I need some help with my casting.

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  • Last Post 28 July 2009
Stimp posted this 26 July 2009

Hello,

I've been casting for a while and finally used up my one supply of ww ingots. I just melt a new batch of wheel weights. I checked everyone and they were all lead. I am trying to pour bullets and keep getting little pits in the bullets. Not sure if it is a mold problem or an alloy problem or what. I've fluxed with parafin and its a straigh ww alloy.

Thanks

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RicinYakima posted this 26 July 2009

My thoughts are: you need more fluxing and stirring time, or your pot is dirty. Ric

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CB posted this 26 July 2009

Stimp

You need to flux regularly to bring the floating debris to the top. Where the stuff came from is pure speculation, get rid of it now. If you see the stuff floating on top push the debris to the side with a tablespoon then remove it and deposit the waste in your slag pile.

Do not under any circumstances approach a turkey cooker full of molten lead with a tablespoon looking for slag. Those guys have their own problems that us mere mortals with Saeco, Lyman, and Lee pots don't deal with.

Stephen Perry

Angeles BR:fire

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Duane Mellenbruch posted this 26 July 2009

Stephen Perry wrote: Do not under any circumstances approach a turkey cooker full of molten lead with a tablespoon looking for slag. Those guys have their own problems that us mere mortals with Saeco, Lyman, and Lee pots don't deal with.

Stephen Perry Please explain why slag should not be removed during the cleaning process.

Duane

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billwnr posted this 26 July 2009

RicinYakima wrote: My thoughts are: you need more fluxing and stirring time, or your pot is dirty. Ric Ditto what Ric said.  It's dirt in the alloy.  A little fluxing will remove it and a bunch of different things work.  I'm now using Bill Ferguson's flux as I bought it when I went to a bottom pour ladle.  Bottom pour ladles get around the dirt slightly as the dirt floats and bottom pours pour from the bottom.

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CB posted this 26 July 2009

Duane

My reference is you need a bigger spoon or shovel to remove slag from a melting bucket like a turkey cooker. I cook up ww in a chicken cooker so I know where your coming with your oversize melting pots. Of coarse you remove slag from any melting pot  before and during casting, been there done that for more years than I can remember, 47 years casting.

Stephen Perry

Angeles BR:fire

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Stimp posted this 27 July 2009

Thanks for all the help guys. I'm going to clean out my production pot well. I do see alot of crud and oxidation at the bottom of the pot and some on the walls. I'm thinking and hoping that this is the cause and will be fixed after a good cleaning. Thanks again

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redball2 posted this 27 July 2009

Is your mould and metal really hot? this is the most common problem with holes  and such not filling out.

I started casting as soon as ww2 ended and have used everything from wood fired cook stoves up and the problem of the correct tempature is always there. use a hot plate to pre heat the mould and really flux the metal. unless the metal is contamated it will fill the mould cavities.

the various lee pots all work well.

Jim Wilcox

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hunterspistol posted this 27 July 2009

:coffee I think I've had those little pits before from getting parafin in the mold, might be the wax. Of course, it brings in burnt trash with it sometimes.

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largecaliberman posted this 27 July 2009

Stimp wrote: Hello,

I've been casting for a while and finally used up my one supply of ww ingots. I just melt a new batch of wheel weights. I checked everyone and they were all lead. I am trying to pour bullets and keep getting little pits in the bullets. Not sure if it is a mold problem or an alloy problem or what. I've fluxed with parafin and its a straigh ww alloy.

Thanks I had a similar problem just like this when I used up my OLD WWs and only AFTER I made a new batch this kind of problem was occuring.  I suspected that some of the dreaded zinc contaminated the mix. After some repeated fluxing, dipping a 50/50 soldering bar as I cast seemed to help. 

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Stimp posted this 28 July 2009

largecaliberman wrote: Stimp wrote: Hello,

I've been casting for a while and finally used up my one supply of ww ingots. I just melt a new batch of wheel weights. I checked everyone and they were all lead. I am trying to pour bullets and keep getting little pits in the bullets. Not sure if it is a mold problem or an alloy problem or what. I've fluxed with parafin and its a straigh ww alloy.

Thanks I had a similar problem just like this when I used up my OLD WWs and only AFTER I made a new batch this kind of problem was occuring.  I suspected that some of the dreaded zinc contaminated the mix. After some repeated fluxing, dipping a 50/50 soldering bar as I cast seemed to help.  When you say dipping the soldering bar.. Actually dip or are you adding?

I usually add ~1% tin to the ww for added strength, better appearance and mold fill out.

I also started a new batch of wheel weights that I picked out by hand to ensure were lead and still getting the same results?!

 

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Stimp posted this 28 July 2009

largecaliberman wrote: Stimp wrote: Hello,

I've been casting for a while and finally used up my one supply of ww ingots. I just melt a new batch of wheel weights. I checked everyone and they were all lead. I am trying to pour bullets and keep getting little pits in the bullets. Not sure if it is a mold problem or an alloy problem or what. I've fluxed with parafin and its a straigh ww alloy.

Thanks I had a similar problem just like this when I used up my OLD WWs and only AFTER I made a new batch this kind of problem was occuring.  I suspected that some of the dreaded zinc contaminated the mix. After some repeated fluxing, dipping a 50/50 soldering bar as I cast seemed to help.  When you say dipping the soldering bar.. Actually dip or are you adding?

I usually add ~1% tin to the ww for added strength, better appearance and mold fill out.

I also started a new batch of wheel weights that I picked out by hand to ensure were lead and still getting the same results?!

 

Attached Files

Stimp posted this 28 July 2009

largecaliberman wrote: Stimp wrote: Hello,

I've been casting for a while and finally used up my one supply of ww ingots. I just melt a new batch of wheel weights. I checked everyone and they were all lead. I am trying to pour bullets and keep getting little pits in the bullets. Not sure if it is a mold problem or an alloy problem or what. I've fluxed with parafin and its a straigh ww alloy.

Thanks I had a similar problem just like this when I used up my OLD WWs and only AFTER I made a new batch this kind of problem was occuring.  I suspected that some of the dreaded zinc contaminated the mix. After some repeated fluxing, dipping a 50/50 soldering bar as I cast seemed to help.  When you say dipping the soldering bar.. Actually dip or are you adding?

I usually add ~1% tin to the ww for added strength, better appearance and mold fill out.

I also started a new batch of wheel weights that I picked out by hand to ensure were lead and still getting the same results?!

 

Attached Files

Stimp posted this 28 July 2009

largecaliberman wrote: Stimp wrote: Hello,

I've been casting for a while and finally used up my one supply of ww ingots. I just melt a new batch of wheel weights. I checked everyone and they were all lead. I am trying to pour bullets and keep getting little pits in the bullets. Not sure if it is a mold problem or an alloy problem or what. I've fluxed with parafin and its a straigh ww alloy.

Thanks I had a similar problem just like this when I used up my OLD WWs and only AFTER I made a new batch this kind of problem was occuring.  I suspected that some of the dreaded zinc contaminated the mix. After some repeated fluxing, dipping a 50/50 soldering bar as I cast seemed to help. 

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Stimp posted this 28 July 2009

Thank you everybody. I just posted a new thread with some update info and a pic of some bad bullets. Let me know what you all think. Thanks

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