This makes me feel much better haha! Using PID. Didn't smoke the mould since the instructions from Steve said it is not needed.
Definitely gonna increase the temp a bit for the next casting session. I think that may have been part of my issue.
steveu834 wrote: ↑Thu Jun 29, 2023 4:28 pm
How are you checking the temperature, thermometer or pid? I switched to a pid and it took care of the temperature problem I was having. Also, new mould need to be broken in and if I can’t get good bullets I will smoke the mould.
FWIW,
Steve
P.S. I am a newbie at this since 1993 and still can’t get it right!
Wow this is good to know. I wonder if that may be contributing to my problems. Got get myself a casting thermometer now. Thanks!
Randy Bohannon wrote: ↑Fri Jun 30, 2023 5:05 am
Pot temps on PID controlled furnaces need to be corroborated with a casting thermometer . My RCBS ProMelt is 50 deg. different than the thermometer ,800 degrees on the PID is 750 degrees by thermometer reading . I cast at 800 on the PID and bullets are perfect .
Do.what you want casting thermometers are sorry assed outfits unless you have a way to keep them calibrated. Better to spend the money on a good electronic infrared thermometer. One that goes to 1000°. Bobw
This is actually what I used tonight as I do not have access to a casting thermometer yet.
bobw wrote: ↑Fri Jun 30, 2023 1:40 pm
Do.what you want casting thermometers are sorry assed outfits unless you have a way to keep them calibrated. Better to spend the money on a good electronic infrared thermometer. One that goes to 1000°. Bobw
So round two tonight. I turned my temperature up to 800, and paid much closer attention to my cadence for the instructions earlier. I noticed that lube grooves look sharp. I'm getting a few wrinkly bullets in the beginning, then the rest look a lot better. Weights are getting closer, however I'm getting a few outliers, off by two to four grains. I think due to inconsistent pouring.
At his point my main struggle is with being consistent how I pour the ladle into the mold. Filling the ladle the same each time, pouring at the same speed ect.
How important is the size or shape of the sprue puddle?
Are you guys going for consistency is how this looks every time?
When you place the spout to the mold is it completely pressed into the hole in the sprue plate or is it off to the slide slightly?
I feel like I fill up the mould quickly before I get it all the way turned from 90° and it spills out across one side most times. However the bullets come out looking good.
I have no chance to make a nice well-defined sprue puddle like listed in the article on the eight phase casting cycle.
I drilled out my dipper and also filed a groove in it to vent air out of the mold as the lead is pouring. I rock the dipper a little as well during the ten count and I let all the material pour out.
I think the main thing with the sprue puddle is to leave it thick. Doesn’t matter if it’s messy or not. What you don’t want is a thin puddle that cools too fast. This takes a bit of practice and some cussing but you’ll get it fairly quickly.
Another thing is to have the dipper as ful as possible every time. That helps get you even pressure in the pour (called ‘head pressure’ I think). I figured out that there’s a certain angle with the dipper where it will come out of the pot plum full of material from the bottom of the pot. This is crucial to getting consistent results.
Are you putting the mould sideways , marrying the spout to the hole and turning both upright at the same time. Count to five and tip the ladel off the mould quickly?
Dean Becker
only one gun and they are 74 s
3rd asst. flunky,high desert chapter F.E.S.
MYWEIGH scale merchant
reclining member of O-G-A-N-T
This is exactly what I've been doing. Getting the speed right for how I turn them both upwards together, then getting a consistent sprue puddle, has been tricky. I feel like I am making progress though.
powderburner wrote: ↑Sat Jul 01, 2023 6:50 am
Are you putting the mould sideways , marrying the spout to the hole and turning both upright at the same time. Count to five and tip the ladel off the mould quickly?
I'm on the same learning track. This year my bullets for the Q were sorted into groups with no more than a .03 grain spread (i.e. 538.0-538.03). Mostly this is due to my casting not being very good. Next year, my goal is to have every lot of 50 rounds sorted down to zero spread, meaning all bullets in each group weighing exactly the same (prior to lube).
I just poured a batch of .443 550 grain pp bullets.
I had a range of .449.8 to 560.
Most in the 550 range.
It is a nose pour hoch .443 mold using 1-30 lead
Is that a normal range or do I suck?
A friend offered to trade me a 50-70 trapdoor 10 years ago.
What is a 50-70, I asked wide eyed!
I am still running down that rabbit hole..
Drahopa7 wrote: ↑Thu Jul 06, 2023 11:40 am
I just poured a batch of .443 550 grain pp bullets.
I had a range of .449.8 to 560.
Most in the 550 range.
It is a nose pour hoch .443 mold using 1-30 lead
Is that a normal range or do I suck?
I have no idea how you're dropping bullets with a 110 grain weight spread. Likely many problems. Here's a good place to start...
Still too big of a spread. You should be able to keep them within 1.5 grain total spread and when you get it figured out, you should be less than 1 grain.
Keep at it.
Woody
Richard A. Wood
If you are surrounded. You are in a target rich environment.
