold. This way I can bring them up to temp as required based on how I am pouring that day.

[RobS]

I prefer to preheat just slightly below the running temp of the mold. This way I can bring them up to temp as required based on how I am pouring that day.

This is what I do as well.

Also if you have a hot plate that is solid you can just set the mold on it as is. If you have one of those hotplates that have a coil top then it would probably heat more evenly if you put down a thin sheet of metal (1/8" or so of iron or aluminum would do) so your molds have a flat heating surface.

[Mk42gunner]

I set my six cavity Lee molds across the top of the pot as the lead is melting, (free heat), then dip the front end in the melt until it doesn't stick to the mold. Then as Bret said, cast fast. Usually The molds are making good boolits by the second or third filling.


Robert

[grumman581]

If I remember correctly, the heating elements that have a flat surface have a lower wattage rating (thus less heating). I have one with the coiled surface and combined with a small cast iron skillet, I can have blackened steak when I'm traveling without having to bring a full grill with me.

[TCFAN]

This is the way I bring my molds up to casting temp. A cheap[$7.00] Wal-Mart hot plate with a 8 inch dia.3/8 inch thick steel plate on top to even out the temp.......Terry

http://i755.photobucket.com/albums/xx200/TCintheOzarks/Cast%20Boolits/DSCN8281.jpg

[JesseCJC]

I cast really fast till the mould is up to heat. Even with my humongous H+G 10 cavity it only takes 10-20 cycles to get things going. The more often hot alloy is hitting the cavity and the less time it remains empty the more it heats up.

I tried to just tough it out using this method as well but with a 6 cavity, it just seemed to take about 1/3 of the pot to get it up to temp and by the time I got rolling, it was already time to refill. Maybe I am just being impatient.

I will head to chinamart later on today and pick up a cheap hot plate though. These little bits and bobs sure do add up quick :violin:

[HeavyMetal]

Hot plate with exposed coils the "hot" tip here!

If you have a welder, or know someone who does, get a steel plate, about 3/16 or so thick, and weld some 1/2" square stock to it with the stock just wide enough apart that the handles stick in them.

This allows you to set the mold on it on it's side. This not only pre heat the mold but also brings the sprue plate up to the same temp as the mold.

If you'd like me to e mail you a picture or two on my set up PM me your e mail addy. I have never been able to post pic's here.

Wal Gren's has the exposed coil hot plates for 9.99!

[ANeat]

I use a hot plate and love it, I have one like TCFan's, a little past halfway while the lead is heating up and its dropping good bullets from the first pour.

Another nice thing (or 2) when I take a break I turn on the hotplate and leave the mold on it. When I come back in 10 minutes or 1/2 hour its ready to go.
The other is when your pot starts getting low, lay a couple ingots on the hotplate to pre-heat and you have less trouble/wait when you add new alloy.

[markinalpine]

Inexpensive 750 Watt Coil hotplate, with a 6" square ceramic tile on top. I have various wood blocks on hand at my casting table to support the mould handles at the correct height so the mould sits with the bottom flat against the tile. I plug it in and set it to a little over 50% on the thermostat dial*, and set the mould(s) I plan to use on the tile. At the same time, I've plugged in my melter and charged it with ingots, sprues, reject boolits, etc. Then I'll do other things for 15-20 minutes until I ready to start casting.

*Found the setting by inserting my lead thermometer thru the sprue hole of a closed mould, and experimenting until I got a 400-450 Degree reading.

Mark :coffeecom

[Cloudpeak]

Besides heating my molds up on a hotplate, I use it to pre-melt lead for my bottom pour. Really speeds things up and prevents the "spout freeze" that may occur when adding an ingot to the bottom pour.

[blackhorse11arc@yahoo.com]

I have 2 RCBS pots. This type of pot has a large area that you can set the molds on the top of the pot to pre-heat them. By the time your lead melts your molds are ready to go.When you get going , then you can put your ingots up there and pre heat them too. When I feel like making a lot, I turn on both pots and go back and forth, while one pot is melting lead, I cast from the other...No waiting and nothing gets cold. Work great ! If you have the Lee pot, the hot plate is the way to go.

