Want to learn how to cast lead

[cynthialee]

Last time I saw lead bullets cast I was 14 or 15 years old. My daddy ussed to do his own casting and never bought an over the counter round the entire time he had me as far as I can tell. We would cast them, weigh them and throw them back in the pot if they were more than a tad over or under. I might have seen him make them many years ago but most of what he said has faded away. So I do not feel like I have any clue about this topic and want to fix that.

So if I was to start casting my own where should a girl start?

What do I need to get other than molds and lead? I do remember the old man didn't bother geting a special melting furnace as he did it right on the kitchen stove, nor did he have a 'proper' pot as he had an old iron pot he swiped from my granny for the job. (it ain't like she was ussing it, but she was still ****** when she found out)

I know that it has to be pure lead, and that it is dangerous to handle molten metal. So I think I got a couple of the important things down I need to know. :haha: Where to go from there?

Any good you tube videos that you folks would recomend?

 

[necchi]

:grin: This'll get ya started,,
Others will be along soon to add stuff too.
Most of the casting topic's are found one step up in the "Shooting Accessories" section,, http://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/.../269617/post/1149869/hl/casting/fromsearch/1/
http://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/.../268265/post/1133047/hl/casting/fromsearch/1/
http://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/.../266694/post/1113865/hl/casting/fromsearch/1/
http://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/.../266009/post/1104886/hl/casting/fromsearch/1/
http://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/.../265296/post/1096446/hl/casting/fromsearch/1/
:thumbsup:
We was just talkin about that archived stuff too, :wink:

If'n you done it with Pop at one time, it'll come back too Ya real quick.
I've been shootin fer 25yrs but only casting for 5-6, wish I would've started much sooner.

 

[Rifleman1776]

You are doing the right thing by asking.
However, your Daddy's example is not the best.
Certain dangers from casting lead have not always been well known so he is to be forgiven. In the house is definitely not reccomended. Work in a well ventilated area. Outdoors in a clear day is great. Using utensils that might be reused for food is a huge NO-NO! :nono:
I would say the first thing you need is lead. Not being a smart alec.....well sometimes I am :wink: ....but lead avaiability is a problem for some and it is expensive. Read the suggested threads then come back if you have more questions.

 

[cynthialee]

This is very helpful information. Thank you a ton.
I do not think that old pot dad ussed for lead ever got ussed for anything else as it always had some lead left in it after he was done casting and he would just let it harden in the pot until the next time he needed it.

Didn't know that casting inside is a no no.... thank you

 

[mooman76]

Casting indoors is fine with good ventilation. Lots of people do it, I done it for years and even had my blood checked for lead contaminates and it was very low. Lead really doesn't contaminate the air until it reaches near boiling point. Way too hot, and most probably couldn't get it that hot. The worst thing is like stated, do not eat or drink while casting and wash you hands often. I do drink sometimes during long sessions but I am very careful how I handle my drink.

 

[cynthialee]

Is a kitchen stove vent fan likely to do the job?

 

[necchi]

Nope, just spreads the nasty around.
Go out in the garage or another out building.
A Coleman stove, a good hot wood fire or even an electric hot plate will do the melt.

I use a Coleman stove I got at a garage sale for $10, it's all splattered with lead now, but it's dedicated to just casting.

I know of one feller that set up a bathroom vent fan near the pot so the hose vented gasses out a window.
The twitch he has in his left eye isn't so bad, and he doesn't stutter if he talks slow,,

 

[ken.clements]

Is a kitchen stove vent fan likely to do the job?

Yes it will work, I've been doing it for years in the cellar...no gases, no fumes, very cheap
Its much to much to write everything you need, how to do it, what you have to watch out for here...I'm a one finger (sometimes two) hunt and pick typist :redface:
If you want, send me per PM your Email, I'll send you pics and discriptions of how and why...can't send pics over the forum....

 

[nilo52]

Lee makes all the stuff you would need, and the price is reasonable too.

