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Bullet Casting & Coating MegaThread
- Thread starter 38ExtraSpecial
- Start date
38ExtraSpecial
NES Member
Looking good! Did you score any more of that under water lead?
Thanks everyone for the reminder of the existence of helicoils. I’ve been tinkering for a while and have successfully avoided having to use one so far. I’ll do some measurements and find a helicoil. Does it need to be made of aluminum for it to work in my aluminum mold? There are already a few types of metals being mixed in the mold so I’m not sure if it matters what the helicoil is made from.
I got the pot nozzle dug out. Hopefully I got it cleaned out far enough.
I’m so jealous of your propane tank! That thing must be a bear to take to get refilled though.
Didn’t see you dros bucket or your source of fluxing in the photos.
Didn’t see you dros bucket or your source of fluxing in the photos.
38ExtraSpecial
NES Member
Looks good! You might be able to just go oversized with the screw. I believe MP uses an undersized screw with a steel bushing around it. Leaves room to step up one size and use a common screw and not have to go find a helicoil.
Use a Helicoil - that's the correct repair.
For my work just about every threaded hole in aluminum has an insert by design.
The only issue with a Helicoil is the setscrew that locks the bolt - you won't be able to drill through the coil.
A threadsert might be a better option for the mold but drilling through it without screwing up the setscrew threads might be hard.
For my work just about every threaded hole in aluminum has an insert by design.
The only issue with a Helicoil is the setscrew that locks the bolt - you won't be able to drill through the coil.
A threadsert might be a better option for the mold but drilling through it without screwing up the setscrew threads might be hard.
Mike 53
NES Member
I wish I had a suggestion, but just wanted to say "Great camera work!"View attachment 586617
Had a nice session w my new mold from MP. The 6 cavity 9mm 147gr in brass.
22 lbs of production later, the RCBS promelt 2 is now officially clogged. Emptied the whole thing out and the tip is clogged w metallic substance. Propane torch doesn’t seem to be melting it. I hope some of you will have some suggestions. Murphy’s law, get new mold… now pot is acting up.
I had it running as high as 775 today and as low as 725. At 725 it wouldn’t take a new 1lb ingot without starting to loose viscosity, so I went back upwards and it ended up clogged after a while back at higher temps. I was able to keep unclogging it with a metal wire up the nozzle, but eventually even that wasn’t working so I ended up ladling it out and photos above is where I’m at now. Oh, the pleasures of casting
View attachment 586618
View attachment 586619
No more but had many other sources turn up
100lb tank not to bad to deal with.dross bucket was a frying pan that I don't know were it came from. Used pine chips as Flux the Coarse ones the chickens like.
38ExtraSpecial
NES Member
Nice. Was that stuff all pure? I can’t remember
Jay77
NES Member
So I loaded up my last 20 coated and sized them to .309 and loaded them up on some freshly trimmed brass with 11.5 gr of 2400 and the functioned perfectly. They hit the 12 in plate at a 100 yard every time and the little bit of lead I got was cleaned very quickly … couple of passes. Time to coat and test more.
38ExtraSpecial
NES Member
Awesome!
Jay77
NES Member
Time for a bore scope to see what it looks like after I shoot a few.
Yes all pure. Lost my xrf for awhile been acting like a commoner and hitting up the scrap yard for tests. Can't wait to get mine back we got a second one but so busy out of state
it will eventually clog no matter what you do. Best you can do is flux more , dont let the pot get to low. buy one of those WElder tip cleaners and see which fits the tip. Try not to add lead to the pot while continue to cast. Get down to about 1/3 refill and let it come to temp and reflux stir and start again.
My lee 20lb bottom poor will go about 200 lbs of alloy or around 7000 bullets which can take a while to go through , before the spout starts giving me fits. Either drips or clogs.
I have enough bullets casted to go the year with out casting any more.
I have only fired up my casting pot 2 times in the last few years.
