Dorado Posted January 6, 2011 Share Posted January 6, 2011 Howdy folks, just got another question for y'all. I just got my first casting pot and mold to begin casting bullets. I've been trying to figure it out, without much success. I keep getting ripples in the bullet. I've tried several different temperatures, tried letting it set in the mold for different times. What do I do to stop this? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Celilo Posted January 6, 2011 Share Posted January 6, 2011 Heat your mold up. Place it on a hot plate or on top of your lead when it heats up. I found it heats better if you put the spruplate down. Or when you pour the lead let some run all over the mold to heat it faster. Keep casting and remelt the bad ones. It will eventually heat up. When it gets too hot, your bullets will get "frosty". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crazy Gun Barney, SASS #2428 Posted January 6, 2011 Share Posted January 6, 2011 I am by no means an expert caster. However, I have had that issue and solved it by letting the mold get good and hot before making good bullets. The first part of a batch usually go straight into the scrap pile until the mold gets hot. I am using an aluminum mold, which is hard to get hot when using a ladle (not a bottom pour). I bought a cheap hot plate to set the mold on to keep it hot. The bullets starting coming out looking a lot better after that. Your results may vary I am NOT an expert. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Norsk Posted January 6, 2011 Share Posted January 6, 2011 Is it a cast iron mold? If so clean with white gas or such to get as much oil out before starting. Same with a new alum. mold. Might need to flux metal and change alloy. Careful about getting a drop of water in lead pot so pre heat lead, also makes it melt sooner. Gary Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Norsk Posted January 6, 2011 Share Posted January 6, 2011 Is it a cast iron mold? If so clean with white gas or such to get as much oil out before starting. Same with a new alum. mold. Might need to flux metal and change alloy. Careful about getting a drop of water in lead pot so pre heat lead, also makes it melt sooner. Gary Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghost, SASS #50125 Posted January 6, 2011 Share Posted January 6, 2011 Just some tips that I use: 1. Melt WW into ingots. 2. Use bottom pour heater. 3. Melt 10-11 lbs of ingots + 1% tin at a time, at High temp to remove most impurites, then lower temp of lead to pour. Flux with wax if desired. 4. Use mold release in molds. 5. I use both aluminum and steel molds, but the aluminum heats faster and the steel holds more constant. 6. Watch for frost. Ghost Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reuben McCoy Rankin # 34239 Posted January 6, 2011 Share Posted January 6, 2011 All good sugestions, but might also need to add a little tin to the pot. That seem to help fill out the mold. . But as has been said sounds like your mold is too cool. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Earl Brasse, SASS #3562 Posted January 6, 2011 Share Posted January 6, 2011 With others having addressed the main question, I'll recommend picking up a copy of the Cast Bullet Handbook by Lyman. It will give you a wealth of casting knowledge. Try Amazon & e-bay to see who has a used copy for the best price. Happy casting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garrison Joe, SASS #60708 Posted January 6, 2011 Share Posted January 6, 2011 Read over a copy of the Lyman Cast Bullet Handbook. Has a ton of pointers to get you casting well. Advice above will probably solve your wrinkled bullet problem. But, you will have other problems down the road, too. For something on-line and free, it's hard to beat: Cast Bullets For Beginner And Expert (on the Los Angeles Silhouette Club site) And, castboolits.gunloads.com is a great web site to read some articles and forum posts on casting. Good luck, GJ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dorado Posted January 6, 2011 Author Share Posted January 6, 2011 I'm using an aluminum 2 bullet mold and even after I run it a while it still ripples but not as bad. How do I add tin? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dorado Posted January 6, 2011 Author Share Posted January 6, 2011 Sorry Double tap Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cliff Hanger #3720LR Posted January 6, 2011 Share Posted January 6, 2011 Mold temperature is important. Running automatic casting machines, the molds are brought up to about 350 degrees to make good bullets that have no wrinkles and are not frosted. (Which really doesn't hurt unless you sell commercially) You can get Temp Sticks from your local welding shop. I use two. Temp Sticks melt at different temperatures. I have one for 300 degrees and one for 400 degrees. They mark like crayons but the 400 makes a mark like crayon while the 300 leaves a melted wax line telling me it's over 300 but less than 400. By using these, I can adjust pour rate and speed between pours to get the best production rate. Also Tin is very important. Tin is what makes the lead fill in the sharper corners in the mold. Antimony is what makes it harder. