Further adventures with impurity (lead, that is...)

[ohland]

I have to run my Pro-Melt near 700 with straight WW to keep it from forming slag on the ladle. Annoying, and it slows down the pour, making wrinkles. Might have to add some tin, because this is not making good boolits. Threw in a small amount, but it was overwhelmed by the 20 pounds of lead. Hmm, 2% tin, 20lbs lead, 6.4oz...

In spite of having the strength of ten because my spirit (150 proof!) is pure, that doesn't come up with 1:20 or Lyman #2 near to me in Wisconsin. Unfortunate that I must lower my exceedingly high standards to get a fix for my needs, but it is what it is.

20 pounds will charge my Pro-Melt, but that's just to light the wick...

Hmm, Buffalo Arms... Rotometals...

[Yodogsandman]

Try 725*F

[JSnover]

Slag on the ladle? Or is it just cooling too quickly? Try letting it soak in the pot a little longer, submerged, before you fill the cavity.

[zuke]

Heat it up a bit, nothing to loose

[dondiego]

Lift the handle. Lead will pour out of the bottom.

[Maximumbob54]

Stick a thermometer in the pot. I doubt it's actually at what the dial says. Mine never was.

[runfiverun]

umm you do know you need a mold to cast with.
that mold needs to be hot too.

and for sure never mind what thing on the top/side says, stick a thermometer in there.

many of those [calibrated HA!] dials are just put on at the factory in the most convenient place for little Chinese lady doing that part of the assembly that day.

[ohland]

Stick a thermometer in the pot.

Yes, it was in the pot.

[ohland]

that mold needs to be hot too.
many of those [calibrated HA!] dials... little Chinese lady

Oh, yes. I start with pouring directly into the cavities to help get a jump on it. No hole in the sprue plate to futz with. Wish I could cut the resultant sprue, suprising how good the cast looks.

Well, I suspect the RCBS Pro-Melt is assembled in the US out of domestic and imported components. Not sure of it, but it wouldn't totally suprise me, either.

Again, if RCBS or another maker (like Waage) made a PID retrofit that replaced the stock thermostat, I'd be highly interested in buying it.

[bangerjim]

No sprue plate?????????????????? WHY??????????????

Just get an electric hot plate to preheat your molds TO CASTING TEMP B4 your ever start. Heating the mold with lead is a total waste of valuable time for me. Put your mold on the plate when you turn your pot on......both will be ready at darn near the same time.

I get perfect drops on the 1st pour by doing the pre-heating.

banger

[bhn22]

You could buy a ready made PID and simply turn your pot up as high as it would go with it plugged in straight to the PID. You would need to attach the thermocouple somehow, but that's easy enough. I agree with the suggestion of increasing your pot heat to 725, and speeding up your casting pace. I mentioned on another thread of yours that you could bead blast your ladle and spray it with mold prep to keep lead from sticking to it.

[kryogen]

run it 750 then?

[kryogen]

No sprue plate?????????????????? WHY??????????????

Just get an electric hot plate to preheat your molds TO CASTING TEMP B4 your ever start. Heating the mold with lead is a total waste of valuable time for me. Put your mold on the plate when you turn your pot on......both will be ready at darn near the same time.

I get perfect drops on the 1st pour by doing the pre-heating.

banger

what setting on the hot plate? max? do you check temp? what would be a good mold temp?

[Bigslug]

I'd pretty much regard 700F as a cold pot, usually running the PID in the 750+ range to get any kind of good result.