Screwed up again

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  • Last Post 19 March 2019
BigMan54 posted this 18 March 2019

Well I screwed up again.

Did some Powder Coating today. Had the bullets on the top shelf of my T.O. melt. I guess my Wife's Oven Thermometer decided to die today. 

Put 2 trays each of 80 odd 44-240's coated into the T.O., the top tray melted at 20 minutes. It was fine at 18 minutes, the timer went off and I found the upper tray melted into the non-stick aluminum foil. Glad those cookie sheets had a generous lip around it. 

The Thermometer read 375degrees. Did not have another oven Thermometer so I had to go by the controls on the Oven. Set it for 400degrees. Then next batch was fine. And the third one melted again.  I quit for the day. guess I'll have to wait until I get another Oven Thermometer.

My question is can I save the lead that melted into the aluminum foil. I think I can melt the coated bullets, but the lead is stuck to the foil. Can I melt the lead & foil together and pull out the foil ? 

I hate the idea of losing 6 WHOLE lbs of lead. After all I'm both JEWISH and SCOTTISH. Can I just melt the 2 sheets of Lead/Aluminum by "balling" it up and melting the lead in my small RCBS pot over a propane burner or even my hot plate if it will get hot enough ? And just using pliers to grab the edge of the aluminum foil and gently pulling it up out of the pot, or maybe a larger 20lb pot ?

I seem to remember aluminum melts at 1100+degrees.

Well what do you think of my latest screw up ? And fix ?

Long time Caster/Reloader, Getting back into it after almost 10yrs. Life Member NRA 40+yrs, Life S.A.S.S. #375. Does this mean a description of me as a fumble-fingered knuckle-draggin' baboon. I also drool in my sleep. I firmly believe that true happiness is a warm gun. Did I mention how much I HATE auto-correct on this blasted tablet.

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David Reiss posted this 18 March 2019

Rog,

That one is out of my screw-up capacity, so I can't help you other than I know lead and aluminum don't play well together. 

I wish you would post pictures of your calamities, then I would get a better laugh. laughing

David Reiss - NRA Life Member & PSC Range Member Retired Police Firearms Instructor/Armorer
-Services: Wars Fought, Uprisings Quelled, Bars Emptied, Revolutions Started, Tigers Tamed, Assassinations Plotted, Women Seduced, Governments Run, Gun Appraisals, Lost Treasure Found.
- Also deal in: Land, Banjos, Nails, Firearms, Manure, Fly Swatters, Used Cars, Whisky, Racing Forms, Rare Antiquities, Lead, Used Keyboard Keys, Good Dogs, Pith Helmets & Zulu Headdresses. .

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Eutectic posted this 18 March 2019

I use a single electric coil "eye" to preheat my molds. After preheat I use it to preheat ingots. I use a tray with a lip and set the temperature to high and partly melted the ingots. It was a  big heavy mess, I sawed it into small pieces and put it into the pot. nothing was lost.

I have melted failed experimental bullets with aluminum gas checks, the gas checks came out in the dross, no problem. they looked like they could be reused (the Scot in me)

The aluminum foil will not hurt. Yes, it melts lots higher and has a protective oxide layer of Al2O3, this is sapphire, pretty hard stuff. Break it up and put it into your pot.

 My mom was Scottish, we had a Tartan and Shield, a town in MO carries the family name. I could wear our kilt if I had one.

Jewish and Scottish sounds like a great combination, a bunch of warlike skinflints,The best of both cultures, good friends and bad enemies.

Steve

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GP Idaho posted this 18 March 2019

Roger: Do you really do these things or just have the time to think up funnies?  Like Steve, I've melted a lot of bullets that were checked with aluminum checks to no ill  effect.  Now foil, I'm not smart enough to know what else is involved as to content but, I would do as you say and melt it in one of those 12Lb. cast iron pots and not my Pro-Melt.  I would assume it to be safe fume wise as the foil is for food preparation but at temps of 700 degrees + I don't know that either. Nothing much to be lost at this point so might as well try melting it down.  Gp

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onondaga posted this 18 March 2019

BigMan54

Thank you for directly supporting my method to get bullets to fit and make coatings obsolete and not needed when bullets fit. Whites Deluxe 45:45:10 dries clear, non tacky and has no speed limit when your bullets fit..

