Whats needed for basic casting equipment?

[becker_atc]

I am really thinking about getting into casting bullets. But what does a fella need basics wise to get started?

My list of what I think I need:
Pot for making ingots, processing raw product and a heat source (turkey fryer burner??)
Ingot mold(s)
laddel
Bottom pour pot
Mold with handles
Propper sizer if needed
Bullet lube and something to maybe pan lube in?? not sure I want to step up to a lubrisizer quite yet
LEAD! and stuff to harden it up if needed

Anything I'm missing??? or not needed

 

[okietom]

A manual.

If I ever cast again I will want a casting thermometer.

I will also use a simple pot with a ladle.

A cast iron cornbread mold will make ingots.

I used a saucepan that had the handle missing as a casting pot.

A well ventilated area not in your house, (use a fan too).

A piece of hard wood to open molds with, (to hit the sprue plate).

Safety glasses or face shield.

Long sleeves.

A coleman stove will be good for melting lead, a turkey fryer is too much. An electric hot plate would work.

A pair of plyers to drop hot rejects back into the pot.

 

[becker_atc]

I think in my mind few things were just understood for me atleast. Propper PPE, manual and well vented area.

I wear long sleeves year round (HORRAY FRC SHIRTS!!!!), i seem to have safety glases with in arms reach at all times (yes I said ALL times ), gloves would likely be nice too!

I see a thermometer being REAL handy.

I think the local junk/rummage store had few lyman ingot molds for sale while back need go check. But seen many things used for this purpose.

Well vented area...in my driveway most likely with my rolling bench.

As for manual my lyman 49th has section on casting. Is it worth it to get the lyman casting manual?

 

[okietom]

I bought the Lyman casting manual. I didn't have the internet to ask cool like minded people for advice though.

I did have a luber/sizer and no longer have it. That is why I quit. I will get another one and start casting again.

I do think I have a Lyman ingot mold. I still have a .38 wadcutter mold and a.45cal round ball mould. If you cast for a muzzle loader you will want to get pure lead.

There are several methods to lube and size cast bullets. The casting temp and alloy used will change the as cast diameter.

 

[gl89aw]

I have cast a lot of pistol bullets using an old pot, a campfire and a ladle and of course a mold. Later, I went crazy and now have 6 lubrisizers, a dozen molds and sizer dies, electric bottom pour pots etc. It can be habit forming. If I were to start out now I would buy a Lee tumble lube mold, some liquid alox., both for around 35 - 40 bucks and scrounge the other stuff to see if it was something I really wanted to do. Despite all the opinions I have found that most any lead alloy will work pretty good in pistols.

 

[swampratt]

You can use a stainless pot to melt lead in.. done it many years .
an old muffin pan for ingots does not need to be cast iron aluminum or steel works fine..or a cut open aluminum soda can dried out completely will work also.

You can pour right from the stainless pot into the mold.. i never used a ladle ..

I use lee molds for bullets and wife got me a lee bottom pour pot 2 years ago..WOW!

Lead gives off fumes when it boils.... not at melt temp...
But all the contaminants in dirty lead could mess you up....
I cast outside..
Campfire works great....Electric stove works better (quicker) than gas with the stainless pots i use.

You can do straight wheel weight for 30-30 speeds
I use 50 soft lead and 50 wheel weight for 45acp and 1/3 soft to 2/3 wheel weight for 357 mag.

You can add some lead birdshot to allow it to get harder during water quenching..The arsenic in the lead shot is the key.

 

[Old Fart]

Suitable Lead
Flux

I have a Lee bottom pour, mold, spoon to clean crap off top after fluxing, old towel to drop on, and Lee resizing dies, a plastic butter dish to tumble lube in, alox.

I think that's it.