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Anybody cast?

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Old 03-30-2013 | 05:01 PM
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Fork Horn
 
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From: Maryland
Default Anybody cast?

So, I get my 50lbs of WW. Sort out all the steel and zinc best I can.

Start up my pot, flux and flux again and then again. Getting off all the slush on top. keeping my temp at 650 or less. Get them into ingots. I assume its clean.

Get my 1lb of tin, and remelt. and still see slush on top. I flux and flux again. But it still floats up. I hope this slush isn't my expensive tin I bought.

What do ya think
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Old 03-30-2013 | 06:58 PM
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Fork Horn
 
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Originally Posted by Ridge Runner
ya fluxing with matches?
ya try a propane torch set real low?
ya check your pot temp with another source, melting point of tin is way below 650. if your temp is correct its not tin, if its what you bought it was not pure tin.
RR
Its a brand new lyman thermo, so who knows. Using a propane stove. But struggle keeping temp. I constantly have to turn it off and let it cool. My thermo might be off, because I was getting gold/yellow/purple color on pure lead at 600F. But they say you only get that when its way overheated.

fluxing with sawdust and candles

By the way, its Mark (aka bigc) Haven't talked to ya in a while.
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Old 03-30-2013 | 07:54 PM
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Fork Horn
 
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Originally Posted by Ridge Runner
I know,
well why sawdust? I always just let the slag float on top then strike a match and hold it to the surface to burn the gas off then stir,always worked.
RR
I heard some say they use sawdust. I mixed 1lb of tin with 18lbs of WW thinking it would be lyman #2. But it didn't sit well in the ingot mold. Like it was too thick or something.

Also mixed up 5lbs of lead with 4lbs of linotype along with 50/50 tin/lead. It seemed to flow better in the ingots. Much more thin than using the clip on WW.

Its my first try. Well see how it flows in my .429 mold.
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Old 03-31-2013 | 03:30 AM
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Typical Buck
 
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You are too worried about the temp of the lead!!!!!! If you let it cool,it can take 10 or more minutes to get back to a good pouring temp,hence slushy lead.
You mould has to be up to temp,or very close to it,or the lead will cool as you pour it and thicken.
The recipes you are using are old,back from the days when wheel weights were blended differently?
Do some searches and you will find a lot of info on the net!!!!! It is not hard to cast bullets
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Old 03-31-2013 | 12:45 PM
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Fork Horn
 
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Well, today, had one heck of a learning experience. I cast up well over 400 bullets, and basically put back 200 of em. Figured out what works and what doesn't. If the bullet is shiny, it would suck, if I got my pot to where the lead had dark purple, it was too hot.

My lee put spout got stuck wide open, needless to say it was a disaster, but the cats food dish saved the day. I learned to have my ingot mold under the pot. Learned when my mold was too hot, and too cold.

Overall I call it a success.

My double 00's sucked, come back to that another day.

Also learned the pot likes to be filled at least to a certain point, or controlling temp is just not possible

So when I am finished do I need to run the pot dry or just leave what I got in there?

Last edited by BCRules; 03-31-2013 at 12:52 PM.
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Old 04-01-2013 | 12:42 AM
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Typical Buck
 
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Keep the pot about half full. Lee pots will drip.
Be careful of the tinsel fairy!!!!! It lives in damp lead!!!!!
What brand of moulds are you using?
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Old 04-01-2013 | 04:48 AM
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Fork Horn
 
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So I used lee OO molds and lyman 429 molds. I already think I know lymans are my preference. I thought the aluminum's would heat up faster, and cool faster, and hence be faster at loading.
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Old 04-01-2013 | 05:15 PM
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Nontypical Buck
 
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I as well have an older Lee pot and have also experienced the run away lead disaster as well!!!! I found that by using a long stemmed tea spoon can reach down along the sides of the pot and break loose any remaining slag,junk etc.. I use wax and match to flux my lead.
I have used a match to smoke the inside of the mold to allow easy removal and now use Midway mold spray. Works great. I also put my mold on top of the pot to keep it hot while I am busy with any thing besides molding. I use Lee and Lyman molds.
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