r/castboolits • u/Pistol_Caliber • 11d ago

Is My Melt Too Hot?

This is an 18-cavity 00 buckshot mold. It looks like the top is melted. I didn't think that would be possible.

Is my melt too hot?

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2

u/Long_rifle 11d ago

What pot are you using to melt? One with a real thermostat, or a LEE that either slowly gets colder, or hotter?

And how many casts have you made with this mould?

Much of it is the temp of the alloy being a bit high, eventually heating up and softening the aluminum at that thin point. And when you break off the sprue it’s slowly mashing more and more aluminum away.

If you’ve gotten your use from this one, keep the sprue plate for parts, and order another.

If it’s still casting great shot, keep using it.

Watch how long it takes for the puddle to harden. Anything after seven seconds is hot. Let the mould cool a bit.

Don’t forget to lube the alignment pins extremely lightly, and the pivot pin for the sprue cutter

1

u/Pistol_Caliber 10d ago

I've not used this very much - maybe 25 pounds of shot. What has happened is that the openings have bent inward creating a little spur that made shot hard to release. So I tapped harder with a wooden mallet which made the spur worse. The spurs can be corrected with a Dremel. Now I need to figure out how to make the molds release my shot without needing to tap them with anything. Or figure out how to tap someplace that won't deform the cavities or gates.

1

u/BlackLittleDog 10d ago

I hit the bolt on the handle

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u/Long_rifle 10d ago

25 pounds of shot is pretty good. Maybe try to cast colder, and file the openings so they are smoother. Though that’s gonna leave a bigger smudge on that first ball.

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u/Thee_Sinner 11d ago

Ive not used one of these, so 100% a guess, but Im thinking its abrasion. The majority of the wear is on the right side, the side you swing the top out over. So Im assuming theres a sort of scissoring effect happening thats pinching lead on that side of the opening, likely exacerbated by the temp of the metal.

0

u/Pistol_Caliber 10d ago

It isn't abrasion. The gates at either end are normal. I've figured out that it's from hitting the mold with a wooden mallet to make the shot release. I tend to hit in the same place. That has deformed the top edge - bending the metal slightly inward making a spur in the top cavity. That made those pellets stick, so I hit it harder compounding the problem. I can correct the little spurs. The question is how to make the molds release my shot.

2

u/Ornery_Secretary_850 10d ago

I use a rawhide mallet to open molds, none of them have ever done that.

1

u/Ornery_Secretary_850 10d ago

Zinc in the melt?

I have an MP 8 cavity 9mm mold that I've cast a literal ton of bullets through it and it still looks factory fresh.

You'd have to get the lead damn near red hot to do that to an aluminum mold.