Author Topic: 1st attempt (Read 13383 times))

Kinetic45^ · « **Reply #40 on:** July 04, 2019, 09:05:15 PM »

Since I had such bad luck casting recycled 'store bought' pellets I started trying to use a couple oz of pellets (that's like one tablespoon) in every 10 pounds of Rotometals 'known' lead. Not enough blended in to ruin the alloy but eventually they will all get used up, haha.

KnifeMaker · « **Reply #41 on:** July 05, 2019, 04:50:03 AM »

Me too!

I am aware however, that some brands, such as crosman have far too much antimony in them, which can lead to age hardening of your cast.

Wayne52 · « **Reply #42 on:** July 05, 2019, 04:59:22 AM »

I've got quite a bit of lead that I could use for casting but it's flat out too hard and I have no idea just how hard and how it would cast. Personally if I had a pot full of bad lead it would be dumped immediately for some good pure lead. I've only probably got 20lbs of pure lead right now so it's probably time to make another order from Rotometals soon.

Back_Roads · « **Reply #43 on:** July 05, 2019, 10:42:50 AM »

I blend my air range lead with pure when doing big bore 9mm and .50 cal. casting. pellet casting is too finicky to mess with unknown alloys.

miksatx · « **Reply #44 on:** July 05, 2019, 11:50:10 AM »

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?

Back_Roads · « **Reply #45 on:** July 05, 2019, 12:08:06 PM »

If a lee bottom pour, I had that issue when I first got mine, and I was casting with what was probably dirty lead,I kept a larger flat blade screwdriver handy, and would give the screw on top of the valve a twist or 2 and it would seal. I later did a total dump of that batch of lead by wearing heat proof gloves and dumping the remaining pot into a ingot mold.

Hobbyman2007 · « **Reply #46 on:** July 05, 2019, 01:20:33 PM »

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.

miksatx · « **Reply #47 on:** July 05, 2019, 07:22:57 PM »

Quote from: Hobbyman2007 on July 05, 2019, 01:20:33 PM

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?

KnifeMaker · « **Reply #48 on:** July 05, 2019, 07:37:24 PM »

Sawdust is wonderful. In everything such as smelting, and ladle pouring. Not for a bottom pore however. it will go fine for a while, but the charcoal will eventually find its way to the spout and the entire pot has to be emptied and cleaned. over and over again!

Wax for mixing he tin back in, borax for getting impurities out of a bottom pore pot.

go to Castboolits.com and read-read-read. You have to be able to learn enough to separate old wives tails in casting from fact however.

The Lyman casting manual is excellent for beginners and seasoned casters as well.

For instance, there was talk about a given thermometer not being accurate, and needing to be set with a pid. Not! Pure lead, or lead with just a touch of tin in it will melt, and then go stagnant for a few minutes during the change. this happens at 625 degrees. It is all you need to know to set or record the temp on your. Temp gauge. If it is off by 25 degrees,it will be off the sme at higher temps. Easy enough to know where the melt is.

some simply mark the melt start with a sharpie, then add the difference, or subtract, from the temp desired from that info. Easy/Peasy.
These are the type of things a beginner would have no way of knowing, and just the reason of reading as much as possible.

Knife

35 shooter · « **Reply #49 on:** July 05, 2019, 10:52:14 PM »

Quote from: miksatx on July 05, 2019, 11:50:10 AM

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.

A pin or small needle held with a pair of pliers stuck into the hole at the bottom of the pour spout and run in and out of the hole usually frees it up.
I just run the needle into the bottom of the spout from the underside... best to wear some good leather gloves while doing so though.

KnifeMaker · « **Reply #50 on:** July 06, 2019, 01:22:35 AM »

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.

miksatx · « **Reply #51 on:** July 06, 2019, 06:31:38 AM »

Thanks 35 shooter and KnifeMaker for the advice. I'll dig out a couple safety pins and my gloves.

Hobbyman2007 · « **Reply #52 on:** July 06, 2019, 07:33:10 AM »

Been fluxing with about a tablespoon of sawdust per 5 lbs of lead . I use a bottom poor but haven’t really had issues with charcoal , but I do stir and remove it from the top of the melt quite frequently . Almost obsessively.

BackStop · « **Reply #53 on:** July 07, 2019, 01:47:38 PM »

Quote from: KnifeMaker on July 06, 2019, 01:22:35 AM

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.

How does charcoal make it to the bottom of a pot full of hot lead? Even steel floats on top.

Not doubting you Knife, but I have always wondered how draff, which is lighter than lead, makes it to the bottom of a pot of hot lead.

Thanks!

BackStop · « **Reply #54 on:** July 07, 2019, 01:49:28 PM »

Quote from: KnifeMaker on July 06, 2019, 01:22:35 AM

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.

BTW, I agree that you should ALWAYS "smelt" or purify lead in something OTHER than a bottom pour production pot. Always have and always will!

rintafile · « **Reply #55 on:** July 08, 2019, 01:20:48 AM »

That oxidation looks like sand when melted and any dirt raise up on surface, sinks on bottom and sticks to pots walls. And it will separate time to time. And when you stirr...
Funny how it always finds it way to spout if you cast bottom pour pot. Thats the way. So many times been curse it even i have fluxed my lead in sepate. Not in pot. 10 liter kettle and with gas. And been putting a lot of sawdust with lead and let it be for 4-5 hours.

miksatx · « **Reply #56 on:** July 08, 2019, 10:04:05 AM »

Run a small batch last night. Only three bad pellets out of the batch.

Hobbyman2007 · « **Reply #57 on:** July 08, 2019, 04:42:58 PM »

Good to see things are shaping up for you Michael. Now that you have the hardest casting out of the way anything else should be a breeze . Hope they fly straight for you .

KnifeMaker · « **Reply #58 on:** July 09, 2019, 09:45:19 AM »

I was going to answer Kerry's question but Teemu beat me toi it. It ends up with other swarf and sticks to the sides of the pot. As the swarf contains lead, it can sink, and yes, find its way to the bottom as well as sticking to the sides.

Once you start actually smelting you will see this often for yourself. No need for explanations then.

I am not interested in researching and doing the math to find how that is possible. There is far too much of that going on in other threads here on the forum aplenty. Kinda the old "Armchair Warrior" kind of thing!

Once an otherwise stable pot starts leaking from the spout, you'll find the swarf. It's there. GRRRRRR!!!

Thanks Teemu!

Michael, those look very good indeed!

Knife

miksatx · « **Reply #59 on:** July 09, 2019, 11:59:39 AM »

Thanks Denis, Kerry, Teemu Wayne, and Knife your input in my post is invaluable. Can't thank you enough!

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1st attempt

Author Topic: 1st attempt (Read 13383 times))