A new toy

[Doubles Shooter]

I was just given an old Lyman mould master pot. It will be getting a complete re-do soon. The guy didn't know if it worked, but when I plugged it in it warmed up. I don't know if the heat control works, but there appear to be work around parts available. It also looks like he bypassed the plug in cord. I will make a better repair. It will be fun working on it.

[Winger Ed.]

That's a cool project.

And who said they won't last forever!

[Doubles Shooter]

I can't figure out why some pictures come up sideways. Sorry

[Alstep]

I've picked up a couple of those pots through the years. One had a short near the thermostat, easily fixed. One has the plug in cord, and the other is wired just like yours. So I guess they made them both ways. I also have an old SAECO pot, it's identical to the Lyman except for the nomenclature. I turn the thermostat up to full high, and regulate the pot temperature through a PID I wired up. Great pots, they just seam to last forever.

[Phlier]

I've picked up a couple of those pots through the years. One had a short near the thermostat, easily fixed. One has the plug in cord, and the other is wired just like yours. So I guess they made them both ways. I also have an old SAECO pot, it's identical to the Lyman except for the nomenclature. I turn the thermostat up to full high, and regulate the pot temperature through a PID I wired up. Great pots, they just seam to last forever.

I was just going to post the same thing... the old SAECO pot I inherited from my Dad looks just like the Lee pot in the OP. And it still works perfectly.

Rather than worrying about repairing the temperature control, hook that pot up to a PID! What a great find.

[georgerkahn]

Bion, I now have three of these! The only two faults I've had with mine include: 1/ The (imho) very poorly designed 110VAC plug/cord going into an Eisen-glass socket. The one I purchased in the 1970s brand new broke after but a few years, and the two I bought (quite) used also had the socket broken. My solution/repair? Totally eliminate the plug/socket concept, soldering in a ~6" length of 12ga wire with high-heat insulation, followed by soldering to a cord from a Percolator coffee pot. This has worked famously on all three, since!
The #2 problem was/is the thermostat, which is a simple heat-actuated by a bimetalic coil switch -- the contacts eroded, often sticking closed. To "fix" this, I just took a short length of bare 12ga copper wire and soldered that across the contacts -- at, of course, the switches base. Now, I have pots without any thermostat/heat control. NO problem for me, as I have an outboard PID which I plug pot I'm using into, with the sensor in the alloy. The PID keeps alloy temperature perfectly regulated!
While I have/use a ProMelt for most of my bullet casting, for projects ranging from fish sinker/jig casting to bullets requiring a "special" alloy -- I find these invaluable.
BEST wishes re yours!
geo