Have Time To Cast

LAH · December 14, 2011, 09:25 PM

One thing I hear much is: I have no time to cast. At times I can relate. Monday evening found a need for 1000 Lyman 429421 bullets to leave here this week, pretty simple stuff. Well my part time boss called Monday evening also. He needed someone to run an air hammer. The place I was going I’d hammered before so I knew it could be several days’ work. This means I’ll have to cast after work.

Soooooooo came home Tuesday, turned the pot on, filled it with sprues & set the moulds on top. Next, let the dogs out, fix the fire & pour a large glass of water.

Once the lead was up to temp it’s only a few rounds with the moulds & they were also hot. For this session we did the three mould rotation, two 429421 moulds & on 358156, all 4 cavity. Two short sessions, one Tuesday evening & one this evening did the trick with 1300ea. 44s & 700ea. 38s.

The moulds

The pot

Sprue & dump box

Results

GP100man · December 15, 2011, 06:06 AM

Nice set up Creeker !!!

Is that a Waage 40# pot ???& a very nice landing pad ya got built for those 4 bangers !!

Bullets(they don`t likey boolits over here) look nice also !!!clean sharp , can`t tell for sure but maybe a hint of frosting ?? & how do you stand on the 429421 round lube grooves vs. square lube grooves in hand guns ???

Your set up sure looks motivating

PS : don`t post of the air hammer anymore ,my back & elbows hurt frm just reading the post

LAH · December 15, 2011, 08:30 AM

Quote:

Nice set up Creeker !!!

Is that a Waage 40# pot ???& a very nice landing pad ya got built for those 4 bangers !!

Bullets(they don`t likey boolits over here) look nice also !!!clean sharp , can`t tell for sure but maybe a hint of frosting ?? & how do you stand on the 429421 round lube grooves vs. square lube grooves in hand guns ???

Your set up sure looks motivating

PS : don`t post of the air hammer anymore ,my back & elbows hurt frm just reading the post

Thanks neighbor to the south. The pot is a Magma Master Pot #40.

Round vs square lube groove. Probably start a war but I'll say this: The only "for sure" thing I know is I've owned & cast the Lyman 358429 in both the round & square versions. I see no difference in either as to accuracy or leading.

Quote:

Your set up sure looks motivating

I can keep my pot set up at all times so it's convenient & that's the trick to having time to cast.

BTW: That hammer was really hydraulic & attached to a 305 Cat.

jaguarxk120 · December 15, 2011, 08:52 AM

How nice it is to see "real" bullet moulds, not aluminum wannabees.

armoredman · December 15, 2011, 09:32 AM

Jag, my Lee "wannabes" cast pretty darn good - neener!

Very nice setup, sir! I have to say, for me a productive hour in front of the pot is 200, not 1000!

But I'm using two cavity and a single cavity, too.

I feel pretty dumb - I never thought of a sprue box, great idea, gonna do that next time.

hornetguy · December 15, 2011, 09:34 AM

Dang... now I'm ashamed of most of my molds.

Guess I'll keep using them, though... can't often justify the cost of "real" molds...

LAH · December 15, 2011, 02:02 PM

Now guys you don't have to have a big set up to cast. I normally cast at least 50 pounds at a time. But if one is casting for their own use a 2 cavity mould will work fine. I have a couple of the 2 cavity Lee moulds. They cast fine but with those I like to use only one mould cause I don't like to whack the sprue cutter. Still you can turn out several bullets.

LAH · December 15, 2011, 04:16 PM

Sized & lubed several of these today

.431 Diameter & LBT Blue

LAH · December 16, 2011, 11:34 AM

Here's a few 32s from a couple weeks ago

dahermit · December 16, 2011, 01:03 PM

Quote:

can't often justify the cost of "real" molds...

If you can afford a wife and kids you can afford real molds. If you cannot afford real molds, get rid of the wife and kids.

TXGunNut · December 17, 2011, 12:34 PM

If you can afford a wife and kids you can afford real molds. If you cannot afford real molds, get rid of the wife and kids.-dahermit

You're a wise man, my friend! Being single isn't so bad with fine rifles, quality moulds and a good dog to keep me entertained.

south.texas.dead.I · December 17, 2011, 01:47 PM

I don't mean to hijack the thread but what would be the point of using several moulds in a rotation. Is there some kind of advantage other than getting different bullet types. Wouldn't it be faster to use one mould at a time. Then switch after x number of bullets?

