Casting Tip: Mold Temperature for PURE Lead

[Idaholewis]

This is a MAJOR part of Casting HIGH Quality PURE Lead Bullets, in Fact it’s The most important Part i can Think of? Temperature of the PURE Lead is Very important as Well, These 2 Go Hand n Hand. I get my BEST Results with PURE Lead at 775-800 Degrees

With a Clean, Oil Free Mold. You have to Get the Mold HOT, and i mean REALLY HOT! (Remember, Aluminum molds heat up REALLY fast, Steel Molds take CONSIDERABLY longer to Heat up, Over Twice as long as Aluminum)

How i do this is quite Simple, I hold the Bottom of my Mold in the Molten Lead. My Goal is to Slightly Over Heat the Mold, When i make my 1st Cast the Sprue Puddle Can Take up to 1 minute to Solidify (Depending on Bullet Cavity Size), As quick as i see the Puddle FULLY Solidify (if it’s a Large Bullet, you will notice a Hole “sinking in” the Center of the Lead) Count a FULL 45 Seconds to 1 Minute here BEFORE Opening the Mold to Dump the Bullet out. If the Bullet has not Solidified it will make a Hell of MESS in your Mold, You end up losing what you Gained by having to Clean the Stuck Lead from the Mold Halves (If this Happens, use a Clean WOOD STICK like a Popsicle, or Paint Stick to Scrape the Lead out, Anything else Can/will Scratch Your Mold) Trust me when i Say To make Sure the Bullet has Fully Solidified before opening the Mold! Get yourself a Kitchen Timer, They are Cheap, and an invaluable little tool to the Serious Caster.

Using the Method i describe above (Dipping the Bottom of the Mold in the Molten Lead) Here are times i use, I am gonna list times i use for IRON/STEEL Molds, as i rarely Cast with Aluminum Molds (I DESPISE Aluminum Bullet Molds) I don’t Guess these times, I use a Kitchen Timer and get them Exact.

My Iron/Steel Lyman Molds Take about 4 Minutes to Slightly Over Heat

my Iron/Steel Accurate Molds take About 7-8 Minutes to Slightly Over Heat, CONSIDERABLY Longer Than my Lyman Molds, as they are MUCH Bigger and Heavier than a Lyman Mold.

Now that you have Slightly Over Heated your Mold, Swing the Sprue Plate WIDE OPEN and Fill the Cavity (As stated above, DO NOT Try and Dump this 1st Bullet out to Fast, give it a FULL 45 Seconds to 1 Minute AFTER You See the Sprue Puddle Finally Solidify) As quick as you are able to Safely Dump this 1st Bullet out, IMMEDIATELY Fill the Cavity again, This time it will Take Considerably Less time to Solidify, When you are Sure it has Solidified, Dump this Bullet as well, and IMMEDIATELY Fill the Cavity again. Do this for about 5-6 Cycles/Bullets, Now Swing the Sprue Plate Closed and Start Casting For Keeps

 

[Idaholewis]

Why do i Slightly Overheat my Molds? So i can Start Casting PERFECT Bullets in a Just a Few Minutes, With ONLY 5-6 Culled Bullets. If you start Casting with a COLD MOLD, and Keep Casting to Get the Temperature up, it takes FOREVER and Then Some, You will have to Cast a PILE of CULL Bullets Before the Mold Comes up to Temp. And even then it will NEVER reach the Temp I explain above, And that is PRECISELY How i am getting OPTIMUM Fillout. By using the Procedure i Explain above, you are cutting ALL OF THIS Wasted Time Out.

 

[brucebuilds]

Excellent information, and timely for me. I have all the equipment assembled and I’m ready to start cast as soon as I find the time.

 

[Dave951]

I cast in almost the exact same manner except I run the lead a bit hotter in the 850+ range since I'm casting minies. I preheat the mold with a propane torch to temp, especially the core pin for the hollow base. First pour is left a bit longer than normal to transfer more heat to the mold, then start casting. I get very few culls after the first 5-10.

The method works, plain and simple.

 

[Matthew323]

Perhaps make this a sticky?