Nilo

 

[Rifleman1776]

Casting indoors is fine with good ventilation. Lots of people do it, I done it for years and even had my blood checked for lead contaminates and it was very low. Lead really doesn't contaminate the air until it reaches near boiling point. Way too hot, and most probably couldn't get it that hot. The worst thing is like stated, do not eat or drink while casting and wash you hands often. I do drink sometimes during long sessions but I am very careful how I handle my drink.

I'm still opposed to doing it in the house. This is a shop chore and 'stuff' can happen. A molten lead spill in the kitchen would do considerable damage. In the shop, just an inconvenience.
As far as toxic fumes, lead is never really pure, the air around molten lead is highly suspect. Me wants outside or with big door open and fan going.
An example of 'stuff' that can happen below.

[/img]

 

[Many Klatch]

Antique stores or garage sales may help you get started cheaply. There are thousands of old plumbers lead pots that are sitting on antique store shelves for $5 or $10. If they are asking more just mention to them that it was used for melting lead and might be contaminated and see what happens. The same goes for lead ladles. The new ones are not as good as the ones that the plumbers used back in the day.

The other item you need is a Coleman Stove to get started. I used one for 15 years before I graduated to a Lyman 20 pound electric pot.

The other items that no one has mentioned are heavy leather gloves and long sleeve shirts and eye protection. I use a pair of heavy leather fireplace gloves that I bought at a Yuppie store. If a lead spatter lands on your skin it is an instant 2nd or 3rd degree burn. BTW, DO NOT do this in open toed sandals.

If you know anyone in the construction business they probably know someone with a pile of lead. Most roofers throw lead away when they reroof a house. All old residential roofs have a 10# 0r 15# lead boot around the stink stack. You can cut the sheet lead into strips to fit in your pot with a big old scissors type sheetmetal shear (antique stores again)

Have fun, be safe, do this outside.

Many Klatch

 

[MSW]

good advice here... some stuff to do:

always cast wearing long pants, long sleeves (not rolled up) and closed toe leather shoes (you really don't want to splatter lead onto canvas or plastic sneakers). wear a good pair of heavy leather gloves, tie your hair back, and wear a hat or a bandana or something to keep sweat from accidentally dripping into the pot. (don't ask me how i know, or where that scar came from... )
:redface:

i wear the glasses the mill gave us with side shields as eye protection. it's not very stylish, but if Martha Stewart shows up, that's great- I'm sure i have some barn boots her size, and there are lots of compost bins to fill with manure.
:rotf:

i use a bottom pour melter, and some folks have had lots of problems with them and hate 'em with a fiery passion, but mine work OK. I use Lee and Lyman molds- mostly Lee for roundball. they are made of aluminum, so you have to be pretty careful with them, but if you take decent care, they will last nearly forever. the instructions with mine were pretty inclusive, but that was a long time ago- i hope they haven't changed.

there is something of a 'knack' to this, but it's easy to pick up, and once you see how the whole deal works vis-a-vis the timing, it's pretty straightforward. don't hit the mold with a hammer (i use a small hunk of wood from the woodpile- when it wears out, i throw it back into the woodpile and get a better looking stick)

once your lead melts, throw a small bit (about the size of a green pea) onto the surface of the lead: it will smoke, might burn a bit, smell dreadful, and then there will be a funky scum on the top of the lead. after you stir the lead, scoop this off with a spoon (which then, having touched lead, becomes part of your casting kit and never goes back into the kitchen). the mold will come up to temp pretty quick, and if the balls don't fill out, your lead is probably too cold, and if they're frosty, your lead is likely too hot. let them fall onto something soft when they fall out of the mold; i use a folded up towel. (this is now part of the casting kit, for the same reason as the spoon...)

you want to cast lead outdoors, with the wind blowing the fumes away from you. don't eat or drink anything while casting (you won't really have time to do this once your rythim is up to speed). If you need to take a break, answer the phone or whatever, unplug the melter. be sure to wash your hands thoroughly before you eat or drink anything after casting.

don't feel rushed- this is supposed to be fun, after all.

if you hit any snags, don't hesitate to post your question here- you'll get straight- up and practical advice, which can be used to make good smoke!

