hot plates safe to use???

[waco]

are hot plates that i here about all the time to pre-heat your molds safe to use?
i would hope they would not warp the mold in any way...
any truth to this...or am i just being a worry wart....
i need help with my lyman 4 cav. not filling out all the way
i have taken all other steps to cure this, and have had the hot plate suggested to me by several people
what are your thoughts, and do you have any tips for using them in the proper fashion...
thanks in advance
waco:drinks:

[Horace]

I`ve used a 3x4 x 1/4 inch plate steel on my hot plate to even out the heat for six plus years without damage to my moulds.

Horace

[TCFAN]

Waco
I have used a hot plate for the last few years with out any problems.Bought it at wal-mart for about 7 dollars.

I put a 3/8 inch thick 8 inch dia. steel plate on top to even out the heat. It gets hot enough to melt lead that gets dropped on the plate if the heat is turned up all the way.

Never had a problem with a mold warping, steel or alum...Terry

[Slow Elk 45/70]

As stated, a piece of steel or aluminum plate helps spread the heat more evenly,if they have the exposed coil, most hotplates are 600-1000w, the cheap ones anyway.

There is no guarantee against careless usage. This method has been used for a long time, buy lots of casters. I have yet to hear from one warping a mold by preheating with a hot plate. I have been doing this since the 70's with no problem, works for me.
If you are prone to memory lapses, maybe it is not a good idea.....[smilie=1:
Good luck, you called yourself a worry-wort, not me.:roll:

[pjh421]

Just don't run it full blast. Start out low and when the mould is as hot as its going to get, try to cast. If you get wrinkly boolits, put the empty mould back on the heat and crank it up a bit more. Keep doing this until your temp control is in the proper position for that mould and then make a note of what that mould likes for start-up heat.

I started using this method in '95 and haven't ruined a mould yet. When you get used to it, you should be able to keep the boolits from the first cast for each session. The ambient air temp will make a difference in where you set the control during different times of the year, i.e. summer vs. winter.

Paul

BTW, if pre-heating doesn't fix the fill out problem, your mould is either oily or not venting air properly, provided your alloy is up to temp. That's another story though.

[waco]

hey guys
put a 6inch dia. .375 steel plate on my walgreens hotplate.....AWESOME!
my 4 banger 429421 was kickin out good boolits in no time!
cast up 500 of them last night!
worked wonders!
thanks for the help!
waco