A drop or two of water would evaporate pretty much immediately but I'm not going to test that theory. No a rain storm is a different thing all together and I believe it would explode from the rapid cooling. When I was a kid and first started casting slingshot pellets a friend of mine kept pouring a ladle full of lead into a bucket of water to watch it sizzle. He got brave and poured a full ladle full and it popped or maybe a minie explosion pretty good shooting hot water on him. That cured him real quick.
First day of casting for 2016
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Idaho Ron said:
It happened while dropping bullets out of the mold into a bucket of cold water, to harden them. I'm not certain, but it must have splashed into the mold I was rotating to and, well, it got my attention, which should have been greater all along. Needless to say, that one was a reject.
Water on bottom probably turned to steam instantly and blew the rest of the water out.
I wasn't saying anyone should be stupid or careless in any way. Common sense should always prevail when playing with dangerous stuff.
I wasn't saying anyone should be stupid or careless in any way. Common sense should always prevail when playing with dangerous stuff.
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They are not steel they are fine grain cast iron and anyone who has cut into them with a lathe or mill will instantly know the difference.
The cutting comes off as dust not a curl or chip as steel does.
The advertisement hype you are reading is pure apple sauce and is designed to delineate between iron and aluminum.
Steel sounds strong and thus sells better but is incorrect terminology.
Also Lyman molds are mass produced with cherries and cherries do not cut steel mold cavities as cleanly but they work very good with fine grain cast iron.
I have personally made both steel and cast iron molds on a lathe and with a cherry and have good reference about what I'm telling you.
The cutting comes off as dust not a curl or chip as steel does.
The advertisement hype you are reading is pure apple sauce and is designed to delineate between iron and aluminum.
Steel sounds strong and thus sells better but is incorrect terminology.
Also Lyman molds are mass produced with cherries and cherries do not cut steel mold cavities as cleanly but they work very good with fine grain cast iron.
I have personally made both steel and cast iron molds on a lathe and with a cherry and have good reference about what I'm telling you.
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The last thing I wanted to do was start a debate on what Lyman molds are made of!
While I appreciate the education of what they are actually made of, I only knew that they were sure not aluminum molds.
I am no expert on the properties of metal and only knew that they sure looked like they were made of steel to me! I really can't tell the difference by looking at or handling them.
When I started this topic I was only commenting on my experiences about my first day of casting for 2016 and using my Lyman molds for the first time.
I do appreciate the education and now know there is a difference in steel and what Lyman molds are actually made of. At least I think I now know there is a difference?
Anyway, It is over my head!
Respectfully, Cowboy
While I appreciate the education of what they are actually made of, I only knew that they were sure not aluminum molds.
I am no expert on the properties of metal and only knew that they sure looked like they were made of steel to me! I really can't tell the difference by looking at or handling them.
When I started this topic I was only commenting on my experiences about my first day of casting for 2016 and using my Lyman molds for the first time.
I do appreciate the education and now know there is a difference in steel and what Lyman molds are actually made of. At least I think I now know there is a difference?
Anyway, It is over my head!Respectfully, Cowboy
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M.D. I didn't mean to start an argument either. I was just pointing out why most folks tend to call them steel, and the uphill battle given the propaganda. :surrender:
In the Lyman Cast Bullet Handbook I have, third edition, there is a series of pictures on how Lyman molds are made. The very first picture, showing a pile of raw metal blocks, is captioned: "Cold-rolled steel blocks of a special formula are purchased by Lyman Products for its complete line of molds." :bull:
Well you and I know, that "special formula", is meehinite a dense fine grained cast iron alloy, but if its hard to fight city hall, its even harder to fight Madison Avenue. :idunno:
In the Lyman Cast Bullet Handbook I have, third edition, there is a series of pictures on how Lyman molds are made. The very first picture, showing a pile of raw metal blocks, is captioned: "Cold-rolled steel blocks of a special formula are purchased by Lyman Products for its complete line of molds." :bull:
Well you and I know, that "special formula", is meehinite a dense fine grained cast iron alloy, but if its hard to fight city hall, its even harder to fight Madison Avenue. :idunno:
tomato-tomaato :surrender:
Let's move along.
Let's move along.
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Well, there is always something new coming out that I don't know about yet and may have to eat crow on this yet but the last blocks I bought were still fine grain cast iron not leaded steel which is what most of your muzzle loading barrels are made of.
I'll do a little research and if it turns out I'm dead wrong I will post it!
I'll do a little research and if it turns out I'm dead wrong I will post it!
Don't bother. Just handle it the same way I handle my wife. Regardless of facts, I always tell her she is right and I am wrong. Works every time.
Do you want to be "Right", or do you want to be Happy? :haha:
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Not nipping this stuff in the bud is exactly how some of this horse pucky nonsense gets passed off as fact and continues on for ever.
One of the really good ones I sucked up early on was how easily black powder absorbs moisture.
Pure apple sauce but I believed it for a good 40 years before hearing differently and conducting my own tests.
Another Doozy of Hoowy is how dangerous loading a cap-n-ball revolver from a flask is.
When you point out that this is exactly how the guns were designed to be charged and in fact was how they were actually charged, you get a blank stare and some under the breath grumbling about how it just doesn't seem right.
One of the really good ones I sucked up early on was how easily black powder absorbs moisture.
Pure apple sauce but I believed it for a good 40 years before hearing differently and conducting my own tests.
Another Doozy of Hoowy is how dangerous loading a cap-n-ball revolver from a flask is.
When you point out that this is exactly how the guns were designed to be charged and in fact was how they were actually charged, you get a blank stare and some under the breath grumbling about how it just doesn't seem right.
Bless you. I get soooo sick of the "your going to die if you touch a magazine that has the word lead in it" I cast at the stove with the kitchen window open. I cover every thing near with aluminum foil, and pick that up and throw it away when done. Taught my step son to run ball when he was 9 and my nephew when he was 11.jfaldo said:
Running ball, hunting in the woods mowing your lawn takes a little fore thought and uncommon sense....but its not rocket science and lead aint plutonium or botulism toxin, its in the soil, water and air its in your spuds and the fish you just caught.
