RCBS Pro Melt 2 - And the Sale That Never Was...

[Mal Paso]

I wonder why Midway would have them in stock and the actual RCBS website shows them as being out of stock? One would think RCBS would have them in stock before a vendor?

RCBS does not undercut retail distributors. RCBS charges List Price on their site and likely stocks distributors first. Midway was $30 off if I remember right.

[Gunslinger1911]

"New and improved !!!"

Only took em a year to figure out how to set the defaults on the PID correctly and consistently.
I'm impressed - NOT

I still have the email from last Nov from cust serv, acknowledging that a "small number" of units had issues.
So this caused them to halt production for a year ???
Also promising me a "properly operating unit when in stock" - lol; I don't wanna buy a bridge from you either.
Kinda pegged my "BS" meter
I understand biz to a small extent - I'm an over educated redneck chemist working for a very large company, If I treated my customers like this- my company wouldn't be large for long !

As I have said before, I hope RCBS got the bugs worked out - they have been a great company for decades.

Time will tell, but I'd recommend a Lyman for $100+ more for now.

[Burnt Fingers]

"New and improved !!!"

Only took em a year to figure out how to set the defaults on the PID correctly and consistently.
I'm impressed - NOT

I still have the email from last Nov from cust serv, acknowledging that a "small number" of units had issues.
So this caused them to halt production for a year ???
Also promising me a "properly operating unit when in stock" - lol; I don't wanna buy a bridge from you either.
Kinda pegged my "BS" meter
I understand biz to a small extent - I'm an over educated redneck chemist working for a very large company, If I treated my customers like this- my company wouldn't be large for long !

As I have said before, I hope RCBS got the bugs worked out - they have been a great company for decades.

Time will tell, but I'd recommend a Lyman for $100+ more for now.

A year during which the Chinese Communist Party released the virus. It normally can take 4-6 months to get anything done in China. Add in the virus.....

[pacomdiver]

they are up to 289 from 269 2 days ago

[Beagle333]

Midway shows them in stock now (1/4/2021, 2:25pm Central)

[pacomdiver]

Today, they are up to 304.99

[Dimner]

So.... just an update....

I bought my pro melt 2 from brownells about 3 weeks ago when they had about 3 in stock.

Well wouldn't you know....it seems like I received one of the not improved PM2. Takes a very long time to heat up and get alloy to a usable temp, and the temp is no where near correct. I echo the statement that the temp sensor must be too near the heating element. My pot will jump from 75 degrees to 240 degrees within 1 minute of turning on. Of course the alloy isn't even above 100 in that time. But when I set it to 720, it will rise to that temp in about 10 minutes, but take at least another 15 to melt.

Then after being on for a whole 45 minutes and letting the whole thing try to sort itself out, I get readings that are around 75 degrees off from the temp probe of my Hatch PID.

Really not a satisfied customer. This rcbs quasi PID is a total pain in the rear. I would have bought a pro melt 1 if it had been available and used my own PID.

Now I have to figure out if I want to try and bypass the PID and use my external Hatch PID, or return it.....

Or maybe there is a workaround?

[Mr_Sheesh]

I am starting to think the thing to do would be to buy one, disassemble it to figure out the problems, figure out fixes, and document the fixes, but not everyone can do all that, plus it might void your warranty. Crazy-making, this. I'm in favor of the concept of "the dang thing should darned well work right, as delivered,, right out of the box!" for some reason; Call me picky, if you must!

[FLINTNFIRE]

Well as to taking them apart I can say mines fan started making noise and it has screws into nuts on inside which will fall inside when unscrewed , rest is riveted , these are not meant to be serviced .

I used air compressor to blow out dust bunnys on fan , I also have to run my temp higher to keep spout from freezing up , not sure my casting thermometer is reading accurate as it reads pretty low on other pot compared to melt , so I am still flying by the seat of my pants using dead reckoning for navigation as far as the internal PID on these .

I have a Lee 10 lb and a Lee 20 lb and a RCBS pro melt , this newer pro melt 2 looks more like a lee and when new started dripping like one , yes I got the newer rods and it still likes to drip a little now and then , I am not unsatisfied completely with it , But I am a little disappointed with it .

If I could justify the expense a Magma would be nice , as it is I continue to use the pro melt 2 for main pot and the lee 10 lb for pure lead and 2 cavity black powder casting . Other pots are waiting in case they are needed .

[Dimner]

I should mention that my pot has had no problems with drips in the 12-14 hours that I have cast with it. I have read that if your Pro Melt II is experiencing drips, RCBS will send you a new stem that takes care of the problem.

