:shocked2: What a combo! I just cast my first batch of .535" roundballs and got some funky results. I'm using a Lee double cavity mold and a bottom-pour furnace and most of the balls are coming out with a wrinkle on one side (near 90 degrees to the parting line most time) and a frosted quadrant near the sprue with a little dimple. I've hand-cast probably in excess of 75,000 bullets for cartridges and frequently use Lee molds, and I've never seen this happen before. I thoroughly degreased the mold and sooted the cavities. I tried pre-heating the mold blocks and casting at a variety of temps from 650 degrees to 800 degrees with identical results. I rested the blocks on a damp towel after every few throws to prevent them from getting too hot...same thing. I tried pouring directly down the sprue hole, pouring on the edge (so it swirled into the cavity), and placing the holes directly against the spout a la the way one would do with a ladle. No dice. The wrinkles are not consistently in the same place, so they're not being caused by oil or grease. Also, I did initially cast quite a few to get the mold "broken in"...in my experience the first few dozen throws from new Lees are of poor quality regardless of bullet design.
The balls were quite consistent, with most throwing within a one grain tolerance, despite their poor appearance and slight deformity. The diameter is also consistent, albeit a little bigger than advertised (.547").
Any ideas? I'm not a neophyte at casting, but spherical projectiles are new territory for me, so I'd sure appreciate any input from those of you experienced with RB casting. I know a Lyman, RCBS, or Saeco mold is higher quality and would likely eliminate these problems, but I'm one of those tinkerers who likes to try to make something he already has work before giving up on it.
:thumbsup:
The balls were quite consistent, with most throwing within a one grain tolerance, despite their poor appearance and slight deformity. The diameter is also consistent, albeit a little bigger than advertised (.547").
Any ideas? I'm not a neophyte at casting, but spherical projectiles are new territory for me, so I'd sure appreciate any input from those of you experienced with RB casting. I know a Lyman, RCBS, or Saeco mold is higher quality and would likely eliminate these problems, but I'm one of those tinkerers who likes to try to make something he already has work before giving up on it.
:thumbsup: