Casting Lead Ball Mill Media - ElementalMaker

Casting some lead balls using a simple mold for use in a ball mill.
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[@donaldbarnett8045]

You can heat the mould with a blow torch and you can make much harder balls by adding a little tin or antimony to the lead pot. I rate the Elementalmaker and Cody's lab as a couple of the best video makers on KZbin. Keep up the great work.

[@jrwatkins3872]

Cody's Lab a classic before Google/ YT chaannel.

[@samwilliams1142]

He is using range scrap. High probability that antimony is in there.

[@ChaosPootato]

This one's a stalagmite. Think about a "mound" that's a stalagmite. I don't know if there's a good word in english for it though. It's easy in French: stalag(t)ite = (t)omber (to fall down) stalag(m)ite = (m)onter (to go up)

[@pattems_]

What I was taught in English is stalag(t)ites have to hold on (t)ight to the ceiling stalag(m)ites have to be (m)ighty to keep from collapsing. Not as eloquent, but works well enough.

[@garygenerous8982]

Theory: ElementalMaker and AvE are actually the same person... *X-Files Music*

[@sizzlenotsteak]

Finally was able to remember that "stalagtites hang on tight". The one on the floor is just sitting there, yah, so what, who cares. The one above is holding on (stalag)tite! Worked for me for decades. YMMV.

[@michaeloosthuizen2383]

Sprue plate, its for cutting the sprue off your ball :-) Also a tip on heating your mold, dip it into the lead, it will come out clean (the lead won't stick to the mold unless the lead gets "cold") and you won't have as many wrinkly balls.

[@officermeowmeowfuzzyface4408]

Beryllium alloys. Spark-free and hard! You can limit the drip with a heavier handle. Use a short can half full of water to catch the drops so they don't splatter.

[@ElementalMaker]

You go ahead and find pricing on some BeCu Alloy balls LOL. Brass would be much less expensive and easier to obtain. I use lead because its free (aside from my time), and non sparking.

[@officermeowmeowfuzzyface4408]

@@ElementalMaker add a CuBe alloy to brass and cast it. Lost wax, investment.

[@ElementalMaker]

I stay away from Beryllium. Berylliosis is nasty. I'll take lead any day.

[@ralphpatr4627]

I use a propane torch to keep the mold to temp and wax will lube the mold nicely

[@supernatureza]

I love your videos..... ... ..... ..............gratitude💕

[@swirrllfolfsky9803]

An oil lamp works really well for coating molds with the carbon

[@nathanast7036]

“You don’t want shrunk balls that’s for sure *awkward pause* so....”

[@Flederratte]

Great video! Now I also want to cast some lead balls, however I do already have enough of them and no use.

[@tarstarkusz]

Those are some fine balls you have there sir!

[@ldavid1951]

The way to remember the difference between stalagmites and stalactites is: stalagmite has a g in its spelling and it comes from the ground. Stalactite has a c in its spelling and come from the ceiling.

[@rickhenry1833]

Damn Bro ! You could do voice acting for Jason Sudeikis ! Awesome Vid !

[@robertschweitzer982]

Informative straight forward video. Just getting into this, makes sense, thanks for sharing!

[@samnottheotherone4363]

This looks fun, I've only cast aluminum copper and bronze before.

[@ElementalMaker]

Its a good bit of fun for sure! Lead is much easier to work with than aluminum or bronze.

[@samnottheotherone4363]

@@ElementalMaker I have some gallium I'm thinking of casting with as well, think the process would be about the same as lead just much colder?

[@ElementalMaker]

I would think so. Gallium does tend to be a bit sticky, so you may run into issues with it adhering to various tools and mold materials. Just dont use aluminum with it as it'll alloy with it.

[@whoofianbrony8804]

I gotta say, you got balls.

[@TheZombieSaints]

"stalactites hold on tight to the roof, stalagmites use all their might to grow to the roof" , that's how my grandfather helped me remember it:) cool video, i never thought of a mold duh lol

[@gooddeed26]

I always remembered it by thinking “stalagtites make things tight and for stalagmites, you might step on them”

[@rutrutbella600]

Ty brother

[@keithyinger3326]

Would there be a problem with hitting the mold with a propane torch for a little bit to pre-heat it? Seems like it would be easier than making a dozen balls to preheat it.

