I was looking at a Lee 110 and 220 drop furnaces. They both only rise to 600 degrees. It's been said that between 700 and 800 is ideal. What say you? I don't mind the wait time, although I thought 220 would be quicker. I would also think that 220 would get hotter.
cast furnaces
- 8.4K Views
- Last Post 24 June 2012
John Alexander
posted this
24 June 2012
Thanks Guys.
I now have enough information to completely confuse myself but I will get it sorted out.
i may be back with more dumb questions but at least I can get started.
I have wanted better temperature control for years. You have been very helpful.
John
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CB
posted this
23 June 2012
For the price you can get another thermocouple and still be under what the PID controller from Auber costs.
This is where I got my TC from
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Pigslayer
posted this
23 June 2012
Here is a link to EBay for a pid controller, SSR and TC
And here is a link to a place that has the connectors, enclosures, power cords etc...
http://www.allelectronics.com/index.php
I made mine so there are connectors for the AC power in, AC Power out and T/C so I can use it for different applications.
That is a very good deal but the thermocouple's range only goes to 752F (400C). That will probably be good though if he only uses it for bullet casting. Here is ebay item # for one that goes to 1242F: 120931988201. This one has a little longer probe & the probe can be bent. I used the very same PID controller and the same brand SSR on my unit it and they work incredibly well. Great deal!
If someone else had of done to me what I did to myself . . . I'd have killed him. Humility is an asset. Heh - heh.
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CB
posted this
23 June 2012
Here is a link to EBay for a pid controller, SSR and TC
And here is a link to a place that has the connectors, enclosures, power cords etc...
http://www.allelectronics.com/index.php
I made mine so there are connectors for the AC power in, AC Power out and T/C so I can use it for different applications.
Attached Files
Paul Pollard
posted this
23 June 2012
If you get one built with the receptacle for the melting pot, you can always transfer the thermocouple over to the toaster oven. This gives really accurate control for heat treating bullets. Plug the toaster oven into the PID controller. I drilled a hole in the back wall of the toaster oven for the thermocouple. This really cuts down on the wide temperature swings of the original equipment thermostat.
I went down in 5 degree increments from bullet slumping. When the bullets quit sticking together, that's where I set the temperature. Then I got sidetracked on something else and never did run a batch of bullets to try.
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Brodie
posted this
22 June 2012
I too appreciate the diagram and would very much appreciate more guidance on this type of project. Thanks so much again. Brodie
B.E.Brickey
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Pigslayer
posted this
22 June 2012
Jeff and Pat,
I've got to have one of these.
The diagram is good. Now will one of you give a little more information for the electrically challenged?
A little help on which PID, SSR , TC etc I should order when I get into Auberins.
I know this is probably a dumb question but would appreciate a little more guidance.
Thanks,
John
Let me see what I can dig up on ebay. Between Jeff & I, we can hook you up!!
Pat
If someone else had of done to me what I did to myself . . . I'd have killed him. Humility is an asset. Heh - heh.
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CB
posted this
22 June 2012
John You will need a sheathed thermocouple, K Type which I find all over on EBay.
The Auber Inst. PID is of better quality than what else I can find on Ebay, but there are some that spec out identically.
The SSR I would get at least a 30Amp.
All my stuff I got on EBay
I will take a look later and see if I can send you the direct links for what you will need.
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John Alexander
posted this
22 June 2012
Jeff and Pat,
I've got to have one of these.
The diagram is good. Now will one of you give a little more information for the electrically challenged?
A little help on which PID, SSR , TC etc I should order when I get into Auberins.
I know this is probably a dumb question but would appreciate a little more guidance.
Thanks,
John
Attached Files
Pigslayer
posted this
21 May 2012
Dont know if this will help you but...
Yep, that ought to do it!
If someone else had of done to me what I did to myself . . . I'd have killed him. Humility is an asset. Heh - heh.
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1kshooter
posted this
21 May 2012
So there's no such thing as too cool of a cast which tends to be wrinkled and don't fill out right, or too hot and becomes frosted and break apart?
Nobody said that.
Wrinkled bullets are usually from a cold mould, or one that has oil in the cavities. Frosted bullets are seen when the mould temps are high. The missing piece here seems to be that mould temperature is important too. Personally, I cast with my alloy at about 800 degrees, and at that temp frosted bullets are pretty common, depending on the mould. Super overheated bullets exhibit heavy frosting, and low resistance when the sprue is cut. I've seen these bullets break apart when dropped from the mould. This is because they're still nearly molten in the middle. If you're encountering this situation, you need to take a break & let the mould cool a bit.
