Author Topic: Insanity's odyssey in casting. (Read 13639 times))

Insanity · « **Reply #20 on:** July 16, 2019, 06:26:53 PM »

This one was 103 from NOE I think it was 118 shipped then the other bits and bobs 158 now for lead I'll have a few more into pure lead.

Insanity · « **Reply #21 on:** July 16, 2019, 07:06:38 PM »

Current state of the mold. It seems that this half I tried to heat up and then use a soldering iron and solder wick only made it harder to remove. That method did not work because the aluminum was pulling heat away way too quickly for it to even melt the surface. Even with my soldering station set to 900°f.

rsterne · « **Reply #22 on:** July 16, 2019, 07:33:14 PM »

Normally lead does not stick to aluminum.... so I'm guessing your "lead" was contaminated with some other metal.... I have no idea how to clean that mould….

Bob

Insanity · « **Reply #23 on:** July 16, 2019, 07:46:47 PM »

Quote from: rsterne on July 16, 2019, 07:33:14 PM

Normally lead does not stick to aluminum.... so I'm guessing your "lead" was contaminated with some other metal.... I have no idea how to clean that mould….

Bob

So far manually I dont think anymore heat will help maybe dip it in a pot of pure lead and hope it amalgams.

Kinetic45^ · « **Reply #24 on:** July 16, 2019, 08:08:33 PM »

You run the risk of warping a block if you heat it too much. Keeping two blocks pressed together as you heat mostly prevents this but you can't because of the trash on the faces.
Risky, but you might try heating, with caution, slowly increasing temp, with a propane torch to try to get enough heat to melt the crud without heating the aluminum too much. A soldering iron is just not going to put out enough heat as you're finding out.

For future reference, I do dip the front lower corners of both blocks where they are held together by the handle into the melt about a 1/4" for about 20 seconds to get to casting temp but am careful not to overheat AND to not let a gap happen as I hold them there.
Your problem is mostly from a really bad alloy.
We live and learn, don't give up, casting really is worth it once you get over the learning curve.

Wayne52 · « **Reply #25 on:** July 16, 2019, 08:24:18 PM »

Light electrolysis is probably the way that I would go but I've used electrolysis extensively and you have to be really careful when doing it because too much on aluminum destroys it, brass, copper, silver all clean up pretty good but aluminum you have to do just a little at a time or it will start eating up the aluminum. Zinc is the worst and will contaminate the electrolyte that you're using like right now. Pure gold (24K) it won't even phase it but anything that's stuck to it will disappear.

Insanity · « **Reply #26 on:** July 16, 2019, 08:50:57 PM »

I am reluctant to add any heat at all and I am not sure placing the mold halves in the melt is a good idea but it was a thought nonetheless. I lean by doing so now I know. I would really like to get good at casting because it will help save money on not buying expensive tins of pellets.

Wayne I have no experience in electrolysis but have researched it in the past. It never crossed my mind and I wont do it for two reasons 1 being I dont have the equipment and 2 I dont have the experience. Sure I have a battery charger but that is nothing like a properly controlled unit.

Insanity · « **Reply #27 on:** July 21, 2019, 02:03:28 AM »

I finally went to the inlaws and picked up my thermometer its a unbranded RCBS sold by rotometals. I also cleaned out my pellet trap not because I wanted to smelt that mess down but because I shot the lip of the lid to snot and it was leaking rubber mulch with every shot. So I have 5 or so pounds to smelt and try to learn with mostly JSB and crosman I know not the best mix but should work. I still need to clean the mold a little more, I thought about the last stubborn bit to waste some lead and see it it will amalgam its way out. The gungho excitement has went and I am more at the stage of well I expected failure at first so now its time to learn.

notshootingbunnies · « **Reply #28 on:** July 21, 2019, 02:50:43 AM »

Matt,
Wayne has a good idea with Electrolysis.

Some testing may be required, but a bath in pure chilled H2SO4 could be aggressive to many things while passivating the aluminum, minimizing its loss from the surface.

Passivation should also be possible with HNO3, and would remove the lead, until it starts to oxidize to PbO2 at the anode.

In a week or so I may be able to do some passivation testing on aluminum wet with Pb-Zn alloy in HNO3. I don’t have a coolant system for H2SO4, a fresh salt ice water bath may work.

But with non-oxidizing, basic solutions, pitting is a likely outcome.

Another possible method may ultrasonication under low temperatures, where the material is brought below the ductile to brittle transition temperature. I don’t know the particular alloy, so I’m not sure how low this temperature may be.

If the aluminum is anodized, you can remove the anodization smoothly with a NaOH solution in a matter of seconds without causing visible pitting.

Hope you are able to clean your mold up, Matt.

