Cooling Fan

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  • Last Post 25 March 2020
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Boschloper posted this 22 March 2020

This is something that I use all the time, and I am wondering if anyone else has tried it.

I made a stand with a shelf (the white plate) that is about the same height as the top of my lead pot, and an industrial electrical enclosure cooling fan mounted about 6" above it set to blow down.  I use the fan to cool the mold as I am casting.  I don't mess with the pot temperature, I just leave it set a little bit hotter than the "perfect" temperature for well filled yet frost free bullets.  I use a ladle to fill the mold then move it over under the fan until the sprue goes solid.  I then rotate the sprue plate by hand and drop the bullet out.  If the bullets get frosty, I hold the empty mold under the fan for a few seconds.  If the sprue freezes too fast, I skip the fan for a few casts.

The advantage that I gain is that I am able to cast faster because I am not constantly making small changes to the pot temperature and waiting for the lead to cool down or warm up "just a little".  The fan cost $4 at an electrical salvage store and the rest was scrap I had tucked away in the basement.

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BigMan54 posted this 22 March 2020

I tried a 4" fan, the kind manicurists use. Wife got it for me. Since I cast from 3-4 molds at a time, I get enough time between pours for the sprue to harden just enough to bust open and yet not for the mold to cool down appreciably.  Just didn't really need it. But they are kind of nice, the littlefans come with a big mounting clip on the bottom. 

Long time Caster/Reloader, Getting back into it after almost 10yrs. Life Member NRA 40+yrs, Life S.A.S.S. #375. Does this mean a description of me as a fumble-fingered knuckle-draggin' baboon. I also drool in my sleep. I firmly believe that true happiness is a warm gun. Did I mention how much I HATE auto-correct on this blasted tablet.

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porthos posted this 22 March 2020

i use a system pretty much the same as the above picture above. probably gets me several seconds faster per cast.

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Boschloper posted this 23 March 2020

BigMan54:  Great idea with the clip on fan. I had to find a cord and wire mine. 

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BigMan54 posted this 23 March 2020

Available at Beauty Supply stores, about $10

Long time Caster/Reloader, Getting back into it after almost 10yrs. Life Member NRA 40+yrs, Life S.A.S.S. #375. Does this mean a description of me as a fumble-fingered knuckle-draggin' baboon. I also drool in my sleep. I firmly believe that true happiness is a warm gun. Did I mention how much I HATE auto-correct on this blasted tablet.

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gunarea posted this 24 March 2020

Making castings that are consistent in size and weight require a consistent everything. Removing heat from the mould now and then, will make the size/weight, now and then the same. Most casters are satisfied with "good enough". For those whom are into competitive marksmanship or just want their group size smaller, the cast projectile must rise above the "good enough" level. Yes, your fan method is not new and many have modified to suit their particular situation. Heat removal is an article of casting that needs attention just as much as any other article, but seldom to the degree of its importance. Rather than subject myself again to harsh and negative feedback, I suggest to those who would be appreciative of superior production of superior product, read "COOLING THE MOULD" in the Bullet casting section.  

Shoot often, Shoot well

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Tom Acheson posted this 24 March 2020

Gunrea,

If you have experienced “harsh and negative feedback”, that is indeed unfortunate. 

Some us forget that this is just a hobby. It’s not The World Series, Super Bowl, The Stanley Cup, Joint Chiefs of Staff or National Security Council, etc. The forum is a place to exchange ideas, share techniques and support each other. This is for fun!

But....every now and then someone shows up who has a lot to say, wants to hear it all and think they are “the expert”. When that individual gets negative just tune him out, consider the source, ignore him and move past him.

Tom

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porthos posted this 24 March 2020

as stated above i use a fan. i ladle pour, use only 1 mold and sometimes use a damp towel to swipe the bottom of the mold.  my bullets weight  +- .02 (two tenths  of a grain) i attribute this consistent weight to the use of a ladle.

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BigMan54 posted this 24 March 2020

I use 1cav molds, most just old Lyman small block molds. Usually 2 at a time, dropping 2 different designs. And I pressure cast using My Lyman Mag-20 furnace. Don't know why I faced the Lyman Pot over the RCBS Pro-Melt, both heat consistently, flow adjustment is consistent w/o drip. Just do. 

Long time Caster/Reloader, Getting back into it after almost 10yrs. Life Member NRA 40+yrs, Life S.A.S.S. #375. Does this mean a description of me as a fumble-fingered knuckle-draggin' baboon. I also drool in my sleep. I firmly believe that true happiness is a warm gun. Did I mention how much I HATE auto-correct on this blasted tablet.

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John Alexander posted this 25 March 2020

porthos says: "my bullets weight  +- .02 (two tenths  of a grain) i attribute this consistent weight to the use of a ladle."

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I get similar weight range by bottom pour out of a Lee pot and no special cooling.   I think it is consistency in casting cadence and sprue pool size rather than method that does the trick -- more than one way to skin the cat.

John 

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Dale53 posted this 25 March 2020

I have used a manicurists fan for several years. It is a two or three feet above where I rest my mould after filling. It cools the sprue in just a few seconds speeding up casting in general. Further, it helps me to maintain a consistent mould temperature that helps me to maintain consistent bullet weights with the gang moulds I prefer to use:

https://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj80/Dale53/Castingfan-3723.jpg

I bottom pour all bullets including when I shot BPCR Silhouette with bullet weights 400-500 or so grains weight. 

FWIW

Dale53

 

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