[@cloakndagger085]

A lot of reloaders who make their own lead will dip the edge of the mold in the lead to preheat it.

[@ElementalMaker]

I actually did preheat for about 30 seconds off screen with a torch, but the video was already getting too long

[@horacegentleman3296]

@@cloakndagger085 yep that's what i do

[@miltontrenholm5563]

fired many 5 inch 38s on USS Shangrila CVA38 mid 60s!!!!!

[@ElementalMaker]

Thank you for your service Milton! 👍

[@miguelmonteiro3926]

Ceramic mill balls👌

[@Hash-Slinging-Slasher]

I kept running out of glass marbles for my sling shot, ill try making my own metal ones after this

[@themilkmanv]

Do you add antimony to make the lead harder or does the range lead already have it in. Great video

[@ElementalMaker]

Much of the range lead already has antimony in it. It's not quite as much as normal boolit alloy, but still very usable

[@marcosmacoeove5915]

So cool

[@hokanut]

Wonder if wrinkly balls have further range? Like a golf ball. The dimples give them better range and control. Or would it make the slug "hook"? That may be bad...:)

[@keithbrown2458]

I noticed your pot always drips my never has dripped so I guess some do some don’t

[@jackson4861]

Stalagmites “might reach the ceiling”, stalactites” hold on tight so they don’t fall off the ceiling”.

[@JohnLeePettimoreIII]

Consider getting involved with FairTube and Jorg Sprave (The Slingshot Channel).

[@ElementalMaker]

Joined the day Joerg started it 👍

[@whynotdean8966]

Stalagmite ;) Only way I found of remembering is that a mite is like a ground dwelling creature, so stalagmite is on the ground. Stalactite is the hanging one.

[@ElementalMaker]

Good trick to remember! Thanks!

[@yoctoflop]

That's the way I learned it

[@mickleblade]

So you didn't fancy building shot tower then? It'd have to be pretty damn high to get ball that big to solidify before the water catch bath at the bottom!

[@johnbeck3270]

Watch Mysteries of the Abandoned they showed a shot tower in Philadelphia I believe, what an interesting way to make ammunition

[@Freizeitflugsphaere]

Now its monetised...

[@garyburchett9060]

As you're milling do you lose lead into your compound?

[@ElementalMaker]

It is possible to get lead contamination into your composition. Some guys use brass or stainless steel media alternatively so that can't happen.

[@Frogmobile52]

Lead is much to soft to tumble anything, let alone black powder. You need at least zinc (melting around 400°c) or better: brass (melting at 900°c) You don't even mention your lead hardness: Antimony lead would be the hardest lead.

[@ElementalMaker]

Lead has been used for centuries to make black powder and it absolutely works, that's why its the standard ball mill media for pyrotechnic compositions.

[@Frogmobile52]

@@ElementalMaker You may be right for PYROTECHNIC where the fineness of the BP is not so critical. Rockets and fireworks would work with just a good meal powder

[@pa-pyro2804]

So I just looked into this myself but do you know a source of hardened lead treated with antimony

[@hanelyp1]

They used to make wheel balance weight from lead hardened with antimony. These days regulations favor zinc.

[@ElementalMaker]

Yep as mentioned wheel weights are a good source with plenty of antimony for hardness

[@pa-pyro2804]

@@ElementalMaker awesome man I didn't know that I'm new to making my own lead milling media but it seems way more cost effective thanks for the response. Keep up the great content man

[@ElementalMaker]

@@pa-pyro2804 you can also grab very high antimony hardened lead from Roto metals. I buy I bunch of stuff from them. It's certainly not as cheap as from free range scrap though 😁

[@your_gay1652]

Oh sit I did find a lead ball

[@archangel20031]

How is it everyone on youtube seems to get their range scrap for free, but everyone I see in person and have spoken to has to pay for it!

[@ElementalMaker]

Just go sift a berm at a gun range. It's literally free as long as you have permission

[@Mike-sv2nu]

I assume he meant 700 F

[@sherannaidoo2712]

This is all balls.......

[@sashimiturtle]

Missed the "you fuck" at 7:43

[@The.Fart.Machine]

Wow those are some really nice looking balls! Lol

[@ElementalMaker]

I pride myself in having some beautiful balls. I appreciate your kind words about them 👍

[@danielmcgee813]

I'm not certain but I think he has hit puberty

[@ElementalMaker]

Is it my girly voice that gives it away?

