1st cast

[JCools]

Casted my first batch today. Gotta admit not as easy as it looks.I melted some plumbing lead,WW's and a lead block from a salvage yard. Found out th The hard way aluminum pots are'nt that good.(burned a small hole in the bottom of the first1) So I melted in a better aluminum pot.(less heat) Fluxed it w/ saw dust, candle wax and a touch of used motor oil. Skimmed the top sides and bottom. Then casted ingots. Went to the kitchen got a small pot we never use. then melted a few ingots. Started using the Lee ladle seemed to have a hard time getting consistant boolits. So I grabbed the big laddle I use for ingots. Seemed a little messy, but seemed to fill the mold better. So what do ya think just more practice or any suggestions?

[mooman76]

More practice. That's the good thing about lead. If you mess up, you just remelt. Make sure you preheat good and you get fill out quicker. Also when ladle pouring leave a good puddle of lead on top the sprue when pouring. It helps with fill out. I modified my Lee ladle abit to help. I filed the spout so it was more defined and would pour better. I also bent the handle a little so scooping lead out of the pot when it goes down some would be easier.

[Bret4207]

Yupper, just need practice now. Big ladles (within limits) make better boolits in my opinion. Tiny glorified soup spoons (Lee) simply lack the volume you need to get good fillout.

BTW- you're hooked already, welcome to the brotherhood!

[x101airborne]

I use a stainless 1/2 cup meauring cup from the dollar store attached to a 24 inch section of broom handle. Works great. i can soak a mold with heat, pour a ton, and skim very easily.

[Hickory]

Casted my first batch today. Gotta admit not as easy as it looks.I melted some plumbing lead,WW's and a lead block from a salvage yard. Found out th The hard way aluminum pots are'nt that good.(burned a small hole in the bottom of the first1) So I melted in a better aluminum pot.(less heat) Fluxed it w/ saw dust, candle wax and a touch of used motor oil. Skimmed the top sides and bottom. Then casted ingots. Went to the kitchen got a small pot we never use. then melted a few ingots. Started using the Lee ladle seemed to have a hard time getting consistant boolits. So I grabbed the big laddle I use for ingots. Seemed a little messy, but seemed to fill the mold better. So what do ya think just more practice or any suggestions?

Sounds like me 39 years ago.
Like you I found out that aluminum
pots will disqualify themselves real quick.

Don't give up, I wish I had the internet when
I was learning to cast. Sure would have shortened the learning curve.:cbpour:

[44man]

NO ALUMINUM! Either cast iron or at the worst, stainless steel.
The aluminum can fail FAST and you can't see it happening.
The Lee ladle is not the best, get a Lyman or RCBS.
You might not safely get the lead or mold to temp with aluminum pots. Get rid of it.

[mdi]

I gotta agree with the other guys about aluminum pots. The alum. doesn't change color much when it gets hot, one second it's there and the next it's melted. I found out this about 40 years ago when I was making sinkers. Good thing my Mom made me work outside, about 25 lbs of molten lead made me jump really high...