Is there anything that keeps molten lead from sticking to metal?

Need to pour lead into a pendulum bob that has a dummy pendulum rod going through it. I'd like to be able to remove the rod after the lead hardens. Is there some sort of release compound I can use? Thanks

Reply to
NokNokMan
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Use an oiled aluminum dummy pendulum rod. The molten lead won't stick to it. And if you heat the rod well before the pour it will come out easier.

Reply to
Jim Levie

You might try a number of things, but lead doesn't usually stick to aluminum, the oxide coating prevents it. I'd do a trial first with something like a tin can for a container that you could sacrifice easily if things became stuck. I've used soapstone to keep solder from spreading but try bare nekkid aluminum first, might be all you need. Stan

Reply to
stans4

If he can get plain old lead to stick to plain old aluminum, I believe he could be a millionare. (:

Reply to
Jim Stewart

You might try a number of things, but lead doesn't usually stick to aluminum, the oxide coating prevents it. I'd do a trial first with something like a tin can for a container that you could sacrifice easily if things became stuck. I've used soapstone to keep solder from spreading but try bare nekkid aluminum first, might be all you need. Stan

Reply to
stans4

When I was melting down bullet heads - 45 ACP IIRC - U.S. Army Rifle and Pistol range - I Smoked the forms with a waxy smoke - think of the oily candles 5 or so in a box that are used to heat food and such....

A long wick is smoky and I think the smoke (carbon black ) does the trick.

Martin

Reply to
Martin H. Eastburn

Pffbbt, just get some plain old sodium fluoride.

*Googles*

Hmm, actually that stuff melts pretty hot. Then unless it has a real low melting eutectic with aluminum oxide, what DO they use...? Hmm, looks like bromides might have low enough melting points to work...

Tim

-- "I've got more trophies than Wayne Gretsky and the Pope combined!" - Homer Simpson Website @

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Reply to
Tim Williams

Whats a bullet head?

Gunner

"War is an ugly thing, but not the ugliest of things. The decayed and degraded state of moral and patriotic feeling which thinks that nothing is worth war is much worse. The person who has nothing for which he is willing to fight, nothing which is more important than his own personal safety, is a miserable creature and has no chance of being free unless made and kept so by the exertions of better men than himself."

- John Stewart Mill

Reply to
Gunner

Umm - You! Chortle. Couldn't resist.

Ken.

Reply to
Ken Davey

You've got to be kidding! There are plenty of "Bullet Heads" that post here regularly, though I don't know how easily they will melt and how much skimming of spooge you might have to do to cast them into something useful.

Reply to
Tom Gardner

I think the molds on the A.C. Gilbert lead soldier casting set (the one with the electricly heated ladle) I had as a kid were aluminum.

Too damn bad the lawyers made them stop selling those, and the chemistry sets too!

Jeff

Reply to
Jeff Wisnia

I have no credentials to tell anyone anything on this ng, but intrigued as I am by your problem (I cast lead bullets), what about making a mold for the bob, then inserting it. The mold should be relatively easy to fabricate. I assume you want the lead just for weight.

Reply to
LDR

Actually, with my Finn/Germanic genetic traits, Im more square headed.

Gunner

"War is an ugly thing, but not the ugliest of things. The decayed and degraded state of moral and patriotic feeling which thinks that nothing is worth war is much worse. The person who has nothing for which he is willing to fight, nothing which is more important than his own personal safety, is a miserable creature and has no chance of being free unless made and kept so by the exertions of better men than himself."

- John Stewart Mill

Reply to
Gunner

state of moral and patriotic feeling

nothing for which he is willing to fight,

creature and has no chance of being

That is what we called them - the shell casing holds the primer. The powder is placed within. A bullet (head) is then inserted. A metal jacket - with a lead open rear end.

These were 45's not 0-.50 boat tails.

I was smart enough back then not to melt down full bullets! Had to walk pulling my wagon about 6 or so miles down hill with a loaded wagon. UP hill was empty.

I lived down in the flood zone - and the range was somewhat up hill of HWY 54. Martin

Martin

Reply to
Martin H. Eastburn

Those sound like what I had - I think maybe aluminum or white metal of sorts. Still have some of the small ingots I made. It was dirty work as the heads were only copper plated. The steel was rusting away. I saw chem sets last year in a science store. Not near as complete.

Martin

Reply to
Martin H. Eastburn

Chuckle..Id not heard that usage before from somone who does know something about firearms as you obviously do.

So I was pulling your chain.

Cartridge= complete unit Round = complete unit

Cartridge Case = Brass unit Case = brass unit

Bullet = projectile (no matter the style)

This also applies to self consuming cartridges, just leave out the word brass and subsitute self consuming.

Gunner

"War is an ugly thing, but not the ugliest of things. The decayed and degraded state of moral and patriotic feeling which thinks that nothing is worth war is much worse. The person who has nothing for which he is willing to fight, nothing which is more important than his own personal safety, is a miserable creature and has no chance of being free unless made and kept so by the exertions of better men than himself."

- John Stewart Mill

Reply to
Gunner

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