A Sick S.A.E.CO Pot!

[Dixie Slugs]

Dixie Slugs has an older SAECO pot that burned out the heat controls. The Elemet is still good though. Dixie uses it for any small run of apecialized alloy bullets. My friend, Gregg S says someone here rebuilds this pots????
Please advise if it can be done and the cost. Thank you very much.....James

[theperfessor]

I'm not familiar with the pot your talking about, but if the only thing wrong with it is the controls it might be possible to build a simple PID controller from off the shelf components. I've made one and so have many other folks here. PM me if you want some details.

[oneokie]

Use the search function and search for the key word Saeco. There are several threads where people have used aftermarket thermostats to revive the old Saeco pots.

[Le Loup Solitaire]

Saeco pots are certainly worth rebuilding. One of the sources for pot parts and repair is .....Kings Kiln Repair Raywood MO. There are others. Do the search as not too far back in time some forum members have posted threads in detail deaking with the total restoration of these from the ground up. LLS

[Echo]

An alternative is to wire the power cord directly to the element and plug in to a router control from Harbor Freight. I'm not sure as to the power requirements - I have a light dimmer wired in to a power outlet at my bench, and use it for my Cute Little Thing (3-lb Potter pot), but the dimmer is rated at 600 watts, and the SAECO may have a 1000 watt element. The HF item will easily handle the power requirement of the SAECO, and actually maintain the temperature more accurately than the normal control on the SAECO.

Cheaper, too, than sending it off for repair. And it also allows you to use a PID controller in the future, if you so desire.

[Dixie Slugs]

Excellent indeed I knew I could depend on friends here to give my the needed answers! Thanks very much!....Regards, James

[walltube]

I second Echo's use of the Harbor Frieght router speed control. At $20.00 it's a practical, easy device to use rather than attempting to replace or salvage the on\off -on\off bi-metal thermostat.

A word of caution: some SAECO pots still in use are a bit ancient and were manufactured during an era when asbestos was the thermal insulation of choice. The SAECO I converted had layers of asbestos surrounding the thermostat. Use due diligence when disassembling the t'stat of your pot in question. No, you won't drop dead because you merely cast (no pun there) your eyes upon the stuff. I suggest wearing nitrile (pretty purple) gloves and a simple paper dust mask. Wet the pot's area with water that will subjected to disassembly. This prevents the asbestos from becoming fryable (airborne). My pot used dense, glass fiber to surround the heating element and crucible. No asbestos there.

Good luck to you getting your SAECO up and running.

Y.T.,
Wt.

[jsizemore]

I second Echo's use of the Harbor Frieght router speed control. At $20.00 it's a practical, easy device to use rather than attempting to replace or salvage the on\off -on\off bi-metal thermostat.

A word of caution: some SAECO pots still in use are a bit ancient and were manufactured during an era when asbestos was the thermal insulation of choice. The SAECO I converted had layers of asbestos surrounding the thermostat. Use due diligence when disassembling the t'stat of your pot in question. No, you won't drop dead because you merely cast (no pun there) your eyes upon the stuff. I suggest wearing nitrile (pretty purple) gloves and a simple paper dust mask. Wet the pot's area with water that will subjected to disassembly. This prevents the asbestos from becoming fryable (airborne). My pot used dense, glass fiber to surround the heating element and crucible. No asbestos there.

Good luck to you getting your SAECO up and running.

Y.T.,
Wt.

And do the disassembly outside.

[leftiye]

Seems to me - and I've heard it said - that the older Lyman and Saeco (and a couple of other brands of pots) were all identical having been made by the same manufacturer. They come up for auction all the time on eVil baY. Alternatively, for ladle pouring, the Waage pots aren't any or much more expensive than the newer Lyman pots (and much cheaper than RCBS).

[walltube]

jsizemore,

My bad. Thanks for posting the out of doors advisory. I took too much for granted.

Wt.

[Mal Paso]

Lee pots use an Electric Range control, good for at least 1500 Watts and available from any appliance repair store. $10-$15 might just fit but a PID control is on My list.