when the overflow on the spue gets frosty you can cut it this doesnt take but a second or 2. if you cut too soon lead will start to build up on the bottom of the sprue plate and your bullet base will not be right. you can let them set as long as you want but the more the lead hardens , the harder its going to be to cut the sprue. the bullets will still drop out.
Casters, Time to Have Your Brains Picked on the Basics...
- Thread starter Shane Tuttle
- Start date
casting
forget about the water drop the WW are hard enuf.same with tin dont need it.cast iron muffin pans can be found in second hand stores and some hard ware stores.flux your melt with any wax, grease.could sprinkle sawdust on melt with oil mixed in.Lee molds take a learning curve different from iron ones.
and they need to be run hotter.I have 20 lees,also lyman and winchester and modern bond.the lee 20 LB is inexpensive and just as good as the 300 dollar ones.I cant wait for good weather to get shooting and casting again.AL GORE is an idiot I am freezing as I need 75 degrees to be warm.at my age 85.
forget about the water drop the WW are hard enuf.same with tin dont need it.cast iron muffin pans can be found in second hand stores and some hard ware stores.flux your melt with any wax, grease.could sprinkle sawdust on melt with oil mixed in.Lee molds take a learning curve different from iron ones.
and they need to be run hotter.I have 20 lees,also lyman and winchester and modern bond.the lee 20 LB is inexpensive and just as good as the 300 dollar ones.I cant wait for good weather to get shooting and casting again.AL GORE is an idiot I am freezing as I need 75 degrees to be warm.at my age 85.
IllinoisCoyoteHunter
New member
As far as a thermometer, I really only use if for smelting because I want my pot around 650-700 degrees (keep zinc from melting). When casting, if I find that my bullets are dropping poorly, I will throw the thermometer in to check the temp. I use a Lyman and purchased it at cabelas. I have an extra one that goes up to 700 degrees (it came with my cast-iron-pot-turkey-fryer smelter). If you want it, let me know and I will drop it in the mail, no charge. I have not even used it or tried it, but I bet it works. When I bought my whole setup at cabelas, I was unaware that the turkey fryer came with a thermometer.
Some don't even use thermometers, but I'm thinking it's a wise idea for a newbie. What's a good quality thermometer out there that won't break the bank? I don't want a cheap crappy one that won't last, but I don't think spending $100 is smart, either.
Lyman and RCBS both make a good casting thermometer. They look the same except for the wire handle on the RCBS. The Lyman is cheaper and you can make your own handle out of wire.
After you pour into the mold, at what point do you know when to cut the sprue? If you try to "cut" too soon, you'll merely smear the lead, right? If you wait too long, you won't be able to make a clean cut easily, correct? Also, is there a danger that if you wait too long, you won't be able to open the mold and get the bullets out?
Like Kyle said it will start to look frosty. I never timed it but 5 to 10 seconds. Be generous with the lead and pour plenty of sprue. I pour so all of the cavities connect and as soon as I cut it I throw it back in the pot.
Also in the right side of the picture you will see some real cool Lee drip art.
Rusty
Lyman and RCBS both make a good casting thermometer. They look the same except for the wire handle on the RCBS. The Lyman is cheaper and you can make your own handle out of wire.
After you pour into the mold, at what point do you know when to cut the sprue? If you try to "cut" too soon, you'll merely smear the lead, right? If you wait too long, you won't be able to make a clean cut easily, correct? Also, is there a danger that if you wait too long, you won't be able to open the mold and get the bullets out?
Like Kyle said it will start to look frosty. I never timed it but 5 to 10 seconds. Be generous with the lead and pour plenty of sprue. I pour so all of the cavities connect and as soon as I cut it I throw it back in the pot.
Also in the right side of the picture you will see some real cool Lee drip art.
Rusty
IllinoisCoyoteHunter
New member
Drip Art....FREE with the purchase of every Lee bottom pour pot!! If your pot fails to produce such fine art....just give it time....
