Complicated casting

[faraim]

Today I discovered my Saeco 45 mould required the lead to be hotter and the spout to be pressed into the sprue plate funnel. My Lyman mould wasn't too picky about temps but absolutely required to be held about a half inch below the spout. I was alternating between the two and sometimes remembered the correct sequence. I keep telling myself it's a learning experience!

[jim147]

If we are not learning something, why do it?

[Winger Ed.]

Ya wouldn't think it possible, but some of my molds also have sort of personality and attitude issues.

When they don't like something,,,,,,,, it ain't like Burger King.
You do it their way---- or you don't get the darn thing.

[44Blam]

Today I discovered my Saeco 45 mould required the lead to be hotter and the spout to be pressed into the sprue plate funnel. My Lyman mould wasn't too picky about temps but absolutely required to be held about a half inch below the spout. I was alternating between the two and sometimes remembered the correct sequence. I keep telling myself it's a learning experience!

Pressure casting is tricky - I find that if I can still leave the appropriate puddle on the sprue it turns out well. But that is a tricky thing with the timing...

[Conditor22]

Seems like ALL of my molds have their own personality.

What material is your mold?

How many cavities is your mold?

Are you preheating your mold on a hotplate? (my Saeco molds like a 400° hot plate with the hotplate being turned on when my pot is turned on)

What alloy are you using?

What temperature are you casting at?

Is it not giving you a good fill out on the base? (Thicker sprue plates take longer to heat up, I hit mine with a propane torch to speed up the process)

[I did an experiment, I cast with a cold mold then I cast with a cold mold with the sprue plate heated up, the cold mold with the heated sprue plate gave perfect fill-out on the base.]

[Old Caster]

When you pressure pour have the lead rather low in the pot or you will get squirts out the connection because of too much pressure. Also try to keep the flow of lead rather slow so any dirt will go up into the sprue. If you are doing this too fast, you will notice some dirt right at the base of the bullet with sometimes just enough lead over the dirt to look like a shiny spot and if you dig on it a bit you will find the dirt. Pressure pouring is difficult but if you have a quality mold and get the parameters figured out, the bullets will be excellent.

[centershot]

Having done it both ways I will say that pressure casting is more easily done with a ladle rather than using the spout on a bottom pour furnace. As far as moulds having their own personalities, OH YES! As the Marine Corps is fond of saying, "Adapt, Improvise, Overcome!"

[faraim]

I appreciate the thoughtful responses. I'm just learning about casting although I began reloading in 75 or 76. I have Lyman, Saeco, and RCBS moulds and the SAECO ones seem to be the most temperamental. I produce my best bullets out of my Lyman moulds with a ladle. The SAECO blocks are bigger and the holes in the sprue plates are smaller, so the next time I cast I'll work harder to get the mould up to temperature and see how that works.