Newbie Here! Hello from Missouri!

[RacingRedGT]

Just saying Hello. Ive been reloading for a while now. Decided to expand my hobbies. Ive been reading like a fiend and have started compiling equipment and lead (wheel weights). I started collecting wheel weights about 2 weeks ago, up to 240lbs of lead. Picking up another 400+lbs tomorrow. In my line of work I get a chance to meet a lot of people. My networking skills are paying off.

So far Ive melted down 94lbs of ingots. Heres a few pictures. I was excited when I came home today to see my order from MidwayUsa sitting on my doorstep. Its pays off living 2 hours away from them. I get my orders in 2 days.

The ingots are not the prettiest. I learned quite a bit in the first session of melting down the wheel weights.

1) Zinc is a sneaky sucker. Looks are deceiving. Thought I got them all when sorting, missed 3-4 in a 100lb bucket. Thankfully I kept the temps in the 650-700 range as a precaution.
2) Putting hot molds on a carpet was dumb and didn't realize it would melt it within seconds. Switched to large paving stones very quickly.
3) Neighbors and passerby's give you weird looks when are fully dressed in warm weather while wearing a breathing mask and welding gloves.
4) Level ground in a must, lop sided ingots don't stack well and look funny.
5) Heat, Heat and more Heat. It took forever to get the first batch going. I didn't want to overheat, so I kept the flame down. After about an hour and decided to crank it to get it going. Lid helped too. Went to Home Depot last night, bought some steel flashing and made a heat shield.

I love this site by the way. Ive learned so much and there is a ton of reading left. Im going to keep it simple for now and just do wheel weights. Seems like a good starting point. Don't have to worry about adding to much to it to make bullets for my .44mag or .40s. Hardness should be good enough, as long as I flux good to keep the tin in.

I do plan on tumble lubing for now. We will see how it goes. Keeping costs down for now. Wife has been nice so far, don't think I can swing another $200+ for a sizing/lubricator. Seen lots of good reviews on the Lee sizing kits with lube.

[Ubet]

Welcome to the site.

[Hawkeye45]

Welcome to the madness. You are starting off fine, more and more equipment will follow as needed. If you have a question about a particular piece, just ask. You will get a lot of opinions. LOL

Where in the show me state are you?

Mr. Ed

[TCFAN]

Welcome RacingRedGT. You have found the right place to learn all you ever want to know about casting boolits...........Terry

[seanhagerty]

Yes, where are you from? I'm near Fort Leonard wood. Would love to have a dual casting session some time.

[wrongway]

Hello newbie welcome to this site you'll find that there are a lot of great people on here willing to help you in anyway they can, I know first hand they've helped me alot

[RacingRedGT]

I'm in Blue Springs. Just east of KCMO.

[histed]

+1 for what wrongway said. You name it, there's likely several people here who've already been there. Me, I now a helpless addict. Be told there's no cure, praise be

[country gent]

Welcome and enjoy the addiction.

[RacingRedGT]

Welcome and enjoy the addiction.

My wife has been very patient with my addictions. Whenever she does say something, I normally respond, "Its better than being addicted to crack!"

[leeggen]

Welcome to the maddness of casting. Misourie loves company. Just seems once you start it becomes and addiction. More molds just so you can get more guns to need more lead to need more equipment and so on.
Don't we all love it. 40 cal not hard to reload and cast for, kust read a bunch of gearnashers, I beleive, threads and you won't have to do the leading learning curve. Also this google sight will make it easier to find info. https://www.google.com/cse/home?cx=0...69:ggn3vg-bjum
It is made for us.
CD

[Outer Rondacker]

Welcome aboard.

[RacingRedGT]

Welcome to the maddness of casting. Misourie loves company. Just seems once you start it becomes and addiction. More molds just so you can get more guns to need more lead to need more equipment and so on.
Don't we all love it. 40 cal not hard to reload and cast for, kust read a bunch of gearnashers, I beleive, threads and you won't have to do the leading learning curve. Also this google sight will make it easier to find info. https://www.google.com/cse/home?cx=0...69:ggn3vg-bjum
It is made for us.
CD

Thanks for the link. Bookmarked.

And thanks for the warm welcomes everyone.

[s mac]

Welcome from southwest MO, this is a great site, great folks.

[brstevns]

I'm in Blue Springs. Just east of KCMO.

(Blue Springs) Quantrill territory! Lots of Civil War History around you!

[yman]

Welcome aboard, molding is just as much fun as reloading. Long as you dont get a hot piece down your glove. This site is great for reseach and answers. Alot guys here know how its done. Good luck and enjoy.

[bangerjim]

Welcome. If you do not want to spend all that money on lubra-matics, try powder coating. Covered VERY well in the stickies on here. Very low investment to start (dry tumble) and eliminates any need for grease and other lubes. NO LEADING! Electrostatic coating is the best way to go once you get your feel of PC'ing.

banger

[smoked turkey]

Another welcome from southwest MO. As you have already found out, this is a great site. You will find answers to a lot of questions in the "stickies". I also recommend you get the Lyman cast boolit handbook for a lot of reference info. You will also quickly learn we are all a bunch of enablers who will try to get you to expand your reloading habit so you can save even more money!

[RacingRedGT]

Welcome. If you do not want to spend all that money on lubra-matics, try powder coating. Covered VERY well in the stickies on here. Very low investment to start (dry tumble) and eliminates any need for grease and other lubes. NO LEADING! Electrostatic coating is the best way to go once you get your feel of PC'ing.

banger

It's funny that you mention that. I'm up to page seven of the main PC sticky thread. Already found a working harbor freight coupon code.

[RacingRedGT]

Another welcome from southwest MO. As you have already found out, this is a great site. You will find answers to a lot of questions in the "stickies". I also recommend you get the Lyman cast boolit handbook for a lot of reference info. You will also quickly learn we are all a bunch of enablers who will try to get you to expand your reloading habit so you can save even more money!

It's cool. As long as I don't leave receipts around the house I can always use the, "Honey, I've had that for years!" excuse.