I finally used the Lee 4-20 I got for Christmas '11 and the 1 oz. slug mold from last Christmas for my first casting session. I have soft lead from 2 sources (Thanks, Captain) both scratchable by thumbnail so I mixed them in equal proportions. I had tin ready but didn't need it. I had prepped the mold by smoothing rough edges off the sprue plate and the key drive portion of the mold and graphiting both with a pencil. Ingots melted fairly rapidly with the dial set on 9. I set the mold on the pot while waiting for the lead to melt. The first slug was frosty, so I turned the dial down to 8. My ersatz casting thermometer-$10 grill thermometer-threatened to peg at 750 so I backed it down to 7.
I found 8 or just under to be more appropriate for my casting rhythm. I had to tap the bottom of the key drive to get the slugs to release and at 7, the lower residual heat made things sticky.
No drips until I got one from the thermocouple which I am not using. Maybe because I replaced the wood knob on the pot with an all brass knob and a couple of washers. When I say tap-I mean lightly, with a wood screwdriver handle. And if you say it didn't happen without pictures.....
"I don't have hobbies - I'm developing
a robust post-apocalyptic skill set"
I finally used the Lee 4-20 I got for Christmas '11That Lee 4-20 is the deal used to pour my jigs with a torch and ladle but it failed miserably for boolits. Did my second casting last night 26--1/4 ounce jigheads and over 400 boolits in short order.......You may not post new threadsYou may not post repliesYou may not post attachmentsYou may not edit your postsForum Rules
Abbreviations used in Reloading
Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt"
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