Tapatalk ya

snuffy · December 17, 2011, 08:04 PM

Quote:

I don't mean to hijack the thread but what would be the point of using several moulds in a rotation.

The reason I do that is because I'm using those el-cheapo lee molds, with small 2 cavity blocks and BEEG bullets. This results in the mold blocks getting too hot. By casting with 2-3 molds, it gives the molds a chance to cool off while you're working with the other 1-2 molds. That is the only reason I can think of.

DiscoRacing · December 17, 2011, 08:12 PM

Thas what I do also Snuffy..

jaguarxk120 · December 18, 2011, 03:09 PM

It is the best way rotating moulds as the 44's and 45 moulds can get very hot.

LAH · December 18, 2011, 09:10 PM

The rotation of moulds is to help with cooling. Instead of waiting to dump a mould you simply grab another. I can run 3 or 4 moulds if they are 44s or 45s. In this case I ran two 44 Lyman moulds & one 38 Lyman. Once the 44s became too hot I would dump/fill a 44, dump/fill a 38, dump/fill the other 44, dump/fill the 38, then back to the first 44 & over & over. It's simply a matter of doing what needs done.

shootniron · December 18, 2011, 09:14 PM

I do the same. Big boolits heat a mold up quickly.

LAH · December 18, 2011, 09:17 PM

Quote:

I do the same. Big boolits heat a mold up quickly.

I can run two each 4 cavity moulds fairly fast without heat issues if they are 38 caliber. But like you say, those big boys make HEAT.

TXGunNut · December 19, 2011, 01:03 AM

Big boolits heat a mold up quickly. -shootniron

I recently used 2 new Lee 6-bangers in the same session. The 32 mould took forever to get up to production temp with a fast cadence and when I changed over to a big 350 gr 45 mould it was a huge cadence adjustment. It's the mass of the moulds vs the mass of the pour. Small caliber moulds mean less molten lead and more mould to heat up. Obverse is true for bigger moulds.

Poodleshooter · December 19, 2011, 05:29 PM

I run the Lees pretty hot, but cool them off by resting them on a water soaked cotton sock between casts. (Tip from one of Lee's manuals,IIRC)
Periodic cooling in that manner keeps me just at the fringe of frosty bullets, where I get nice fill out, and allows me to cast rather quickly.

I'm doing my casting sessions lately as well.
Did 240gr .430 LSWC-GCs and .309 FP-GCs last night, and new wheelweight smelting/ingot making over the weekend.
Next up are 200gr .430 RNFPs. Handgun and rifle casting with w/w alloy is so much easier than pure lead casting of huge shotgun slugs, buckshot, and muzzleloader minies and ball.

LAH · December 21, 2011, 10:15 PM

Used only two moulds today but went well.

The Lyman 429421

Made several

south.texas.dead.I · December 21, 2011, 10:53 PM

How long did you spend casting? I'm trying to get a bullets/hour comparison going, I only have a 2cavity lee right now my 6cavity is with lee, they are repairing it.

Tapatalk ya

LAH · December 22, 2011, 08:39 AM

You ask: How long did you spend casting?

Discounting the weight of the bucket that's 'bout 1200 bullets. Once the alloy & moulds were ready to go, casting the bullets would have taken appox. 90 to 100 minutes using that set up or 12 to 14 bullets per minute.

LAH · December 29, 2011, 10:03 PM

The 44 pounds of 44s are sized & lubed with LBT Blue

LAH · December 29, 2011, 10:04 PM

south.texas.dead.I

Cast these yesterday, 90 minutes.