If your pot fails to produce such fine art....just give it time....Good idea. There are other ways to weed out the zinc weights. Take a board and try to write on it with the weight. Lead writes, zinc doesn't. Drop a wieght on a concrete floor. Lead goes thud, zinc rings. Take a utility knife and score the weights. You will notice that lead is pretty easy to score, but the zinc is much harder. The drawback with these methods is, it takes individual testing of each piece. With a controlled temperature pot, the zinc doesn't melt and you can take it out with the clamps.
I'm just getting started casting my own bullets too. I have stuff on order and this is a great information thread already.
How often do you smoke the mold? I will be using a Lee 6-cavity aluminum mold and am curious if I have to smoke it before each pour or once smoked it will be good for the entire casting session?
And what is correct .... mold or mould?
How often do you smoke the mold? I will be using a Lee 6-cavity aluminum mold and am curious if I have to smoke it before each pour or once smoked it will be good for the entire casting session?
And what is correct .... mold or mould?
IllinoisCoyoteHunter
New member
Smoking the mold is done to help the boolits fall out easier. All it is is a thin coating of carbon. Do yourself a favor and...I hate doing this....go to the Castboolits forum and there is a sticky under the forum "Mold Maintenance" about Lee-Menting Molds. Read it and do it and it will make your like much easier. Since I did it I have not had to smoke my mold and the boolits fall right out. The process described helps take out any imperfections in the mold to keep the boolit from hanging up in the mold. If your don't want to do this smoke your mold at the beginning of the sessions and whenever the boolits wanna hang in the mold. Good luck....and BTW I am trying to get all the boolit casters on here to come together so we can create an informative sticky for people just like you!
I think mold is correct, but I understand either can be used?!?!
As for smoking, I seldom do it. First, I don't HAVE to have the boolits drop right out of the cavities. I have a hardwood dowel, or a chunk of a broom handle to tap the hinge point on the handles, to dislodge the boolits. Second, smoking the mold causes the vent lines of the mold to be clogged. This results in poor fill out of the boolits. Same goes for mold release sprays.
I just got a new 6 cav. lee mold. It's this one;
http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/?productNumber=569185
It started dropping the boolits right out of all the cavities, AND dropping good boolits with no hassle. Some molds, and it's not limited to lee alum. molds, have minor burrs on the edges of the cavities. Those will be worked off simply by using them. A major burr can be seen and removed. It WILL result in major problems with getting boolits to drop free.
Here's a 44 mag 6 cav. that I used to try out my modification to the lee mold guide I made. (The mold guide for the pro 4-20 lee pot is useless as is).
Snuffy - thanks for the pictures. I ordered the TL401-175-swc 6-cavity mold. It makes the micro-grove bullets.
I also ordered one of the Lee sizers shown here.
It made sense to me that the micro-groove bullets would do well with the Lee Liquid Alox lube. I will be casting using this approach and my hope is I won't have to size the bullets when they drop out of the mold. I'm not sure but I think the sprue plate comes with a handle attachment. I was also thinking of getting a spring type clamp (like a large clothes pin) to put on the end of the mold but don't know if this makes any sense. What keeps the molds from wanting to come apart when pouring lead into them?
I also ordered one of the Lee sizers shown here.
It made sense to me that the micro-groove bullets would do well with the Lee Liquid Alox lube. I will be casting using this approach and my hope is I won't have to size the bullets when they drop out of the mold. I'm not sure but I think the sprue plate comes with a handle attachment. I was also thinking of getting a spring type clamp (like a large clothes pin) to put on the end of the mold but don't know if this makes any sense. What keeps the molds from wanting to come apart when pouring lead into them?
The handles hold the mold together. Yes, there's a wood handle for the sprue plate for the lee six cavity molds. It also works as a cam to begin the shearing operation to separate the sprue from the boolit.
http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/?productNumber=117892
You need to order the handles separate from the mold. You can't use the mold without them! The 1 and 2 cav. lee molds come with permanently attached handles.
