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Thread: HELP!!!!! newbie first cast

  1. #1
    Boolit Mold
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    Sep 2008
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    Kansas
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    HELP!!!!! newbie first cast

    hey guys i am tring to cast my first set of boolits and i need a little help. i have ww lead and i did flux it with wax. i heated my mold but when i pour it get wrinkle boolits. what do i need to fix? i am pouring boolits as i type.

    thanks

  2. #2
    Boolit Master

    Join Date
    Apr 2008
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    More heat!!!
    Wheel weight should pour smoothly, if the mold is hot enough.
    Crank up the melt, heat up the mold.

  3. #3
    In Remembrance
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    The major things that cause wrinkles are, mould not clean enough, no tin in the alloy, alloy not clean, mould not hot enough, metal not hot enough or a combination of some or all of the above. If you are casting pure lead say for a muzzel loader, it is acceptable to have some slight wrinkles. Tin added to the melt in small quantities,[solder] does help eliminate wrinkles if all else is right. If you started with wheel weights Docone is right on.
    Welcome and get back to us when you find success.

    Life is good

  4. #4
    Boolit Grand Master

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    More heat and keep casting. Don't worry about the wrinkles. You're not wasting lead cause it all goes back into the pot. The faster you go the hotter the mould will get and the good bullets will follow but if you are figeting around worrying about the good bullets it will take longer to get there.
    Aim small, miss small!

  5. #5
    Boolit Master

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    That is so true!
    I have had a marginal start to a casting session, and if I just keep on casting fairly rapidly, the wrinkles get less untill they are gone. At that speed of casting, if the sprue runs when cutting, slow down a little. Especially if the casting pours out after cutting the sprue and dumping it into the pot. If the sprue gets followed by the casting, it is time to relax a bit.
    I have shot very wrinkled castings and was satisfied with the results.
    Just keep on casting, you will get the touch.

  6. #6
    Boolit Mold
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    Sep 2008
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    Kansas
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    i got the mold hotter and poured faster and it worked out great thanks to everyone.

  7. #7
    Boolit Master copdills's Avatar
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    more heat maybe a little tin , the more you cast the more you learn and better boolits will come

  8. #8
    Boolit Grand Master







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    After a few thousand you will really get the hang of it!
    1Shirt!

  9. #9
    Boolit Master


    Boerrancher's Avatar
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    I am glad you figured it out. My first rule to casting is, "If the mould is clean, and the alloy is clean, add more heat until you get the fill out you want on your castings."

    Best wishes from the Boer Ranch,

    Joe
    WWG1WGA


    Tyrants use the force of the people to chain and subjugate-that is, enyoke the people. They then plough with them as men do with oxen yoked. Thus the spirit of liberty and innovation is reduced by bayonets, and principles are struck dumb by cannon shot: Albert Pike, Morals and Dogma

  10. #10
    Boolit Bub
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    Jul 2008
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    Essexville, MI
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    Defective Bullets

    Quote Originally Posted by jasdebcr View Post
    hey guys i am tring to cast my first set of boolits and i need a little help. i have ww lead and i did flux it with wax. i heated my mold but when i pour it get wrinkle boolits. what do i need to fix? i am pouring boolits as i type.

    thanks
    Your metal is starving for Tin! You have stated that you are using straight wheel weights which will have little if none of Tin. Your bullets will always look wrinkled no matter what temperature you try to cast at. In fact, the usual tendency is that 'the more heat' the better it must be. That cannot be further from the truth. You should be able to cast excellent, very high quality bullets in a temperature range of 690-725 degrees F (depending on your mould speed). The Tin will greatly aid in the 'wetting' properties of your metal.

    In addition to the lack of Tin, you most likely have contamination of stray metals such as Copper and Arsenic. These two elements will surely make you a premature baldy if you indeed have them in your metal. No matter what you try to cure the problem they will destroy the quality of your bullets.

    I trust that this information will help you.
    Matt Dardas

  11. #11
    Moderator Emeritus / Trusted loob groove dealer

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    I'm betting on oil or other contaminant in the mold, or too cold. I never have had to add tin to wheel weights, unless I was pouring .22 cal. boollits.
    The solid soft lead bullet is undoubtably the best and most satisfactory expanding bullet that has ever been designed. It invariably mushrooms perfectly, and never breaks up. With the metal base that is essential for velocities of 2000 f.s. and upwards to protect the naked base, these metal-based soft lead bullets are splendid.
    John Taylor - "African Rifles and Cartridges"

    Forget everything you know about loading jacketed bullets. This is a whole new ball game!


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Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check