Casting balls ??

[Smokey in Oz]

Hi gents,
Just a small question re casting balls.
I borrowed a Lee melting pot with bottom drain and Lee 50 cal dual mold, bought 10 kg of lead in order to mold a few balls while at work. I had my first session last night.
I carboned the mold regularly to stop sticking, played with the temp setting until I got a 'crisp' finish to the balls. I found a setting less than 4 gave layering of the lead when poured and over 4,1/2 the balls looked dull & faceted so I assumed too hot.
The first dozen or so balls were rejects but then I slipped into the 'zone' with no problems.
About 960 balls later and nearing the end of my lead supply (trying to squeeze out a thousand) I noticed the last few balls had a dimple in them on one side all in roughly the same place. When I looked back through the groups of balls it seems the dimple started at about 920 and got progressively worse. I checked the mold, AOK, and re carboned. I re-melted the rejects and continued but kept getting the dimple, I think it was only the front mold and not every pour but often enough for me to quit in frustration.

Any thoughts or suggestions as to why this might have happened? By the way, I never used beeswax to clean the lead, could this have contributed?

It's not urgent, I have enough balls to keep me going now for a couple of weeks but am interested in knowing why before my next attempt.

Cheers, Smokey. :hmm:

 

[gmww]

I just cast a few .50 Lee RB's myself. I only carbon at the begining. With my Lee pot I have it at a setting of 7-8. I'm getting a weight of 177-178 grains on .490 RB. Which 177 is supposed to be the weight. No dimples to speak of.

 

[Zonie]

If the lead is near the optimum temperature, the balls will be shiny bright. If they are dull and frosted looking, the lead temperature is too hot.


As for the dimple, I've had similar problems with my Lee two ball mold and I don't have a clue as to what's causing it. The cavity closest to the hinge casts fine but in the same pour, the other cavity will sometimes produce a dimpled ball.

I usually say to H with it and just cast using the rear cavity when this happens.

Zonie

 

[Smokey in Oz]

Thanks for the tips guys,
Zonie, now that you mention it the faulty balls were just off the crisp shiney look, maybe as the lead level in the pot got down the temp wasn't maintained and they were solidifying during the pour. I'll take note of that next time. Maybe my mind started to wander as I got towards the end and I didn't take as much notice of the finish I was getting. It was towards the end of my shift at work and I was pushing to get it completed, also 5 o'clock in the morning doesn't help.
GMWW, you talk about 177grains being the optimum weight, what would that equate to in grams? Our precision scales at work are only in grams.
Cheers, Smokey. :hatsoff:

 

[BS]

Smokey, are you letting the lead dribble in, or is the nozzle tight to the spout, and packing it in?

Clean and soot the mold again, then try packing the lead, if that doesn't work, let it run in.

Just thought of[url] this...............in[/url] my 7/8" ball mold, I was getting dimples, with hard lead, and I used a combination of the above two......let the lead run in, [when full] then raise the mold to the nozzle and push, let the weight of the lead in the pot pack the mold.

Hope some of this helps. :yakyak:

 

[Rebel]

1 gram = 15.4324 grs.
So 11.47 grams = 176.98 grains

 

[Smokey in Oz]

BS,
dribbling..... now that's a real possibility, thanks.
(my missus reckons I do it all the time) :yakyak:
Rebel,
thanks, now I'll cart those 900 odd balls back into work for a weigh & sort.
Cheers, Smokey. :hatsoff:

 

[bwhoffman]

....and you get paid to cast your own rb's??? :hmm:

Enjoy!

Brett

 

[Zonie]

One kilogram is 2.204622622 pounds.
One pound is 7000 grains.
2.204622622 pounds is 15,432.35835 grains.
One kilogram therefore equals 15,432.35835 grains.
One gram equals 15.432358 grains.
177/15.432358 equals 11.469407 grams.
So, a 177 grain ball is 11.469407 grains give or take a few.

It wasn't until I had finished this that I noticed that Rebel already posted an answer but I noticed that he was kind of sloppy about it and rounded everything off so I'll go ahead and post this anyway. :rotf: :grin: :rotf:

Jus funnin with ye Rebel.

 

[gmww]

Yall cursed me. Since my last post I cast up a bunch more. Most were 178 grains and several had a dimple!

 

[Smokey in Oz]

Yep, paid to cast my own balls, amongst other 'foreigners' we do at work. What the boss don't know won't hurt him....... :grin:
We gotta make up for the value of the Aussie dollar some how. :rotf:
Sorry GMWW, it seems I've jinxed ya.
Smokey.

 

[Slamfire]

One kilogram is 2.204622622 pounds.
One pound is 7000 grains.
2.204622622 pounds is 15,432.35835 grains.
One kilogram therefore equals 15,432.35835 grains.
One gram equals 15.432358 grains.
177/15.432358 equals 11.469407 grams.
So, a 177 grain ball is 11.469407 grains give or take a few.

It wasn't until I had finished this that I noticed that Rebel already posted an answer but I noticed that he was kind of sloppy about it and rounded everything off so I'll go ahead and post this anyway. :rotf: :grin: :rotf:

Jus funnin with ye Rebel.

