Waht did you cast today?

B

burbank.jung

Active Member
I casted around 1000 40-170 TC Lee bullets. My pot was giving me trouble and I had to use a paper clip to clear the nipple and then it stopped melting the lead well. Tomorrow I might have to disassemble my pot and PC the bullets.
 
Ian

Ian

Notorious member
I haven't cleaned out a spout in a decade, maybe more. Are you guys casting outside with a cold draft blowing under your furnaces?
 
Spindrift

Spindrift

Well-Known Member
Ian said:
Are you guys casting outside with a cold draft blowing under your furnaces?
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Yes, quite often. I try to shield the pot, but casting outside in cold weather can introduce some extra challenges anyway. I occasionally use a paper clip to clear the spout, as well. My impression is, sometimes oxidation products accumulate there.
 
J

Jeff H

NW Ohio
I only cast when it is too cold and miserable to do anything outside, which means at least below freezing and usually WELL below freezing. I am set up in a "well ventilated" (drafty) garage. I point a Big Buddy propane heater at my butt and freeze otherwise, but I don't have any problems with the spout freezing.

Then too, I run the pot at 700 to 725 most often, because some of my mongrel alloys insist upon it. My TCs may not be perfectly accyrate either as I have never calibrated them, but measurements are relative when you isolate the tools you're using to a specific purpose - more about consistency than actual measurement, but I doubt they're that far off.
 
P

popper

Well-Known Member
Cast a few 170gr PB with the dive weight alloy. Let them sit a week and vice test against the other alloy. dive alloy on left. Loaded 145gr with 6, 6.5&7gr red dot for BO.
edit: dive alloy must be pretty good stuff. Good fillout even in a rushed pour and smash against month old bullet left same impression! Dumb me, forgot to take the probe out of the pot.
IMG_0208.JPG
 
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462

462

California's Central Coast Amid The Insanity
Cast a small batch of the NOE 311-188 FN I bought from Brad. The center is still not clean enough and its bullets are wrinkly, and several pours showed my handle grip was a bit slack. Also, I had the sprue plate stop bolt too tight, causing a venting problem. Weights are in the high 186-grains to the low 187-grains (straight clip-on weights). Diameter measurements will wait for a few days.

Hoping to test them next Monday.

Pre-cull:
8B21E1E5-9758-4055-B2FB-666A6886627B.jpeg
 
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Ian

Ian

Notorious member
Nice, Michael. Run it a few more sessions after you adjust the sprue plate and if it doesn't clear up on its own, a couple swipes with a fine file to break the inside edges of the block tops might take care of those few rounded bands. Al has used several styles of vent lines over the years and the ones with the intersecting arcs need to be able to vent out the top under the sprue plate. Your temperature is perfect.
 
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462

462

California's Central Coast Amid The Insanity
Ian said:
Nice, Michael. Run it a few more sessions after you adjust the sprue plate and if it doesn't clear up on its own, a couple swipes with a fine file to break the inside edges of the block tops might take care of those few rounded bands. Al has used several styles of vent lines over the years and the ones with the intersecting arcs need to be able to vent out the top under the sprue plate. Your temperature is perfect.
Click to expand...
The vent lines run horizontally, which I think makes it an older mould. I loosened the stop bolt and venting improved, but further casting will tell if it and last night's blast of brake parts cleaner cleaned up the center cavity.

Yep, I like a touch of frosty. Tried to keep the Tru-Tel thermometer in the 720-degree range, but it did creep up to 750 at one point.
 
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