casting with an open flame

[walruskid1]

i am using a coleman stove to heat my lead pot. any tips or advice on casting minnies and round balls with the open flame. how do i know when its at the right temp? any advice on the moulds. help, i already burned all the hair off my knuckles!

 

[jackc]

I have only cast a few roundballs and no minie bullets in my lifetime but I have cast many thousands .45 ACP bullets (H&G #68) over the years. Up until a few years ago all were cast on a Coleman stove.

The way I did it was to just cast and watch the bullets. Even with setting the mould on top of the lead pot the blocks are going to have to be heated up by casting a few before they come up to the correct temperature.

If the finished product is wrinkled, the blocks are too cold. If frosted, they are too hot. Speed up your casting to get the blocks hotter, slow it down to cool them off.

keep your eyes out for a deal on an electric casting pot. They are much easier to use in terms of regulating heat. I also like the bottom pour feature on mine.

Rocky Point Jack

 

[Johnny Tremain]

i am using a coleman stove to heat my lead pot. any tips or advice on casting minnies and round balls with the open flame. how do i know when its at the right temp? any advice on the moulds. help, i already burned all the hair off my knuckles!

Throw the first 10 back into the pot. Yer mould will be warm by then.

Oh yeah wear an oven mit!!

 

[MikeChapin]

Pretty much what Rocky Point Jack said. I use a pot on an old electric buffet range. I generally run the heat up high until the lead is melted and it doesn't stick to the ladle. I then crank it down to about 3/4 to run balls. :results:

Some people won't agree with what I do next but it speeds up the mold heating process. I put the mold in the pot with just the forward edge of the closed mold touching the lead. The you have to have both blocks together and touching the lead or you may warp the blocks. As soon as the lead will not stick to the mold pull it out, open it up for a few seconds to let it cool a bit, then start running balls. They come out right the first time. I have been using this method for thirty years and have yet to warp a mold, Even the aluminum Lee molds.

 

[walruskid1]

hope i did not warp the mould, i had one corner dipped in the lead, now its leaving some flashing. i will try cleaning it with a toothbrush today.

 

Yep I agree with walruskid
I do the same thing to pre warm the molds. I been do'en it for 15 years. I have lee, RCBS, and brass molds. I molded 30 bullets and RB, 45 RB, lee reals and lyman bullets, 50 RB and Lee reals,58 ball and mini,and of course 75 bess feed :thumbsup:
Best regards Loyalist Dawg
Ps The molds have'nt warped yet... The lead fumes have warped me a bit though... :crackup: