crude tools for a newb

[Doc Holliday13]

So I'm playing with the idea of starting casting my own. Mainly for shotgun slugs then if I enjoy it, i'll start into buckshot. I'm an experienced handloader of pistol, rifle, and birdshot just not buckshot or slugs

Before I end up with a bunch of $$ tied up in equipment I wanna do a few trial runs in smelting, casting, and loading.

From what I gather through using the search function I have most everything I need to get myself started. I got a Coleman camp stove, used soup can, 1/4 bag of birdshot, welding gloves, extra soup ladel I can destroy without regret, and a few emergency use candles.

I know I need to pick up a slug mold and midway usually has a few on clearance. Is there anything I'm missing?

[Doby45]

If you are truly using a "soup can" as your smelt pot you do not even need a ladle. Just crush the sides in a little bit and pour straight from the can. Get you a mold and go for it.

[Doc Holliday13]

If you are truly using a "soup can" as your smelt pot you do not even need a ladle. Just crush the sides in a little bit and pour straight from the can. Get you a mold and go for it

Like I said in the title."crude". I'm not gunna buy anything till I know I like it. If I like it, I'll weld up a bottom pour smelting pot and get a multi cavity slug mold(which i haven't seen yet but it probably exist)

[Doby45]

Oh, you will like it. The first time you drop a good looking slug and think to yourself "I made that from a bunch of scrap" you will be hooked.

[Cowboy T]

Don't forget your eye protection! I suggest a full face shield like what you can get from Lowe's or Home Depot. If, Heaven forbid, you do get a visit from the Tinsel Fairy, you don't want that 700 degree lead hitting *ANYWHERE* on your face.

[thebigmac]

Using a "soup can" frightens me... Check and be sure tnere'e not a sign of a SOLDERED
SEAM, Mac

[Avery Arms]

I would buy decent used tools (electric pot, mold, clean alloy) and give your new hobby half a chance.

You would probably spend $100 getting started and recover about $80 after shipping if you bail out or upgrade. If trying a new hobby isn't worth $20 then it's a waste of time anyway.

Smelting squeezes out the last few pennies of savings but it isn't required, you don't need to worry about it for now or ever if you don't want to.

Rather than fooling around with soup cans over a coleman stove try watching some utube videos on casting-it's cheaper and much less likely to result in 3rd degree burns.


PP

[Dannix]

Even if you're going cheap, cheap, at least get a cast iron pot.

Take to heart what been said. If you start with rubbish, don't be surprised if the results are rubbish. Go ahead, spend some money where need be, and if you don't dig it then you can recoup most of your investment by selling it off.

[Bret4207]

Well, any steel container will do for a pot, seamless that is and the rest sounds about right. Welders gloves are overkill IMO, simple work gloves or cotton masons gloves would be fine.

Try it, you'll like it.

[jmsj]

Doc Holliday13,
Welcome to the site
I would caution you about using a soup can for melting lead. Once I was using a #10 can(commercial food service can holds about a gallon) to preheat WW's for smelting, it worked great for a while. One time the the WW's melted completely and a pinhole at the bottom of the can shot molten lead all over the floor. In my opinion an old steel or stainless steel pot, pan or skillet would be a better option for starting up on the cheap. jmsj

[Doc Holliday13]

Doc Holliday13,
Welcome to the site
I would caution you about using a soup can for melting lead. Once I was using a #10 can(commercial food service can holds about a gallon) to preheat WW's for smelting, it worked great for a while. One time the the WW's melted completely and a pinhole at the bottom of the can shot molten lead all over the floor. In my opinion an old steel or stainless steel pot, pan or skillet would be a better option for starting up on the cheap. jmsj

The soup can wouldn't be a permanent thing.. I don't mind spilling a little lead. You also need to realize I don't mind a little heat. I weld in shorts, sandals, and no shirt... I small lead spill wouldn't really bother me, but I might have a scrap pan lying around. Maybe I'll stop at a few yard sales this weekend and buy something for $1 that will work. If I'm lucky I'll find an old fondue set that has on of those pour pots

[cajun shooter]

1 little spill on the family jewels might change your mind on that. The Fondue pots are aluminum and a big no no. I will tell you that your line of thinking after being told other wise will get you in trouble. There is no testosterone test done on members. Please go and buy the Lyman Cast Bullet Handbook and read all the sticky section before you dive into the wrong pot.

