Question for Lyman Mini Mag users.

[the_ursus]

A friend of mine got the Lyman kit that comes with the mini mag furnace and is having fill out problems which, I think, is a temperature issue. He decided to go with 1/10 tin-pure lead as his RCBS instructions suggested (I thought the tin content was really high but that's what he wanted to try). With so much tin, fill out shouldn't be a problem so I'm thinking that his furnace just isn't getting hot enough.

Personally, I don't like the mini mag for a number of reasons but that's what he has to work with for now. He's a plumber so he has access to some kind of high temp. insulation that he's gonna try packing around the pot to get the temp up.

Any tips, comments, or similar experiences with the Mini Mag?

[selmerfan]

I've had nothing but good success with my Lyman Mini-mag. It gets the lead hot enough to frost my bullets if I so choose. I would recommend a few things: First, get a thermometer, then he's not guessing. Two, give the lead plenty of time to warm up, just because it's liquid doesn't mean it's hot enough! Three, invest in a cheap hot plate and warm the molds up on that before use. I used to use the "dip a corner in the melt" technique of warming molds up, never again. If I run my hot plate to 3/4 full on the dial, plug the furnace in, set the molds on the hot plate when I plug the furnace in, I'm dropping perfect bullets from pour number 1. The tin/lead ratio sounds fine, I run mostly WW or WW with some lino in them. I wish my mini-mag had a thermostat on it, but such is life, I'll upgrade sometime in the future if I need to, but it serves its purpose for now.

[340six]

That is my only pot {I do smelt in a large cast iron and make ingets} that I cast with.
it came with my 4500 along with a dipper and inget mould with handle.
My RCBS termomiter says it is at 670-675 and will melt a freash inget while casting! That is "if inget" placed inside on one side right on the element while dipping and casting.
It holds 8 pounds and has casted 4500 plus bullets in 2 months.
I could do real damage with a lyman 20 pound dipper and have never used a bottom pour but would like to try one lol
It ran a good casting day of 6 days ago of 1000+ 250grain 45 colt flat nose start to done and never let us down.
It may or may not be a "GOOD ONE" they may all be good or maybe I just got the best one
I will give the Devil his dew as it was a great deal at $138.00 for the "KIT"

[340six]

I have a one burner GE hot plate but have had no problem just putting some Marvel mystery oil on a cotton swab and placeing it inside the pot resting on the edge! First 2-4 bullets cast are to cold if not. Thats with a 2 hole Lyman steel mould. With the 4 holers I have to cast 1 then 2 a few times and work up ....3 and then 4 It is great at feeding a 2 holer but 4 is out of it's range [smilie=l:

[the_ursus]

Thanks guys, we are supposed to get together for some casting this weekend and will see if we can get it running better. I'll try not to loose faith in the mini mag!

[Blammer]

I have a mini mag and I've found that keeping the wind off it and letting the pot "soak" for 45 min helps with the temp issues I've had. It's great for up to 4C moulds, really works well on one and 2 cav but I've NEVER been able to run a 6C on it. I've found that it heats fine, but sometimes MORE heat makes things easier.

[selmerfan]

Not to challenge Blammer's experience with 6-cavs and the mini-mag, but I run a 6-cavity GB mold on mine, it's the Lyman #358627 copy that was run here a while back. I'm pretty sure I couldn't run a larger 6-cav on in that this, but it works for my purposes. I have two more 6-cavs on order with Ranch Dog that I'll be running on it as well. I almost always cast with two molds at a time for temp regulation, and I run a two cavity alongside the 6-cav. Not sure I could run two 6-cavs though.