Good Luck,
Blackhorse11arc

[hammerhead357]

I have used a hot plate for years but mine has a 5/8 in. thick plate of steel on top of the coils to maintain the heat and to help even it out. I have a new one with a solid top that I need to try out when I get back home on vacation.
I never thought about the ceramic tiles so that may be something to check into.
I think I may make some sort of a box to go with the steel plate to retain more of the heat. I may be able to lower the heat setting then..
I set the temp. control to the point that it won't quite melt a boolit of the alloy that I am casting with and go from there. Sometimes I will preheat ingots on the hot plate if I am not using the old linotype ingot feeders...Wes

[Bret4207]

I tried to just tough it out using this method as well but with a 6 cavity, it just seemed to take about 1/3 of the pot to get it up to temp and by the time I got rolling, it was already time to refill. Maybe I am just being impatient.

I will head to chinamart later on today and pick up a cheap hot plate though. These little bits and bobs sure do add up quick :violin:

Ah, I see part of the problem- I use a pot that holds 35 lbs of lead when it's 3/4 full! Yeah, if you're using a little 10 lbs pot a hot plate would be a big help.

[Tazman1602]

Hot plate hands down man, solved 90% of my "getting the molds up to temp" issues. $10 at Walgreens or Wally World.

Art

[happy7]

Seriously, a hotplate with a 1/2 steel plate on top of it was one of the best things I added to my casting setup. I mean, seriously, it changes the whole experience when you can start casting and get good bullets on the first or second cast. Add to that what was mentioned before that you can take a break by just setting the mold on the hotplate while you go get more lead ingots, or add bull plate lube, or readjust the tightness of the sprue plate, or mic bullets, or even go drain the lizard, or what ever and come back and keep casting without missing a cast. Also it is great for casting in tandem. You can get both molds going a lot easier, and also what is really nice is that if one mold is running cooler than the other, you can set the cool one on the hotplate and keep it warmer between casts. In this way you can cast missmatched molds in tandem, like say a 9mm and a 45 or such. Once I figured out the settings I needed on it, I feel it revolutionized my casting experience. I just wouldn't want to cast without it.

[Colorado4wheel]

Rather then a hot plate (with just the coils) what about a small skillet wtih a top. Cut a hole in the side for your handles to stick out. Set the thing to 450F and it will get the top and bottom of the mold hot. They are under $20 at Walmart. I really like the idea of pre-heating your lead so that you can get back to casting faster after running out of lead.

[RodneyUSAF]

I use a flat electic griddle for my preheating needs. Its plenty big for preheating ingots, molds, ladles, and it gives me a big area to drop my sprues onto. I cast outside, so keeping things dry was a challenge, but the griddle cured that. Before anyting goes in the pot, it spends some time on the griddle to get rid of moisture. It also helps that the griddle was a recycling center find, free of charge.

[blackthorn]

Coil hot plate with a 6 or 7 inch skill saw blade over the coil.

[pistolman44]

I just got a new Miha 452 cramer HP mold and casted with it the other day. What I have found out with this mold is crank your pot to the highest setting. Cast until the mold gets up to tempture and bullets fill out. Then just cut back the tempt. on your pot. It only took me about five fills for mold to be up and running. Once this mold gets hot it stays hot. I had to reduce the melt tempt a couple of times using a 20lb pot of WW.

[kamikaze1a]

I use a cheap single burner camp stove that screws onto a disposable bottle of propane. I hold 5 or 6" over the flame, turning it to allow even heating until I can touch it but not keep my hand on it. I then pour melt into the mold, cut the sprue immediately and leave the sprue and boo's in the mold for 2 or 3 minutes. Dump and pour/cut again and let set for 2-3 minutes.

After that, it's up to operating temp and ready for production...

On a side note, I use that same propane bottle with a torch tip to speedup the melt. I direct the flame onto the lead and it cuts my melt time to less than 10 minutes...

[DLCTEX]

I like the skill saw blade tip. I have plenty of those. I only have 1 and 2 cavity moulds and preheat them by dipping them in the melt. If lead sticks, it's not hot enough. I wipe small bits off with a gloved hand , but a heavy cloth would do it. Do not use synthetic!

[JesseCJC]

bought a cheap walmart special for 14 bucks and it really made everything a lot easier, thanks!

[jimmeyjack]

my walgreens has the coil hot plate on sale for 7.99