New member from Riverside California area

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Last Post 18 February 2008

CBA Member

devin1955 posted this 06 February 2008

Greetings. I'm new here, just signed up and joined CBA a couple weeks ago. Haven't started bullet casting but am getting ready to. I used to cast for my dad as a kid, but he always mixed the lead alloy and did all the setup. My dad has passed away and now have his equipment. I've been a shooter and reloader all along, but never cast. I always shot jacketed bullets in my rifles and purchased cast bullets for my handguns. But, I see the price of lead rising, and with my tendancy to want to be as self sufficient as I can be, I decided I needed to start casting my own.

I've been accumulating wheelweights, linotype and 50/50 or 60/40 bar solder, I've purchased an RCBS lubrasizer, more molds (besides the ones from my dad's collection), and just recently bought this propane burner to do my melting and mixing lead alloy, should work great. http://www.amazon.com/Bayou-Classic-SP10-High-Pressure-Outdoor/dp/B000291GBQ>http://www.amazon.com/Bayou-Classic-SP10-High-Pressure-Outdoor/dp/B000291GBQ

I tried a Coleman stove but that's too much trouble doing small batches and barely getting to melting temperature.

I'm sure I'll have questions, so be prepared. :-)

I live in Southern California, near Riverside, and would especially like to hear from any of you that are in my area. I'm a member of West End Gun Club. -Don

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Standard Member

CB posted this 06 February 2008

Hi Don. Welcome to the CBA and also to the forum.

That outdoor propane cooking burner you got is just like the one I use. I have a 6 or 8 qrt cast iron dutch oven pot I use on top. It'll alloy 100lbs to the rim. Hey, I started on a Coleman too. :cowboy:

Don't think your dad's stuff is outdated. Not a whole lot has change in the last 40 years, though there is some neat new stuff in casting and loading. Hope you have a great time casting your own, loading your own, AND shooting your own CBs. :fire...................Dan

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CBA Member

devin1955 posted this 06 February 2008

Nope, I still have all the original equipment my dad had except a really old and pretty much thrashed Lyman lubrasizer. Since he had sizing dies and punches for all his molds, I replaced it with the RCBS unit, which as I understand, can use the Lyman sizer dies. I also bought a Lyman heater as I prefer the harder lubes just because they aren't so darned messy!

Gotta go post regarding the alloy I'm planning to use and see if you guys have any suggestions. -Don

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Standard Member

rk4570 posted this 07 February 2008

Devin.......Heres a little tip when using that style burner, if you havnt done so allready.

Get a piece of sheet metal about 6” to 8"' high and screw it to the back about 3/4 of the way around. It really keeps the heat on a big pot!!

Welcome to the club!!! :}

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CBA Member

devin1955 posted this 07 February 2008

Good idea! There's a similar shield which completely surrounds the burner, under the grate, but nothing above. I'm guessing this would be of benifit especially if there's a breeze and maybe even reduce my propane consumption a bit.

I'm going to fire it up for the first time this weekend and try to get all my wheel weights converted to Lyman ingots, complete with the backwards N. :)

Checkout post #8 here: http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=20125 You know what P.T. Barnum said....

Thanks for the good suggestion. -Don

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Standard Member

CB posted this 07 February 2008

Don,

One more tip. You can put a bucket of water away from the lead within reach for you bakards N ingot mould to cool off. After about 3 castings, the mould will be too hot to cool in a reasonable fashion. When that happens, dunk it (empty of course) into the bucket and immediately pull it out. It'll still be hot and evaporate all the water off as it drips. By the time you set it down for another ladle full of lead it should be completely dry and the ingots will solidify within a reasonable time. I dunk it in the water each time I dump the ingots.

CAUTION, check to make sure you see no water in the mould before pouring lead, or you'll have an eruption of steam and hot lead! :wow:My ingot moulds have held up for the last 3 cleanings of 300 pounds without cracking or warping and with no eruptions.....................Dan

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CBA Member

devin1955 posted this 07 February 2008

Another good suggestion... I knew it was a good idea to join this group.

I have about 300 pounds of wheel weights to do, so I'm sure I'll get good use from this idea. Thanks! -Don

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CBA Member

devin1955 posted this 11 February 2008

devin1955 wrote: I'm going to fire it up for the first time this weekend and try to get all my wheel weights converted to Lyman ingots, complete with the backwards N. :) Well, after a 7 hour session today I've converted my wheel weight collection into ingots. Boy, that propane turkey frier burner is sure the way to go! Lightyears ahead of the Coleman stove. Not that you guys haven't seen this before, but I'm kinda jazzed so I've attached a before and after picture.

Oh, Dan, thanks to your suggestion about cooling the molds I'm sure I was able to move at a pace probably 25% quicker. :thumbsup: -Don

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Standard Member

CB posted this 11 February 2008

Wow, that's purtty! Kinda reminds me of Fort Knox!:coolgun:

Now you got a lota casting to do to make that ingot pile into a pile of CBs!!!!:wow:

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CBA Member

devin1955 posted this 12 February 2008

I'm in no hurry to get them all converted into bullets. I'm one of those guys that feels better the more I'm self sufficient. I've reloaded for over 30 years but never taken the step to do my own casting. Now that the price of lead (precious metal as far as I'm concerned) has gone up so much it seems to be the next logical step in the “save money doing it myself so I can still shoot as much as I want” progression.

What I just did represents about a third of my WW collection. The rest has been precast into ingots by the person I got it from, or cast into odd shapes. But at least now it's all clean and in an easier to store form. :cool:

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Standard Member

CB posted this 12 February 2008

Welcome to the club!

That sure is a pretty sight... I always liked the look of silver opposed to gold.

Looks like to are well on your way to getting yourself set up to make a bunch of fine shootin cb's.. Be sure to let know how ya do and as always if you have any questions or need some advice.. We just love givin away advice..

Jeff

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Standard Member

afish4570 posted this 17 February 2008

Make sure you cast your big batches outside with plenty of fresh air.....I use an old 2 burner Coleman gasoline stove ....Bought new 40 yrs. ago and had to repair by pop riveting heavy tin to the sides that had burned & rusted out from all the abuse....I just learned not to use an old aluminum 6 or 8 qt. heavy dutch oven because aluminum can fail (like 40+ pounds of alloy flowiing all over stove,self,driveway etc.) so I use a cast iron dutch oven I picked up a a garage sale for $2. I sometimes prop up an old white gas blow torch to help heat a 50 lb. batch melt faster. Wearing gloves,eye protection (face shield)I then flux & skim off the dross,WWmetal clips etc. & pour into my old muffin tins, cast iron if you can scrounge them (I put alittle candle shavings to make for easy removal)This has a sheet of a 4 ft. by whatever on the ground to prevent a mess and make for easy cleanup.....I assume no legal responsiblity for my recommendations and expect you to use good sense and caution as a large quantity of molten lead is no joke. The muffin tin ingots can be labeled using a cold chisel or punch II=batch 2,L=pure lead,II batch 2. These can be stored in 100 oz or 1 gal. laundry detergent plastic containers with a large hole cut at top/front for easy hand-in/out placing or removal of ingots...Careful good luck.afish4570