The only issue is the temperature. The pot has been worth the price if it were not for me trying to figure out how to get it to the temp I want to cast with. Fighting a PID that is using false temp readings as an input is just a lesson in agony.

Perhaps I should start a different thread with the problems I am having and we can deep dive into what could be done for a fix. The best option would be to re-route and mount the thermocouple from the top so it read the temperature from the alloy. That's probably something I'm capable of. The other option I would be open to would be to just bypass the entire RCBS temperature unit, PID, and thermocouple. I would then use my Hatch PID. However, I think that is something I would need help with figuring out. I would need to bypass the RCBS temp control in a manner of speaking. Probably more accurately I would need to be able to set the RCBS temp control at a static temperature and bypass the PID.


I'm not opposed to hacking/modding the pot, but I bought mine from Brownell's so I could return it with ease. But then what would I use for a pot? I don't want to goto a lee bottom pour. The lyman is too expensive. I have come up empty with finding a Pro Melt one on the swap and sell. I was previously ladle casting. My intent was to use the bottom pour to cast more consistent .225 bullets and allow me to use molds with more cavities with ease.

[onelight]

Well if worst come s to worse you can rig your new pot to run wide open and add an external PID and temp probe.

[Dimner]

Well if worst come s to worse you can rig your new pot to run wide open and add an external PID and temp probe.

you mean wide open like no thermostat or temp control at all other than my external PID using its logic to turn on and off the pot? Not sure I want to go that route. This pot seems powerful and I would be more comfortable in running it at a static 75% or something of the like, and then letting the PID take over.

[Mal Paso]

you mean wide open like no thermostat or temp control at all other than my external PID using its logic to turn on and off the pot? Not sure I want to go that route. This pot seems powerful and I would be more comfortable in running it at a static 75% or something of the like, and then letting the PID take over.

No good way to do that. Best to wire the plug direct to the heating element and put a big label on the pot to never run without PID. There are snap action high limit switches to prevent runaway but you would have to research which one.

None of the commercial pots even Magma have the thermocouple IN the alloy, they are all outside the pot. I have a Pro Melt 2 and have not had temperature issues just drips but the cooldown is irritating enough. If I have issues with the oh so delicate PID it will get removed, I'll use an external PID/SSR/ with the Probe directly in the lead. I had 2 Lee 4-20s with the thermocouple brazed through the bottom of the pots with 1/2" inside the pots. I haven't been able to duplicate that level of brazing with the new torches .... yet.

RCBS will take it back as well as Brownells. They both stand behind their products. Or you could let your Dr Frankenstein side lose ......

[onelight]

You could find a plug set that would plug only into the PID.

[Tortoise1]

I’m looking at getting into casting and was considering a PM2. A new old stock PM1 came up for sale and I stumbled on this thread trying to research if the old version was any good. I’m glad that I did and think that I will pick up the PM1.

[swamp]

I’m looking at getting into casting and was considering a PM2. A new old stock PM1 came up for sale and I stumbled on this thread trying to research if the old version was any good. I’m glad that I did and think that I will pick up the PM1.

My first one (bought when first came out) worked so well I got two more over the years.
swamp

[Dimner]

My pm2 is sitting unused as I continue to ladle cast. Not really because the temp being off, but I cannot get good results with 22cal bullets and a bottom pour pot.

[GRid.1569]

Today, they are up to 304.99

Lucky you... in the U.K ( if you can find one) £500+ ($700+)... it would be cheaper to get a return flight and collect one from a hotel delivery and stock up on t-shirts, jeans and training shoes... maybe even get some Linotype from rotometals at the same time ����

[John Wayne]

Who would have thought...RCBS and didn't properly test it before putting it on the market.
The best solution is to get Hatch to start building a Magma quality pot ;^) Yep!

[Renofish]

I have had most of the bottom pour furnaces. This is my second RCBS bottom pour furnace and my first Pro Melt 2. The PM2 is by far my fastest and smoothest running pot I have used. The PM2 I have was a used unit which I purchased from someone from this site. Even though it is used, it works like a new unit. I enjoy the drip free (no mess) spout and the PDI controller is great. It was about 40 percent faster than my Lee 4-20 and just faster than the old RCBS pot and the Lyman pot For the price, ease if use and the warranty I believe it is the best bottom pour pot for your cast bullet needs. I have contacted RCBS for couple of warranty related produces over a 50 year span and they have come through each and every time for me. So I recommend to go GREEN and support a company that supports it's customers.