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Thread: Building a casting pot

  1. #1
    Boolit Buddy
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    Building a casting pot

    Hi guys!
    I thought there was a thread on building a casting pot somewhere? I did use search but haven't found it. I would like to build something with enough power to keep up to adding lead and hold 60 lb or more. I already have one I built that holds 100 but is heated with torch. Maybe could modify that one to heat with electric and pid?
    Thanks!

  2. #2
    Boolit Master D Crockett's Avatar
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    Feb 2010
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    is this for casting bullets??? or for cleaning lead and casting ingots ??? D Crockett

  3. #3
    Boolit Master RU shooter's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Messy bear View Post
    Hi guys!
    I thought there was a thread on building a casting pot somewhere? I did use search but haven't found it. I would like to build something with enough power to keep up to adding lead and hold 60 lb or more. I already have one I built that holds 100 but is heated with torch. Maybe could modify that one to heat with electric and pid?
    Thanks!
    As stated smelting or dipper style casting pot ? Either way the on the cheap set up I have using electric is just and old 220v electric range top I build a stand for. I use a cast Dutch oven to smelt in on the big burner and a smaller cast iron pot that I wrapped with high temp insulation and then wrapped with sheet steel on the smaller burner/ coil. Cost was free and I don't need to mess with propane .
    If you find yourself in a fair fight, your tactics suck!

  4. #4
    Boolit Buddy
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    It be for bottom pour casting.

  5. #5
    Boolit Grand Master jmorris's Avatar
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    I built this bottom pour from 3/8” thick steel pipe, a 1/4” bottom and a 3500 watt oven element, controlled by a PID through an SSR.



  6. #6
    Boolit Buddy
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    Ahh yes! That's what I'm talking about!
    New element so you can wrap it?
    220 volt?
    Capacity?
    Dimensions?
    Spout freezing?
    Thanks JMorris!

  7. #7
    Boolit Grand Master jmorris's Avatar
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    Yes it’s use a new element. I’ve had to replace it once over the years, the first one was $12, the second was $16. 3500 watt oven elements from Sears, 220 VAC driven my a SSR controlled by a PID. Stainless steel cover over the element. Around 65 lbs of capacity, it doesn’t freeze the oraface plate but it does drip when heating up, so I start it up with the mold down and a cup underneath.

    It’s not that big but it is pretty heavy, it and my homemade sizing machine both fit on a fairly small roll around cart.



  8. #8
    Boolit Buddy
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    Thanks for the help! I am tired of low capacity low power pots that can't keep up and thought maybe a custom one was in order. Thanks!

  9. #9
    Banned
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    I've seen people stack pots, where the upper pot feeds the lower pot.
    You could put a lee 10# above your pot and when your pot starts getting low drain the 10-pound pot into it and re-fill the 10 #----- endless supply of at temperature lead.
    But you don't get the fun and aggravation of building your own

  10. #10
    Boolit Man
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    North Dakota
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    I am familiar with messy bears setup. He built a bench to do just that. With the two pots that is.
    Very interesting conversation here. Hopefully messy bear figures this out and builds a spare for a friend while he is at it!!

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Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check