Bullet Casting Tips

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This is the process I use with my Iron Lyman and Accurate Molds while casting large conicals.

How to Cast ML Bullets

How to melt Lead
Have lead melt in Lee Pot for 45 minutes.
Check the temperature of the melted lead it should not go over 700 degrees.
While lead is melting have Ladle sit on top of lead so its metal temperature rises so it does not cause lead to splatter when the ladle is inserted into the melted lead.

Preparing Mold
Submerge mold into Acetone. This is to remove all oil’s from Mold.
Use Q-Tips to clean inside of molds.
Use Tooth Picks to clean groves in molds to ensure all dirt is removed.
Dry the mold off.
While ladle is inside the melted lead. Rest mold on top of the ladle and insert a little of the bottom portion of the mold into the melted lead for about 45-60 seconds. This will raise the temperature of the mold to reduce the number of bullets that will have creases in the bullets. The melted lead that is on the mold should scrape off very easily.

How to pour lead into the mold.

Dip ladle into the lead. Turn the mold to the right or left depending if you are a lefty and insert the tip of the ladle into the spur plate hole. Turn the mold upright while the tip of the ladle is still inserted into the mold. Twist the ladle left and right to cause a swirling action of lead being poured into the mold. Then continue to pour the lead into the mold slowly. This helps ensure there are no voids/air pockets in the bullets.
Use wooden hammer handle to knock spur plate open and move bullet from the mold. Check bullet to show there are no creases in the bullet and voids in the bottom of the bullet. Dump bullets into a shallow cardboard box. Some people insert a cloth towel in the box. I found that isn’t necessary.

Maintaining Molds.
When finished casting let mold cool off, clean again with Acetone and then coat the mold with oil to prevent the (Iron) mold from rusting.
 
Re: Bullet Casting Tips - pre-heating

to add a small suggestion to Ed's excellent write up...

When casting with a large mold, more than one mold or one with multiple cavities, I pre-heat my molds on a small single element electric hotplate which I found at a thrift store for $8. A square piece of this sheet metal place on top of the element helps keep the hot molds secure and conducts the heat. You may need to find the sweet spot on the temperature settings. The heat output/temp is driven by the wattage of the hotplate and they're all different. I find the hotplate reduces the number of blems/throw backs on and reduces the start up time when I'm switching molds or refilling the pot.

Caution: Don't use the wife's hotplate or ever use your casting equipment around food!!!
 
Good post Ed! I can’t think of much to ad to that? You definitely cast a nice bullet, i am very impressed with the bullets that you sent me!

Cleaning your mold of any oils is extremely important, several ways of doing it, with an Iron/steel mold i have used brake cleaner with great success, i spray the mold down good with brake cleaner, then i use my air compressor to blow dry the mold. With Aluminum I actually wash them with dawn dish soap, and water, using a tooth brush, once i get an Aluminum mold completely clean and running good, the Aluminum blocks themselves never see oil again (except for use of Bullshop Sprue plate lube on the underside of the top plate as needed) 2 cycle engine oil works just the same. I keep a small rag in a Ziplock bag with Bullshop on it to occasionally wipe the underside of the sprue plate (stops smears, that are caused by opening the mold to soon) i also keep a small syringe with the sharp end ground flat, filled with Bullshop sprue lube handy so i can pin point drop a teeny tiny drop of Lube on the Sprue plate nut, i like the modified syringe for this, as it only takes a tiny bit of lube, to much and it will migrate it’s way to the cavity and cause wrinkled bullets until it finally burns off, better to prevent it!

Dipping the corner of the mold blocks in the molten lead is definitely a HUGE time saver and gets your mold up to proper Casting temp in a hurry, just pouring and dumping bullets takes a long time to get the mold up to temp and casting good filled out bullets, been there, done that! Much easier to dip the corner of the Mold blocks in the Alloy for about 1 minute

Some cast while standing at a bench etc. I personally cast while sitting in a sturdy lawn type chair, beside my chair i have a makeshift table with an old towel (for cushion) draped across the top to drop my bullets on, i never drop my bullets more than an inch or so from the towel, and never on top of eachother. Directly in front of me and slightly below my Lee 4-20 Bottom pour pot is a small fry pan size pot for cull bullets, and sprues.

Each mold will have it’s own quirks, part of the fun is figuring out how to run your molds for optimum performance!

While casting i wear a pair of good quality leather welding gloves, i have a wooden sprue mallet handy, but i only use the mallet to tap the pivot bolt of the handles to help open the mold, and drop the bullets (when everything is running right, it takes very little tapping, if any for the bullets to drop from the mold) i NEVER smoke my molds, it is ABSOLUTELY unnecessary (smoking a mold causes bullets to drop slightly undersize, and rounded in my experience) I open my sprue plates with my Gloved hand, i NEVER use my mallet on the sprue plate, or touch my mold blocks with it, all that is needed to cut the Sprue is your Gloved hand. After i fill my mold i watch the puddle and when it solidifies i count to 4-5, then swing the plate, drop the sprue, then turn to my side and open the mold (Tapping the handle pivot nut if needed?) And tap that same nut if the bullet doesn’t freely drop from the mold on it’s own.

I personally MUCH prefer a good Iron/Steel bullet mold. Aluminum mold blocks are nice, they heat up fast and cast a really nice bullet, but they are also easy to Gall if the Sprue plate is not properly lubed, BE CAREFUL here! If you cut the sprue to soon the molten lead underneath has not solidified yet, you will get smear, along with this smear you will scratch the tops of the mold blocks, if you keep casting it will get worse n worse. You can help prevent this by wiping the underside of the sprue plate with the above mentioned rag with a small amount of Bullshop sprue lube, or 2 cycle engine oil, when you notice the first sign that the mold is stiffer to open it is time to touch up with Sprue lube, again the modified syringe works perfect here, just a tiny drop on the edge of the sprue plate nut, it will migrate its way down in a swing or 2 and run smoothly again. Iron/Steel molds are MUCH MUCH more forgiving, But remember they stil need lubed as well to perform properly.

Casting bullets is a fun hobby! Don’t get discouraged, It takes practice to get a rhythm down, just keep at it!
 
Wearing gloves and long sleeve shirts while not a must (Hint) will save you from getting little scars on your hands and wrists. Don’t ask how I know LOL
 

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