 

[Idaholewis]

Perhaps make this a sticky?

This and Compression Casting Both would be AWESOME For a “Sticky”, Maybe Combined Somehow? Or Seperate? It explains in Detail how i Cast my Bullets like i do. I never ask for a “Sticky” That’s a Decision for the BIG CHEESES Here

ANYBODY Can Dump Molten Lead in a Bullet Mold, But NOT Many Can Cast a SUPER HIGH Quality Bullet, Casting HIGH QUALITY Bullets is TRULY an Art

As I’ve said Many times, Casting didn’t come easy to me, It took me a LOT of time to learn what i have (A few Years worth of PERSISTENCE) I didn’t have a Teacher, I had to learn by Trial & Error, and LOTS of Frustration. I have Shared EVERYTHING I know, and Have Learned about it right here with you guy’s on this Forum, In hopes of saving you the Time & Frustration i had to go through. If you follow what i Say here, You will be Casting HIGH QUALITY Bullets MUCH sooner than Later. Any Questions you might have, Just ask me I wish that i had Something like this Back when i started

You guy’s see my Bullet Pictures, You see my Bullets Shoot On Paper, and in My Accuracy Videos, Long Range, Etc. My Bullets, and My Casting is Bragged about by MANY, including our Current WORLD Champion. It makes me Feel Good, and Proud that i Stuck with it

 

[Magnum]

Great Video Lewis.
I’d like to see how you take care of your pot before and after pouring. I can’t seem to keep crud off the interior surface Of my Lee pot.

 

[Bushfire]

I would love to have a crack at my own but just don't have the time or money at this point. Great to see you're happy to share with others though, this is probably the friendliest forum I've come across. Top stuff

 

[Idaholewis]

Great Video Lewis.
I’d like to see how you take care of your pot before and after pouring. I can’t seem to keep crud off the interior surface Of my Lee pot.

It’s Nature of the Beast Magnum, I do nothing Special with the Pot, They are NOTORIOUS for Rust/Crud Build up, More so in the Spout which is where most problems occur. About every 2 Months i empty and Clean my Pot. I use 2 Different Drill Bits that i turn by Hand ONLY to clean the Spout. Since i drill my Bottom pour Spouts Out to 3/32 i use a 3/32 for that end, and a 15/64 for the Large end (Where the Shut off Stem Drops in, inside the Pot)

I am careful to put KNOWN Clean Ingots in. If it’s a New/Unknown ingot, i hold them up Top in a Spoon so they Can Melt up Top, This Allows the Crud from the Unknown Ingot to “Suspend“ up Top Allowing me to easily Skim it off, I NEVER Drop an Unknown ingot to the Bottom. I Stir the inside Pot Bottom, and Sidewalls REALLY Good. I Flux with a Paper Towel (Something i Stumbled across that Works REALLY Well ) Simply Fold up new, DRY/CLEAN Paper Towel and Drop it on top of the Molten Alloy, Now push it Down with your Stirrer, in my Case it’s a Large, long handled Metal Spoon from the Dollar Store, Now Stir the Paper Towel Around and Around through the Lead, Alloy.

 

[Magnum]

It’s Nature of the Beast Magnum, I do nothing Special with the Pot, They are NOTORIOUS for Rust/Crud Build up, More so in the Spout which is where most problems occur. About every 2 Months i empty and Clean my Pot. I use 2 Different Drill Bits that i turn by Hand ONLY to clean the Spout. Since i drill my Bottom pour Spouts Out to 3/32 i use a 3/32 for that end, and a 15/64 for the Large end (Where the Shut off Stem Drops in, inside the Pot)

I am careful to put KNOWN Clean Ingots in. If it’s a New/Unknown ingot, i hold them up Top in a Spoon so they Can Melt up Top, This Allows the Crud from the Unknown Ingot to “Suspend“ up Top Allowing me to easily Skim it off, I NEVER Drop an Unknown ingot to the Bottom. I Stir the inside Pot Bottom, and Sidewalls REALLY Good. I Flux with a Paper Towel (Something i Stumbled across that Works REALLY Well ) Simply Drop a new, DRY/CLEAN Paper Towel on top of the Molten Alloy And push it Down with your Stirrer, in my Case it’s a Large Metal Spoon from the Dollar Store, Now Stir the Paper Towel Around and Around through the Lead, Alloy.

