Hot Plate for Moulds

[ben lurkin]

just get one with a solid top. I paid a whole $16 for mine.



Got it at Amazon.

[Buzz64]

I have the same one from Home Depot - $18 plus tax

[w0fms]

I have a PID on an "aroma" hot plate from Amazon... And I use a little sauce pan as a casting pot... I probably should someday get a bottom pour but I am really good with it and can set the mold on the plate at the same time as the small saucepan... Yeah I am that cheap and when I started casting, I couldn't find a proper pot anywhere... My boolits turn out just fine...

[Mike Kerr]

Good, practical, information in this thread. Thanks for helping a reloader become an old age caster.

[dikman]

I must be doing something wrong, 'cos I don't seem to need a hotplate .
I made a top cover for my RCBS out of ally plate. While it's heating up I sit the Lee mold on top, then when the lead's ready I pour the first two balls, let them sit in the mold for a few seconds to transfer their heat, dump them in the pot and from then on I'm good to go.

I feel like I'm missing out on something here...............

[Chuck_ls]

I was having a hard time finding a hot plate I liked, then one day I was looking at an electric skillet and noticed that the heating element was all in the bottom. I bought a cheap one at a garage sale, cut one side off so the molds would set flat without the handles burning and have been happy with the results. It has a temperature controller that can be set for different temps.
Chuck

[jmort]

"...cut one side off so the molds would set flat without the handles burning..."

I saw your's or someone else's and it makes so much sense. I'm going to copy. Thanks

[snuffy]

I have read a lot of threads about preheating moulds with an electric hot plate. My issue with this is it is electric, and the heater turns on and off to maintain temperature.

I'm pondering whether a propane hot plate with a small sheet of steel or cast iron skillet would do a better job than electric by keeping a more even temperature on the mould? In so much as possible I would like to work with gas instead of electric.

My thinking is that if I have a gas hot plate at temperature, I can set my mould on it while I tend to pot refilling, and other duties. Hopefully I would able to go right back to casting with a mould that is ready.

Thanks,
Bruce

I'd be VERY afraid of putting anything on a propane hot plate. Why?¿ Because you could easily MELT an aluminum mold if you got it too hot! Hot enough to melt AL. could possibly harm a brass or iron mold.

I don't know how you could control a propane heater closely enough to not get it too hot. Appearance of the flame? If using a thermometer, then you'd be spending all your time trying to control the temp of the hot plate instead of casting boolits.

I got a cheap model at wally world, it has the exposed element ring. I put an aluminum plate on top to even out the heat, run it between med-high.

PUTTING AN AL. MOLD ON AN EXPOSED HOT PLATE COIL WILL RESULT IN HOT SPOTS WHERE EACH COIL CONTACTS THE MOLD. IF TOO HOT, IT CAN WARP THE MOLD. IF YOU'RE LUCKY IT WILL COME STRAIGHT AFTER IT COOLS. That's why a lot have built an oven to "surround" the mold with heat.

[OuchHot!]

I like Chuck's idea....very simple and covers the bases really well.

[mazo kid]

Years ago I picked an old hot plate off the curb, now is that inexpensive or what?!. It is cast iron, coated with white porcelain, has two solid heating elements. Controls are two of the heavy duty "snap" rotary switches....high, medium, low, off. I have been using it for 25+ years now, not much for heating molds, but pretty much any other heating chore, from melting raw lead for making ingots, to mixing lubes.