Best,
Jane.

Insanity · « **Reply #29 on:** July 22, 2019, 07:20:43 PM »

Today I got off work at a decent time so I got my hair cut. Took a past due truck payment to my step dad. I had the cash but forgot to take it over and kept forgetting... Once I got home I had a beer or 2 and forgot how itchy I was. I dried out my pellet hord and smelted them then was like well why not I tossed one pin in the good cavity heated it up and got to it. Well I not so good but the mold seems to be just fine except some stubborn deposits. So after a few drops I put the other pin in and was hoping the schmutz would amalgum out it didnt. However I didnt let that stop me. I kept going just to practis i made quite a few junk pellets but i made pellets. I did a quick
visual pick of the 10 best. Less than 1gn variance and a average of 23.2gn lightest was 22.7 and heaviest was 23.6.

This to me is tremendous progress sure they not so good and wont shoot well but I am happy with the results.

miksatx · « **Reply #30 on:** July 22, 2019, 09:04:49 PM »

Fantastic Matt it's a great start keep up the enthusiasm.

Insanity · « **Reply #31 on:** July 23, 2019, 01:23:15 PM »

Thanks I'll keep plugging away at it seems that mix is doing well mostly pure with some antimony from the crosman pellets.

Insanity · « **Reply #32 on:** July 23, 2019, 10:34:59 PM »

This is tonight's casting adventure. I got the rest of the mold cleaned out it took a few toothpicks and a pick I had ground to clean splines on polaris slingshot axles and pulley. I got up to temp and was dropping what I beleave is good for my skill level pellets, I went to get Dinner with a friend then casted some more. I can say no less than 50 are straight junk and maybe another 50 or so more wont pass visuail. I have to have at least 1000 pellets in total good and bad. I poured between 650 and 800 but tried to keep it at 700 just as a baise line. Im no Wayne52 but I am ok with the results tonight.

maraudinglizard · « **Reply #33 on:** July 23, 2019, 10:56:52 PM »

Be patient, they are looking better, it will take time to get the junk out of everything but when it does come out the pellets will be well formed and clean looking. Keep practicing, it will get better as time goes on.

Insanity · « **Reply #34 on:** July 24, 2019, 10:40:29 PM »

Thank you everyone for the words of encouragement it helped a lot more than you think. I got to talk to Wayne52 on the phone tonight and that was very nice his encouragement and guidance really helped a lot. So 1600 good at least to me half 23.2 and 22.8gn 160 &^^& for a good first time run I am happy.

Insanity · « **Reply #35 on:** July 27, 2019, 12:32:23 PM »

I have some shooting results all at 10y with all of my guns and all groups are 10 shots.

In red ruger impact max np. This gun has never grouped all that well so this is par for the course.

In green gamo urban at 2000psi maxed out hammer spring. This is also par for the course with about everything I feed it. Higher PSI and longer range testing planed.

In purple benjamin trail np2. This probably a little better than other heavy pellets I shot out of it I would typically have 6-8 in a tight group then the rest would open up more.

In blue crosman 2240 carbine. This is a very impressive group for this gun as it was doing the same as 14g CPHP with a slight poi difference and this one was the only off hand seated peep sights.

Final thought for at least my attic range I don't think I will be purchasing pellets for that use any more. I am very satisfied with the results I will do some crony work with all the guns later. The urban dose the best with 18g up to 50y I was smacking paintball size targets at 48 50y at Jeffs house so I suspect the same results with these 23g just a slight adjustment with the scope.

Insanity · « **Reply #36 on:** July 31, 2019, 11:03:07 AM »

So against my better judgment I went ahead and melted some of the lead that I tined the snot out of my mold with. Well it seems that these pellets are ok for a unknown mix. The few pellets i weighed all weighed 22.8 to 23.2gn. The skirts crushed easy with my thumb nail.

Insanity · « **Reply #37 on:** July 31, 2019, 02:03:33 PM »

Have 150 good pellets to see how it goes. It really makes me wonder if my prior failure was me not knowing enough having the lead too hot or too cold and the mold not up to temp etc.

miksatx · « **Reply #38 on:** July 31, 2019, 03:14:10 PM »

The pellets look good!

Insanity · « **Reply #39 on:** July 31, 2019, 10:08:15 PM »

Casted a lot more up and they look great. Anyone who guesses how many I will send you 150 from this batch. Ill let it go for 2 weeks so end is 14th of August. Send your guess by PM please. The grouping is nice too top 3 are 2240 carbine bottom 2 are benjamin np2.

Thank you to our advertisers!

Insanity's odyssey in casting.

Author Topic: Insanity's odyssey in casting. (Read 13639 times))