Gary

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BigMan54 posted this 18 March 2019

OK, Guys

Just to show you I am as big a screw up as I say. I took pictures and I am going to have my Daughter post them later today. 

Long time Caster/Reloader, Getting back into it after almost 10yrs. Life Member NRA 40+yrs, Life S.A.S.S. #375. Does this mean a description of me as a fumble-fingered knuckle-draggin' baboon. I also drool in my sleep. I firmly believe that true happiness is a warm gun. Did I mention how much I HATE auto-correct on this blasted tablet.

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Brodie posted this 18 March 2019

Rog,

When you go to re-melt the lead just tear the foil into strips.  If you ball it up you'll have the devils' own time getting all the lead out.  Good Luck!

B.E.Brickey

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BigMan54 posted this 18 March 2019

Guys,

The weird thing about this is it only happens on the top tray/rack.

And I've done almost 2000 bullets the same way. Using Eastwood Squirrel Gray and Smokes Flame Red, Carolina Blue and J.D. Green. And I've done the N.O.E. #452-238-SWC & Lee # 452-230-TC with Smokes Flame Red.  I had no problems before. I don't know if It's the Oven gone bad or I guess I'll just get a new Oven Thermometer. 

Long time Caster/Reloader, Getting back into it after almost 10yrs. Life Member NRA 40+yrs, Life S.A.S.S. #375. Does this mean a description of me as a fumble-fingered knuckle-draggin' baboon. I also drool in my sleep. I firmly believe that true happiness is a warm gun. Did I mention how much I HATE auto-correct on this blasted tablet.

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BigMan54 posted this 18 March 2019

Gary,

But that ain't purdy.

Long time Caster/Reloader, Getting back into it after almost 10yrs. Life Member NRA 40+yrs, Life S.A.S.S. #375. Does this mean a description of me as a fumble-fingered knuckle-draggin' baboon. I also drool in my sleep. I firmly believe that true happiness is a warm gun. Did I mention how much I HATE auto-correct on this blasted tablet.

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Brodie posted this 18 March 2019

The top rack is the hottest rack.  Heat rises, and that is why I don't weigh as much as I look like I should.  I'm full of hot air.

B.E.Brickey

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JeffinNZ posted this 18 March 2019

Easily done. Has happened to me also.

Cheers from New Zealand

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Tooweels posted this 19 March 2019

BigMan54, is your oven a convection oven ? I've done 30k plus coated cast bullets in my Convection toaster oven and always use the middle tray only, with my thermometer the middle tray temp always consistent but if I place the thermometer close to the top or bottom elements there are always higher peaks in the temperature as the oven cycles on and off to maintain temp.

Its all experience and there's no real screw up we all experiment with everything and no one has 100% success, I wouldn't write the oven off just yet, try putting several ingots on your middle tray with thermometer and bring your oven up to temp and monitor the temp to see just how stable it is, repeat on the top shelf and you will see the difference immediately

As you have already done a couple thousand you probably already realised how good the PC is , you could if you want to get a bit more technical install a PID probe just below the middle tray to keep the temp of oven very precise within a couple degrees

Good luck

 

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BigMan54 posted this 19 March 2019

Tooweels,

Thanks for the advice, but I think I just need a new Oven Therm. And to pay more attention. I was reading a good book at the time.

And it is a Convection Toaster Oven. As it was an unsolicited gift from my Wife, I'll be using it until it dies or I do.

Long time Caster/Reloader, Getting back into it after almost 10yrs. Life Member NRA 40+yrs, Life S.A.S.S. #375. Does this mean a description of me as a fumble-fingered knuckle-draggin' baboon. I also drool in my sleep. I firmly believe that true happiness is a warm gun. Did I mention how much I HATE auto-correct on this blasted tablet.

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