Where to buy cartridge heater for lubesizer

[ronbo]

Just for a project thought I would try and make a lubesizer aluminum plate heater with a cartridge heater element. Have a 15X8 inch aluminum 3/4 inch thick plate, cut a 5 inch by 8 inch section for a heater for a Star. Where could I find a cartridge type 120 volt heater, don't need it heat to more than 120 degrees.

[Dale53]

Lyman makes and sells a cartridge heater for their 4500 lube/sizer:

http://www.lymanproducts.com/lyman/bullet-casting/4500-lube-sizer.php

For a few more dollars you can get their flat heater that is drilled and tapped for Star, RCBS, and Lyman sizers. I have one of these and regulate the temperature (it gets hotter than I prefer without regulation). Any light switch rheostat will handle the regulation (I use an existing Dremel Tool speed regulator and a Harbor Freight Router speed control will work as well).

You will get a better price from Midway or Natchez than from Lyman direct.

Dale53

[Doby45]

I have been told you can use a pencil soldiering iron in the same fashion as the cartridge element.

[dragonrider]

http://www.google.com/search?sourceid=navclient&aq=0&oq=cartridge+hea&ie=UTF-8&rlz=1T4GGLL_enUS325US326&q=cartridge+heater

[ronbo]

Drilled and tapped the 3/4 inch aluminum plate for the Star bolt pattern since my last post, already use the Lyman universal heater with the Star but am always looking for a project. The new plate should work with a cartridge heater drilled in the side and maybe some cork material sandwiched under the aluminum plate like the Lyman heater has. How many watts with a 120 volt cartridge heater do I need?

http://www.hunt101.com/data/500/medium/sling_1087.jpg

[angus6]

ronbo found an my old post with the info,, Magmas 240v heater cartridges are 175 watt

[bpratl]

I fabricated a similar heater for my Star lubisizer and I purchased all the parts from Grainger. I received the parts next day for will call.

4NKH1 Cartridge heater .250 x 2"
4TCZ1 Adjustable thermostat (50-249 deg) - mounted on aluminum base.

I am still in the process on finishing the heated base.

[Casting Timmy]

McMaster sells cartridge heaters, you can always buy the 240V version to help drop the wattage. Most of the cartidge heaters they sell have to much wattage to last very long if you run them at their advertised voltage. A 240V heater ran at 120V will be 1/4 of the 240V rated wattage.

So if you get a 240V 100W heater and run it at 120V, you will have a 25W heater. If it was me I would cut off the back half of your plate and then try a 25W heater or maybe a little more if you'll run it in a cold room with a high temp lube requirement.

[rodsvet]

I bought a 100 watt 3/8 x 3 inch cartridge heater at Grainger. I drilled a 3/8 hole length wise in a 4.5 inch piece if 1 inch aluminum bar stock. I threaded the bar ends to 7/17 x 18. Then drilled a 3/8 hole from the side in 1 inch to intersect the long 3/8 hole. I pushed the cartridge heater into the bar allowing the wires to come out the intersecting hole. Then I threaded a 7/16 short bolt into each end. I attached the bar to a 5 inch by 6 inch piece of 1/4 aluminum plate that is threaded to accept the Star bolt pattern. I mounted this to a 5 inch by 8 inch piece of 1/2 inch plywood and hooked the wires that protruded out of the side of the bar stock to a receptical box mounted to the end of the plywood that has a rotary dimmer switch inside. Gets more than hot enough to make hard lube flow and is very adjustable. Looks like I bought it from Midway and works great. Rod

[ronbo]

One more question on connecting a two conductor heat cartridge, is the aluminum plate connected to the ground of the outlet?

Added, purchased a heater cartridge on e-bay (240 volt 150 watt 3/8 inch X 2 inch for $15)
Used at 120 volts the cartridge should heat at 37 watts using Casting Timmy math

[Casting Timmy]

On the cartridge heater, use either wire to go to the switch of your choice and tehn just run the ground to the plate.

Can I ask for a few people to post what wattage heater they are running and how much they have there reostat turned up?

As an example: I run a 100W heater and use anywhere from 20-25% power.

I am considering making myself a heated base and would like to know how much wattage people really are using.

[LUCKYDAWG13]

I JUST DID THE SAME THING FOR MY 450 WORKS GREAT
I ALLSO MADE A HOT PLATE FOR MY MOLD
I GOT A CARTRIDGE HEATER THAT GOES UP TO
1000 f NO I DONT RUN IT THAT HOT BUT I CAN

[fishboy747]

Where do you guys get that 3/4 inch aluminum plate it looks nice. Also would you be interested in selling a couple.

[LUCKYDAWG13]

i got the plate from work i can hook you up with a cartridge heater
if you need one i have #1 that i dont need

[fishboy747]

the cartridge or the plate and cartridge either way PM me and let me know thanks Dave

[bpratl]

I am using a 32 watt/120 volt 1/4" x 2" heater.
My aluminum base plate is 4" x 6" x 1/2",which I had laying around, and the cartiage was edge drilled, from the back, and placed half under the lube pump and the reservoir.