No need for a clamp for the sprue plate. The back edge of the sprue plate slides under the head of the bolt you see in the top picture of my above post. The front is held by it's own bolt. Actually, the sprue plate is SUPPOSED to "float" on top of the mold blocks. if it is held too tightly, air cannot escape under it, resulting in poor fill-out of the boolit bases.
The screws you see in the pic on this post were put there by me. The bolts, for some reason, on this one mold, would not stay put! Sooooo, I drilled & tapped 8X32 and put a couple of screws in there to hold the bolts,(didn't have any set screws--still don't ). My 3 other 6 cavs. don't have this problem.
http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/?productNumber=117892
You need to order the handles separate from the mold. You can't use the mold without them! The 1 and 2 cav. lee molds come with permanently attached handles.
No need for a clamp for the sprue plate. The back edge of the sprue plate slides under the head of the bolt you see in the top picture of my above post. The front is held by it's own bolt. Actually, the sprue plate is SUPPOSED to "float" on top of the mold blocks. if it is held too tightly, air cannot escape under it, resulting in poor fill-out of the boolit bases.
The screws you see in the pic on this post were put there by me. The bolts, for some reason, on this one mold, would not stay put!
Sooooo, I drilled & tapped 8X32 and put a couple of screws in there to hold the bolts,(didn't have any set screws--still don't ). My 3 other 6 cavs. don't have this problem.Shane Tuttle
Staff
Snuffy,
That's basically the same type of mold I was considering. I'm more inclined to get a 6 cavity rather than a 2 since I'm looking to cast thousands at a time.
That's basically the same type of mold I was considering. I'm more inclined to get a 6 cavity rather than a 2 since I'm looking to cast thousands at a time.
IllinoisCoyoteHunter
New member
I may do a better job job than...welll... you know who! No one seems interested in helping though...no big deal. Did you go to Belleville gun show? I didn't go, but heard there were quite a few people there and quite a bit of loaded ammo for sale. There were 1 or 2 vendors there trying to sell CCI primer for $40/thousand. If that's the case, I am glad I didn't go!
No one seems interested in helping though...no big deal. Did you go to Belleville gun show? I didn't go, but heard there were quite a few people there and quite a bit of loaded ammo for sale. There were 1 or 2 vendors there trying to sell CCI primer for $40/thousand. If that's the case, I am glad I didn't go!didnt make it home this weekend, but i wanted to go, its usually a good show. hoping i can get home for the next one up in new berlin, IL thats a big one too. they're opening up a gander mountain up in springfield out by the mall soon too. wife cringed when she saw that cause she gets her office supplies up there.
Smokey Joe
New member
Mold, mould, whatever...
Snuffy is correct:
The root word is the Latin modus, meaning method or form.
That's what I get for checking it out. I thought that "mould" was preferable. Well, I'm not to old to live and learn.
Snuffy is correct:
according to my Merriam-Webster's Collegiate. "Mold" is the preferred spelling.
The root word is the Latin modus, meaning method or form.
That's what I get for checking it out. I thought that "mould" was preferable. Well, I'm not to old to live and learn.
Applying Lee Liquid Alox - I see the U-tube technique of "tumble lubing" but why couldn't you use an applicator and lube only the section of the bullet that comes in contact with the barrel? I was thinking of using a lint free applicator (a sponge on a stick) and coating only that section of the bullet that will see contact.
IllinoisCoyoteHunter
New member
You could. But that would be time consuming. It is so much easier to just tumble lube them as seen on youtube.
yodarkritch
New member
My Casting Rig From Wheelweights
Sodium tetraborate-octahydrate flux (20-mule team borax) MUCH better than Marvelux
add antimony-rich magnum shot and 67/33 lead tin solder to alloy and harden (antimony) the wheelweights
cornbread stick alloy molds
Sodium tetraborate-octahydrate flux (20-mule team borax) MUCH better than Marvelux
add antimony-rich magnum shot and 67/33 lead tin solder to alloy and harden (antimony) the wheelweights
cornbread stick alloy molds