[@caveman6345]

Balls shrink when they are cold? 😂

[@ElementalMaker]

Don't yours too? LOL

[@caveman6345]

Nah, they just hide from it. 😂

[@thesesh5629]

Lead is way to soft to be used for a ball mill. Steel or iron is best

[@ElementalMaker]

I've been in pyrotechnics for fifteen years and have always used lead with no issues. Lead is the go-to for milling black powder since it's non sparking. Steel would definitely be better for milling single components though, or hard materials.

[@fritzcolburn]

2 minutes in and already I have to stop and watch the rest later... too much juvenile low-brow ball humor and I can't break out of it to pay attention. lol

[@dustydustydusty]

Mites crawl up, tites get pulled down. Memory device from my creepy science teacher.

[@ElementalMaker]

Good trick! Thanks!

[@GMCLabs]

went to a cave, tight to the ceiling, mites live on the ground is what they used.

[@killmimes]

Hang tite from the ceiling

[@asvarien]

I came up with that one myself, I thought I was pretty clever. Guess it is a pretty obvious memory trick thinking on it.

[@diablominero]

stalaCtites are on the Ceiling, stalaGmites are on the Ground

[@Disinterested1]

great tutorial! thanks for sharing your ball handling technique :):)

[@nejiniisan1265]

lol

[@nejiniisan1265]

He knows how to handle hot balls

[@motormaker]

Years of practice

[@williamlivingstone4326]

He's got the biggest balls of them all! -AC/DC

[@navyboysm2625]

5” -54. I use to load the Powder shell, about 44 lbs in the side breech then someone else would drop the “Bullet” about 77 lbs from the other side & on top.. we had the Fastest gun ever. 9 rpm was standard & ours was 13 rpm. Captain Rodgers came to see how we do fast, but had to deny as our Process was highly unacceptable. I was scared of loosing a hand in the breach so I would toss them in and kick them. Very fast 💨 DD985. USS Cushing 1983-1986

[@marksams1037]

That's very interesting. My mother in law gave me a 5 inch naval shell, cut down and turned into an ash tray. The headstamp dates to 1943. Thanks for sharing!

[@zachclough8735]

Good video but you don't flux your lead which is pretty crucial. Also not a great idea to knock the sprue into the pot. Good way to splash lead on yourself.

[@JohnLeePettimoreIII]

StalagMites - M - sticks up from the floor like an uppercase M StalacTite - T - drops from the ceiling like uppercase T

[@matrix626]

g= ground. c= ceiling

[@jacobkudrowich]

And helictites go all sideways and diagonal they are the funky Bois

[@Tatersalade]

Greetings from Denmark. Hey man sorry i had to cancel my Patreon donation but the Army cut my pension I guess they were low on ammo!

[@ElementalMaker]

No worries my friend, I appreciate your support and hope your pension is brought back. I'm sorry to hear they cut it on you.

[@Tatersalade]

@@ElementalMaker Thanks mate...

[@tarstarkusz]

They cut YOUR pension to give welfare money to the invaders. These people WILL pay!

[@izuzan7419]

That lead is really hard. Doesnt normaly crystallize like that. Use cold water when washing your hands. Or goto a gun store and get lead wipes. They are designed to get rid of lead better than soap.

[@scottreese5492]

Stalagmites might make it to ceiling, stalagtite clings tight to ceiling....just a bit of useless info from cave touring, lol

[@tommyschauer3093]

HI I JUST WATCHED SOME OF YOUR VIDS ON CARBIDE LAMPS. IN ABOUT 1962 AS A KID (ABOUT 14) WE USED THIES FOR PICKING WORMS FOR FISHING AND TO SELL. THIS LIGHT WILL NOT DISTURB THE WORMS LIKE A REGULAR BULB FLASH LIGHT DID. ALLSO IT DID NOT REFLECT OFF THE WATER WHEN WE WERE SPERING FISH. LOTS OF GOOD MEMERIES, THANK YOU.

[@ElementalMaker]

Happy to bring back some good memories Tommy. Sounds like alot of fun!