[LUCKYDAWG13]

fish boy pm sent

[Chicken Thief]

I once drilled and tapped a Lyman 450 on the rear for a 0.5Ω/50W resistor and hooked it up to an old PC supply and a 56degC (133degF) thermostat/breaker. Never had any complaints from the man http://i295.photobucket.com/albums/mm153/Chickenthief/Blandet/Smilere/wav-1.gif

[6bg6ga]

I purchased a cartridge heater from Omega engineering (Omega.com) the PN is CSH-104300V 1/4"X4" 300watt Price is $29.00 plus shipping.

Made a PID controller setup for it and it works great. It is ready to start sizing in roughly 5-7min after start up. I'm inpatient and the 300 watt heater gets things warmed up without having to wait 1/2 hr or more and its only about $5.00 more than one half the wattage. This could also be run with an inexpensive dimmer control for those wanting to keep it low budget.

[jaguarxk120]

If you wire in a light dimmer temperature can be controlled very easily.

[ronbo]

I did assemble the homemade star luber heater today with a 240 volt 3/8X2 inch 150 watt cartridge mounted in a 3/4 inch aluminum plate running on 120 volts or 37 watts. Works slick left it heat for 15 minutes at full power, the aluminum plate reached 127 degrees. On half power with light dimmer slider control stayed at about 98, glued a layer of thin cork on the back of the plate like the Lyman heater comes with.

[rockhunter]

As an alternative to a cartridge heater element I use automotive oil pan heaters. the one pictured is a 50 watt 2 inch by 5 inch 110 volt with AC plug on the end. For a simple dimmer/power limiter I use a Levition tabletop dimmer control, plug the heater plug into the plug on the Leviton and the plug the Leviton into the AC socket. Cost about $10 at the local Lowes

.http://castboolits.gunloads.com/imagehosting/thum_171594d934e976b1cc.jpg (http://castboolits.gunloads.com/vbimghost.php?do=displayimg&imgid=380)[url=http://castboolits.gunloads.com/vbimghost.php?do=displayimg&imgid=278][img]http://castboolits.gunloads.com/imagehosting/thum_171594d88c751bbc8f.jpg (http://castboolits.gunloads.com/vbimghost.php?do=displayimg&imgid=380)

The plate is more complicated then I now think is really needed, the next one I make up I will just use flat plate and 2 by 6 under it with the clearence recess cut on the wood with a router, rather than milling a recess channel in the aluminum plate.

[badluther]

Elegant solution. I like it.


As an alternative to a cartridge heater element I use automotive oil pan heaters. the one pictured is a 50 watt 2 inch by 5 inch 110 volt with AC plug on the end. For a simple dimmer/power limiter I use a Levition tabletop dimmer control, plug the heater plug into the plug on the Leviton and the plug the Leviton into the AC socket. Cost about $10 at the local Lowes

.http://castboolits.gunloads.com/imagehosting/thum_171594d934e976b1cc.jpg (http://castboolits.gunloads.com/vbimghost.php?do=displayimg&imgid=380)[url=http://castboolits.gunloads.com/vbimghost.php?do=displayimg&imgid=278][img]http://castboolits.gunloads.com/imagehosting/thum_171594d88c751bbc8f.jpg (http://castboolits.gunloads.com/vbimghost.php?do=displayimg&imgid=380)

The plate is more complicated then I now think is really needed, the next one I make up I will just use flat plate and 2 by 6 under it with the clearence recess cut on the wood with a router, rather than milling a recess channel in the aluminum plate.

[Bongo Boy]

Can I ask for a few people to post what wattage heater they are running and how much they have there reostat turned up?

I have the standard Lyman heater which I think is rated 45W, and I have it set during the cold months to run at 125F for the lube I use. Setup looks like this:

http://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x150/Bongo_Boy/Handloading/TempProbe.jpg

...with the thermocouple probe inserted into a 1/4" hole drilled into the press itself. Temperature controller is a Ranco, not sure the model anymore:

http://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x150/Bongo_Boy/Handloading/TempController.jpg

...and the entire back half of the press is encased in the spray insulation foam stuff you get at Home Depot, etc. Unfortunately, this panorama shot is the closest-in photo I have, buy you get the idea of the atrocity:

http://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x150/Bongo_Boy/Handloading/Bench05.jpg

This controller allows the control range to be set down to 1F, which is where I keep it...so it maintains a nice consistent feel to the press. Lube is Jakes' Purple Ceresin.


As an alternative to a cartridge heater element I use automotive oil pan heaters. the one pictured is a 50 watt 2 inch by 5 inch 110 volt with AC plug on the end

Nice. Wish I'd thought of that.

[Pigslayer]

McMaster-Carr has about any size cartridge heater that you would want. I bought two 40W, 120v cartridge heaters for 17.00 & change each + about $5.00 shipping.