Casting newbie.

[PowderMonkey]

...a 6 cavity and a 2 cavity.

Lotta guys are more coordinated than I am, but I can't recall a single time I managed to fill all 6 cavities on the one I had. A bud of mine just had to have it, so I gave it to him in exchange for a cup of coffee and a couple of his wife's great chocolate chip cookies. He dinked with it and cussed it for a few months and tried to give it back. Last I heard it's changed hands a couple more times on the coffee circuit.

Unless you're feeding a whole family of shooters and spending many hours a month casting, I can't see any reason to step up from a 2 to a 6.

Thank you for that, will get the 2 cavity.

 

[Rifleman1776]

As far as molds go, i will probably go with the Lee as they are affordable. I see they make a 6 cavity and a 2 cavity. Any preference on what you guys use regarding multiple cavity molds?

Unless it is a tiny caliber, you probably will not be able to fill with a single dipper load of lead. And, if you have to refill the dipper the mould will cool down during the delay and give inconsistent results.
If a larger caliber it will get pretty heavy and tiring to use when the cavities are filled.
I see no advantage.
Stick with a two holer, like they do in Tennessee.

 

[bpd303]

the reason a lot of people quit usin' the bottom pour feature of their lee pots is due to their well-earned nickname "drip-o-matic".

That's why Lee put a screw driver slot in the top of the valve. When it starts dripping a little turning back & forth stops it. I have a Lyman 20 lb Master Caster and a Lee 10 lb, both bottom pours. I use one (the Lyman) for alloy when making my smokeless boolits and the Lee for soft lead for my smoke-poles. Never have problems with excessive dripping if I keep em clean.

 

[Ken Cormier]

I use a cut down no.10 coffe can on a coleman fuel camp stove. My 600/20 gauge r/b's single Lee mould. My .433 Lee mould is a double. They are both steel. I also use a cut down coffee can to clean dirty lead. Poured into a Lyman ingot 1 lb blocks. For ladles a couple of wall hanger chiniee cast iron ladles from the dollar store. Low rent set up BUT has worked for me 30 plus years. :2

 

[Zonie]

Every so often I have to give a warning on one of these "I'm new at casting" topics and yours gives me the opportunity to give it.

As was mentioned by several people, aluminum molds are offered by Lee. I have several of them and they work fine.

What doesn't work fine is using an aluminum pan or skillet to melt lead.

Although aluminum doesn't melt until it reaches temperatures of 1200 degrees F, or so, it loses almost all of its strength when it is heated to 700 degrees F.

More than a few have found that while they were melting lead in a aluminum pan the molten lead has caused the whole bottom of the pan to break dumping molten lead all over the place.

The solution is simple. Never use a aluminum pan to melt the lead. Use iron or steel or stainless steel and there will be no problem.

Oh. Pouring molten lead into a aluminum pan or cupcake mold to make small ingots is OK. It won't cause a problem.
There isn't enough lead in these small ingots to create the kind of pressures that can blow out the bottom and the lead will cool rapidly and solidify.

Have fun casting.

 

[PA16th]

While I have gotten what is needed to start casting I have not cast any round balls yet. What I have is a Lyman "Big Dipper" Casting Starter Kit. Great deal for getting started. Also purchased Lee molds-2 cavity. A RCBS lead thermometer. A cast iron pot since I have a propane stove and want to have a melting pot and a casting pot.
A bottom pour seems to be ideal but too many bad pics and stories of problems. :grin: Do not forget safety glasses and gloves. Also soft lead. :thumbsup:

Don

 

[dikman]

As you need to use an electric pot, that simplifies some of the decision-making. I have an RCBS ProMelt, and it's a great bit of gear (albeit not cheap). When I decided I needed a second pot ( ) I bought a Lee 20 lb.bottom pour, 'cos I couldn't justify the expense of another RCBS. It dripped almost straight away!! I modified mine extensively and replaced the handle assembly with one like the RCBS, and now the Lee works very well (hasn't dripped since). I also built PIDs to control the temp. The RCBS is actually pretty good as is, but the temp. control on the stock Lee is pretty poor.

The Lee is still very good value for money, however. I also have several 2-cavity Lee RB molds, and other than one of them being out-of-round I'm very happy with them.

I love my bottom pour pots, they are a very civilized way to cast (and fast, too). Just make sure that the lead you're putting in is clean otherwise you can get grit clogging up the spout.

Just as this site is the place to go for muzzleloading info, the Castboolits forum is the place to go for everything you ever wanted to know about casting!

It's all good clean(!) fun.

 

[mooman76]

As far as molds go, i will probably go with the Lee as they are affordable. I see they make a 6 cavity and a 2 cavity. Any preference on what you guys use regarding multiple cavity molds?