Well I learned something there about stirring in unknown metal. I never heard you mention that before. I’m guilty of that sometimes. I know some time ago you did talk about drilling the ports which I was aware of.
Thanks

 

[Idaholewis]

Well I learned something there about stirring in unknown metal. I never heard you mention that before. I’m guilty of that sometimes. I know some time ago you did talk about drilling the ports which I was aware of.
Thanks

Just make sure and Hold “Unknown“ Ingots up top in a Spoon Etc. And let them Melt up top, This way the Crud in them will Suspend up Top, making it SIMPLE to Skim it off

Some folks think that All impurities will POP RIGHT UP to the Top of the Molten Lead, That is NOT the case! You can get Crud in your Lead/Alloy that Stays at the Bottom, And Throughout the Melt. I use to Stir a DRY paint Stick inside, But i was talking to a Guy that is REALLY Talented in Casting Bullets, He STRONGLY advised Against Doing that in a Bottom Pour Pot.

His Words
Biggest problem I've had with a bottom-pour giving me dross inclusions and dirty spots is due to throwing back cull bullets and sprues as I cast. Those solid bits of lead have an oxide layer on them and due to higher density than the molten alloy they sink straight to the bottom, then melt and deposit their oxide skins between the surface of the melted mass and bottom of the pot. Then those skins migrate to the spout due to the flow current and show up in your bullets. A vigorous scraping of the bottom of the pot with a spoon and then stir to create a nice vortex will bring this stuff out. Sawdust won't get down there unless it is stuck to a sprue and gets pulled all the way to the bottom, and even then it likely won't get outside of the surface tension of the melt and will float back up.

Scraping the bottom of the pot with a wood stick is a sure way to force ash deposits outside the surface skin of the melt on the bottom and get them in your bullets.

 

[sdporter]

Just make sure and Hold “Unknown“ Ingots up top in a Spoon Etc. And let them Melt up top, This way the Crud in them will Suspend up Top, making it SIMPLE to Skim it off

Some folks think that All impurities will POP RIGHT UP to the Top of the Molten Lead, That is NOT the case! You can get Crud in your Lead/Alloy that Stays at the Bottom, And Throughout the Melt. I use to Stir a DRY paint Stick inside, But i was talking to a Guy that is REALLY Talented in Casting Bullets, He STRONGLY advised Against Doing that in a Bottom Pour Pot.

His Words
Biggest problem I've had with a bottom-pour giving me dross inclusions and dirty spots is due to throwing back cull bullets and sprues as I cast. Those solid bits of lead have an oxide layer on them and due to higher density than the molten alloy they sink straight to the bottom, then melt and deposit their oxide skins between the surface of the melted mass and bottom of the pot. Then those skins migrate to the spout due to the flow current and show up in your bullets. A vigorous scraping of the bottom of the pot with a spoon and then stir to create a nice vortex will bring this stuff out. Sawdust won't get down there unless it is stuck to a sprue and gets pulled all the way to the bottom, and even then it likely won't get outside of the surface tension of the melt and will float back up.

Scraping the bottom of the pot with a wood stick is a sure way to force ash deposits outside the surface skin of the melt on the bottom and get them in your bullets.

Guilty

 

[Idaholewis]

Guilty

I think it would be QUITE safe to say we ALL are

 

[sdporter]

Just thinking those oxides would jump off the sides of the pot and onto the stick....Yeah, didn’t happen...

 

[edmehlig]

What does stirring the paper towel do ?

 

[wmdbowman]

Great Video Lewis.
I’d like to see how you take care of your pot before and after pouring. I can’t seem to keep crud off the interior surface Of my Lee pot.

Back in the day casting round balls ,We found fluxing the pot worked to burn the crud off the top. Casting flux or a little bees wax was what I used. Stir it into the top of the pot with a small steel spoon. It's going to smoke and fume (ventilate) them scim the crud off the top.