While my calculator can handle them insignificant digits, my scale won't weigh 'em closer'n 0.1 grains. That's 0.0064798911481965361353073846524297 grams to you. :rotf:

 

[noahmercy]

Had the same problem...chased it down to the fact that the mold is aluminium and the hinge pin is steel. Apparently the pin was getting hot and not cooling as quickly as the blocks, creating a hot spot and corresponding dimple. On most molds the blocks are very thin near the threads of that pin, so it must have kept the lead liquid in this spot as the rest of the bullet solidified and it drew it in just like it normally does from the sprue as it cools.

:grin:

 

[Richard Hare.]

Hullo Smokey old chap,....fancy meeting you here!

Pukka.

 

[Smokey in Oz]

Ahhhh! I bet that one took some workin' out Noah.

This ball casting is simple......I got it all worked out now......maybe.....
Get the right lead, no batteries/wheel weights etc
Get the right mold, lee or rcbs, 1 hole or 2, steel or alloy
Get the right pot, gas or electric
Get a fume extraction system
Wait for the lead to melt, eat, drink & smoke all you like up to this point
Make sure the leads not too cold
Make sure it doesn't get too hot either
Wait for the mold to warm up enough
Make sure it doesn't get too hot
Add the beeswax
Skim the dross
Pour the lead, not too fast, not too slow
Dont burn yourself
Cut the sprue
Remelt sprues & spillage
Check the ball/s, shiney not dull, round not dimpled
Note to self 'dont pick up hot balls!'
Remelt rejects
Weigh balls
Check for correct diameter
Double check for imperfections
Remelt rejects
Repeat steps 5 through 17, 500 times
Stow balls in appropriate styled PC bag.

Time to shoot......now, what powder to use?????
:rotf: :rotf: :rotf:

It's amazing how such a simple task can get so convoluted, especially in the wee hours of the morning.
Thanks everyone for sharing your knowledge & experience. Much appreciated. :bow:
Cheers, Smokey. :hatsoff:

 

[Smokey in Oz]

Hiya Pukka,
It's a small world, hey.
Your not the only one from the 'other side' who I've come across around these parts.
Recognise my avatar? I hope it's not copywritten.
Didn't realise you were into ML aswell.
Cheers, Smokey :winking: .

 

[Zonie]

Smokey: I enjoyed your list.
You did forget one very important thing though. Don't Sweat. Keep all liquid well away from the melted lead in the pot.

Just one small drop of sweat (or other liquid) dropped into the molten metal will cause an explosion and blow melted lead all over the place.

Have fun! :grin:

Zonie

 

[Smokey in Oz]

Zonie, mate,
I'll have you know that I don't, under any circumstances, sweat at work! :youcrazy:
Actually I'm lying, I went to the gym at work once, had to fix the steam room lights. :rotf:

But thanks for the heads up, never thought about that before.

Smokey. :grin:



Hey I just realised I've attained '40cal' status, how long before I reach the elite Hawken 50cal social set?

 

[musketman]

This ball casting is simple......I got it all worked out now......maybe.....
Get the right lead, no batteries/wheel weights etc
Get the right mold, lee or rcbs, 1 hole or 2, steel or alloy
Get the right pot, gas or electric
Get a fume extraction system
Wait for the lead to melt, eat, drink & smoke all you like up to this point
Make sure the leads not too cold
Make sure it doesn't get too hot either
Wait for the mold to warm up enough
Make sure it doesn't get too hot
Add the beeswax
Skim the dross
Pour the lead, not too fast, not too slow
Dont burn yourself
Cut the sprue
Remelt sprues & spillage
Check the ball/s, shiney not dull, round not dimpled
Note to self 'dont pick up hot balls!'
Remelt rejects
Weigh balls
Check for correct diameter
Double check for imperfections
Remelt rejects
Repeat steps 5 through 17, 500 times
Stow balls in appropriate styled PC bag.

A few things to consider adding to your list, like you don't have enough already... :haha:

Wear a sweat band(s) or a hat, this will help control unwanted drops of water near the molten lead...

When cutting the spure, use a wooden handle to whack the cutter open, this can also be used to tap the mold to remove the stubborn ones that don't want to leave the mold... (I use an old tomahawk handle for casting)

Use an old cloth or towel to drop the newly formed roundballs on, this will prevent any dents and dings as when the roundballs hit something hard, like a work bench...

 

[gmww]

A few things to consider adding to your list, like you don't have enough already... :haha:

Wear a sweat band(s) or a hat, this will help control unwanted drops of water near the molten lead...

When cutting the spure, use a wooden handle to whack the cutter open, this can also be used to tap the mold to remove the stubborn ones that don't want to leave the mold... (I use an old tomahawk handle for casting)

Use an old cloth or towel to drop the newly formed roundballs on, this will prevent any dents and dings as when the roundballs hit something hard, like a work bench...

Just to add, it was suggested me to used a leather gloved hand to push the cutter. I still use a wood handle but only if the cutter is stubborn. Also I tap the joint of the mold handle and not the molt itself.

These suggestions were made to me in order to put lets wear and tear on the mold itself. Anyway just a thought. Its cheaper to replace a mold handle instead of the mould.