Originally Posted by
canyon-ghost
Right there, 44man said quite a lot. I start by plugging in the little ladle pot then, I gather my tools and molds. I wait until it shows liquid at the surface until I drop a chunk of wax on top. It takes a few minutes for the white smoke to start then, I light it. I let it all burn down until it goes out leaving a blackish crust on top. It burns the dross down to nothing. Then I skim it off with a long handled teaspoon with about 6 little 1/4" holes drilled in it. I stir it a little and drop the ladle in. Preheat your ladle or you get a solid chunk of lead stuck inside, you'll see.
When the ladle is floating by the heating element without any lead clinging to it, it's time to pour. I leave the mold on the edge of the pot but, it's usually the first dozen pours that bring it up to temp. Then, it's time to pour like a madman! I watch carefully when the lead on the sprue turns dull and give it an extra 30 seconds.
One thing I do differently that I don't even recommend, I pour from the ladle with about an inch between the sprue and ladle. I never got used to pressing the ladle to the sprue plate, just felt clumsy. I do most of this with long handles and generally stand. I don't wear gloves either. I rely a lot on my own perception and co-ordination.
I hear a lot of people tell me that they don't have time to ladle into two cavity molds. Aren't they the same ones that stare blankly into a TV for four hours?
Good Luck,
Ron