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghost, SASS #50125 Posted January 6, 2011 Share Posted January 6, 2011 I'm using an aluminum 2 bullet mold and even after I run it a while it still ripples but not as bad. How do I add tin? You can buy tin at Midway,USA. It comes in 2 lb ingots about 12 inches long. I cut it into 1-3/8" pieces and add 1 piece to 10-11 lbs of WW lead. Ghost Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cliff Hanger #3720LR Posted January 6, 2011 Share Posted January 6, 2011 easiest way to add tin is to get soldier bars. Tin by itself is very expensive. 50/50 bars not so much. 50% lead and 50% tin. You figure out the weight of your lead and then figure out how much tin you need to get the percentage of tin you want. Don't forget to add the lead in the 50/50 to your numbers. It doesn't take much. As a commercial caster, I buy bullet alloy ingots mixed at 2%-Tin,-6%-Antimony-And-92%-Lead. This formula is referred to as Hardball alloy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jefro, SASS#69420 Posted January 6, 2011 Share Posted January 6, 2011 Pre heat yer mold, and tarn ya heat up on that pot, pour the lead to it, don't dribble it. I run two six cavaties at a time, I heat up one mold on top of the pot and the other on a hot plate. I don't start pouring till it's about 900 degress, the first few are frosted and don't hurt a thing. The temp usually drops to around 850-875 after a few pours and sprue droppins thrown back in the pot. I don't like to pour below 850 cause I'm rotating one mold right after the other. You need a thermometer if you don't have one. Also with the bottom pour you need to increase the flow rate as the pot gets lower. For a little extra tin I'll add one pound of linotype to a 60 pound melt. Lots of good info at Cast Boolits. Good Luck. http://castboolits.gunloads.com/ Jefro Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
THE CALHOUN COUNTY BA Posted January 6, 2011 Share Posted January 6, 2011 Howdy folks, just got another question for y'all. I just got my first casting pot and mold to begin casting bullets. I've been trying to figure it out, without much success. I keep getting ripples in the bullet. I've tried several different temperatures, tried letting it set in the mold for different times. What do I do to stop this? Hi Dorado I use 2 Lee six cavity molds at a time and rotate them. And a bottom pour 20 lb. pot I also use a heat gun to heat molds. but still have to pour 10 or molds fun before they start coming out good. Also use a match to put some coating on the molds. Have fun and safe. CCBA Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fairshake Posted January 6, 2011 Share Posted January 6, 2011 I have been casting since 1970 and will tell you that some of the info you have received is good and some not so. The best way is to have a HOT PLATE single plate stove to preheat your molds. I have used molds of aluminum, brass and iron. I prefer the brass as it holds it's heat as well as the iron type molds but does not rust. Aluminum molds are the hardest to use because they become very hot fast and you must either use more than one or cool them down by using wet towels. They also will not last as long as the other molds and the blocks may become warped if allowed to become too hot. You do not need to use any mold release. It will cause all kinds of problems. If you wash your mold with very hot water and Dawn soap and a tooth brush and let it dry. Before casting you may use a hardwood stick or propane lighter to blacken each cavity then pre heat your mold on the hot plate. Your best casting temperature is around 750 degrees. If you find your bullets with the driving bands rounded and not sharp as the mold then you need to add some tin to your alloy. For SASS shooting you should be using bullets in the 10 BHN range. This is made by using a 20-1 alloy. If your bullets are a little frosted looking it means that either your alloy or molds are too hot. Frosted bullets will shoot fine with no problems but you could be hurting your equipment. If you have a problem with your sprue plate being hard and stiff then you need some Bull Plate lube on them. Go to the CAST BOOLITS forum and find Bull shop They will set you up with the lube. I turned Dick Dastardly onto it's use a few years back and not only does he use it but he includes a sample with each mold he sales. The Lyman Cast Bullet Handbook will also help. Your biggest help will come from the Cast Boolits forum as it has thousands with one thing in common. You may also purchase all your supplies from the various members also. Take Care By the way if you go there I am called Cajun Shooter on that site Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dorado Posted January 6, 2011 Author Share Posted January 6, 2011 Alright I gave what y'all said a try. I cleaned and preheated the mold, I still got the ripples but not as bad. I did see some frosting so I lowered the temperature. I don't have any tin to add to the mix, right now its an almost pure lead. I'll order some as soon as I