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Finally got all my old wheel weights smelted down, impurities fluxed out and got them all cast into 1 pound and 1/2 pound ingots, got a little over 400 pounds of them now. Have been smelting my way thru 350 pounds of sheet lead, very soft. Casting it into the same size ingots, only have about 50 pounds to go. Have about 300 pounds of type to do up too, from an old news paper printing operation. Should be able to make some good projectiles for rifle and hand gun.

Sounds good...would like to see some pics of the finished product when you find the time...

Thanks but I don't own a camera or know how to get a picture into this infernal machine so anybody could see it.

Sorry about that...now that you're retired, maybe it's time to learn !! ( Just kiddin' !! )

Going on a hunt either today or tomorrow for the elusive wheel weight!
Got some smelting to do myself in the next couple of days.
You casting strictly for handguns, rifles or both?

GAR

I do some rifle, I sold off about 40 of my molds in the last two years, just didn't use them, still have 50+ molds. I cast for 32 W.S., 38-55, 444 Marlin, 45-70, I like the older cartridges that were originally loaded with lead bullets. I have tried the more modern cartridges and just didn't find the reward in casting for 243, 270 and the like. I tried 338-06 and went back to Hornady bullets. Most of my shooting now is revolvers.

Just got back in from smelting another 80 pounds of sheet lead. Had more than I thought. Now I've got to do up about 100 pounds of misc. odd sized chunks. The biggest being a brick of about 40 pounds.

Strictly handgun with two rifle calibers tossed in.
Cast in my 45-90's and for my 06's.
Got over the "Need for speed" as I got older.
Was tired of being battered around by recoil.
Now with the cast in my 06's it is pleasure.

Tom

One thing I did was to keep sheet lead as is when making ingots. Sometimes the soft stuff is needed.

Yes, I keep the various alloys separate, I do my mixing and formulation in the pot I'm casting from on the day I do the casting. I always empty my bottom pour furnace when I'm thru with a particular batch.
My raw material ingots are marked for what they are when they are cooled to handling temp.

Maybe Smelt Dipping I might know something about

That's a good idea that you have. It's probably a good idea to drain the pot anyway - keeps sludge from forming.

If I know I'm going to continue using the same alloy for the next session I simply hang a sign signifying which alloy is in the pot and will just shut down. When I start again I can just add more alloy of the same mixture and continue on. I use the same alloy for 45 Colt, 45 A.C.P., 44 Special, 38 Special, 32 S&W, 32 S&W Long, 32-20 revolver and maybe some others as long as they are in the same operating pressure/velocity range.