Casting lead- is it safe to use plaster for mold?

[Bill]

I want to do a small project and kill 2 birds with 1 stone, so to speak.

I have a Browning Gold Hunter for ducks, and this last season I cut/bent/stuffed/siliconed about 1 pound of lead decoy straps into the end of the hollow stock to change the center of balance on the gun. With it being a light weight gun to start, the extra weight made the center of balance move rear several inches, to close to the trigger guard. The gun swings better for me. I removed it to do my end-of-duck-seaon 'deep cleaning' when I take everything apart to clean.

The other thing I want to do is add between 1/2 and 3/4 inches of extra length to the stock so it fits me better. Since the butt plate fits inside the stock, there isn't an easy way to add the shims to lengthen it.

My idea is to make a plaster mold from the existing rubber butt plate to get the little shoulder that goes into the stock and the pour molten lead into the mold until it's the 1/2-3/4" thickness I want. Then drill it out, paint, mount the existing butt plate on it and put it on- heavier and longer draw length.

I've read if the plaster mold is heated in the oven to remove and residual water, it doesn't splatter from the lead- which is my fear. I don't want to have hot lead spraying around!

Will the plaster work? Better to use something else?

[bwssr]

I guess try it....just use the proper PPE...I know when I used to cast lead solders, if I heated the molds first...they would flow out better and be much cleaner

[Bill]

I read more and about heating the plaster mold in the over for an hour, and then doing the pour into a hot mold. No way I'm melting lead and pouring it inside the house near our kitchen. I'm thinking about PPE- old leather jacket, gloves and a welding mask?

[Hawkpuppy 1]

Facemask filter for fumes and wind at your back.......

[BO-N-ARO]

Got to make sure there is NO moisture in the plaster..... You will know if there is.....

[Freight Mover]

The mold cannot have any moisture.

You also have to heat it up prior to pouring. I do this with any type of mold unless pouring into a flask with sand. You don't want an extreme temp difference from the molten lead and the mold.

Go to backyardmetalcasting.com.
Good info there.
I have done some castings with aluminum. Leads easier to deal with.

[Bill]

Thanks. Ill post pictures.

"Hold my beer and watch me do this"

[bwssr]

video.....

[Bill]

Shhhhhhh.

The CA Air Pollution Resources Board will want me to file an application with a thousand dollar fee before they allow me to melt lead.

[Bill]

Well, the project took a different direction, as sometimes the do!

I was at a custom shoemaker over the weekend, and he kindly gave me a piece of 1/2" hard rubber used in making soles. Smooth on one side, and a crosshatch pattern on the other. I should have taken pictures, but did not.

I cut rough outlines on 2 pieces and using my belt sander reduced one to 1/4" thick (took off the crosshatch side). Length increase of 3/4" which I wanted. I hooked up my shop vac to the sander, or else the black power would be everywhere in the garage.

The I put 3 coats of contact cement on both and stuck together, they are never coming apart. Next I sanded the end of the Browning rubber butt place smooth, and tried the same trick with contact cement. It would not stick to the Browning rubber material. So I cleaned it up with acetone and the belt sander and tried using the black ABS plastic pipe glue I've used on other project. Worked like a charm, I masking taped it tightly together and let it dry over night. After sanding it smooth, I put some contact cement on it, and applied some camo stretchy material I bought for camoing guns and scopes. It stuck great.

I drilled the holes from the inside through the butt plate to the outside and threaded the original Browning screws in. Finished project. Not what I'd do with an expensive over/under, but for duck and turkey hunting as my son's friend told me once (when we were duck hunting), "There's no points for pretty out here, Bill".

[White Falcon]

Warning!! Make sure you have a good vent hole or two, and it must, must, be dry. I know first hand, had a mold of my hand blow up on me. Burned most of my shirt off and a lot of burns. I still have the mold of my hand

[Bill]

I'm glad I didn't try it. Hope everything healed OK.

[White Falcon]

Yes thanks, But like a true Pollock I made another. You can see some gas distortions in the mold.

[White Falcon]

For Bill in San Jose

[Bill]

I'm confused. What's for me?