explain please

[Hardcast416taylor]

Start checking at the `Great American mainstay` the local yard sales. I found 2 hotplates that were double burnered for $3.00 and $3.50. All burners worked with 3 temp settings for each. I also got an iron 10" flat skillet that I lay on a burner set to medium and pre-heat my molds that way.Robert

[1_Ogre]

I got my hotplate from Wally World, single burner. At the scrap yard I got a square (10"x10") piece of 1/2" steel and lay that on the burner. Fire the hot plate up, give it time to heat the the steel plate and that makes sure the moulds are Pre-Heated. Just the way I do it, if have 3-4 moulds to heat up

[Soundguy]

Start checking at the `Great American mainstay` the local yard sales. I found 2 hotplates that were double burnered for $3.00 and $3.50. All burners worked with 3 temp settings for each. I also got an iron 10" flat skillet that I lay on a burner set to medium and pre-heat my molds that way.Robert

Easy to add a triac controller for more variation in temp.

[1_Ogre]

Best way I've found to pre-heat a mould is when you fire off your pot, set the mould(s) on the rim of the pot. By the time the lead's melted, the moulds will be pretty much up to temp. Only been doing it like that for decades, and it works

[ascast]

Best way I've found to pre-heat a mould is when you fire off your pot, set the mould(s) on the rim of the pot. By the time the lead's melted, the moulds will be pretty much up to temp. Only been doing it like that for decades, and it works

yes you don't need wally or any of that, use what you have. I too have used this method for DECADES with fine results. Also I always keep an extra mold warm in case one I'm using developes an issue; I can still cast up the melt.

[Master Samwise]

Thanks guys , I've already found this thread useful.

[Master Samwise]

I'm new to casting but I am intrigued by the idea of using a double burner setup with one side pre-heating molds and the other maybe warming ingots.

[lightman]

Best way I've found to pre-heat a mould is when you fire off your pot, set the mould(s) on the rim of the pot. By the time the lead's melted, the moulds will be pretty much up to temp. Only been doing it like that for decades, and it works

I did that when I used a Lyman pot. The cast iron liner extended out of the pot about an inch and it worked really well. My RCBS pot has a thinner stainless liner and the lip is much smaller and does not get nearly as hot. I started using a hot plate and a piece of 1/8th steel plate.

[Mike W1]

FWIW, I made a couple warming shelves for my Lee 10# pots. Hottest I ever got a mold was 250-260°. Shortly after acquiring a hot plate I set it up for a PID control. Now by the time my pots are up to temperature my mold is at about 320-330° which is what this particular mold and alloy like. First bullets poured are right on the money weight wise. The nice thing about a PID control for the hot plate is you warm the ingots without melting them.

[white eagle]

most po-dunk towns have the internet
E-bay

[Mike W1]

most po-dunk towns have the internet
E-bay

That's where mine came from. 1000W with a solid top though I added a 1/4" aluminum plate over it. Didn't realize till that purchase that you could make an offer on an item and maybe save a bit. $12 shipped!

[Jack Stanley]

The only one I found at the local thrift shop kept popping the breaker . Rather than fix it I went back to keeping the mold on top of the pot .

Jack

[1bluehorse]

seems like every time someone asks a question about preheating a boolit mold, someone come out with "I got mine at Wal Mart for 10 bucks".

now explain to me how this little Po-dunk town with barely 100k in it can have not one, but TWO Wal Marts, and neither one of them has a ten dollar hot plate.

A town of 100k people is now a "po-dunk" town ????? Thought I lived in a "po-dunk" town (almost 2k , but I think they counted some of the deer that live in town) .....guess we're just the "po" part....

[Soundguy]

The only one I found at the local thrift shop kept popping the breaker . Rather than fix it I went back to keeping the mold on top of the pot .

Jack

there's not much to a hot plate.. pop it open for a looksee.

usually just a thermal fuse and a thermal, thermostat.

might have a bit of insulation missing on the thermostat rotary control.

[Jack Stanley]

Electrical equipment had a 24 hour guarantee , they took it back without question .

Jack