Yep , I have to agree about the “to hot frosted and breaking apart” thing !
I water drop 95% of the bullets I cast and every so often I will find them in the bucket where they started to seperate close to the base .
One of the easiest ways to not overhaet to quickly (atleast for me) is to run maybe 3 or 4 two/one cavity molds at the same time . However if you water drop as I do thats a pain as you then need to seperate everything after the fact . But if you just air cool no big deal !
With my 5 or 6 cavity molds I use just one or two at a time and it seems to work out okay as far as the cooling thing is concerned .
I do the same thing my friend and I got sick of seperating close looking bullets so I use smaller buckets and a couple of them lol...as for the Lee 20lb bottom pour I love it crank it up and with a 6cav mold I dip the corner into the melt untle it no longer sticks to the mold and then I fill one or two cav and dump and add a cav until i get good fill out and then I drop back the temp about 4 clicks to a mark I made that allows me to get good fill out at my spead and still allow me to add lead hear and there to the melt without frosting over the pot!
This is what works for me take from it what you can and I hope that it helps someone here as nuch as you all have helped me ...as a matter of fact I will do a small video or pic slid show of my process and you fine folks can rip it down and tell me all the stuff I am doing wrong?!?!?
Jonathan
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Pigslayer
posted this
20 May 2012
I would love to see a circuit diagram for these controlers. Some of us (me especially) are not to electrically engineer inclined, and would like to have such fine control over the temp.
Thanks Brodie
It's real simple. Let me see what I can come up with for you.
Pat
If someone else had of done to me what I did to myself . . . I'd have killed him. Humility is an asset. Heh - heh.
Attached Files
Brodie
posted this
20 May 2012
I would love to see a circuit diagram for these controlers. Some of us (me especially) are not to electrically engineer inclined, and would like to have such fine control over the temp. Thanks Brodie
B.E.Brickey
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CB
posted this
20 May 2012
I am looking at building a couple more, one for my home made powder paint oven, one for my lubersizer setup and one for my lube making setup. I have one for my lead pot, did wonders for my bullet weight consistency issues.
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Pigslayer
posted this
20 May 2012
Nice Job!
Where did you get the sheathed TC? That is better than the one I use..
Under 50.00 ??? I paid that much for the Auber Instruments controller and then paid 20 for the SSR.
But on second look I used a 40A SSR just to add a bit of CYB incase..
Jeff, Thanks for the compliment.
I got the thermocouple on e-bay. It's a K type that measures up to 1200 degrees Centigrade. It was under $10.00 shipped. My PID was something like $26.00 shipped. My SSR is a 25A which is more than enough even for the bigger pots. I got it for about $5.00 pp. I also put a single pole/double throw switch in so I can bypass the PID should it fail. I mounted the SSR on a heat sink but I didn't need it. It doesen't even get warm. Maybe It would heat up using a bigger pot. The indicator lights are neon & were about $1.00 each.
Auberins is a reliable vendor and have everything you need but I decided to shop hard for my parts on ebay & it paid off.
If anyone is in the need I can look up the suppliers for the parts & pass them on.
Pat Reynolds
If someone else had of done to me what I did to myself . . . I'd have killed him. Humility is an asset. Heh - heh.
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CB
posted this
20 May 2012
Nice Job! Where did you get the sheathed TC? That is better than the one I use.. Under 50.00 ??? I paid that much for the Auber Instruments controller and then paid 20 for the SSR. But on second look I used a 40A SSR just to add a bit of CYB incase..
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Pigslayer
posted this
20 May 2012
I made a PID controller for my LEE 10 lb pot. I bought all my components for it on e-bay for under $50.00. I made the project box out of left over 22ga. sheet metal from when I put in a new furnace in my house.
If someone else had of done to me what I did to myself . . . I'd have killed him. Humility is an asset. Heh - heh.
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CB
posted this
15 May 2012
I ladle cast at 800 +/-. My bullet weights are more consistent at that level with the non-boutique (scrap) alloys I use, and I don't have a problem with fillout. When the moulds get hotter than I like, I set the moulds on ingots that are at room temperature which function as a heat-sink for me in hot weather.
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delmarskid1
posted this
15 May 2012
I used to have trouble with the nozzle on my Lee pot freezing up in cold weather. I took the valve out and opened the hole up a little with a drill. I needed to go in from the inside of the pot and the outside as there is a jog in the channel. Worked great. Lots of flow. I also kept a propane bottle handy to warm the nozzle when things weren't going as fast as I'd like. When that pot dribbled it was a gimme that I would have wrinkled half filled bullets. I cast straight lead at 800 for my longest 45-70 bullets. Works good.
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