 

[plinker]

Your clothing must be 100% cotton, wool, or leather. When synthetics or synthetic blends get hot the MELT. The melted glob will stick to your skin because it is glued there and cool off very slowly and burn all the while. Should this happen you and your plastic surgeon will have been on a first name basis for a long time while he/she tries to repair the damage.

 

[garandman]

I hope I'm not jacking this thread, but how difficult are minies to cast? More difficult than roundball?

 

[Rifleman1776]

I hope I'm not jacking this thread, but how difficult are minies to cast? More difficult than roundball?

About the same. A little slower. Use of mold release would be helpful with these.

 

[mooman76]

The Lee minies aren't too bad to do. The mould is designed so you don't have to fiddle with a seperate pin to mould the hollow base. That can get time consuming and pulling the pin in and out plus it takes longer to get the pin hot enough to mould well. With the Lee it is attached to the handles so it stays put and you don't have to handle it any.

 

[mooman76]

Casting indoors is fine with good ventilation. Lots of people do it, I done it for years and even had my blood checked for lead contaminates and it was very low. Lead really doesn't contaminate the air until it reaches near boiling point. Way too hot, and most probably couldn't get it that hot. The worst thing is like stated, do not eat or drink while casting and wash you hands often. I do drink sometimes during long sessions but I am very careful how I handle my drink.

I'm still opposed to doing it in the house. This is a shop chore and 'stuff' can happen. A molten lead spill in the kitchen would do considerable damage. In the shop, just an inconvenience.
As far as toxic fumes, lead is never really pure, the air around molten lead is highly suspect. Me wants outside or with big door open and fan going.
An example of 'stuff' that can happen below.

[/img]

An accident like this wouldn't happen in the house. The only reason I would do it in the house would be to use the kitchen stove. I did that for years but had to do it when the wife wasn't home. She didn't like the mess. I eventually moved to the garage. Keeps the wife happy and I can do it whenever I want. I can certainly understand someone not wanting to do it in the house though but sometimes it was my only option. I'm just saying it is doable if someone wants to.

 

[Bob E]

Back when I was gainfully employed many years ago by Ma Bell we worked molten lead on a daily basiS. We were issued cotton wiping gloves (no lie)to wipe molten metal on splice joints, not any other kind of wiping. I still purchase cotton or canvas gloves at Southern States for casting. They are comfortable and economical(under$2 a pair)Make sure they have no man made ingredients that will melt and stick to you.

For years I cast on the kitchen stove then graduated to a Coleman stove. Being cheap I moved up to Lee 20lb bottom pour pots. I have 2 of them. One for hard lead and one for soft lead. I have used these pots for over 10 yrs with no problems and I shoot about 75 cast rounds per week. They work for me. Cheers! Bob E

 

[ken.clements]

I hope I'm not jacking this thread, but how difficult are minies to cast? More difficult than roundball?

Not really, takes practice because you are pouring twice the amount of lead than you would use in a RB. If you have a good steel mould, heat it up before you pour. If you can't heat it up aforehand for some reason, when you pour your first 5 Minie's, wait a couple ( about 5 ) seconds after the spru is hardend before you open the mould.....
If there are "wrinkles" in the Minie nose, the mould is not hot enough...keep pouring, taking a little time before you open the mould.(Wrinkels= different wieghts)
If there are or is a "seam" on the skirt of the hollow base, the pin isn't hot enough (it takes the longest to heat and cools first because of the surface area)(seam=skirt blowout)
If the Minie comes out looking "frosted" the lead is too hot.((Frosted= different wieghts)
The Minie's should come out looking shiny, without wrinkles, no bubbles or wrinkles in the hollow base.(bubbles=different wieght, lopsided flight)
hope this helps

 

[user 922]

Cyndi: One important point that needs stated is never have water anywhere near where you're casting. A drop of water falling into the lead pot will cause the lead to explode (the water instantly turns to steam) and will result in severe burns.