Cast lead thermometer

Thanks for the post. I've been thinking of getting one of those.

There are a number of instrument places in Calgary that will sell you one over the counter. Not sure what kind of $$ they would be talking but the shipping wouldn't be an issue. Theres one place just NW of Blackfoot and 58th where I have picked up similar things for work.
 
Do you need a thermometer for lead? I just cast 200 boolits on a propane camp stove this afternoon. I basically kept the heat down as long as the lead stayed molten, but have no idea what my temp was.
 
This is the first one I've ever owned, last summer while smelting 5 bucket's of WW I realized I had a whole bunch o zinc one's in a pot full. I don't know how mant were melted before I realized my oversight.
If I keep the melt below the melting point of zinc I should be O.K. next time.
 
I've been casting for years without and I would bet most of the guys I shoot with haven't even considered buying a thermometer. It would be nice to know what the temp is though and be able to reproduce good results.

Just be interesting to know as much as anything I'm thinking.
 
I've been casting for quite awhile myself and am also curious about the little thing's.
And for that small investment if it doesn't work out I can toss it on ebay.
 
That's an excellent price, and Tel-Tru makes some very good thermometers. Did they provide a spec sheet on the accuracy of that specific thermometer?
 
Yes they did,
+/_ 1% full span per ASME B40.3 Grade A
Over temp limits up to 250F* 100%
250F* to 550F* 50%
550F* to 1000F* continuous use up to 800F*
Intermittent use over 800F*
 
One of my projects for this winter is to make a PID controlled lead pot. I have an older 10 lb Lee bottom pour pot to experiment on.

Basically what you have is a fancy digital thermostat that is hooked up to a thermocouple that is attached to your melting pot.

You plug your power cord from your pot into the controller and you plug your controller into the wall. You hook up the thermocouple that reads the pot temperature and way you go. Set the PID controller to 700F lets say and add your lead to the pot. Turn the temp on the pot all the way up as the PID will control the on and off power to it.

Once the controller get to 700F then it turns the power off to the pot, once the temp decreases to a set amount lets say 20 deg less or 680F the controller will turn the power on again.

As you cast the temp will be kept at a fairly constant amount and you only have to worry about your mold and casting frequency to obtain the perfect fill out etc.

I figure it will cost about 60 bucks to make but you know how that goes,lol.
 
Aren't most pots built like this already but without the temp read out?

Is there really much to be gained on rebuilding the whole thing over again as opposed to just sticking some sort of thermometer in so you know just where to set the dial?
 
On my Lee pot the control dial regulates the duty cycle of the heating element. You set it to 2 and the element is on for 2 seconds, off for 8*. You set it for 5 and the element is on for 4, off for 6. This will hold a constant temperature under constant conditions, but if your line voltage fluctuates (more common than most people think) or the air currents or lead level or air temperature in your room changes, so will the temperature held by the pot. hunter64's method of a feedback control system would be much better at holding temperature. Then he could do some testing to answer the earlier question of "does it matter?"

*these numbers were pulled out of my ass. they are not real.
 
If you're casting for handgun bullets there's no real need to use a thermometer. If you're casting for BPCR or other LO shooting then you really need to use a thermometer. Variation in temperatures can cause a wide variety in finished bullet weights. This will produce bullets that are useless for competition.
 
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