Laser Thermometer is appropiate ?

[chancho veloz]

I would like to know, before I buy one of this thermometer if it could be used to measure the temperature of the alloy in the melting pot. Since I want to melt lead and antimony I want to reach a temperature as high as I can using a gas burner and a a gas blowtorch both together. I found a laser thermometer which temperature range is: 58~1922°F This range is wider than those from the regular thermometer used for casting.

[jmort]

Get a regular thermometer. The surface temperature is just that.

[Artful]

I have a laser Thermometer (harbor frieght) I use it for cooking (check temp of oil etc) it does not do well on shiny surfaces - I use a dark pan for frying because of that.

[John Boy]

This is the thermometer you want to buy

http://www.teltru.com/p-272-big-green-egg-primo-grill-dome-kamado-replacement-thermometer-lt225r-5-inch-stem-2001000-degrees-f.aspx

Laser thermometers do not provide accurate reading on shiny materials ... lead

[bangerjim]

IR's WILL NOT WORK on shiny surfaces!!!!! Discussed MANY MANY times on here!!!!!!!! Do a search.

IR's work off "black body radition" (remember you HS phisics class) and not shiny surfaces.

{the "laser" part of it is ONLY used for targeting the IR thermometer measurement zone)

banger-j

[jmorris]

I agree with the above, they don't work on reflective surfaces very well. Off by hundreds of degrees F in some cases.

[chancho veloz]

Thank you guys. So I am going to forget about the laser thermometer.

[Handloader109]

PID. Nuff said

[40-82 hiker]

I can't tell from your post if you are proposing to melt antimony as a pure element into your alloy or not. With but 5 posts I cannot determine your knowledge base, so please pardon me if you already know this. It is not a good thing to try if that is what you are getting at. You'll have to get your lead up to 1167 degrees F, and the fumes from the lead will be getting worse at that point, not to mention the problem with burning up other elements (?).

Antimony is added by way of a lead alloy already having that element in it, as it is accomplished in a commercial environment. You can get high antimony alloys from various places, but the point I'm making here is you won't be adding pure elemental antimony to anything.

Dangerous thing to try, at the least.

Again, sorry if this post was not needed. I just could not tell, however.

[EDG]

No big deal. Throw a black oxide finished steel washer into your pot and point the thermometer at it.

[bangerjim]

No big deal. Throw a black oxide finished steel washer into your pot and point the thermometer at it.

Then it is always in the way when you add beeswax for reducing Sn back in and skimming off any black "stuff". That is just adding another floater to the mess.

banger-j

[kf4zht]

Just curious if a laser thermometer would be useful for checking mold temp? New to this but I already have one and wondered if it would help repeatability

[oger]

I spray the outside of my molds with Drop Out (something it is actually good for) and the laser temp gun works just fine.

[bangerjim]

Just curious if a laser thermometer would be useful for checking mold temp? New to this but I already have one and wondered if it would help repeatability

I use Birchwood Casey Aluminum Black to make a black anodized area on all my aluminum molds to shoot with an IR. The black will not come off as it is NOT paint but a chemical black. Just make sure the area you are blackening is perfectly clean. I then buff it with 0000 steel wool to create a perfect surface for the chemical reaction.

Darker steel molds should be OK for IR shooting.