[@tommyschauer3093]

THANK YOU FOR VIDS.

[@maciekm7953]

Never thought I would watch video about balls with such interest 😂 Thank You for sharing.

[@thatguynameddan2136]

That shell case is fucking sweet. Also, thanks for the awesome tips on ball casting.

[@dustydustydusty]

Wow. Is KZbin hand delivered? Just now getting replies from long ago. October 20, 3030. 2020 actually.

[@MrKclo42112]

LOL my balls have been shrinking steadily layely, my big jar has ceramic media, the only thing I got from united Nuclear I think, but my small jars use 50cal muzzle loading balls , I got a shit ton from a Gun dealer ,theyre high in antimony , I do have a big bag of 50call penetrsator cores Ive been saving for grinding aluminum, once my supply runs low

[@avenue4624]

It's funny how DEMONITIZED and DEMONIZED are almost spelled the same. Well you are a demon, you've just got balls!

[@richardsolomon8076]

Fun video :-) stalagmites grow up and might get to the roof, stalagtite holds on tight to the roof, very similar to my sinker molds, they also do a much nicer job hot :-) haven't seen the carbon lube trick I'll definitely be using it. Thanks again

[@JasonVladimir]

Sorry I'm late for the show, but thanks for the rapid video response to our request!

[@savagenomore]

1:30 reminds me of getting in my swimming pool when the water is cold....lol

[@colsoncustoms8994]

I'm guessing that harder would be better? The correct alloy water quenched should be 22+ bhn

[@samwilliams1142]

Two improvements. 1 use a wooden mallet to protect your sprue plate. 2 there is a slot for a screwdriver in the top of that rod wiggle it gently to stop the drips.

[@notamouse5630]

Why not use something less hazardous, perhaps thick electroplating tin or copper onto the lead balls before milling with it. You can then even electropolish or mill with no abrasive after a thick coat of either tin or copper for better surface finish. Lead dust is not good to breathe. Using it wet creates lead process waste. Anything you mill with it then has lead in it, even for black powder that is more lead in the air than there otherwise would be after firing. Lead will also perhaps reduce the velocity of the powder's gasses.

[@notamouse5630]

Why not use something less hazardous, perhaps thick electroplating tin or copper onto the lead balls before milling with it. You can then even electropolish or mill with no abrasive after a thick coat of either tin or copper for better surface finish. Lead dust is not good to breathe. Using it wet creates lead process waste. Anything you mill with it then has lead in it, even for black powder that is more lead in the air than there otherwise would be after firing. Lead will also perhaps reduce the velocity of the powder's gasses.

[@johnpossum556]

So instead of making all those semi-useless balls why don't you just use a torch or electric burner and heat the mold up before putting the lead in?

[@tarstarkusz]

Are you supposed to put candles in the lead? There's a guy on YT who adds candle wax to lead in the range scrap and again to the pot when he's making lead bullets.

[@BurkenProductions]

the ball will shrink up... lol :D :D you're the funniest guy out there lol

[@richardboaz9638]

I hate to be critical, but one should not use a ballpean hammer to cut the spue , you need to use a wooden mallet or billystick . Be kind to your casting molds.

[@jaratt85]

I wonder who told you to leave some lead in the bottom... :P You know, you could always preheat your mold with a propane torch...

[@ElementalMaker]

Oddly enough I have always left some lead in the bottom of this one, just not my range scrap pot lol. I'm bass akwards.

[@mavos1211]

The comments didn’t disappoint me either! Glad to see I am not the only big kid out there 😂

[@BackYardScience2000]

Is there an application for aluminum balls? I have a TON of aluminum, literally, and I'm trying to find other uses for some of it.

[@ElementalMaker]

Aluminum would be significantly more difficult to cast into ball molds. You would need a very high temperature melting pot. Aluminum would also be too light for being a very effective milling media. It might make for decent slingshot ammo though!

[@BackYardScience2000]

@@ElementalMaker , good idea! Aluminum slingshot balls would be perfect! I have a small iron ball mold I could use that should would. 1/4 inch I think. Thanks for the advice man. I recently suffered 2nd and 3rd degree burns to 50% of my right hand and am trying to find things to do to take my mind off of the pain while I am off from work for the next few months. I probably won't be making many new videos in that time though, unfortunately.