December 14, 2011, 09:25 PM	#1
LAH Senior Member Join Date: March 22, 2002 Location: In The Hardwoods Posts: 1,188	Have Time To Cast One thing I hear much is: I have no time to cast. At times I can relate. Monday evening found a need for 1000 Lyman 429421 bullets to leave here this week, pretty simple stuff. Well my part time boss called Monday evening also. He needed someone to run an air hammer. The place I was going I’d hammered before so I knew it could be several days’ work. This means I’ll have to cast after work. Soooooooo came home Tuesday, turned the pot on, filled it with sprues & set the moulds on top. Next, let the dogs out, fix the fire & pour a large glass of water. Once the lead was up to temp it’s only a few rounds with the moulds & they were also hot. For this session we did the three mould rotation, two 429421 moulds & on 358156, all 4 cavity. Two short sessions, one Tuesday evening & one this evening did the trick with 1300ea. 44s & 700ea. 38s. The moulds The pot Sprue & dump box Results

December 15, 2011, 06:06 AM	#2
GP100man Senior Member Join Date: August 1, 2007 Location: Tabor City , NC. Posts: 1,969	Nice set up Creeker !!! Is that a Waage 40# pot ???& a very nice landing pad ya got built for those 4 bangers !! Bullets(they don`t likey boolits over here) look nice also !!!clean sharp , can`t tell for sure but maybe a hint of frosting ?? & how do you stand on the 429421 round lube grooves vs. square lube grooves in hand guns ??? Your set up sure looks motivating PS : don`t post of the air hammer anymore ,my back & elbows hurt frm just reading the post __________________ GP100man

December 15, 2011, 09:32 AM	#5
armoredman Senior Member Join Date: May 22, 2007 Location: Arizona Posts: 5,297	Jag, my Lee "wannabes" cast pretty darn good - neener! Very nice setup, sir! I have to say, for me a productive hour in front of the pot is 200, not 1000!But I'm using two cavity and a single cavity, too. I feel pretty dumb - I never thought of a sprue box, great idea, gonna do that next time.

December 15, 2011, 09:34 AM	#6
hornetguy Senior Member Join Date: January 14, 2011 Location: on the north side of DFW Posts: 970	Dang... now I'm ashamed of most of my molds. Guess I'll keep using them, though... can't often justify the cost of "real" molds... __________________ I always felt that if I got to the point where I thought it was time to bury my firearms, it was actually time to pick them up..

December 17, 2011, 12:34 PM	#11
TXGunNut Senior Member Join Date: January 16, 2010 Location: If you have to ask... Posts: 2,860	If you can afford a wife and kids you can afford real molds. If you cannot afford real molds, get rid of the wife and kids.-dahermit You're a wise man, my friend! Being single isn't so bad with fine rifles, quality moulds and a good dog to keep me entertained. __________________ Life Member NRA, TSRA Smokeless powder is a passing fad! -Steve Garbe I hate rude behavior in a man. I won't tolerate it. -Woodrow F. Call Lonesome Dove My favorite recipes start out with a handful of used wheelweights.

December 15, 2011, 08:52 AM	#4
jaguarxk120 Senior Member Join Date: February 28, 2008 Location: Michigan Posts: 2,619	How nice it is to see "real" bullet moulds, not aluminum wannabees.

December 15, 2011, 02:02 PM	#7
LAH Senior Member Join Date: March 22, 2002 Location: In The Hardwoods Posts: 1,188	Now guys you don't have to have a big set up to cast. I normally cast at least 50 pounds at a time. But if one is casting for their own use a 2 cavity mould will work fine. I have a couple of the 2 cavity Lee moulds. They cast fine but with those I like to use only one mould cause I don't like to whack the sprue cutter. Still you can turn out several bullets.

December 15, 2011, 04:16 PM	#8
LAH Senior Member Join Date: March 22, 2002 Location: In The Hardwoods Posts: 1,188	Sized & lubed several of these today .431 Diameter & LBT Blue

December 16, 2011, 11:34 AM	#9
LAH Senior Member Join Date: March 22, 2002 Location: In The Hardwoods Posts: 1,188	Here's a few 32s from a couple weeks ago

December 17, 2011, 01:47 PM	#12
south.texas.dead.I Senior Member Join Date: February 5, 2011 Posts: 282	I don't mean to hijack the thread but what would be the point of using several moulds in a rotation. Is there some kind of advantage other than getting different bullet types. Wouldn't it be faster to use one mould at a time. Then switch after x number of bullets? Tapatalk ya

December 17, 2011, 08:12 PM	#14
DiscoRacing Senior Member Join Date: December 19, 2008 Location: milton, wv Posts: 3,640	Thas what I do also Snuffy.. __________________ Desert Eagle Alliance Group Launcher Extraordinaire ______ ----Get Busy Live'n.....Or....Get Busy Die'n......Red -------They call me Dr. Bob,,,, I have a PhD in S&W

December 18, 2011, 03:09 PM	#15
jaguarxk120 Senior Member Join Date: February 28, 2008 Location: Michigan Posts: 2,619	It is the best way rotating moulds as the 44's and 45 moulds can get very hot.

