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Lee 1st edition can be found online and has a good amount of cast info also.Lyman Cast Bullet book has been ordered. The first step has been taken.
So it beginsLyman Cast Bullet book has been ordered. The first step has been taken.
A super cheap toaster oven will work fine if you don't mind a color change in your coatings - $10 second hand Or $25 new
2 quart Dutch oven with lid - $20 Amazon or $23 at Walmart. Lid is handy to keep the heat in. A 1 quart will work if you can find one cheap (1 quart of lead is a lot)
Single burner hotplate $13 at Walmart - file off the stop on the temp control. Once you do that, one full turn from off is usually the right temp
Two channel thermocouple meter from Amazon $16 - makes life much easier.
A mold and ladle will set you back another $30
If you're close to Taunton, pick up a mold and you can cast and coat a few hundred to try it out.
I don't have a .458 sizing die so you would need to pick one up if the mold dropped too large
Yes - modding it is very easy.
I got another question for you guys (and there will be more). My reloading has only been when coated bullets. I use them because I don't believe I have ever had to deal with any leading in my barrels since shooting hitek bullets. Are most of coating these days or do you just lube and not worry about it? Lubing certainly seems like a lot less work.
Next question. When you scrounge for lead and make your ingots, do you just use a cast iron pot? Or can you use one of the melters that has the bottom pour? Seems like the bottom pourers can get that nozzle gummed up, so I was wondering if it is a bad idea to have dirty lead in there. If I need a cast iron pot regardless, then I just might as well start with that. Pete
i built a bottom poor "smelter" out of a propane tank. It works ok but I need a better valve set up.I've tried Alox. Its not a labor intense process, it just takes a while for the stuff to dry.
Powder coating I've had the most luck with. When I was doing big batches, a powder coat gun was the way to go.
The process is longer.
Not the actual time in the oven, just getting from point A to point B.
Never tried conventional lube. Bought a lube sizer, sold it not long after discovering powder coat.
I've always done burn-downs in separate pots. Less likely to gum up the pour spout and easier to do in bulk. I have had better luck "filling it up", meaning just dump anything and everything in there. Adding to it after the fact is kind of tricky, you never know if some of that stuff is holding moisture.
Moisture + molten lead = steam pop = LOOKOUT!
Turkey fryer base, dutch pot thing there, tub of flux, and away you go.
Cleaned lead goes into the clean pot.
@mac1911 made a good sized furnace, perhaps he can be coerced into sharing some pics?