[@ElementalMaker]

@@BackYardScience2000 oh man that's awful. Mind if I ask how it happened? I wish you a very speedy recovery.

[@BackYardScience2000]

@@ElementalMaker , I wish I had a better excuse. I really do, but I fell asleep with a cigarette in my hand and it caught my bed on fire. The bed is memory foam and the sheets were polyester. I guess when memory foam and polyester burn they melt. Well, when the smoke detector alarm woke me all I saw was flames right next to me and instinctively, I started swatting at the flames. It was then that I noticed exactly what was going on and that my hand was on fire because the melted foam and polyester stuck to my hand and I could not get it to go out. I rushed and put my hand out in the sink and then grabbed a towel, got it wet and threw it on the fire, extinguishing it. It was then that I realized the amount of damage to my hand. The left hand has burns too, but they are nowhere near as bad as the right. That was last Tuesday morning and I've just been trying to deal with the whole situation ever since. It's definitely been a nightmare to say the least.

[@MegaMarclar]

I recently bought 100 'hardened' balls from woodysrockets. I'm guessing they have antimony in them. I was using some hornady muzzle loader balls in the past, seemed like they flaked off and caused some sort of contamination... I'm just using a small HF rock tumbler. I didn't realize I needed so much media, always used around 20 balls in the past. Guess I need to fill my barrel more.

[@ElementalMaker]

Yessir, llyod spoenburgh has a great book on ball milling theory and best practices. I think for optimal performance a mill jar should be 50% full of the mill media (if I'm remembering correctly). The hardened balls are good, you will get less wear, although there will still be lead contamination in your final milled products. I think moving forward I'm going to get some non sparking ceramic media, as now that I have young children the lead toxicity scares me.

[@MegaMarclar]

@@ElementalMaker ya lead is no joke, one of the heavy metals the body can not easily get rid of. problem with this whole mill/bp thing I have found is there is soooo much conflicting information. I have watched almost every video on yt about bp and some make it seem super simple. I am just trying to do some simply fireworks stuff but found my results vary significantly. I recently tried a small batch of toilet paper bp, and couldnt even get it to burn worth a crap, wouldnt hold together in a puck after pressing, and burnt like crap. I said F it and bought bulk cedar charcoal. most people say willow but I'm not paying 40$ in shipping on a 20$ pound. appreciate your videos man, I'm just beginning learned a lot so far.

[@Jimmeh_B]

That shell end would make a magic little hot plate

[@Jimmeh_B]

@keith moore I instantly thought camp stove for some reason. It'd tarnish pretty hard though

[@bruceallen6016]

I like that Lee production pot. We used to melt lead in a pot and ladle it into molds.

[@rick5078]

6% antimony makes for nice hardened lead balls.

[@johnkemas7344]

For years I have been using Linotype metal from old print shop Linotype machines when I can get it. It is very hard and makes great pistol bullets. Usually we have a local metal smelter reformulate the Linotype metal by adding a little more lead to soften it a bit for shooting. The harder Linotype metal does work well for tumbling applications though.

[@ElementalMaker]

Wish I could find a local source for linotype! Great stuff

[@psychosk8er]

You have good taste in beer 🍻 Hoegaarden is one of my favorites!

[@rhythmjain5639]

Just searched for ball mill media 5 min. ago.

[@jackson4861]

It seems like every video I watch on Round ball casting, everyone refers to the wrinkles in the ball, and they must be melted down and remade, I have killed tons of game from pheasants, grouse, rabbits the whole way up to deer and elk, and I don’t think any of this wild Game ever knew the difference of being hit with a perfect round ball or ones with wrinkles . Bewildered. Rock on Gents.

[@ElementalMaker]

Its not so much that the target downrange cares about the wrinkles. The reason is the ridges of the wrinkle can catch on the bore and cause inaccuracy and leading of the bore, in addition to decreasing the velocity since the expanding gasses can escape though the valleys of the wrinkles. In my small cannon I'm sure I could send them downrange no issues, but with my being OCD they have to be nice and smooth.

[@davewreichert]

stalactites stick tight to the ceiling, stalagmites sit on the floor

[@jrwatkins3872]

I wall a economic yet reliable tumbler to make BP. I have the Lee .690 mold. Ammo independence ahead!

