star sizer heater recommendation

[feveron]

Hey guys. I'm seriously considering purchasing a Star sizer with the air feed and heater. I've been trying to puzzle out the heater situation. I'm planning on running hard lube since it gets pretty hot here, which means I'll need a heater. Does the Magma heater have a temperature control? From what I understand, the Lyman heaters do not have any type of temperature control.

I've seen some posts where some people have rigged up a PID so they can control the temperature. That may be the best route to go, it'll just mean more money into Star sizer project. If I was to go the PID route, would it make much difference if I went with the Lyman vs the Magma heater? I'm wanting as trouble free of an operation as I can put together here, which is why I decided to go with the air feed to start.

Thank you for any advice you can offer. I hope I didn't miss any obvious threads.

[HATCH]

I would just purchase the heated base from Magma.
It has a temp controller on it and to be honest I have disconnected my PID controller and just used it.
Also if you add the bullet feeder attachment later it is easier with the magma factory heater.

[Frozone]

I made my own.


A 6"x8"x 5/8" Al plate. It mounts the bulletfeeder, that only requires one hole to be drilled and tapped.

Only thing I wish I had done is to use a 8"x8" plate instead - that way I could blatantly rip off the die removal Idea of a member here

I used an 80 watt ceramic heater cartrige for a soldering iron. (in front of the plate)
It fits in a 1/4" hole under the star and the cord fits in an opening machined under the cover you can see on the side.
The other hole you see fits a Lyman cartridge heater, but It doesn't have enough wattage to get the sizer above ~ 80º on it's own.
I can use both if I really need the thing warm - above 110º

[ReloaderFred]

Over the years I've had the old Midway heater, the Lyman and now the Magma heaters. I wish I had just broken down and purchased the Magma heaters from the beginning and not wasted the money on the others, though I do use them for my other sizers (Lyman, RCBS & Saeco). I now have three of the Magma heaters, with bullet feeders mounted on them. Each Star is set up for a caliber, i.e.; one for .358", one for .430" and one for .452". I keep another Star for oddball calibers with hard lube, and another one for soft lube for other bullets.

I gave my 6th Star to my casting partner, along with the Lyman heater, and he struggles with it, but he won't buy a Magma heater, and I'm not going to buy him one.........

My advice is to buy the best from the beginning.

Hope this helps.

Fred

[feveron]

Thanks everyone. Sounds like the Magma heater is the way to go unless I want to roll my own. I do admire your solution there, Frozone!

[Pete P]

I have magmas heater also. I prefer it because of the variable temperature control. Also it seems to reach its temperature sooner than the Lyman which is the only other heater that is commercially available as far as I know, and does not have a variable temperature control. I believe others on this forum have made up what is basically an extension cord with the light dimmer switch to control the Lyman, just to let you know. Also magmas as the threaded hole in case you decide to install the automatic bullet feeder later. The Lymans footprint is too small to have this hole drilled and tapped into it. After having both, I sold my Lyman to a friend with my Saeco.

Pete

[midnight]

Like Frozone, I make my own heaters. I bought a bunch of 220v 100watt cartridge heaters on fleabay for only a few bucks each & at 110v they are 25 watt. You can get various size Aluminum plate on fleabay too. Just search "fortal" and you can shop Scott's store. Bore a hole in the side of the plate & insert heater. I use a sliding dimmer switch and plug the heater into that. Then I only need on dimmer switch. 25 watts seems to be enough although you do need an hour of lead time to warm everything up.

Bob

[feveron]

I just placed a call to Magma and got in line for my Star. It looks like it may be 6-8 weeks on it because they have a LOT of orders right now. That's ok, good things come to those who wait! Thanks again everyone on your help with the heater.

[VHoward]

It may seem like you spent a lot of money, but it is worth it. This is equipment you will use for years to come and it is high quality.
I did try the lyman heater universal lube sizer heater with mine, but was not impressed with it's performance. I sold the Lyman heater and bought Magma's and have not regretted it. As a bonus, when I later bought the feeder, there was a mounting hole in the heated base for the feeder in the exact right spot.

[landers]

I have to vote for a Magma heater, i like the temperature control that is built in. I was considering a PID controller for the heater until I bought an inexpensive household indoor/outdoor thermometer from Harbor Freight. I inserted the outdoor probe into the rheostat housing which gives me a relatively accurate reading to the lube temperature. This setup has been great for the last few years and having the numeric value from the thermometer allows me to adjust for the cold winter nights and hot summer days.

[Rockchucker]

I would just purchase the heated base from Magma.
It has a temp controller on it and to be honest I have disconnected my PID controller and just used it.
Also if you add the bullet feeder attachment later it is easier with the magma factory heater.

+1 for the Magma Heater

[bobthenailer]

If you can find a C&H heater it also has a adj temp setting , i bought mine years ago when Star was still in business but i belive i purchased the heater from C&H. I usually set it at 110 to 115 degrees for most hard lubes that ive used . i drilled a hole in a noncritical place on the heater base and installed a automotive a/c stem type temp guage to moniter temps.

[A pause for the COZ]

I decided on a heater from Marshall Reloading. It cost a bit more than a lyman universal. But since my Star did not come with a die removal tool.
The fact that the Marshall comes with a die removal tool included, sealed the deal.

Dug around in my junk boxes in the shop to find a dimmer switch and a fixture box, Old computer cable rounded out the parts list.

I dont have my lube to try it out yet, but it is heating nice on a test.
Cant wait to lube some lead!!!
Oh crud I better go cast some more 45's.

[6bg6ga]

Attachment 63790Attachment 63791

I used a 300 watt heater and a home made PID control. The aluminum plate is surplus from a metal shop for less than $30

The plate is 11.250 W X 9.250 D and mounts very easily with one or two C-clamps to a bench or table top.

The 300 watt heater gets the sizer up to temp really fast and holds it there and that is something that cannot be said for the small heaters. You cannot go wrong putting your own set up together. I probably have as much in my set up as you would pay Magma. The up side is it is simply more functional as it keeps the temp + or minus 1 degree and doesn't take 30 minutes to get up to temp so you can size. Mine is in a room that is around 55-60 degrees and it is ready to run in 5-7 minutes.

[rodsvet]

Who says size doesn't matter? Instead of a magma heater, it's a magnum heater! Way to go Joe.

[Racenviper]

So COZ were do you get the heater plate. I found the videos and nothing else.

[boltons75]

I've seen them on eBay, search for star sizer, and you'll see them.