Newbie with a problem

[don309]

I received an egg sinker mold today (Do-It EG-9-A). So I went right to making some, and I want to know if I'm doing something wrong. My weights are not smooth kind of ripley in spots and smooth in spots but that doesn't really bother me. What's bothering me is the size numbers on the weights are hardly readable, or not at all. They seem to pour good from my bottom pour pot, and they don't stick removing from the mold  So am I doing something wrong?
Now I will say I use cleaned wheel weight lead.

[21xdc]

Mold is not hot enough, Lead needs to really hot and poured faster..... It's cooling as you are pouring. Smoking the mold or use graphite spray will also help.

[ctom]

And it could be the wheel weight lead. Most of Do-Its molds are geared toward using pure lead.

[Apdriver]

Ladle pour. Most likely that will solve your issue which 21XDC told you the problem.

[don309]

Thanks for the information! I do have to work outside with lead. It was 70 degrees when I worked with it, but there was a strong breeze. I'll work on the heating of the lead & mold! Does anyone have an opinion on what works better, smoking or using graphite spray on the mold.  And do you think graphite spray will work on the pull pin? thinking I'll get Blaster graphite dry lubricant spray.
Depending on the opinions.

[ctom]

Either/or. Both work well for coating the cavities. I use the Drop Out product that Do-It sells because I don't like having the soot from smoking all over the mold.

[anyfish]

Everything here should help.  I typically set me mold on top of my pot to help warm it up and keep it warm between pours.  I always plan on trying drop out spray, but never remember to buy any, so I just smoke my molds.  If you decide to go away from wheel weights, Do it sells lead bars which work great, or rotometals has a wide variety of options at decent prices. 

[21xdc]

Don't be afraid to use a heat gun to really heat the mold up extra, After you cook the mold on the top of the pot while melting. Faster pouring is even more important the larger the sizes.

[ctom]

Ladle pour. Most likely that will solve your issue which 21XDC told you the problem.

I ladle cast everything except the 12 pound cannonball downrigger weights. Those I pour directly from the melt pot.

[Apdriver]

I ladle cast everything except the 12 pound cannonball downrigger weights. Those I pour directly from the melt pot.

Holy Guacomole! That’s a big pour Tom. They don’t make ladles that big!

[ctom]

For that mold I use a two quart cast iron pot on a propane fired burner, out in the garage. After clamping the mold shut I set it on another burner and heat the heck out of it after the lead has melted. The castings come out super smooth but it takes about a half our for the mold to rest before opening.

[Apdriver]

I don’t want to Hi Jack Dons post but depending on the size of his egg sinker, he will need to wait 5 minutes or so after he gets things heated up before he demolds. If the sinker dents after you demold, you need to wait longer.

[don309]

Thanks for the help guy's. I'm in a cold climate, and only have a cold garage to work out of. So I guess I wait for a warm day, to try again. May just try in the garage and really heat up the lead and mold (heat gun), and see if I get at least one pour.
Thanks again!