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I have some lead and molds but have never made weights before ,any body have advise?
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Mike... do you have a melting device of some sort? either a ladle type or a bullet mold production pot. Melting with a torch or bonfire is not the way to go. You can get a melting ladle for a good sum on the used market, or a fresh one from, say, http://www.luremaking.com Do the safe stuff: gloves, thick clothing, and good location not to burn your digs down. Get a 12 x 12 ceramic tile, a sheet of asbestos, etc for a pad for pouring, in case the lead splatters, which it will until you get good at filling the sprue on the mold and keeping the lead moving. Ensure the wood handles on the molds are present. Light a candle, and smoke the cavities of the molds with a thick layer of carbon from the candle's flame, by candling in the unburned gassy part of the flame. That's the orange-yellow bit just off the bluey part from the wick, as the flame crowns. This needs to be done only once per pouring party. Melt your lead, take off the dross from the top, take aim at the sprue hole, and pour as fast as you can into the mold, without overfilling the sprue, to splatter on the tile. It may take a few tries, but you will get it. The mold works best when warmed up...there will come a time during the pour you might have to switch molds and allow them to cool a bit..again, you will see how that works. Get a pair of gate-cutter pliers....they are cheap at the jobber store. Gate cutters are sooooo much easier to work with than side cutters for removing the lead between cavities, and the sprue. Cheers.
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