Magma master pot

[Roundnoser]

Gentlemen,

First, I did a search for this and found some information, but much of it was fragmented..a little here, a little there (maybe I didn't look hard enough, but anyway):

For those who own / use Magma's Master Pot / Master Caster. I currently have a Dripper 4-20, but want to increase my volume of casting using my Lee six cavity molds (9mm, 40 SW , 45 Auto).

What are the pro's and con's of the Master Pot (besides the price!). As I said, I would use it with 6 banger molds, and would like to run 2 molds in tandem. I currently do this on my 4-20, but she empties damn fast!

Anything to be cautious of? Any questions I should ask at Magma when/ if purchasing? One oriface or two? etc...

Thanks!

[870TC]

It's a good pot with decent temp control. You will like it, once it is paid for. You change the orifice by removing a metal disc on the bottom of the pot, one disc is single the other is double, can't remember if it came with both or if you have to buy them separate.

[Mntngoat]

mine came with a single orifice Need to order the double. Also wish I had ordered it in .220V
But ran a couple hundred lb's in ingots yesterday

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v648/Mntngoat/Firearms/Casting/64cb83d6.jpg


ML

[Roundnoser]

mine came with a single orifice Need to order the double. Also wish I had ordered it in .220V
But ran a couple hundred lb's in ingots yesterday

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v648/Mntngoat/Firearms/Casting/64cb83d6.jpg


ML
Why do you wish you ordered it in 220 V? I don't think I'd have much choice...I need the 110.

[AnthonyB]

MntnGoat;
What is the thermometer you have wired in there?

I have the 90lb pot in 220 volt, but haven't used it in several years. I will eventually get 220 ran to the casting room of my next house, but am making do with a Lyman 20 ld pot now.
Tony

[GLL]

Mntngoat:

How about some details on your controller !

Jerry

[GabbyM]

Great pots.
I run the double orifice on six cavity moulds. Only thing I use the singe hole on is my single cavity 45/70 rifle moulds.

You could also by an RCBS pot then use your Lee to premelt. Althoug the 40 pound Magma will just eat an eight pound ingot.

[Roundnoser]

Great pots.
I run the double orifice on six cavity moulds. Only thing I use the singe hole on is my single cavity 45/70 rifle moulds.

You could also by an RCBS pot then use your Lee to premelt. Althoug the 40 pound Magma will just eat an eight pound ingot.

How are you pouring with the double orifice? Are you pouring two cavities at a time as you move the mold in/out? (start, stop, start, stop...)

[lwknight]

Why do you wish you ordered it in 220 V? I don't think I'd have much choice...I need the 110.

One thing that I can think of is that the 220 uses exactly 1/2 the amperage that a 110 would. A lot of guys have a remote shack with a long wire to it. You can get more power through a 220 than a 110 without losing voltage over a long run.

[jmorris]

I built as close of a copy of one as I could from photos. It uses a 3500 watt 220v oven element controled by a PID.

http://i121.photobucket.com/albums/o213/jmorrismetal/caster5.jpg

http://i121.photobucket.com/albums/o213/jmorrismetal/caster3.jpg

http://i121.photobucket.com/albums/o213/jmorrismetal/caster1.jpg

[Roundnoser]

Very Nice JM. You have a talent there. I'd love to have your fabricating skills (I also saw and watched your brass seperator. Really cool. If I were your next door neighbor, I'd be borrowing stuff from your garage all day long!

I cast in my basement (vented). Its an older house with 110 service, so its 110 for me.

[Mntngoat]

Thats Magmas digital controller. Really a slick setup. Comes up to temp quick and holds it very well. After talking them to them this morning The extra juice I use allows me to cast anywhere there is a 110 Outlet which is a plus.

ML

[a roose]

I don't believe the master caster will work on a GFI circuit. It did not work for me until I removed the GFI receptacle. I was lucky enough that the code allowed me to do that.

[GabbyM]

How are you pouring with the double orifice? Are you pouring two cavities at a time as you move the mold in/out? (start, stop, start, stop...)

Yes I start the flow then poor the entire mould without stopping flow.
I’ve a Master Caster setting next to the hand poor pot. I move the squirrel cage fan off the Master Caster onto the other pot.

[Matt_G]

The extra juice I use allows me to cast anywhere there is a 110 Outlet which is a plus.

What extra juice? :confused:
You're not using any more "juice" with 120 volt than you would with 240 volt.
1500 watts is 1500 watts. Doesn't matter if you're getting there with 12.5 amps and 120 volts or 6.25 amps and 240 volts. Still going to be 1.5 kilowatt hours for every hour it's running on the electric bill.

