Lead Casting
 

I bought a good quantity of new reloading equipment last year around the time my wife found out she was pregnant. (Needed to get all of my toys purchased before the baby came.) Considering that our house was up for sale, then we moved, then a baby magically appeared, most of the stuff never got set up.

This weekend I set up my MEC 600 press and my Lee 20 lb. lead furnace. I reloaded 250 shotgun shells (used up my whole supply of wads and shell boxes, and most of my shot) and 5 slug shells.

I fluxed and cast 100 .358 bullets on Friday, and woke up Saturday with a splitting headache and a sore throat, both of which went away by the afternoon. I decided to wear a respirator for the rest of my lead casting adventures. Sunday I cast 100 more bullets and 5 slugs, with no ill effects.

I didn't use any mold lube, and the bullets released very easily from the aluminum Lee dies. I did have problems with the molds not being filled all the way, despite there being a sprue of lead completely covering the hole. Any tips on preventing this, I had to toss about 40% of the bullets I cast back into the pot because of they had a small cavity at the back.

Jeff? Jeff Higgins! Where are you?

melt lead OUTSIDE it is a bad poison
use gear to protect yourself

heat the mold for better flow

I think you need to turn up your furnace a bit.
Aluminum molds don't take long to heat up, you may need a damp sponge to cool them off.
Jim

Outside activity only!!!!

You'll go mad as a hatter.

Mould fill is related to mould/lead temp. Get a good lead thermometer (RCBS) and bring the mould and lead up to the same temp. I have always found that 750 to 800 is a good temp for good bullets and weight consistency, if the latter is impt to you.. Some people advise heating the mould up by dipping it in the lead pot but I would not/did not do that. It will come up to temp by casting a few bullets.

Be sure to hold the mould handle firmly together or you may get some 'flashing' on the edged of the bullets. No big deal for plinking for for accuracy that will trash your groups at any decent distance.

Good ventilation is a MUST as previously stated.

I have been loading and casting my own for years and especially since starting using those 500gn black powder 45-70 loads. I set up my pot just outside the garage door with a fan behind me to blow out the fumes and flux smoke. I wear a face shield which keeps most smoke and fumes out. I flux with sawdust so I can see the smoke and the fan keeps it blowing away.

I preheat the Lee dual cavity molds (use 3 at a time) on an electric hot plate covered with aluminum foil. I keep the molds sprayed with Kroil when not in use and it burns off after the first several casts. For the big bullets it takes 5 or 6 casts to get the molds hot so there are no wrinkles. For the 358 diameter wad cutters I use a Lee 6 cavity mold and the bullets come out great much faster, usually only one or two drops.

Here is a great site that seems to cover the whole casting game the best I have seen. Cast Boolits - Dedicated To The World Of Cast Bullets!

That would be mercury

First off, buy the newest copy of the Lyman Cast Bullet Manual, if you don't have it already. I think it's volume four; it was written primarily by Mike Venturino. It will answer many of your questions.

The hole in the base of the bullet (does it look like it's torn out?) is caused by cutting the sprues when they are still too hot. If a mold is not filling properly, it won't cause a hole in the center, but will show up as rounded edges around the bases. Two different problems with two different causes.

I always run two molds at once. Alternating them allows one to cool sufficiently to cut the sprues while you are filling the other one. If you are running just one mold, you will spend a good deal of time waiting for those sprues to cool. Most folks get impatient and rush it, and wind up tearing holes in the bases. That, and lead starts to smear across the tops of the block and the bottom of the sprue plate.

If you only have one mold, well... get another, for something else you shoot a lot. I stay away from aluminum molds. I have several from LBT that I only hang onto because they throw a pretty unique bullet that shoots well and are quite heavy for caliber. I like the bullet enough to put up with the aluminum mold, but otherwise, it's iron for me all the way. They hold temperature much more consistently, making casting far easier. Lyman, RCBS, and Saeco all make outstanding molds from cast iron (mechanite, actually) . Far, far better than anything Lee makes in aluminum.

If, for some reason, you must use a single mold, try this: Place a folded up, damp towel nearby and use it to cool the sprue. Simply let it harden, then flip the blocks over and hold them down on the towel. You'll have to flip and refold the towel often to keep it wet, but it will really speed up cooling, so you can cast much faster. Still better to run two molds, though.

Yeah, but I figured lead was close enough.

subscribing..

Jeff, I think you are correct on not letting the molds cool enough before cutting the sprue.

Next question: If I want to do this indoors, would a range hood, vented outdoors, provide adequate ventilation? Or should I get a welding ventilation system.

You will contaminate everything in the inside area that you are using, regardless of your personal protection.

Considering that the baby is here and presumably living with you it might be best to indulge in your new hobby outdoors.

While the risk of exposure may be low why not try to eliminate it all together.

Chris, with a baby, I wouldn't do it. You will have lead on your clothes, hair and hands. It will be in fumes in the air around your house, even if you do it outdoors. I'm a Certified Industrial Hygienist, I do this stuff for a living, trust me on this.

Google "OSHA Lead Standard" and you will see the mountain of requirements including blood lead testing, all of that is for adults, let alone infants.

I would never even think of casting in any "living" space inside my home, regardless of ventilation. I cast in my garage, with both doors open and a fan blowing across my workbench towards those open doors. When I was a kid, it was out back on a covered patio. Leather gloves, long sleeves, no food or drink in the area, all clothing goes right in the wash afterwards, and I hit the shower. I've been at it for over 40 of my 51 years, and every year I request that my blood sample be tested for lead exposure as a part of my routine physical. I've never had a problem.

Please don't do this in the house...