Set me up to cast!

First, wasn't sure where to put this so, Mods move if in wrong place.

Just purchased this T/C Maxi Ball Mold from off the Classifieds. Want to try my hand at casting my own hunting round for this upcoming deer season. Outside of these two items, help get started without breaking the bank please! I am perfectly ok with only doing one bullet at a time. Please help me list all the needed items to make me some boolitz!

Also, if there is a place to purchase all items in one place, that would be perfect! Please PM me source.

Flame maker - bbq burner for e.g.,
Old cooking pot
Cheap ladle
Lead

You'll do a bullet at a time but you will need to make a few each session and dump them before temps are right in your mould.

Bushfire said:

You'll do a bullet at a time but you will need to make a few each session and dump them before temps are right in your mould.

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I'm not sure I understand this.

Like @Bushfire said. Also read through the older threads on casting for tips and tricks. Make sure clean your new well and get it hot before pouring.

SantiamSam said:

I'm not sure I understand this.

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Even with preheating your mold it takes awhile to reach a good operating temperature. Usually the first 4-6 balls/bullets will be wrinkled and dimpled. Just put them back in the pot to re melt until you get a uniform bullet.

TDM said:

Even with preheating your mold it takes awhile to reach a good operating temperature. Usually the first 4-6 balls/bullets will be wrinkled and dimpled. Just put them back in the pot to re melt until you get a uniform bullet.

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Got it! Thank you as always my friend!

SantiamSam said:

I'm not sure I understand this.

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He means start casting bullets and re-melt the first dozen or so till the mold is warmed up. If the mpld is not up to temp. the bullets will shrink and wrinkle.

SantiamSam said:

Got it! Thank you as always my friend!

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Glad to help!

TDM said:

Even with preheating your mold it takes awhile to reach a good operating temperature. Usually the first 4-6 balls/bullets will be wrinkled and dimpled. Just put them back in the pot to re melt until you get a uniform bullet.

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Beat me to it ! I'm a slow typer lol

kyron4 said:

Beat me to it ! I'm a slow typer lol

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Ha! Usually I’m the one that gets beat with my slow, fat fingers.

Bushfire said:

Flame maker - bbq burner for e.g.,
Old cooking pot
Cheap ladle
Lead

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Flame maker - What's a good quality one that isn't in the hundreds?
Cooking Pot - Cast iron or some other material?
Ladle - are there specific ones for bullet casting?
Lead - I'll search for some local venues first but, are there any online vendors anyone would suggest?

Any small or large propane cooker/fish fryer type. Coleman white gas cooker. Anything like that.
I use a quart size cast iron pot and a Lyman wood handled ladle.
There’s often somebody selling lead on the classifieds here. There are a number of suppliers that will show up on an online search for pure lead.

Is this a good setup to get started?

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1262222909?pid=637732

Head over to Cast Boolits forum for some education. You'll learn everything you need for casting here. Cast Boolits

You'll need a pot to melt lead. Either an electric pot or a cast iron pot with a heat source. Lee makes some cheap electric pots.
Lead dipper for pouring lead. Lee, RCBS, Lyman all make them.
ATF for lubing your sprue plate.
Heavy leather glove or hammer handle for opening sprue.
Old heavy rag for dropping your bullets from the mold onto to prevent deformation.
Safety glasses and appropriate clothes for casting. Dont cast in shorts and flip flops!!
If you get an electric pot get the larger capacity ones, the smaller ones go empty quick with the heavier bullets.

Folks have clarified my initial comments. I'm solo parenting two of my youngins who are over tired and on sugar highs today hence the quality of replies.

I just use my old bbq side burner, basically any propane bbq will do.

SantiamSam, I've just travelled the road you are heading down. This forum, plus a few of the locals here in sunny Townsville (urinating down rain at present! ), got me started on the right track. You're in luck, as I have just finished casting some 54 roundball and had my stuff set up, so I took an image for you and labelled it. Apart from the standard items like decent gloves, eye protection and ventilation, I think this has you covered.

Like you, I'm not into big production, just feeding .58 minies for my two Parker Hale muskets and .54 for my round ball rifles. It's remarkable how many projectiles you can pump out in a short session. As others have said, the most important thing is getting the metal, ladle and mold to an appropriate temperature before you start casting. I use the Kambrook cooking plate for preheating my molds - first balls come out shiny and perfect, minies take about three or so before they are wrinkle free and filled out nicely (mind, my minies are thin skirted 320gn and 500gn jobbies, not the monstrous thick-skirted ones).

The Lyman pot, pure lead, I run at 90% on the dial for round ball (750 degrees), and fully open for minies (800 to 850 degrees). I found that minies need that extra bit to maintain a full skirt. I have cast several hundred less complicated large bore projectiles for a mate, and these only required 750 as well.

Holler out if you need more info. Happy to pass on my experience, gifted by others. Sorry I can't help you out with suppliers, as I am in Australia - the exchange rate and postage will kill you!!

Kind regards, Pete

Is it necessary to flux if using pure lead?

PS On reflection, for savings sake SantiamSam, you can do without the thermometer - just watch your results. And you can do without the Kambrook - pre-heat your mold on the side of the furnace. Your projectile should cast easy enough, it's a flat base affair, not as complicated as casting a minie, I think .

Pete

Ok, here's what I ordered to start off with:

Lee Pro 4 20 Lb Furnace
Lee Lead Dipper
Lee Bullet Mold Mallet

SantiamSam said:

Is it necessary to flux if using pure lead?

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I flux 'pure' lead. I get my lead from rooftop flashing and the like. It has been out in the weather for decades, is either oxidised or covered with paints and tar. The idea of fluxing for me, is to bring all contaminants to the top for discarding, leaving that lovely shining pool of metal in the pot. For minies, I flux with the resin filled solder wire; I only use about two inches of the stuff to the full pot. I don't have empirical evidence, but I do feel I get better fill out in the skirts as the metal seems to flow better with less turbulence and resistance. For your projectiles, SantiamSam, a fingernail size of candlewax would do the job I'd say.

Pete