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Joined: Jun 2001
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Campfire Tracker
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OP
Campfire Tracker
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 3,320 |
I read frequently of casters emptying their casting pot when finished casting for the day . I leave my unused lead in the pot from one session to the next. Why do some empty the pot when done with a day of casting?
Last edited by Rolly; 01/04/24.
Rolly
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Joined: Nov 2022
Posts: 39 Likes: 1
Campfire Greenhorn
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Campfire Greenhorn
Joined: Nov 2022
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I only have one pot, I always empty it, I might want to cast a different alloy the next time...
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Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 11,068 Likes: 7
Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 11,068 Likes: 7 |
Never have. Whatever is left in the pot at the end of the casting session….is left in the pot! 😉 memtb
You should not use a rifle that will kill an animal when everything goes right; you should use one that will do the job when everything goes wrong." -Bob Hagel
“I’d like to be a good rifleman…..but, I prefer to be a good hunter”! memtb 2024
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Joined: Feb 2009
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Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Feb 2009
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I try to leave about 3/4 of an inch in the bottom.
It seems to help the pot get up to temp somewhat faster than empty and what is leftover don't make no difference to the next pot.
But i don't use stuff from Roto metals or the like i make it as i go with the stock that i have.
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Joined: Jan 2009
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Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 2,070 Likes: 1 |
Unless I want to clean up the pot or spout an inch or less is always left. As already said, the residual seems to melt quicker for the addition of fresh metal.
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Joined: Feb 2020
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Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
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I leave some in it. Once it cools, takes a marker and identify the contents on the top of the cooled metal.
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Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 23,159 Likes: 6
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 23,159 Likes: 6 |
I drain my pots quite often because of the different alloys I mess with, but that's the only reason why I do. It does provide opportunity to scrub/scrape away the schmeck that accumulates on the sides and bottom, the severity of which is determined by how clean the stuff is that goes in in the first place.
"You can lead a man to logic, but you cannot make him think." Joe Harz "Always certain, often right." Keith McCafferty
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Joined: Aug 2009
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Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Aug 2009
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I hardly ever empty mine.
lightman
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Joined: May 2005
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Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
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I've only empty the bottom pore to scrape down the sides and spout assembly.
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Campfire Greenhorn
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Campfire Greenhorn
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Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
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I always stop a couple ingots short of emptying the pot doing ladle pour. I never know what I'm going to cast next session so I pour what's left back into the ingot mold, stamp the alloy when it's cooled, and don't have a single thought about it until next time. Just seems more practical that way with multiple alloys.
I prefer peace. But if trouble must come, let it come in my time, so that my children may live in peace. ~~ Thomas Paine
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Joined: Dec 2002
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Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
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I always cast out what's left into an ingot mold, turn off the pot and invert it to get the last dregs out. My casting is rather binary. I'm either casting soft lead for the muzzleloaders or hard alloys for pistols and PC carbines, and it has come to be in one or two sessions of each a year, and it is seldom I cast the same twice in a row.
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Joined: Nov 2010
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Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 1,068 |
I mostly use range scrap but only drain the pot if I'm going to cast pure lead for the muzzleloaders. Maybe once every few years.
Keep moving forward!
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Joined: Feb 2020
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Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
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I find it eay to leave the pot full. When cool write the contents on the lead with a marker.
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Joined: Nov 2005
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Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 23,159 Likes: 6 |
I've only recently taken to using two bottom pour furnaces and strive to keep the same alloys going in both of them. Not always, but mostly. I use a hand ladle and cast iron pot for short runs of different alloys, match grade bullets for in my target rifles, experiments, testing, and general fooling around. (And sometimes to make a pot of soup to eat while casting a couple thousand out of one of the bottom pour furnaces. )
"You can lead a man to logic, but you cannot make him think." Joe Harz "Always certain, often right." Keith McCafferty
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Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 126
Campfire Member
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Campfire Member
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 126 |
I always leave a little in the bottom of the pot. I pretty much use the same alloy mix all the time and even if I change up the alloy somewhat there isn't enough to make any big difference in the final BHN of the alloy. About the only time I really empty the pot is to just give it a good cleaning.
Artisan in Lead, bullets and powder
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