Lead Production Pot Discussion

Daywalker wrote:Ok and this means?? No that lead is not yours? How much lead ya got? Better yet, how much pure lead ya got? LOL

I'll tell you in the simplest terms I know: I have 4500 pounds of material, according to a drive-on scale. Subtract the weight of a 1972 chevy nova and 12 gallons of gasoline, factor-in for 14% of the weight of the steel clamps on the wheel weights and presto!!! That's the amount I have














To put that a different way, I've got about 100 lbs which, I hope will translate to about 70-80 ##'s of schmelted ingots eh?


Casting party? Now THERE'S an idea!>!

Good thing that I waited to reply till I read the last post because I was going to say forget about the 10 or 20# pot because those chunks are never going to fit in it.

I have a 10# pot and use 6 cav. molds and have noticed that if you start casting too fast the mold gets too hot and the bullets dont turn out real nice. So I would not let a 10# pot hold you back from saving a few bucks, it will serve you well. Also the location of the lever is nice, not sure if it has an advantage over the 20# pot lever, I never used one. I think they all drip a little unless you constantly twist the screw on the stopper. (those drips are not a probelm I catch them in a lid from a kodiak can and throw them back in the pot) I do keep a flathead screwdriver handy for when I start to smelt if it drips. It would be nice to have a rest while casting for a long session, but that is an easy upgrade with a piece of allthread, a piece of scrap aluminum and a few nuts. (mine will have that before I cast next time) A thermometer is a good addition for consistancy as well. Once you know the temp that works best for you write it on the pot for future referance.

Keep us posted on what you end up with and how you like it.
Tripples

I do like the lever on the 10 pounder better but having the potential to do 2 six cavity moulds simultaneously is nice... Maybe it's an ego thing. Drips? I noticed that in some videos. The thought of that doesn't really bother me. I think fluxing and scraping the sides of the pot is easier with the 20 pounder because of the way the shutoff assembly is configured.

My 20 pounder is due on wednesday. I can't wait!

I am trying to figure out how your doing 2 simultaneously? I am picturing you pouring all 6 moulds then move away and someone else jump right in and they pour their 6 while you drop and just rotate??

If that is the case, wow, I would not do that myself. I won't let no one around me while I am casting as it deserves my fullest attention. Any little mistake and a pot full of 700 degree liquid lead all over me isn't appealing. Slightest drop of sweat off your forehead will give you one explosion you would not want to be around...

Thats just me tho... everyone is able to do things differently....

Well I had 2 things in mind Tommy...
That doesn't sound like the best thing for a person to be doing, I agree. But I have heard of a person using 2 moulds at a time. While the sprue is hardening on one, he's filling the other, setting it down, then breaking the sprue on the first, filling it, then letting it sit... I heard that this helps keep the moulds from getting hot enough to need cooling on a wet sponge...

It's just speculation at this point. My shooting friend and I have the utmost respect for molten metal- especially myself being a certified welder. Funny how it likes to get all over a person from time to time. It feels more *hot* than it does *wet* though it is wet too

you guys are gonna' hate me for this:
Look what I got today!




I got it from a friend... a very good one and a good man.

I cleaned it up and made my very own bullets!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!





The one on the left is 240 grain jsp I loaded, center is MY NEW lee 310 grainer, the one on the RH is Buffalo Bore's 340 grain slug @ 1478fps.

I just heated the thing up to test it and I know my lead wasn't hot enough because I can see there wasn't proper fill-out for the bullets I made. No biggy. I was just playing. I won't load these two bullets.

Ah, I got ya, thanks for the description, was sitting here trying to wrap my head around how you was going to do that. I may look into that casting 2 different caliber at once......

When I get back to casting...

Congrats on your first boolits!! Looking good man. Looks like you got the mold at the right temp and kept it there.....

I'm trying to get my friend to buy a mould for his 30-30. It's a perfect rifle chambering to cast for.

Thanks for the support. I bought some ingot moulds yesterday and a ladle, melting pot, sprue catcher, and skimmer. All that's left is to schmelt some ingots and put 'em in that new pot (arriving tomorrow).

I wish my lyme disease wasn't acting-up so badly. I've been unable to work. The last few days, I've been very non-productive.

That's a pretty cool self heating ladle. I can see where it would come in handy even if you have a production pot.

Great job on you first bullets....looking good

Thanks.

Yeah, I found-out that this little melter will hold 4 lbs according to the manufacturer. If that is true, sprues included, I should be able to cast about 40-55 bullets per loading of the little pot. It's definitely an old school way of doing it. I can foresee casting via this method in the future just purely for the novelty factor


Photos of my new furnace should be up this evening as I expect the 20# pot to arrive today.

The cool thing about that little pot that I can think of, if you want to shoot small amount one day, heat that up and pour you about 100 boolits without having to drag the big pot out and filling it up....

I like it!!

Daywalker wrote:The cool thing about that little pot that I can think of, if you want to shoot small amount one day, heat that up and pour you about 100 boolits without having to drag the big pot out and filling it up....

I like it!!

Yeppers...plus If you have a certain alloy mix you are wanting to test, you wont have to empty the big pot first. I almost wish I had a second pot for just pure lead....that little handheld would be the bomb.

hawcer wrote:

Daywalker wrote:The cool thing about that little pot that I can think of, if you want to shoot small amount one day, heat that up and pour you about 100 boolits without having to drag the big pot out and filling it up....

I like it!!

Yeppers...plus If you have a certain alloy mix you are wanting to test, you wont have to empty the big pot first. I almost wish I had a second pot for just pure lead....that little handheld would be the bomb.

YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! So BigAgitator, where might a man find one of those???

Would this be close?

http://www.terminaltackleco.com/prod_detail_list/508

funny I have never noticed them before....cabelas has them for $39.99

you will have to post up the link at cabelas i could not find it....

Here ya go...

http://www.cabelas.com/product/Fishing/Tackle-Craft/Tools-Molds|/pc/104793480/c/104776380/sc/104635980/Hot-Pot-2/743503.uts?destination=%2Fcatalog%2Fbrowse.cmd%3FN%3D1100419

you are awesome thank you very much.... I never thought to look under fishing for lead pots..... DOH!

I hate to say it but I like mine better than the version "2" because mine has an internal element rather than an element that it has to sit on.

What surprised me was when I researched these suckers and found out how readily available and inexpensive they are.

definitely a plus when messing with different alloys. Trying pure lead would be interesting