Lead casting problem

1st attempt today at casting with do it mold - flat round river sinkers. Smoked the mold and pre heated it. Lead is of high purity. Fluxed it with wax. Full castings but they are wrinkled looking. Doit gave several potential causes and the one that seems like it might have been a possible culprit is pouring too fast and flooding the gate- IOW, need to pour a more fine stream. Read one recommendation to file a notch in the pour spout of the ladle. Will try that when I find my dang file. :wall:
Thought are appreciated

Here is some info I had about casting lead bullets for a muzzleloader. It may be helpful. Lead bullets and sinkers should be about the same. Maybe too much wax is staying in the mold. Good luck.

Wrinkled Bullets
Sometimes you’ll pour a bullet that appears “wrinkled.” There will be visible creases and knit lines on the surface of the bullet, and tiny craters or pits as well. This is a sure sign of oil or grease in the mold cavity. If you oil your iron molds between uses or if you use Lee molds according to their instructions (which call for lubricating the sprue plate with paraffin) you will encounter wrinkled bullets from time to time.

The solution is simple: Wash the mold. This can be done either with mineral spirits or some other solvent, or with a water-based degreaser. Dish detergent works fine. A stiff-bristled brush such as an old toothbrush will help get the cavity clean. Lee mold users will learn to be ver-r-ry careful when they dab a little paraffin on their molds, or they’ll do the wash-and-wax boogie all day long. Make sure the mold is completely dry before you use it again.

I think you may have hit the nail on the head. I recall the cavity having a greasy appearance. Will try again this afternoon with a clean mold and fresh lead. Thanks

Wow, I have never done any before this year, and have no problems with the do-it molds I have...and never needed to pre heat them either(6-12oz bank sinkers & 10-12oz egg sinkers)they just flip out of the molds on the floor with nothing
.....I do need to pre heat the butterfly molds I made out of aluminum though with the wire running through them.

a good consistent pour is your friend

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Clean(er) mold helped. Probably 80% better but still no completely smooth. Only two possibilities they list I haven't addressed - (1) lead temp not high enough and (2)pouring too slowly, thus allowing lead to cool before filling the cavity. :wall:

Hey Iornman, what's the weight of your jigs when poured with lead? What do you fish for with them? They look like good for jigging AJs.

148,190 & I just finished one for 300 grams....anything that will hit them ....just playing with it, but most likely will be AJ's,grouper, some deep water fish(long tail sea bass)using some with glow powder paint ....never did any pouring of lead before .....so this is all new to me and powder painting too....and never would be doing this, if I didn't come into 1000lbs of lead for free....and wanted to share with friends I fish off shore with by making some hopefully jigs that might catch a few fish,and when lost....not hurt the wallet to bad....and they like jigging deep

I may try my hand at cobia jigs too, never tied anything before
, but might get into that....making a few and different molds ....got to have something to pass the time being retired now and living up north :angry: ....along with pier gaffs

[quote author=ironman172 link=topic=580.msg5404#msg5404 date=1328783508]
[size=10pt]I may try my hand at cobia jigs too, never tied anything before
, but might get into that....making a few and different molds ....got to have something to pass the time being retired now and living up north :angry: ....along with pier gaffs[/size]
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Bill, looks like you have got the hang of it! Nice work.

Plenty to do down here on the coast! Since you are retired now, just pack up your stuff and move on down.
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[quote author=FinChaser link=topic=580.msg5405#msg5405 date=1328799630]
[quote author=ironman172 link=topic=580.msg5404#msg5404 date=1328783508]
[size=10pt]I may try my hand at cobia jigs too, never tied anything before
, but might get into that....making a few and different molds ....got to have something to pass the time being retired now and living up north :angry: ....along with pier gaffs[/size]
[/quote]
[size=12pt]
Bill, looks like you have got the hang of it! Nice work.

Plenty to do down here on the coast! Since you are retired now, just pack up your stuff and move on down.
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[/quote]

Would love too Fin, but my in-laws are still around(and not in the best of health lately), and we are raising our 3 grand kids....the only time is during there spring break now....we missed our fall trip due to school....life is what it is and need to take it,as it comes....nothing I would like more then to be fishing the GOM, whether on the pier or boat....I do have a salt water passion....thanks to the good folks I have been able to fish around in past years....I have been truly blessed with some of the people that I have met over the years.......thanks for the kind words Bob

Got it figured out. Degreased the mold, re-sooted it, and increased the lead temp. The pits are from the texture of the mold cavity. Not sure why they aren't smooth.

ETA: Emailed do-it and got the following reply about 2 minutes later:

"Since Do-It Molds are sand cast in a foundry and not individually machined the cavities themselves have a bit of a texture to them."

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Glad you got it figured out...it sure can be aggravating at times....at least it was for me.... till I figured some things out....and still trying....I get a few good ones..... out of a bunch of tries ;)
and sorry for the derail :)

The last castings looked good; I've always liked that style of sinker. Just remind yourself that you'll be decorating the bottom somewhere, sometime with your work -- it makes it a little easier not to get too attached to them.