[@ElementalMaker]

I actually moved away from the .690 balls (which is use for my BP cannon) and now use my lee 9mm cast booliots for BP tumbler media, the irregular shape and smaller size gives incredibly fast milling results with the same media weight charge

[@NOBOX7]

Is the mold aluminum or steel ?

[@ElementalMaker]

That's an aluminum mold. Steel are better, but way more expensive

[@caveman6345]

Casting ball media, that just so happens to fit your "toy" cannon. 😂

[@ElementalMaker]

SHHHH dont tell the CensorTube! LOL

[@GMCLabs]

Been wanting to get one of these for a while now. Saw this vid and ordered last week. I'm using mine for melting down pewter. I get that stuff cheap at goodwill and thrift shops. Then I sell the ingots on ebay. PPl don't realize how much tin is worth, something like $10/lbs and that's what about 90% of pewter is. Been making some balls, makes great slingshot ammo and should be just as good as lead in a ball mill, bit less dense, but is much harder and no worries of lead contamination in the final product. Seems a bit harder to knock off the sprue, gotta time it just right to knock it off just after the ball is solid and the sprue is still a little soft, or ya gotta beat on it pretty hard. Can't tell from your vid, but the mold does leave a tinny nub on the ball, not enough to be a problem for ball mill or ammo use, but wouldn't want to use it as a ball bearing. I could file it off, but that's a hell of a lot of work that I don't wanna do. lol

[@arjunyg4655]

so like does this not contaminate everything you mill with lead dust? Esp. since lead is softer than aluminum and such...

[@ElementalMaker]

As long as you have a proper charge of material to be milled the lead should not break down. There still always is a chance of lead contamination. So if making black powder only use it in a an open area and stay out of the smoke

[@paulmanhart4481]

What’s a good size for black powder? Paul

[@ElementalMaker]

I've been using Lee 9mm bullet molds as ball mill media for some time now. The irregular shape does really great in the mill for BP

[@Romin.777]

My shrunken choclate salty balls.

[@BurkenProductions]

Wrinkles on the balls, won't that make for more surface area when milling and such work better?

[@ElementalMaker]

The issue is they act as cavities for material to get stuck in and then that material won't be ground down

[@egomaniac8510]

Sure am glad civilian 38 are not as big as the navies. 38 caliber 5 inch shell

[@ElementalMaker]

Funny enough I have one of those shells! My wife's grandad served on the USS Natoma Bay, and brought home a few spent casings. What a massive boom those must have made!

[@JohnKerrashVirgo]

So now KZbin demonitizes because of innuendo. FFS. I would sub you a few bucks but Patreon is just as much a joke sorry. 😣

[@davidtrutwin3790]

Does stainless steel make a spark?

[@ArgoPower]

4:53 Terminator dislike it

[@PitchUpCampsiteReviews]

I've made battery terminals for a hgv with lead and got plastered in the stuff it's not as bad as you think if it was every fisherman/woman on the planet would be dumber than a box of rocks by the time they get to 40. I literally crush lead shots with my teeth when out fishing and over the past 5 years have been studying human psychology so yeah I wouldn't recommend eating or drinking it but have absolutely zero worries about it going on your hands it's not that bad, the fumes are and of course ingestion isn't good but don't worry about holding lead. Awesome video I can't believe people give these free informational videos a thumbs down.

[@jaycousland9835]

I got the 69 mold for cannons and 12 ga BP loads(even though 69=14 ga).I use 451 ball for ball mill ops.When I used 1.50 balls they opened up my ball mill canisters and spilled all over the place.So I'm timid to use big balls.I pour hot to frost my balls when using Alox.Last heat I used a electric 2 burner with ladle.But usually pour 3 pound pigs out the bottom of my tilt reverb furnace,while ladling out of a cast iron pot over the furnace exhaust stack.Nice looking balls ya got there!

[@johnbeck3270]

Lee mounds can be preheated by placing the lead edge directly in the molten lead, the lead will not adhere to the aluminum blocks. You can’t do this with steel moulds. I would advise NOT using hammer on the sprue cutter use a wood mallet.

[@chrispza]

When I worked at the News I bought a Wrist Rocket catapult. As we used hot metal in those days, bought a sinker mould from a sporting-goods store, and had myself a (typemetal) ball!