[Mntngoat]

Thanks Matt thats why I build cabinets not wire homes.... :)

ML

[Roundnoser]

Is it worth the money? I use a Lee 4-20 and cast 15 - 20K pistol bullets a year. How much better than the 4-20 is it?

I have noticed its a real pain when the 4-20 pot runs empty and I'm still in the mood to cast...Kind of screws up the swing of things. I'm hopeful that the 40 pound pot will fix that problem.

Does the Master Cast pot drip / leak like the 4-20?

[Mntngoat]

mine does not seem to leak one drop as of yet.

[Sully]

Is it worth the money? I use a Lee 4-20 and cast 15 - 20K pistol bullets a year. How much better than the 4-20 is it?

I have noticed its a real pain when the 4-20 pot runs empty and I'm still in the mood to cast...Kind of screws up the swing of things. I'm hopeful that the 40 pound pot will fix that problem.

Does the Master Cast pot drip / leak like the 4-20?

Run a 20 lb Lee pot on the side constantly melting ingots. When the casting pot get low...just use a cheap SST ladle to ladle molten lead from the "melter" to the "caster".

[Roundnoser]

I recently e-mailed Magma Eng. to ask a few qustions...In a nutshell, the unit price for the Master Pot has increased to $595 plus $40 shipping. (I think it used to cost $575). They said they were having trouble keeping up with demand.

I really do like nice equipment, but $600??? Wow! I might just stick with my 4-20 pots for awhile longer!!!

[GabbyM]

The RCBS, I think? has a stainless steel pot. Takes up less space on a bench too.

[LAH]

The Master Pot is all I use for hand moulds. My pot has melted several tons of alloy with no problems............ZERO. I'm sure the larger Magma pot would be better but I'm happy with the 40 pounder. When using the double pour spout & a 4 cavity mould I pour two cavities, stop the pour, move the mould, pour the other two cavities. This way I can pour the streams through the center of the sprue cutter holes.

These pots aren't cheap & if I wasn't doing what I do I'd have a RCBS 20 pounder.

[Calehedron]

I was just over at Magma this weekend ordering a Master Caster. Its gonna be two weeks while they are waiting on heater blankets/elements for thier pots. Everyone is sick and in the hospital on top of it and Sylvia was running around frantic. She was surprised I wasnt "mad" that I had to wait 2 weeks since everyone else thats called them has been yelling about wanting thier machines NOW.

[Doby45]

Lets just say we are more "tempered" here than most folk. We hear a week here a week there and all of us are like *shrug* and we place the order. Good, cheap, fast. Pick two.

[fredj338]

Is it worth the money? I use a Lee 4-20 and cast 15 - 20K pistol bullets a year. How much better than the 4-20 is it?

I have noticed its a real pain when the 4-20 pot runs empty and I'm still in the mood to cast...Kind of screws up the swing of things. I'm hopeful that the 40 pound pot will fix that problem.

Does the Master Cast pot drip / leak like the 4-20?
I run a 4-20 & a MAsterCaster. I can tell you that the MC isn't any fster than the 4-20 & a 6cav mold. It's just you can stand there for hours pulling hte hnalde w/o fatigue. I can't imagine the 40# Magma has any advantage, for the money, of a 4-20. When casting w/ mine, I just add 2-3# ingots when it gets down 1/3. This keeps the alloy hot enough to continue casting w/ very little wait time, maybe 5min w/ a stir of the pot w/ a wooden paint stick. You could even run two 4-20, one to cast & one to add molted lead, but I just don't see the point.

[desiko]

I don't believe the master caster will work on a GFI circuit. It did not work for me until I removed the GFI receptacle. I was lucky enough that the code allowed me to do that.

Any idea why it tripped the GFCI? Could there be a grounding issue in the Magma?

[Plate plinker]

Any idea why it tripped the GFCI? Could there be a grounding issue in the Magma?

GFI recepticles don't like heating elements (my guess is they act to much like a short) like those same as hairdryers Air compressors pull hard at startup and trip them as well. I ran a stand alone 110v circuit for the master caster for this reason no GFI on that one.

No if you want real aggravation get a ARC fault circuit.

[lightman]

No if you want real aggravation get a ARC fault circuit.

Ain't that the truth! One of the dumber things in the NEC!

Even though this thread is 7 years old, I've enjoyed reading about the Master pot. Sure am thinking about one!

[Plate plinker]

Ain't that the truth! One of the dumber things in the NEC!

Even though this thread is 7 years old, I've enjoyed reading about the Master pot. Sure am thinking about one!

Yes my house, which I built with my own boney fingers has three of those and I am seriously thinking of replacing them with regular breakers. If I ever sell I would just put them back in service. Can not even run the vacuum in the bedroom. Seems to pop off if there is much over a cell charger running piece of junk.