[Wayne Smith]

Doc, if you are a welder it's easy to make a pot with a short section of large diameter steel pipe and a plate for a bottom. For the Coleman stove you will probably want a somewhat smaller pipe diameter than you might building a bottom pour. A 1qt SS kitchen pot works well and holds adequate lead for casting on a Coleman, use this as a size if you don't have an old one laying around or find one cheap at a thrift store.

Of all the equipment you use your pot should have almost as much thought into it as your molds. It is potentially the most dangerous piece of equipment you will use. While you say you don't mind spilling lead, dumping 20lbs of the stuff when you are not expecting it is, to say the least, exciting. What ever you do, don't just grab something lying around for melting lead. Know what you have, what it's made of, and it's weaknesses before you put it on the stove.

This is from a real Doc, one who used to make his own black powder, firecrackers, and blew things up back years ago on the farm. Supervised in this by a father who used blasting powder to break up rocks as a young man. Safety, safety, safety. Know what you are doing, know what can go wrong, and be prepared for the worst. Then have fun.

[Changeling]

The soup can wouldn't be a permanent thing.. I don't mind spilling a little lead. You also need to realize I don't mind a little heat. I weld in shorts, sandals, and no shirt... I small lead spill wouldn't really bother me, but I might have a scrap pan lying around. Maybe I'll stop at a few yard sales this weekend and buy something for $1 that will work. If I'm lucky I'll find an old fondue set that has on of those pour pots

Hello Doc and welcome. These guys are not being overly cautious to you for no good reason, I could almost guarantee that most of them could tell you some chilling stories before they stopped, thought, and started taking the advise of others here. Safety First regardless of anything else.

Your investment would not be very much to do it right. Especially if you post for a couple of things here on the classifieds/wanted list.

casting ladle maybe $20.00 or so RCBS or Lyman.

Casting pot 1 to 2 qt SS pan from Good Will, 2 to 3 bucks.

simple lube set up such as made by LEE. Cost ? Forget the LEE Ladle,


Good luck.

[zuke]

My $0.50 cent purchase from Good Will

[Munkeyjoe]

My $0.50 cent purchase from Good Will

Whats your plan for the plastic coffee container Might I ask??

[geargnasher]

BIG difference between welding in shorts and sandals and messing with molten lead. You see, welding spatter tends to bounce off of skin, but lead splatters and sticks in thin, foil-like blobs. Wherever the lead sticks, you get 2nd or 3rd-degree burns.

Please heed the safety warnings, at least wear jeans, long sleeved cotton shirt, close-toed shoes, and safety glassed if not a full face shield, although the face shield can't be beat for face/neck protection if things go pop.

Since you have a Coleman stove, just get a steel/SS saucepan or small cast iron saucepan, a steel hemispherical gravy ladle in which you can bend a spout, and you're ready to go! Just melt your lead, flux with a small wax chip, stir and skim with your ladle, preheat your mould by dipping the bottom corner in the melt until lead no longer sticks to it when you pull it out, and pour the cavity full with the ladle.

If casting slugs with pure lead, you may have a hard time getting good fillout. I found a pinch of tin added to pure lead helps and doesn't make them too hard, and you need to get that mould and alloy HOT before casting. The base plug may need to be preheated with a propane torch.

Gear

[zuke]

It was there so I used it for scale, to get an idea how big my melting pot is.
I usually fill it to withen 3/4 insh's to the top.
Really make's it easy to get one solid alloy thru the batch.
My sister and her hubby drink a lot of it so their free to me!

[Suo Gan]

If you're a welder go out to the scrap yard get a section of 10" diameter pipe and a piece of plate and in five minutes and zero money you have a pot that won't send you to the ER. The rest of the tools including ladles can be made too.

[Munkeyjoe]

It was there so I used it for scale, to get an idea how big my melting pot is.

AHHHH OK Sounds good and Yes It does keep the scale. No offence But I had to ask!!

If you're a welder go out to the scrap yard get a section of 10" diameter pipe and a piece of plate and in five minutes and zero money you have a pot that won't send you to the ER. The rest of the tools including ladles can be made too.

And this is an AWESOME idea!! I have seen it several times before but I have trouble getting large Dia pipes. Def worth the trouble if your on a tight budget though!!