December 18, 2011, 09:10 PM	#16
LAH Senior Member Join Date: March 22, 2002 Location: In The Hardwoods Posts: 1,188	The rotation of moulds is to help with cooling. Instead of waiting to dump a mould you simply grab another. I can run 3 or 4 moulds if they are 44s or 45s. In this case I ran two 44 Lyman moulds & one 38 Lyman. Once the 44s became too hot I would dump/fill a 44, dump/fill a 38, dump/fill the other 44, dump/fill the 38, then back to the first 44 & over & over. It's simply a matter of doing what needs done.

December 18, 2011, 09:14 PM	#17
shootniron Senior Member Join Date: April 16, 2011 Location: Georgia Posts: 1,599	I do the same. Big boolits heat a mold up quickly.

December 19, 2011, 01:03 AM	#19
TXGunNut Senior Member Join Date: January 16, 2010 Location: If you have to ask... Posts: 2,860	Big boolits heat a mold up quickly. -shootniron I recently used 2 new Lee 6-bangers in the same session. The 32 mould took forever to get up to production temp with a fast cadence and when I changed over to a big 350 gr 45 mould it was a huge cadence adjustment. It's the mass of the moulds vs the mass of the pour. Small caliber moulds mean less molten lead and more mould to heat up. Obverse is true for bigger moulds. __________________ Life Member NRA, TSRA Smokeless powder is a passing fad! -Steve Garbe I hate rude behavior in a man. I won't tolerate it. -Woodrow F. Call Lonesome Dove My favorite recipes start out with a handful of used wheelweights.

December 19, 2011, 05:29 PM	#20
Poodleshooter Senior Member Join Date: August 7, 2000 Location: Floating down the James River in VA Posts: 2,599	I run the Lees pretty hot, but cool them off by resting them on a water soaked cotton sock between casts. (Tip from one of Lee's manuals,IIRC) Periodic cooling in that manner keeps me just at the fringe of frosty bullets, where I get nice fill out, and allows me to cast rather quickly. I'm doing my casting sessions lately as well. Did 240gr .430 LSWC-GCs and .309 FP-GCs last night, and new wheelweight smelting/ingot making over the weekend. Next up are 200gr .430 RNFPs. Handgun and rifle casting with w/w alloy is so much easier than pure lead casting of huge shotgun slugs, buckshot, and muzzleloader minies and ball.

December 21, 2011, 10:15 PM	#21
LAH Senior Member Join Date: March 22, 2002 Location: In The Hardwoods Posts: 1,188	Used only two moulds today but went well. The Lyman 429421 Made several

December 21, 2011, 10:53 PM	#22
south.texas.dead.I Senior Member Join Date: February 5, 2011 Posts: 282	How long did you spend casting? I'm trying to get a bullets/hour comparison going, I only have a 2cavity lee right now my 6cavity is with lee, they are repairing it. Tapatalk ya

December 22, 2011, 08:39 AM	#23
LAH Senior Member Join Date: March 22, 2002 Location: In The Hardwoods Posts: 1,188	You ask: How long did you spend casting? Discounting the weight of the bucket that's 'bout 1200 bullets. Once the alloy & moulds were ready to go, casting the bullets would have taken appox. 90 to 100 minutes using that set up or 12 to 14 bullets per minute.

December 29, 2011, 10:03 PM	#24
LAH Senior Member Join Date: March 22, 2002 Location: In The Hardwoods Posts: 1,188	The 44 pounds of 44s are sized & lubed with LBT Blue

December 29, 2011, 10:04 PM	#25
LAH Senior Member Join Date: March 22, 2002 Location: In The Hardwoods Posts: 1,188	south.texas.dead.I Cast these yesterday, 90 minutes.