They look great to me! I've got a 4 lb pot and I use a Lyman bottom pour lead dipper. It's been a good combination for me.
You will probably need something else to calibrate that NOE thermometer. On the I have, the dial spins very easily and got out of calibration before I could even use it. I finally got it calibrated using a PID controller, then put a lot of superglue on the back of the spinning dial piece to lock it down. I would not recommend that thermometer.Thanks for the heads up triggertreat. Curious did you try returning it or notify NOE of the problem?
I use the sinking boat method to fill my bottom pour ladle, turn it so the sprue nozzle is aiming down into the pot and let it fill through the little hole.Thanks Back_Roads more great info. Just got to love this place.
I use the sinking boat method to fill my bottom pour ladle, turn it so the sprue nozzle is aiming down into the pot and let it fill through the little hole.
You will probably need something else to calibrate that NOE thermometer. On the I have, the dial spins very easily and got out of calibration before I could even use it. I finally got it calibrated using a PID controller, then put a lot of superglue on the back of the spinning dial piece to lock it down. I would not recommend that thermometer.Thanks for the heads up triggertreat. Curious did you try returning it or notify NOE of the problem?
Mike, there is good reason why they are called the Drip-o-matic. They are famous for it.Never had that much of a drip, but I never leave my Lee hot (10 pound model, used and not in good shape) pot alone when on.
I turned mine on ione morning, went to walk the dog while it came to heat. I returned to find my work bench covered with 20 lbs of lead. Double GRRRRR!!!
I ordered the RCBS Pro Melt the same week. Never any issues again. Nearly two years later, no issue of any kind. Steadier heat, easier to use.
Sadly, RCBS no longer carries their well loved unit. The new on is no longer made by them, but a much more cheaply made Chinese made unit. It does have a built in pid, but poor quality over all compared to the Original Pro Melt.
Mike/Knife
Fixed! So when I got this unit the pin that fits in the bottom was bent. Figured it was supposed to be. So I pulled it stuck it in a vice and straighten it out. Chucked it up in the lathe polished it. Put it back together no leaks.
Tried casting today total fail out of 200 pellets 2 were fully formed. My guess I'm not getting my mould hot enough. Not getting the pellet skirt formed. Lead was 800 degrees.
Do you know how much tin you have in the mix or are you using 100% lead ? You’re probably right with the mold temp not being hot enough . My first couple thousand cast were not that great but found that adding a bit of tin really helped with fill out as I leaned about timing and got into the grove . I’d say about 3% would be about max . Keep at it , it will eventually all come together . You might want to try Wayne’s pressure poor method . He’s getting awesome results .All the lead I'm using is recycled pellets I've picked up out back. So no idea how much tin maybe in them.
Michael, Are you dumping the slugs into the water to cool them off and make them harder? I wouldn't have any water next to my pot. That's asking for trouble if any splashes in the hot pot. :'(I do drop them in water but the water is sitting on the floor when casting. It just sitting on the bench when I'm not working so I don't kick it walking by. I'm very aware of the reaction of water in molten lead believe me!
Michael, Are you dumping the slugs into the water to cool them off and make them harder? I wouldn't have any water next to my pot. That's asking for trouble if any splashes in the hot pot. :'(I do drop them in water but the water is sitting on the floor when casting. It just sitting on the bench when I'm not working so I don't kick it walking by. I'm very aware of the reaction of water in molten lead believe me!
Lots of stirring and flux will keep the melt clean . I use saw dust for fluxing either elm or maple , extremely dry that I have dried out in the oven for an hour or so on a cooking sheet at about 150F.Hi Hobbyman2007 how much do you add at a time?
Ok so yesterday evening I decided to cast up a batch. Right off my bottom pour went to a bottom drip. Not the kind of drip after you let off the pour handle. So I just shut down every thing. This morning I turned every thing back on checked the temp 850+. Sit my cast iron bucket under the pour nozzle. And sure nuff all I get is drip drip drip with the handle up and wide open. So has any you experienced guys had this problem before?I’ve had mine do that from time to time... usually it’s a bit of dirt or trash that eventually finds it’s way into the pour spout despite my continual stirring and fluxing.
