Little help for Casters, especially those just getting started.

[RobD]

My pleasure, sir.

You may notice a few things in the above video that may seem unusual, so if you will allow, I'll talk some more of my casting process ...

I double wrap a #64 rubber band around the mould handle ends.  This ensures that the mould halves are aligned and evenly compressed for all castings. 

I put the ladle's snout into the mould sprue hole and let the weight of the lead force itself into the mould cavities.  Even after both cavities are filled, I dump the remaining ladle lead over the sprue holes to keep the heat high at those areas to help release any trapped air. 

When balls are stuck in the mould I rap the handle hinge to release and Never hit the mould itself. 

I leave the last ball cast in the mould.  As the still image at the end of the video shows, after the mould has fully cured it's wrapped well in Press'n'Seal food wrap.  I do this to keep air out and off the mould.  In doing so, there is no need to oil the mould for storage, or for cleaning off the oil to start another casting session.  Just unwrap the mould, stick it on the pot rim along with the ladle, turn on the furnace, and let them both get hot as the lead melts. 

Before casting, I put a pea sized piece of candle wax or beeswax or paraffin wax or a bit of sawdust into the lead - it will smoke a whole big bunch and may even produce a flame (which is why I use a big exhaust fan over the furnace, that pipes out through the shop window).  I stir that with a tablespoon and scoop out the dross into a cut off top soda can, so all that's left in the pot is a mirror silver lake of molten lead. 

I use a thermometer to monitor the pure lead heat and I typically keep it around 700-750F (for alloy bullets it'll be closer to 800F).  I let a cast ball tell me if the temperature is good - it will be shiny and clean, with no lines, no frosting, no occlusions. 

I start with the pot full and always add new lead after (not during!) the casting session, and I'll frequently stir the lead with that tablespoon and pull out the dross.

Hope some of this helps.

r.

[Bearhntr]

Rob,
 When finished casting,  do you leave the residual lead in the pot?

Thanks,
Rodd

[RobD]

Rob,
 When finished casting,  do you leave the residual lead in the pot?

Thanks,
Rodd

Yes.  And as mentioned, I make sure it's filled.

[Uncle Russ]

I'm not Rob, but as a long time caster I would like to join in.
Back in the late 50's, early 60's, I used a Bottom Pour (which were very expensive back then) and I "used" to empty the pot after ever casting, I only empty the pot now when the melt gets low, so I can clean it.

As Rob stated, I've never met a bottom pour pot yet that didn't leak, From a little bit to a hard to manage leak!
Personally, I seldom empty the pot anymore unless I'm going to change hardness levels of my melt, which I seldom do anymore since I shoot mostly pure lead in both my C&B Revolvers and my Muzzleloaders.
My advice to every new caster is; First off, be safe!
Water is NOT your friend. Keep a safe distance from water, along with wet or damp items, even a drop of sweat from your brow, can cause a bit of excitement if it hits the molten lead.
Wear safe clothing, including gloves and eye protection.
And likely as important as anything, is reading. Read everything you can on casting, and never be afraid to ask questions, lots of questions!
Remember, the only dumb question ever, is the one that is not asked!

Respectfully, Russ...

[Butler Ford 40]

A suggestion, if you will, if you luck into some recovered plumbing, roof flashing or any other forms of lead, do NOT try to clean it in your casting pot! Darn near impossible to flux enough to get all the impurities out of the lead and most of the leftover dirt will remain in your pot stuck to the sides and bottom and will get back into your clean lead when you refill the pot to start casting.

[Winter Hawk]

A suggestion, if you will, if you luck into some recovered plumbing, roof flashing or any other forms of lead, do NOT try to clean it in your casting pot!

Thank you for the heads-up!  I bought a bunch of lead pipe last summer and it is piled under the work bench right now.  I think I'll see what the second hand stores have for a usable pot to melt it all down in.

~Kees~

[Doc Nock]

A suggestion, if you will, if you luck into some recovered plumbing, roof flashing or any other forms of lead, do NOT try to clean it in your casting pot! Darn near impossible to flux enough to get all the impurities out of the lead and most of the leftover dirt will remain in your pot stuck to the sides and bottom and will get back into your clean lead when you refill the pot to start casting.

Folks are long dead now, but Dad had a friend who grew up the Son of a plumber and they had a rather sizeable () caldron in their Shed they smelted lead pipe for the old Soil pipe horsehair and lead packed sealant...

That gent told of how they used an old axe to chop up the lead pipe and apparently one bit still had some moisture in it and when it was tossed in the pot... well it exploded and sent hot lead everywhere... He said it was he, his Dad and brother at that time in the shed smelting it and when it blew, none of them were hit with flying, molten lead but it "emptied the rather large pot"...

Just FYI

I had a Lee 10# that over time turned into a drip-o-matic...so I plugged the hole and got a dipper and use it for RBs only and lucked into an older style (made in USA) Green Bottom pour I use for my 45LC bullets (or did)... Since I'm not shooting much these days of any type, I may not need either one again...

[Butler Ford 40]

Doc, that is the very reason I never add to the smelting pot. Takes longer to start each pot cold but by the time everything gets to the melting point, all moisture has evaporated.

[Doc Nock]

I read somewhere that a bird flew over and crapped in a guy's pot and it blew and another guy said he had a lot of cats around  and he'd "Hose down" his pots to cool them and they NEVER blew...

The internet... helpful till it's not...