 

[Magnum]

Well I learned something there about stirring in unknown metal. I never heard you mention that before. I’m guilty of that sometimes. I know some time ago you did talk about drilling the ports which I was aware of.
Thanks

Ok, your casting session is done for now. Do you empty your pot and treat it till the next session with oil or something or leave it full to harden?

 

[Magnum]

It’s Nature of the Beast Magnum, I do nothing Special with the Pot, They are NOTORIOUS for Rust/Crud Build up, More so in the Spout which is where most problems occur. About every 2 Months i empty and Clean my Pot. I use 2 Different Drill Bits that i turn by Hand ONLY to clean the Spout. Since i drill my Bottom pour Spouts Out to 3/32 i use a 3/32 for that end, and a 15/64 for the Large end (Where the Shut off Stem Drops in, inside the Pot)

I am careful to put KNOWN Clean Ingots in. If it’s a New/Unknown ingot, i hold them up Top in a Spoon so they Can Melt up Top, This Allows the Crud from the Unknown Ingot to “Suspend“ up Top Allowing me to easily Skim it off, I NEVER Drop an Unknown ingot to the Bottom. I Stir the inside Pot Bottom, and Sidewalls REALLY Good. I Flux with a Paper Towel (Something i Stumbled across that Works REALLY Well ) Simply Fold up new, DRY/CLEAN Paper Towel and Drop it on top of the Molten Alloy, Now push it Down with your Stirrer, in my Case it’s a Large, long handled Metal Spoon from the Dollar Store, Now Stir the Paper Towel Around and Around through the Lead, Alloy.

Just make sure and Hold “Unknown“ Ingots up top in a Spoon Etc. And let them Melt up top, This way the Crud in them will Suspend up Top, making it SIMPLE to Skim it off

Some folks think that All impurities will POP RIGHT UP to the Top of the Molten Lead, That is NOT the case! You can get Crud in your Lead/Alloy that Stays at the Bottom, And Throughout the Melt. I use to Stir a DRY paint Stick inside, But i was talking to a Guy that is REALLY Talented in Casting Bullets, He STRONGLY advised Against Doing that in a Bottom Pour Pot.

His Words
Biggest problem I've had with a bottom-pour giving me dross inclusions and dirty spots is due to throwing back cull bullets and sprues as I cast. Those solid bits of lead have an oxide layer on them and due to higher density than the molten alloy they sink straight to the bottom, then melt and deposit their oxide skins between the surface of the melted mass and bottom of the pot. Then those skins migrate to the spout due to the flow current and show up in your bullets. A vigorous scraping of the bottom of the pot with a spoon and then stir to create a nice vortex will bring this stuff out. Sawdust won't get down there unless it is stuck to a sprue and gets pulled all the way to the bottom, and even then it likely won't get outside of the surface tension of the melt and will float back up.

Scraping the bottom of the pot with a wood stick is a sure way to force ash deposits outside the surface skin of the melt on the bottom and get them in your bullets.

Ok, your casting session is done for now. Do you empty and treat your pot with something or keep it full and let it harden till next time?

 

[jcnull2305]

Hey Lew, along with explaining the paper towel bit, I'd like you to expound upon your hatred of aluminum moulds. I'm getting conflicting views.

I've corresponded with Tom, at Accurate Molds, and he's pretty unequivocal that his favorite material for his own casting is aluminum. But you hate aluminum, and prefer iron/steel.

I hate it when mom and dad fight!!!

I just got most of what I need to start casting. Getting an Accurate Molds 54-510M with no taper, but haven't decided on material. Which would be easier for a new caster? I'm going to start by ladle pouring as it's easier for a new caster to maintain consistency, as opposed to bottom-pour pots. Is that correct? Should I start with a single cavity mold? WHAT DOES IT ALL MEAN?!?!?

 

[wmdbowman]

After casting turn the pot off let it harden up. After cool cover it. Also cover when heating helps it heat a little faster. Cut a piece of old auto license plate to make a cover or something similar .