Yep. I use a very small drill bit. However, anything bad enough to get into the spout, is also contaminating your bullets. Carbon from sawdust will remain in the mix seemingly forever!
Nothing in the melt i a bottom pour should be dirty enough to require sawdust. If it does, it was not smelted properly. Do it again!
Just never smelt in a bottom pour pot. Which is exactly what introducing sawdust into is doing. ;)
Yep. I use a very small drill bit. However, anything bad enough to get into the spout, is also contaminating your bullets. Carbon from sawdust will remain in the mix seemingly forever!
Nothing in the melt i a bottom pour should be dirty enough to require sawdust. If it does, it was not smelted properly. Do it again!
Just never smelt in a bottom pour pot. Which is exactly what introducing sawdust into is doing. ;)
Thanks Keith I'll order some up and give it a try. How much paraffin?
For fluxing, I like to use Frankford Arsenal CleanCast Lead Flux. It doesn't take much in a 20lb pot, just a pinch or two. I also like to cover the top with a few pinches after rendering with Paraffin wax to keep oxygen out of the pot. I tried the sawdust once, the Frankford is much cleaner. I can't say I've had much clogging issues up until recently. I'll blame it on the sawdust, lol.
I'm always trying to test and find a better product so here's what I'm using now:Thanks Carl it's great info. The soldering powder is interesting I've fabricated a lot of silver jewelry but always used a liquid to with solder. Tips on how you use each product would sure help.
Beeswax in easy dispensing form
https://www.amazon.com/Earthwise-Yellow-Beeswax-Pellets-Organic/dp/B07MPK4ZB9/ref=mp_s_a_1_2_sspa?keywords=Earthwise+Yellow+Beeswax+Pellets+-+Organic+-&qid=1562715755&s=gateway&sr=8-2-spons&psc=1 (https://www.amazon.com/Earthwise-Yellow-Beeswax-Pellets-Organic/dp/B07MPK4ZB9/ref=mp_s_a_1_2_sspa?keywords=Earthwise+Yellow+Beeswax+Pellets+-+Organic+-&qid=1562715755&s=gateway&sr=8-2-spons&psc=1)
I was using Frankford but...
As per Knifemaker, Frankford is basically borax so I ordered this and am trying it.
https://www.amazon.com/Borax-Jewelry-Soldering-Powder-Lb/dp/B017DLRWV8/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?keywords=Borax+Jewelry+Soldering+Powder+-+1+Lb&qid=1562716325&s=gateway&sr=8-3 (https://www.amazon.com/Borax-Jewelry-Soldering-Powder-Lb/dp/B017DLRWV8/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?keywords=Borax+Jewelry+Soldering+Powder+-+1+Lb&qid=1562716325&s=gateway&sr=8-3)
Yah, any old hydrocarbon works.
This is the paraffin wax I use. $3 a pound at any local grocery store. Can't get much cheaper than that, and last forever. I just cut off a very small chunk and toss it in to render the tin back into the lead. After that, I sprinkle in a few pinches of the Frankford and stir around, then dip out the dross. I then drop a few more pinches in to coat the top and seal it off from oxygen. Shop around for the Frankford. Prices are all over the place. I paid $11.52 shipped off eBay, but have seen it for $8 since somewhere else. It's clean and very easy to work with. Might try Carl's trick next, but it will be awhile before I run out.
I don't keep adding any lead back in from the sprue cuts that would break the top seal and introduce oxygen back in. I wait until I need to add in more lead on a low lead supply before doing all of this all over again.
Thanks Keith I'll give it a watch and some though. Seems that my spare truck wants a new fuel pump? Not sure what I'm going to be doing for the next week lol.