Unless it is a tiny caliber, you probably will not be able to fill with a single dipper load of lead. And, if you have to refill the dipper the mould will cool down during the delay and give inconsistent results.
If a larger caliber it will get pretty heavy and tiring to use when the cavities are filled.
I see no advantage.
Stick with a two holer, like they do in Tennessee.

This is quite true. I have several 6 cavity and don't use them any more but mine are for smokeless pistol. You have to have a large pot and a large enough ladle to fill the cavities on one trip or you will pound you head against the wall trying to get them to fill out proper. You need everything ready at hand and need to be moving at a fast pace so not recommended for new casters. It is very common for some casters to go through the whole pot of lead and finally get fill out only to have to stop to restoke the pot with lead. Two cavity are much less trouble so unless you are shooting a revolver allot I don't recommend them.

 

[robinsroost]

I agree, that is why all of my molds are either one or two cavity. I cast from a Lyman 2lb bottom pour furnace. If your furnace drips, simply tap the end of the plug with your sprue cutter. Mine is the broken handle of a 16oz hammer. Keep yer powder dry......Robin

 

[fleener]

Waage Electric makes the best pot. I bought a cheap bottom pour and a few years latter bought the Waage, wished I would of spent the money the first time.

Call them and ask for the lead bullet casters one. Not sure it is on their web site.

Fleener

 

[rmark]

When I was a kid I saw the result of lead splatter from water getting in it during a lead soldier casting session - I use a full face shield, jeans, leather gloves and button a long sleeve flannel shirt all the way up.

 

[PowderMonkey]

Waage Electric makes the best pot. I bought a cheap bottom pour and a few years latter bought the Waage, wished I would of spent the money the first time.

Call them and ask for the lead bullet casters one. Not sure it is on their web site.

Fleener

What model is it and how much? I went to the web site and saw what they had, very expensive.

 

[PowderMonkey]

When I was a kid I saw the result of lead splatter from water getting in it during a lead soldier casting session - I use a full face shield, jeans, leather gloves and button a long sleeve flannel shirt all the way up.

I saw a video on Youtube of a guy dropping some water on the top of a melt and it just evaporated off with no issues. I believe the problem comes from placing material that may have trapped moisture in a pot with melted material already in it. The steam created has no where to go so it expands quickly and cause the explosion that splatters lead.

I agree with you, i'm taking precautions and wearing the stuff you mentioned when i get started plus a respirator. The guy in the video i mentioned does allot of casting and has been handling lead for some time. He came down with high levels of lead in his blood because of not taking precautions, now he does and his last checkup showed the lead level dropping.

I'm not taking any chances and will use everything i can to make sure i don't wind up like he did.

 

[mooman76]

You are correct, it's when water gets trapped below the surface that it get dangerous and erupts violently.

 

[Billnpatti]

You might also consider a leather apron. Harbor Freight has some that are not expensive.
http://www.harborfreight.com/split-leather-welding-apron-45193.html

 

[Rick Boylan]

Any suggestions on what kind of respirator would be best for being around lead like this?

I like the price of that apron. I'll have to make a run to Harbor and pick one up. Maybe some thick leather gloves too.

 

[PowderMonkey]

Any suggestions on what kind of respirator would be best for being around lead like this?

I like the price of that apron. I'll have to make a run to Harbor and pick one up. Maybe some thick leather gloves too.

From the research i have done so far i believe you need a respirator that can hold P100(HEPA) filters.

3M 7093 P100 Hepa filter.
3M 6000 series respirator.

The respirators come in 3 sizes, small, medium, large. Depending on your face you may need a medium or large. Small are usually for women.

 

[mooman76]

Respirator would be overkill but if that makes you feel better, go ahead. Just good ventilation. Lead vapors don't go into the air until near lead boiling point and that is way hotter than you will get it. Not possible with normal equipment we would be using.

Use normal precaution when handling lead. Wash your hands and don't handle food or anything that will touch your mouth.

 

[PowderMonkey]

Respirator would be overkill but if that makes you feel better, go ahead. Just good ventilation. Lead vapors don't go into the air until near lead boiling point and that is way hotter than you will get it. Not possible with normal equipment we would be using.

Use normal precaution when handling lead. Wash your hands and don't handle food or anything that will touch your mouth.

You may be right but for as cheap as the respirator is ($30 with filter) i will use one.

 

[mooman76]

I saw a picture of another guy on another board, a casting board dressed up in only what I could describe as a full radiation suit and outside. Over kill yes but that's what he wanted to do. Again like I said if that's what you want to do to make you fell comfortable about it, then by all means do it.