can. Adding the tin seems like the biggest issue. Thanks for the Cast Boolits site. I'll be reading up on it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest diablo slim shootist Posted January 7, 2011 Share Posted January 7, 2011 when using my aluminum molds after every pour -i release the bullets and set the mold on a wet rag to bring the temp of the mold down a notch it keeps them from frosting -Read Modern Reloading buy Richard Lee on page170 it tells how to Prepare your mold with lamp black-VERY IMPORTANT for aluminum molds Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Boy Posted January 7, 2011 Share Posted January 7, 2011 Dorado, it's really straight forward when you get the hang of it: * Clean your mold with Break Free. Wipe cavity with a paper towel to remove any particles * Bring pot up to temperature, 650+ use a thermometer * FLUX the melt with a pea size of beeswax - stir it in * Remove dross * Preheat your mold * Melt temperature 690 - 700 degrees * Put spout of ladle firmly in sprue hole with mold turned horizontal * Turn mold vertical with sprout firmly in sprue hole * Count out 5 seconds * Create a sprue puddle NOW THE BIGGIE ... When the sprue puddle frosts in 5 to 7 seconds (10 seconds for 500gr bullets), cut the puddle, tap the handle bolt lightly and then lightly push the mold halves by pushing on the bottom of the right half Clean mold - proper melt /mold temperature to create a 5 second sprue puddle frost - No Wrinkles Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M.T Chambers, SASS#76185 Posted January 7, 2011 Share Posted January 7, 2011 Lots of good advice, but, like Fairshake said- smoke the mold. Stick matches work well (light 2-3 at a time) or I light my propane torch and tape off the airbleeds for a sooty flame. The mold comes to temp after 6-8 drops and casts purty bullets thereafter. Give it try and good luck, MTC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muddy Creek Sam, SASS# 78004 Posted January 7, 2011 Share Posted January 7, 2011 http://castboolits.gunloads.com/index.php Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Def Dan Dreager, SASS #54479 Posted January 7, 2011 Share Posted January 7, 2011 http://castboolits.gunloads.com/index.php 1+ on the Cast Boolit forum. There's a lot of information there and it will take a while to soak it up. Smoking the mold will help or you can use a product like this Frankford Arsenal Drop Out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Def Dan Dreager, SASS #54479 Posted January 7, 2011 Share Posted January 7, 2011 Dorado, it's really straight forward when you get the hang of it:* Clean your mold with Break Free. Wipe cavity with a paper towel to remove any particles I haven't heard of using Break Free and will give it a try. I've use Kroil and that works well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garrison Joe, SASS #60708 Posted January 7, 2011 Share Posted January 7, 2011 I don't have any tin to add to the mix, right now its an almost pure lead. I'll order some as soon as I can. For a cheaper price than Midway on tin, try Rotocast Bullet Metals But the cheaper route than that is 50/50 bar solder at local hardware, plumbing stores, or even better prices at garage sales where the old man was a handyman. Good luck, GJ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Boy Posted January 7, 2011 Share Posted January 7, 2011 Gents, a clean mold with no release agent will drop more bullets without having to whack the handles. There is a product called Micro-90 ... free sample @ http://www.ipcol.com/shopcontent.asp?type=requestsample I've been using it for about 5 years with excellent success and NO release agent * Rinse the mold under hot tap water (I oil my molds when I store them away) * Toothbrush scrub with Micro-90 * Rinse the mold under hot tap water Repeat and wipe dry before preheating the mold Correction, When I said use Break Free ... I should have said any brake cleaning fluid at the auto stores Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chills1994 Posted January 7, 2011 Share Posted January 7, 2011 like everyone else has said your mold is too cool. I just place my mold on top of the melt. here is my hatcam video of me casting boolits: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uTrD8buyIHY...be_gdata_player at the start of the video you see me applying an AMSOIL 2 cycle motor oil to the underside of the sprue plate. it just so happens that it is green in color. there is a column off to the right that you should click on. I have more info posted there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iron Pony Posted January 7, 2011 Share Posted January 7, 2011 Dorado you are getting good information and being directed to places where you can get more. We cast the big lube bullets out of lee 6 cav aluminum gang moulds. As has been said lead and mould temps are the most important parts but it seems each mould has a specific technique it "likes" to drop good bullets and the pots are different too. Our bullets for CAS shooting are dead soft, no alloy needed and we have never had any complaints about accuracy, leading, stability etc. We have shooters