What Lead Temperature Do You Use to Cast Pellets?

[pblawler]

What Lead Temperature Do You Use to Cast Pellets?  I ordered a 20lb pot and a the parts to build a PID control, but not sure what temp I should set it to initially.  Any suggestions are appreciated.  Thanks everybody!

[RonsPlc]

I find that I get the best cast from 725-750F

[EdinGa]

I try to keep mine around 700 with pure lead but I'm using a thermometer and not a PID so it varies some.

[triggertreat]

It depends on how much air is circulating around the gravity nozzle.  I like 735° because that is the lowest I can go without the nozzle seizing up due to cooling off as it hangs down below the pot.  I also put wood or tile pieces or some barrier around the pot to use this lower temp.  Lead begins to melt around 626°.  If you go too hot, you may find that you have fins on the outside of your casts depending on the mold condition and the mold temp.  I would say 750° would be a good starting point for you.   You can then play around with the temps from there.

[EdinGa]

It depends on how much air is circulating around the gravity nozzle.  I like 735° because that is the lowest I can go without the nozzle seizing up due to cooling off as it hangs down below the pot.  I also put wood or tile pieces or some barrier around the pot to use this lower temp.  Lead begins to melt around 626°.  If you go too hot, you may find that you have fins on the outside of your casts depending on the mold condition and the mold temp.  I would say 750° would be a good starting point for you.   You can then play around with the temps from there.

My brain was locked in on casting pellets so it ignored the fact that he's talking about a bottom pour pot. I agree that 750 would be better because of the nozzle cooling down. Blocking air flow is also an important consideration when casting outside. Good points.

[Back_Roads]

 The most consistent results are achieved in a controlled environment, Having the same repeatable conditions, just like a science experiment

[maraudinglizard]

The most consistent results are achieved in a controlled environment, Having the same repeatable conditions, just like a science experiment

/\/\
Best advice right there.

Whole lot of experimenting and eyeballing, I keep the pot between 650 and 700 on average, higher if the pour spout cools to quick. No pid involved, just old fashion heat and pour(pray).

[RonsPlc]

I can't do it in a controlled environment, I have to do my casting in a car-port.
It makes it a bit difficult to control ambient temperature.
But that doesn't stop me, in cold temps, I turn on a Buddy Heater under my (metal) casting table.

[Back_Roads]

 In an essence you are controlling the environment then, blocking wind, providing an are heat source, or casting when outdoor weather conditions are similar etc.   
 Before building an exhausts system I was a garage fair weather caster.

[triggertreat]

The most consistent results are achieved in a controlled environment, Having the same repeatable conditions, just like a science experiment

Very true!  I keep the wind off of my Lee 20Lb pot and surround the pot with added wind protection.  I try my best to keep the mold temp and pour temps the same along with the distance poured into the mold.  I keep my lead very clean and run a batch before doing any refreshing to the pot.  The gravity nozzle pour rate can change as the pot level drops so I keep that as consistent as I can as well.  I alternate the direction of the pour into the mold and find this keeps the mold temp more consistent on a 4 or 5 cavity mold.  I keep the mold level using a Lee support adapter.   I check batch weights to see how consistent the pours are coming out.  I do get very tight weight tolerances most of the time and have less culling for my efforts.  I should have been a scientist, lol.  I am a shed fair weather caster.

[EdinGa]

I cast under my carport too. I just feel better about doing it outside. I've got a nice barn style 10x32 shed that I need to finish, but life keeps getting in the way. My plan is to build a lean to on the back for my casting so I can set up a more permanent enclosure for everything to sit in and be sheltered.


I can tell you that when everything is up to temperature and I get in a nice cadence, it's a zen thing. My eyes glass over and all I can hear is the tap, tap of the mold mallet.

[pblawler]

I cast in the kitchen on the stove with the hood vent on lol

[Back_Roads]

 For me it was a matter of casting bullets, or knitting LOL

[EdinGa]

I cast in the kitchen on the stove with the hood vent on lol

I couldn't get away with that. My nurse wife is already convinced I'm poisoning myself with lead fumes.

[pblawler]

I cast in the kitchen on the stove with the hood vent on lol

I couldn't get away with that. My nurse wife is already convinced I'm poisoning myself with lead fumes.

I used to have a nurse wife lol.  The one before that was a professional MRS.   To quote the movie Jeremiah Johnson:

"But don't get me wrong; I loves the womens, I surely do. But I swear, a woman's breast is the hardest rock that the Almighty ever made on this earth, and I can find no sign on it."

Now I have a temporary one every now and then and cast pellets in the kitchen 

[EdinGa]

I cast in the kitchen on the stove with the hood vent on lol

I couldn't get away with that. My nurse wife is already convinced I'm poisoning myself with lead fumes.

I used to have a nurse wife lol.  The one before that was a professional MRS.   To quote the movie Jeremiah Johnson:

"But don't get me wrong; I loves the womens, I surely do. But I swear, a woman's breast is the hardest rock that the Almighty ever made on this earth, and I can find no sign on it."

Now I have a temporary one every now and then and cast pellets in the kitchen 

I've had mine for 28 years. I love her dearly, but if something happens that I end up single again, I think I'm going the temporary route myself. I'm the kind of guy that just doesn't need constant company.

[Firewalker]

The new #20 pot has no PID on it so I'm not sure of the temp but it pours just like the #10 pot when it was set to 750°F. I am not using dead soft lead, I am recasting CPHP's and soft lead and really dont know what exact hardness it is but it does taker a little more heat to fill out pellet skirts.

[cosmic]

I have a 750 cfm hydroponic blower sucking the air from the top of my 20 lee bottom pour in my shed...Lead PID temp set to 780 degrees..

[avator]

I've been with Betty Lou for more than 10 years now and she even married me a year ago January... probably because I don't cast pellets in the kitchen. 

[Madd Hatter]

Between 700 and 750 f. I pressure pour my slugs and pellets and try to keep my mold at 300 to 350f and get very good fill out. I polish the pins to where my old man fingers have problems picking them up. I also lube the the spruince plate top and bottom so lead don't stick to it along with the locating pins with Stihl 2 stroke oil. I apply it very thinly as you don't want to contaminate the mold cavities.