Recently was to make some 36 cal round ball. Now that my pot is full of soft alloy I will make a run of 454” , and 50 cal Lee REALs
Im on the look out for old tanks for exchange and pot making
I’ll take three if you find more than you want. I could use two for gas and another for an extra pot.
I casted 46lbs of 9mm last evening. Is there a problem if they are a little frosty for coating? I couldn’t keep the temp low enough to get shiny ones without getting clogged nozzled. Still running the RCBS Promelt 2 at 775F.
For your amusement:
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38ExtraSpecial
NES Member
Love it.
Are you sure your thermometer is calibrated?
Frosting is fine. Some guys have said it helps the coating adhere. It’s never been an issue for me.
I will look into calibrating the pot. I also need to figure out my nozzle clogging. After 46lbs in a day, it was dripping constantly towards the end. I took a break and added some lead so the pot cooled down a bunch. Then when I came back, you can see what I found had grown under the pot in the pic above.
38ExtraSpecial
NES Member
Calibrate the thermometer.
Yeah they leak. Sometimes the adjustment screw on the nozzle needs to be fiddled with but they all leak.
Frosty is cosmetic but also helps with coating
That pot hanging out with a lee pot, lol
How is the temp regulated on that ?
How is your thermometer ?
You can try to remove the spout plug from the handle and give it a spin , that might help seat the stem to the nozzle.
You might have to clean the pot again.
Frosted bullets are not a big deal but its generally from casting at to high if a temp.
Just watch your bullet drop size.
Your pot drips because of crud on your valve seat. As seen in your pic , Often when you “clean” a pot
You loosen up more crud and they new crud you introduce with the lead seams to always go right to the spout!!
Lee designed their pots to be able to spin the spout rod to help clear the seat.
View: https://youtu.be/KUUsp6AAooE
775 is too high
Empty the pot and clean out the nozzle really well
Assuming you are casting in the garage - if you are using a fan for ventilation make sure it isn't blowing on the pot
Also, lube the pivot points on the valve arms so it closes fully
Post 36 of my pot I did not clean it when I bought it and above is a good few couple years and about 300 lbs tbrough it.
I thought it would be nasty.
Was dirty but not terrible.
www.northeastshooters.com
I do flux with frankford arsenal often
I also change alloys a few times a year
Dont know if emptying the pot a few times a year helps it not
I thought it would be nasty.
Was dirty but not terrible.
Bullet Casting & Coating MegaThread
1st time reloading cast for my Savage 99 in 308. Barrel was slugged to .3085. Mold is a Lee C309-170-FN. Alloy of about 9-10 BHN (pencil hardness test), dropped at .309", 173gr. Three coats of candy apple red Hi Tek. Gas checked and sized to .309. Brass trimmed to 2.007 and expanded the neck...
www.northeastshooters.com
I do flux with frankford arsenal often
I also change alloys a few times a year
Dont know if emptying the pot a few times a year helps it not
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Jay77
NES Member
Went on a Spangler spree with two pots going… all was great till I busted the pivot screw on my lee 200 gr 452 six cavity. I order a new one plus a thermostat from Lee. Any tips on extracting the broken part of the screw before I totally f it up?
Almost sixty pounds poured since Saturday. Shooting for another sixty this week.
Almost sixty pounds poured since Saturday. Shooting for another sixty this week.
38ExtraSpecial
NES Member
Damn man I’m jealous. Good work!
Not sure on what screw but post a pic and maybe we can help you out.
Just fire up the big burner and ladle cast. I prefer ladle over bottom pour and it’s easier to have a big pot o lead and still make bullets damn fast. Probably faster because there’s no lost time waiting for pots to heat back up. (Even though the double Lee pot does work great)
Jay77
NES Member
I wasn’t pouring fast enough to drain a pot before the other was up to temp. I need a bigger gun with bigger bullets.
If I remember correctly Lee uses a left hand thread so a standard drill should pull it out
Is the broken screw above or below the surface?
38ExtraSpecial
NES Member
45-70 it is!
