Author Topic: Newby on the block... well, to casting anyways. (Read 37048 times))

Spacebus · « **Reply #40 on:** March 31, 2023, 11:54:27 AM »

Quote from: avator on March 31, 2023, 10:49:07 AM

I'm kinda getting excited about doing this..
Now I'm thinking that I want to modify my shooting.
I've always just shot with a wood backstop or no back stop at all.
Now I think I need to come up with better ways to capture and reuse my pellets.

I like to collect the catalogs and such from the junk mail and once I have enough I make a cardboard box that fits the stack snugly. Then I tape it all up and just keep adding tape as needed. I tape on blank paper and draw on targets, print them out and tape the paper on, or even just put the shoot n see stickers on the trap. Once the trap was gotten worn out or I need lead I cut it open and dump the contents into a wheelbarrow. I fill the wheelbarrow with water and let the paper separate/float away from the lead.

So far this has been a cheap but not the easiest way to do this. I need to pony up the $100-ish and buy a Champion rimfire trap.

Nvreloader · « **Reply #41 on:** March 31, 2023, 12:32:45 PM »

Bill
Since no one has mentioned it yet,
NO LIQUID around the lead pot, set all utensils ect, in or around a hot area to evaporate
ANY moisture that may have collected on them, or in them, any moisture trapped
and then place into hot lead will be a calling for the TINSEL FAIRY, which you don't want.

Over at Cast Boolits forum:
https://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?83651-A-myth-about-water-and-molten-lead

This is a good post about moisture in lead. There is lots of info on that site also, to get you started,
worth the time spent reading.

HTH's
Don

Spacebus · « **Reply #42 on:** March 31, 2023, 12:56:06 PM »

I added an old counter top oven and a hot plate to my casting equipment. I can preheat stuff or powder coat with the oven and the hot plate helps keep the molds hot when adding lead, fluxing, etc.

For flux I am adding onto the previous suggestions of 20 mule team borax. I keep all of my casting stuff in an old well ventilated shed, so surface oxidation gets on everything. The borax makes my casts come out looking shiny with minimal culls. Since my casting equipment lives more or less in a tiny carport I do have to frequently remove dross and flux, but eventually I'll have a somewhat temperature controlled environment.

cosmic · « **Reply #43 on:** March 31, 2023, 12:56:56 PM »

great source for pure lead..
https://www.seabrookfishingsinkers.fish/2016/

Hoosier Daddy · « **Reply #44 on:** March 31, 2023, 01:09:03 PM »

Little late to the party, speed read to get here but I did not see this mentioned...
Because I am starting out as cheap as possible, for an ingot mold, I went to the Dollar Store and bought a cup-cake pan.

avator · « **Reply #45 on:** March 31, 2023, 02:41:54 PM »

Thanks everyone for joining in and offering information and advice. Let me see if I can reply to some of them....
Kris.. I have an old wooden ammo box. It's approx. 12x16x12" deep. I put a 2mm piece of high strength automotive steel in the bottom, Then I filled it with folded up blue jeans and covered it with corrugated election yard sign materiel. I fastened a couple alligator clips to hold targets. I stand it on it's end and shoot away. The spent pellets shake right out of the jeans into the bottom. I wrinkle the jeans all up and repack them... I find old jeans at the thrift stores... cheap.

avator · « **Reply #46 on:** March 31, 2023, 02:49:13 PM »

Don....
I spent a couple hours this morning watching videos. I learned about things like water dangers and using bee's wax. I learned about how to clean wheel weight lead and separate impurities like zinc.
Which BTW... I went to visit my buddy Pete who owns the tire shop in the next town over. He lead me to a 20 gallon tub full of wheel weights and said I could have all I wanted... I brought home about 20# on this trip.

avator · « **Reply #47 on:** March 31, 2023, 02:51:44 PM »

Scott...
I saw a video where a guy was making ingots. Walmart sells stainless steel dipping sauce cups on the cheap. Next time in town I'm gonna grab a dozen.

avator · « **Reply #48 on:** March 31, 2023, 02:54:12 PM »

To all...
I made an offer and scored 22 of these Lyman ingots. 20# total... I paid $52 shipped.

avator · « **Reply #49 on:** March 31, 2023, 02:56:42 PM »

My next purchase will be some bee's wax, borax and a hot plate.

avator · « **Reply #50 on:** March 31, 2023, 02:59:36 PM »

If things go as planned, I should be able to drop my first pellets around the middle of next week.

Nvreloader · « **Reply #51 on:** March 31, 2023, 03:27:59 PM »

Bill
In the wheel weight section, go after the flat thin ones, they are pure lead.........

Don

Hoosier Daddy · « **Reply #52 on:** March 31, 2023, 03:28:22 PM »

NICE!

avator · « **Reply #53 on:** March 31, 2023, 03:32:54 PM »

Thanks for that info Don... yeah, there is a mix of alot of different ones. I'll start by sorting them and then inquire as to what's best.
I've read that the newer they are, the more zinc that has been added.
The good news is, around here in lower Alabama, things tend to be a bit more old school.

Insanity · « **Reply #54 on:** March 31, 2023, 03:37:21 PM »

I do beleave or have been lead to beleave all new WW are steel or zinc now. I tried to mess with it and was not worth it because I had to buy it and then decided to say nope and scrapped them and only got shred weight for it. 5 gallon bucket was 60% steel and zinc.

avator · « **Reply #55 on:** March 31, 2023, 03:42:23 PM »

Yeah Matt, If I had to buy it I wouldn't bother... but free is good...

I figure if I get 5# out of the 20# I snagged today, it might be worth it.
I have a good size cast iron camp style pot and a propane turkey set up.
And Pete told me to take all I wanted.

HunterWhite · « **Reply #56 on:** March 31, 2023, 03:46:22 PM »

Bill, I melted down some wheel weights, and many were covered with plastic, not fun indoors. I was casting weights for another hobby so the zinc or tin content didn't matter.
I will follow because I find this interesting.

Hunter

avator · « **Reply #57 on:** March 31, 2023, 03:49:32 PM »

Yep, I have a corner of the Red Shed set aside for my casting adventures. It's right next to the 7' roll up door. I also have a 3' commercial pedestal fan to draw the fumes out.

Lol... folks around here are probably going to think I'm running a still... they'll honk and wave when they go by...

avator · « **Reply #58 on:** March 31, 2023, 03:54:23 PM »

Speaking of such... The chief of police for our town lives just down the road. He was at the first tire shop I stopped at this morning. When he heard what I was planning to do he asked me to give him a call once I got going. He said he was interested in getting into casting him self.

Insanity · « **Reply #59 on:** March 31, 2023, 04:10:14 PM »

Quote from: avator on March 31, 2023, 03:49:32 PM

Yep, I have a corner of the Red Shed set aside for my casting adventures. It's right next to the 7' roll up door. I also have a 3' commercial pedestal fan to draw the fumes out.

Lol... folks around here are probably going to think I'm running a still... they'll honk and wave when they go by...

Personally I recommend putting the fan behind you to push fresh air around and past you and the pot. Unless you plan to put it really close to evac fumes it may not be that great. But really its gonna be hot might as well use it to cool you off also.

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Newby on the block... well, to casting anyways.

Author Topic: Newby on the block... well, to casting anyways. (Read 37048 times))