Casting on a "shoe string"...

[Corner Pocket]

Has anyone compiled a list of necessary items of equipment that would allow a reloading enthusiast to get into casting "on the cheap?" I'd like to give it a shot (probably with 9mm and 45 ACP), but would not be able to put a lot of money into it at this time. Your advice is welcomed. Thanks!

I already have about 115 lbs of wheel weights sitting here that my son scrounged up and gave me, so I'm good to go with that part of the requirements.

CP

 

[jcwit]

Small single burner Coleman dual fuel camp stove from WW----$40.00

Lee bullet mold----$18.00

Lee pot and ladle----$9.00

This will get you started on the cheap, all of the prices are approx.

Lead--I let that up to you to find. Junk yard, range, wherever.

Use tumble lube (I don't personnally like it) but it got me by for years till I got a luber/sizer.

Actually you could use a S/S pot from goodwill for $ .25--$ .50. DO NOT USE ALU.

 

[ants]

The cheapest possible casting is not necessarily a pleasure. It's tedious and you make more mistakes. But mistakes can be remelted and poured again.

You can melt lead in any pan on the stove (PLENTY of ventilation required) and use a casting ladle to pour into the molds (Lee molds are the least expensive). If they come out good, don't size them. If they need sizing, use the Lee bullet sizers. Rather than a Lubrisizer, use liquid bullet lube. Everyone starts with Lee Liquid Alox, but users of Rooster Jacket Liquid Bullet Lube Film never go back to Lee.

 

[Dean Williams]

These are good suggestions. I'll add that for just a little more than the camp stove that jcwit mentions, you can get a 20 pound bottom pour Lee casting furnace. It's quite a bit more convenient than using a camp stove. Of course, the camp stove is something you may already have...

You should melt your wheel weights out doors. Some will have grease and paint on them and will give off smoke and associated bad smells.
Watch that you do not use zinc wheel weights in your mix. They will ruin lead for bullet casting.

 

[easyrider604]

get a 20 pound bottom pour Lee casting furnace.

+1

This melter is so easy and convenient to use, as long as you melt wheel weights or similarly sized scrap lead. As well, melt temperature is thermostatically controlled, so you do not have to guess.

 

[jcwit]

I suggested the Coleman stove because after about 4 or 5 years my Lee gave up the ghost. Plus where I live we buy white gas off the pump like reg gas because of all the Amish, but living elsewhere this wouldn't matter.

I also end up replacing the Coleman stove every 4 to 5 years as I've never had any luck replacing the generator.

Bottom line is I guess one washes out the other as price is very close. Probably for most people the Lee would be the best buy and alot more convient.

 

[Corner Pocket]

Thanks, gents. I'll probably get the 20 gallon pour bottom from Lee. I think I can see another enjoyable hobby just ahead for me!

Corner Pocket

 

[ken grant]

Lee 6 cav. T.L. mold for whatever caliber
Lee 20# pot
Lee Liquid Alox
1ea. stick of bullet lub to lub the mold.
1 ea. large spoon to skim pot
Wax to stir in pot( candle will work)

This will serve your needs.

I have casted for yrs. and had all types of molds and pots. Lost everything to a fire several yrs. ago and stopped.
Just started back, didn't want to get as involved as I was before trying to cast for everything under the sun. Just for .45ACP and .40 S&W pistols.

I got the above and am happy with the set-up. Simple,cheap and effective!

 

[bullseye308]

You want cheap? I got cheap. I use a Lee 4# pot and 2 cav molds. Sawdust for flux. Lee ladle and Lee sizers if needed. Craigslist for lead if you can't get free tire weights. Dollar store or goodwill for muffin molds. Tumble lube everything. I cast 1800 9mm bullets the other day in 6 hours this way and only slowed down for a head call. Trade off your WW's for ingots and all you have in it is shipping and don't need a turkey fryer or big cast iron pot. That's about as cheap as you're gonna get.

 

[jcwit]

Nothing wrong with that bullseye, pretty much the same way I do it. Amazing how many you can cast once you get in the swing of it.

What do you use for heat? I use the coleman stove, but here in Amish country white gas is off the pump. I know the stoves are dual fuel now but I think the generators last longer on white gas.

 

[armoredman]

I usee Lee Liquid Alox, easy to usem, just a teeny bit messy. I also use Hornady One Shot to lube bullets before sizing - the Lee sizers are great.
It is fun, go over to castboolits.gunloads.com for a lot more info.

 

[tasco 74]

i probably don't have $40 in my casting kit... i got a couple of good old lyman single cavity moulds and a set of handles at the gun shows and my best friend and mentor and casting teacher bought my lee bottom pour pot for helping him.... been collecting and salvageing lead for years, bought a hammer handle and cut the slot off of it for a sprue cutter whacker,and used a lee sizer kit for a while to size the cast bullets.... you can use some cheap wax crayons from the dollar store to use as flux........a guy can get by pretty cheap if he has to... an i has to...............

oh and go the bar or somewhere they have cardboard flats to put your pot in and catch the spues as you cut em and one to drop the cast bullets into.... i usually prop up one end of the bullet catcher flat a let the bullets roll to the low end of it to cushon the fall a little when they are knocked from mould...
LIFE IS SHORT.....

 

[qajaq59]

Thanks, gents. I'll probably get the 20 gallon pour bottom from Lee. I think I can see another enjoyable hobby just ahead for me!

I'm not usually a big fan of Lee, but I got their 20 lb pot and it's works just fine once I followed the instructions and got it adjusted correctly. Also, if you possibly can, get the thermometer from Lee as well.

 

[bullseye308]

Nothing wrong with that bullseye, pretty much the same way I do it. Amazing how many you can cast once you get in the swing of it.

What do you use for heat?

I do have a turkey fryer, but it was given to me and I had to buy a cast iron pot from harbor freight. That is what I melt WW's in large batches in, around 75# at a time to make ingots. If you make the ingots small enough, around 1/2 lb or so, you can just keep slipping them in the pot when it gets an inch low and never slow down. I cast an average of 300/hr working at a nice pace, I could make more if I was in a hurry though, but I enjoy it and don't rush. One of these days I'm gonna move up to a 6 cav though.

 

[ranger335v]

"Casting on a "shoe string"

Lots of good, low cost tips here. But you gonna have a tough time balancing on that thing while you try to cast!

 

[Corner Pocket]

Excellent info from all of you fine gents. And a sprinkling of good humor, ranger335v. Thanks so much to all!

CP