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I’m looking for a thermometer to help me keep my wheel weight melting pot not quite hot enough to melt zinc. There seem to be a bunch of them out there, but many that read high enough temperatures have very short (or almost no) probes.
Is there a reason to spend $50 for a Lyman or RCBS thermometer? If not, what’s a good - and economical - alternative?
Mine's a TelTru I believe that I bought from Brownells years ago. Some years after I'd owned it a long time it went bad. I wrote them about where to send it for repair and they just sent me a new one. Don't feel like it was their problem at all but they definitely gained a lifelong customer then and there.
That all said what I use for my smelting ( really we're melting, not smelting) is a TC with my VOM. Just made a holder specially for the pot and feel it responds faster and more accurately than a analog unit. One could also use their PID strictly to read the temperature.
Tel-Tru LT225R with 5" stem and 200-1000degF range. Most outfits get theirs from Tel-Tru and rebrand them.
Yep tel-tru with a long stem works for my casting pot + cooking down coww .
I found it online form a barbecue equipment supplier out of Kansas city .
Another vote for Tel Tru.
A PID controller would be ideal. Not only will it read the current temp, it would also control the temp within 1 degree F. PID controllers can have high and/or low temp alarms to alert you if something goes wrong. With a little bit of study, you can assemble one yourself. I've made 3 or 4 for other uses and they really aren't difficult if you're interested in that wort of thing.
I know this is not what you were asking for, but they are very well worth while having in my opinion.
I find it interesting that applying a LYMAN or RCBS logo makes a $25 thermometer now a $50-70 thermometer. :D I'll get the Tru-Tel thermometer.
I have a PID for my casting pot, but I'm looking for a thermometer to monitor a 10" dutch oven to see how hot the gas flame is getting the melt. The PID is great for my bottom pour pot, but I don't need anywhere near that level of precision with melting/smelting/rendering scrap and wheel weights. I just want to keep the gas hot enough to melt lead but not hot enough to melt zinc.
As a plumber I helped scrap out many things. Among these things was a high pressure steam boiler. I salvaged a temp gauge that read up to 2000 degrees with an 8" stem don`t know the maker of it though.Robert
Tel-Tru is the only way to go......look on ebay.
Thanks for the recommendations.
Ebay is full of cooking thermometers that don't go high enough. I'll probably buy from Amazon - there's at least one ad for exactly the same thermometer as John Boy posted on Tru Tel's site, for only about a dollar more - and I have Prime...
Look for a Tel-Tru Model LT225R 200-1000 degrees w/ 5" stem. It's on Amazon.
I have a Tel-Tru on the way. Thanks for all the advice!