Hey Michael, check out this PID controller build:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AgixJeF0vEU (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AgixJeF0vEU)https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IGOqMyx5kv4 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IGOqMyx5kv4)
Here's how to program it:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KFVcrtQ_pdQ (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KFVcrtQ_pdQ)
I built one and it works great at keeping the melt at a constant temp for better cast results. No more temp rises as the pot level drops.
It's a fairly easy build, just gotta gather up the parts, which are listed at the bottom of the vids. I got most of my parts off eBay and Walmart.
Here's what mine looks like:
(https://i.ibb.co/BqJXBz1/PID-build-03.png)
(https://i.ibb.co/RhjrmXY/PID-build-02.jpg)
Is there any reason why I shouldn't use a screw driver to stir my pot?
Is there any reason why I shouldn't use a screw driver to stir my pot?
Yes.Is there any reason why I shouldn't use a screw driver to stir my pot?
Does it have a plastic handle?
Yes.Is there any reason why I shouldn't use a screw driver to stir my pot?
Does it have a plastic handle?
Plastic that will melt at 600°+?Thanks for the info. BSJ.
Is there any reason why I shouldn't use a screw driver to stir my pot?
Is there any reason why I shouldn't use a screw driver to stir my pot?
I like using the Lee ladle. First because it's cheap, but mostly because I can stir the pot well and pull up lead from the bottom, and scrape the sides, too. It is also great for removing the dross and for dropping multiple small lead pieces like rejected bullets back into the hot lead safely away from any splatter. You'd be fairly limited with a screwdriver as to what you can do with it.
If with ladle, be sure and rest it on top of the lead for a minute before diving in with it. Condensate from anything is explosive once below the lead surface.
Yes.Is there any reason why I shouldn't use a screw driver to stir my pot?
Does it have a plastic handle?
Plastic that will melt at 600°+?
Yes.Is there any reason why I shouldn't use a screw driver to stir my pot?
Does it have a plastic handle?
Plastic that will melt at 600°+?
Isn't that metal part which you use stirring? I've been stirring years and that hadle is still fine. I never thought nobody uses so short screw driver that hadle is dipping on lead ::) If need skim dirt/dross off then i use table spoon. I My pot is too big for stir spoon,ladle or etc. So i use long screw driver and it works just fine. But if you do fluxing on different place than your pot there is not much to skim.
Micheal
Looking good, 8)
What alloy of lead?
Hi Don that's a good question lol. This batch are recycled pellets. I'm not at that level of casting yet to try alloy.
Getting ready to shoot a few through my Dominator. Just run a couple shots over chrono 1st shot 641 so I cranked down on the hammer spring. 2nd 809 going to leave it there. Shooting at 15yrds.
Glad you showed up these are unsized so there .217. Do you lub your bullets when resizing, if you do what do you use? Only resizing bushing I have is .215. Is .002 ok to resize dry or do I need a lub of some type? I have some paraffin wax and silicon grease.
Tia,
Don
5 shot group humm not sure what to think lol. Going to hold off resizing till i here back from you Don or from someone who can answer my lub or not lub to resize.Micheal
Looking good, 8)
What alloy of lead?
Hi Don that's a good question lol. This batch are recycled pellets. I'm not at that level of casting yet to try alloy.
Getting ready to shoot a few through my Dominator. Just run a couple shots over chrono 1st shot 641 so I cranked down on the hammer spring. 2nd 809 going to leave it there. Shooting at 15yrds.
Glad you showed up these are unsized so there .217. Do you lub your bullets when resizing, if you do what do you use? Only resizing bushing I have is .215. Is .002 ok to resize dry or do I need a lub of some type? I have some paraffin wax and silicon grease.
Tia,
Don
How this sound for slugging the barrel. I have a small lee ladle that I can torch and just stick the end of the barrel in the melted lead and let harden up?That didn't work. So got out my ingot mould found the nearest diameter. And pounded a slug in the barrel and got this. My calipers reads .216