Not hot enough?

[Airstreamfield]

So I finally got the flutter jig mold I have been after, or one of them anyway...I started pouring the jigs and I have got a ton of bad pours.

I forgot to take any pictures but the lead only goes in the mold any random amounts 1/4 1/8 3/4 and it will have like bubbles in it. I tried adjusting the heat all the way until the pot got red hot, and then down a bit to lower than I usually run it but it seemed like I wasn't getting a very good pour and it was a bit thicker than I like it...I think that might have something to do with it.

I was wondering if you guys might know what my problem is...
Thanks!

 

[hookup]

Is the mold hot?

I have a couple molds that to get good pours I need the mold to be very hot.

Also is the pour spout pouring good? Any small particle will inhibit the pour.

 

[Bucho]

I would also recommend 3-4 blank casts into all cavities to warm up the mold and then a slight brush of talcum powder every 2-3 casts. Sometimes talcum helps a lot.

 

[hookup]

Never tried talcum powder ... will try that in my next stubborn mold.

I usually blacken the mold with a candle. Read someplace the soot helps the lead flow.

 

[Kdog]

Preheat mold, I lay mine on top of pot while its heating up. Also, with most do it molds you can fill the outside pockets where the mold description is and really warm the mold. Sometimes preheating the inserts help as does holding the mold on an angle. I had a lot of problems with my 10# furnace but the 20# will pour a larger stream of metal and fill the cavity faster.

You also may want to get a small hand ladle and hand pour. I did a bunch of 3 oz jigs for my neices hubby and the only way I could make them right was by hand pouring. BTW, the talcum powder can work wonders with a finnicy mold.

 

[Fatman]

Some pics would help give us a better idea. Looking at a picture of the mold on the Do-It site - I can only think of two things
1 - are you bending your own wire forms using a heavier wire
2 - With the way the cavities are cut, are you tilting the mold at an angle when you pour. If you pour straight in might be cooling off to quick.

As others have said make sure the pour nozzle is giving a fine stream.

 

[Airstreamfield]

Some pics would help give us a better idea. Looking at a picture of the mold on the Do-It site - I can only think of two things
1 - are you bending your own wire forms using a heavier wire
2 - With the way the cavities are cut, are you tilting the mold at an angle when you pour. If you pour straight in might be cooling off to quick.

As others have said make sure the pour nozzle is giving a fine stream.

No I have do it wire molds, they're not very straight though but they fit in there pretty nicely. I experimented not really tilting it but putting the lead straight into the hole and then on the side thinking that maybe coming in contact with the alum. first it would cool off a bit and that could be the problem but that didn't seem to have an effect.


I didn't preheat the mold but after casting a few of them the mold was almost too hot to touch so I didn't think that was it. I didn't burn it before hand but I didn't think that would have helped much.

I wasn't really getting a good pour and my lead seemed a bit thick but like I said the pot got red hot and it didn't really seem to help.

I am almost wondering if my lead has too much tin in it? I bought it from a guy and I think he cuts it with tin...

 

[Bucho]

"Cutting" lead with tin would be a bad deal to the seller since tin is 5 times more expensive. It doesn´t impair the flow either. That being said, if you´re not really sure what youre pouring with in the first pace, maybe you try a relyable source. I pour lead for a living and I buy the good stuff because I found it pays off in the long run.

 

[Kdog]

One other thing, your nozzle may be a bit clogged and your metal stream may be lacking enough volume to fill the cavities.
Cleaning the nozzle is a bit of a chore but sometimes is necessary

 

[goodtimesfishing]

I think kdogs last post (restricted flow) is the problem. How does your flow look?? Try some ladle pours and see what happens.

 

[Airstreamfield]

No flow was spotty, I used a needle to jam into the hole to try and clear out any debris and normally it seems to work but it just didn't want to pour smoothly. Unfortunately I don't have a ladle so I can't try that right now.

So how do you guys go about cleaning the nozzle/spout?

 

[hookup]

So how do you guys go about cleaning the nozzle/spout?

Bent paperclip & needle nose pliers

 

[goodtimesfishing]

I highly recommend frankford arsenal cleancast flux, same company that makes drop out. When I started using this flux instead of wax, I was amazed at the difference in flow not to mention cleaner pours, less drips from the pot, zero fire or smoke and so on. I will never use wax or such again, it is just not worth saving a couple pennies. AWESOME STUFF! I have not had to use the tool I made for clearing the pour spout sense I started using this flux. I use to have to clear the spout at least once every pouring session. Only takes 1/8 teaspoon for a 10 pound pot! What I have been doing is at the end of a pour session I top off my pot with lead, add flux, stir really well, skim, unplug. Pot is ready for next pour with no issues.

Sorry for the long post but this stuff really will help.

 

[gaspumper]

I empty my pot,take the steel rod out then take a drill bit the same size as pour spout and run it up through the spout you will be surprised how much rust and crud will come out.

 

[Streetwalker]

Clean Cast is the ONLY way to flux. A 1 lb jar will flux close to a ton of lead.

If you have someone you know that pours have them try the mold.

I know when I finally stepped up to a RCBS Pro-Melt all my problems went away.

 

[Airstreamfield]

Thanks I will have to check out the clean kast stuff.