who use them for both smokeless and BP loads. Our lead is pure industrial scrap, not WW or old pipe and the bullets look like they are sterling silver when they drop out of the mould. As long as the moulds and lead are the right temp we have no problems filling out lube grooves or getting sharpe edges. Fluxing is done with bees wax or a little crayon type lube when the pots are full and then scraped down a couple of times during the session. The aluminum moulds to my experience heat up and cool down very quickly. A big bore 45-70 500+ grain iron mould will take me a good 25-30 throws to get to temp even after I've perched it on top of the pot while it gets liquid, the 6 cavity lees come up much faster. I have recently tried an adaptation of Bruce B's speed casting method by placing a damp towel on the bench where I drop the bullets, cutting the sprures and then resting the base of the moulds on the towel for a couple seconds then opening it up. This seems to even out temp just enough where I can run at a good pace and not get any frosting. FWIW I just started this during the cold weather and will see if its as effective when its 90+ degrees outside. Bruce's method also includes cooling the sprues on a wet towel but I have not found that necessary, probably outside temps involved, and cut them as soon as they "flash" over from shiny to dull. If you are going to alloy rotometals also has bags of pure tin wire scraps that I'm going to try for long range stuff at 20/1. It looks like a real simple way to get the material into the pot and with the rising prices and shrinking availabilty of 50/50 or tin solder its probably going to be my next attempt. Keep at it and you'll get your method, material and process down to the point you are making bright, shiny, sharp bullets you will brag to other people about. Other then making your own powder casting is as close to doing everything possible in rolling your own. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Noz Posted January 7, 2011 Share Posted January 7, 2011 I have been casting since 1970 and will tell you that some of the info you have received is good and some not so. The best way is to have a HOT PLATE single plate stove to preheat your molds. I have used molds of aluminum, brass and iron. I prefer the brass as it holds it's heat as well as the iron type molds but does not rust. Aluminum molds are the hardest to use because they become very hot fast and you must either use more than one or cool them down by using wet towels. They also will not last as long as the other molds and the blocks may become warped if allowed to become too hot. You do not need to use any mold release. It will cause all kinds of problems. If you wash your mold with very hot water and Dawn soap and a tooth brush and let it dry. Before casting you may use a hardwood stick or propane lighter to blacken each cavity then pre heat your mold on the hot plate. Your best casting temperature is around 750 degrees. If you find your bullets with the driving bands rounded and not sharp as the mold then you need to add some tin to your alloy. For SASS shooting you should be using bullets in the 10 BHN range. This is made by using a 20-1 alloy. If your bullets are a little frosted looking it means that either your alloy or molds are too hot. Frosted bullets will shoot fine with no problems but you could be hurting your equipment. If you have a problem with your sprue plate being hard and stiff then you need some Bull Plate lube on them. Go to the CAST BOOLITS forum and find Bull shop They will set you up with the lube. I turned Dick Dastardly onto it's use a few years back and not only does he use it but he includes a sample with each mold he sales. The Lyman Cast Bullet Handbook will also help. Your biggest help will come from the Cast Boolits forum as it has thousands with one thing in common. You may also purchase all your supplies from the various members also. Take Care By the way if you go there I am called Cajun Shooter on that site There's your answer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iron Pony Posted January 7, 2011 Share Posted January 7, 2011 Oh yeah Dorado, forgot to mention that as part of the selection process for what goes out to customers I shoot all the rejected bullets from the 44s we throw. Frosted, ripples whatever unless they are undersized on the bands/bases I load em up and shoot em at steel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Texas Man Posted January 7, 2011 Share Posted January 7, 2011 I have been casting bullets longer than most the readers here have lived and once You get the hang of it you can use the same information of most all moulds and types of lead mixures. I started with steel Lymans moulds and later aluminum molds. One trick I learned early on was once I filled the mound I would lightly tap the mold and the table or a block to settle the lead and help fill out the new bullet. A new mould may take a while to break in and bullet design can also differ. Smoe buttles are harder to get ouit of the moould than others. I have to reaaly be in the mood to start casting and once I do start I will cast for hours once the mold is heated sand its dropping perfect bullets. Open the years I have used wheelweights and most of my cast bullets will be used in handguns. I have found the bullet lube is amond the most important thing when casting. Years ago there was a lube called Perfect Lube made by a company called Cooper Haywood and that was the best bar none that I ever used. I still find 45 Colt bullets I cast in the mid 1950s that the lube is still intact and I never had any leading with the lube. On my Sharps rifles I use Lyman number two and it works well with bullets from 450 grain to 750 grain in the 45 and 50 caliber rifles. I like my bullets to be just under the frost look and that is on the hot side and I find them to fillout better. I like the Lyman and RCBS molds the best but the six cavity molds in alumium sure feel better after a few hours of casting. One thing I watch very closly is the area on back where the cutter cuts. If I see any sign of a hole or hollow sign in the base of the bullet I goes back inside the pot. A good cast bullet will work just about as same as a jacketed bullet in most all cases when used at a lower velosity. I had used 45 caliber 230 round nose bullets in My Thompson Sub Machine guns with the only problem being later when I clean the muzzle break. Texas Man Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Texas Man Posted January 7, 2011 Share Posted January 7, 2011 I have been casting bullets longer than most the readers here have lived and once You get the hang of it you can use the same information of most all moulds and types of lead mixures. I started with steel Lymans moulds and later aluminum molds. One trick I learned early on was once I filled the mound I would lightly tap the mold and the table or a block to settle the lead and help fill out the new bullet. A new mould may take a while to break in and bullet design can also differ. Smoe buttles are harder to get ouit of the moould than others. I have to reaaly be in the mood to start casting and once I do start I will cast for hours once the mold is heated sand its dropping perfect bullets. Open the years I have used wheelweights and most of my cast bullets will be used in handguns. I have found the bullet lube is amond the most important thing when casting. Years ago there was a lube called Perfect Lube made by a company called Cooper Haywood and that was the best bar none that I ever used. I still find 45 Colt bullets I cast in the mid 1950s that the lube is still intact and I never had any leading with the lube. On my Sharps rifles I use Lyman number two and it works well with bullets from 450 grain to 750 grain in the 45 and 50 caliber rifles. I like my bullets to be just under the frost look and that is on the hot side and I find them to fillout better. I like the Lyman and RCBS molds the best but the six cavity molds in alumium sure feel better after a few hours of casting. One thing I watch very closly is the area on back where the cutter cuts. If I see any sign of a hole or hollow sign in the base of the bullet I goes back inside the pot. A good cast bullet will work just about as same as a jacketed bullet in most all cases when used at a lower velosity. I had used 45 caliber 230 round nose bullets in My Thompson Sub Machine guns with the only problem being later when I clean the muzzle break. Texas Man Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dorado Posted January 7, 2011 Author Share Posted January 7, 2011 Thanks everybody. I'm going out here in just a little while to try out a couple of different things that I've learned. I'll let y'all know how it works out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silver Jack Hammer, SASS #56398 Posted January 7, 2011 Share Posted January 7, 2011 Don't forget to have fun. Don't worry too much about little problems like scraping across the base of the bullet, just try different stuff and keep learning. I've been cast a lot, it's a lot cheaper but most of all it's fun. Were making bullets, not parts to the Gov't's new gatling guns. Only by casting can you make get the bullets you want. Ventrino said you can put a bunch of people in a room and show them how to cast bullets. Before long they will be divided into two groups, one dippers the other bottom pourers. And narry shall the two groops meet. I use straight wheel weights for 90% of my shooting; that's the high volume cowboy lead slinging at close targets fast. But then I mix 50/50 bar solder for Alloy #2 for my paper punching work with the .45 Long Colt and I buy Linotype from Midway for my .44 hot loads. I don't do much paper punching and hot load shooting, but I do some. Cowboy bullets are very forgiving. Clint Smith told me he shoots bullets he's cast out of his Sharps that Ventrino turns his nose up at. Welcome to the club, let's keep talking! And most of all -cast! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dorado Posted January 7, 2011 Author Share Posted January 7, 2011 Hey I preheated the mold and I got a couple a hundred really good looking bullets. Thanks everyone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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