My Casting Table - w/ photos

[Ben]

Today I finished the set up of my casting table. I'd been using a small 4 lb. Lee melter fed by a 10 lb. bottom pour pot that was elevated above the 4 lb. pot.

Today I made a change and put a 20 lb. Lee Mag. Melter ( for ladle use only) in place of the 4 lb. pot.

My best casting seems to be done with a ladle. My fastest casting seems to be done with a good bottom pour pot. I'm at a point now in my casting and shooting that I'm leaning heavily in the direction of quality over quanity. I don't mean to say that those of you that are working with bottom pour are not making good bullets, yours may very well be miles ahead of mine, I just believe that I have better success with a ladle.

My set up allows me to ladle cast from my 20 lb. Lee pot. I won't add any ignots to this large 20 lb. pot. All ignots are added to the 10 lb, pot above, as I drop the alloy level in the 20 lb. pot, it is raised via. the 10 lb. pot that is above it. The molten metal moves down a 45 degree angled " feed shoot " into the 20 lb. pot below.

This offers me several advantages, no wait on metal to come up to proper temp when I'm raising the level of the pot with fresh alloy and no drop of my alloy temps. with cold ignots dropped into my 20 lb. pot. My goal is to have a consistent temp. alloy to cast with.

While I'm casting out of the 20 lb. pot, the 10 lb. pot above is working to melt new ignots.

By the way, I move my casting table from my basement to the outside via. caster wheels on the bottom of my casting table. This elevated arrangement may look dangerous, but it is all attached with 2 " long wood screws to prevent anything from tipping over when the table is moved.

Works great for me ! !

Photos below :

This 1st photo shows the manner in which I've elevated the 10 lb. pot above the 20 lb. pot :

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v494/haysb/Casting%20Table/PICT0001.jpg

You can see in the photo below, any alloy that ends up on the
" splash plate " of my 10 lb. pot is simply raked off into the
20 lb. pot.....REAL SIMPLE ! !

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v494/haysb/Casting%20Table/PICT0002.jpg

Here is the method that I use ( with gloves ) to get molten alloy from the upper pot into the lower pot for casting.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v494/haysb/Casting%20Table/PICT0004.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v494/haysb/Casting%20Table/PICT0006.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v494/haysb/Casting%20Table/PICT0007.jpg

[No_1]

That is a real nice looking setup Ben. Good thinking to use the stuff you have on hand to make it work for you. This is why this board works. Free thinking people who do not mind trying something out then posting it here for all to see. Thanks for sharing your idea.

Tell me a little about your avatar.

Robert

[robertbank]

Great looking set up. You can reverse the top pot and do away with the spot if you want to. If you do make sure you bolt your stand down with an angle bracket because the top stand becomes tippy. Don't ask how I know this!:mrgreen:

Take Care

Bob

[Ben]

I promise that I won't ask.

Thanks for your comments.

Ben

[dragonrider]

I use similar setup.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/0603/PaulGauthier/double%20pot%20stand/doublepotstand001.jpg
the bottom pot in the pic has since been replace with a new Lee 20 lb'er.

[Ben]

Yours looks about 400% neater than mine ! !

Ben

[krag35]

Now I wish I hadn't thrown away that "drippy" 10# Lee pot when I bought the "drippy" 20# pot!!! That's a really neat idea. I cast a lot of sinkers, 1/8th oz to 48 oz, and running the 20# pot dry is always a problem. Yes, I throw perfectly good bullet alloy in the water.

[hammerhead357]

I will try to post pictures of mine. It works basicly the same. Also posting picture of one of the ingot feeders that feed the top or premelting pot. There is a small chain that goes from a float in the lower or casting pot up and over a small pulley and back down to the handle of the premelt pot which keeps the head pressure of the alloy about the same in the casting pot. Wes
I forgot to mention that the ingots hang from the round cylinder with the hook on the right side of the dark chain. These ingots weigh about 25 lbs in wwm.

[robertbank]

Your set up is the same as mine. I trust you had the sense to use angle iron to hold the top stand to the bottom stand. All it takes is for your knee to come up and bump the table and.....well let us just say things get interesting in a hurray.:mrgreen:

Take Care

Bob

[Murphy]

Ben,

Now there's something I think I will be trying in the near future. I have 2 of Catshooter's #429421 Keith molds on order, and that will sure nuff be a much better way to keep the lead pot running.

Krag35, I do hope I can find my old Drip O'matic 10 pounder somewhere in my garage. Now I have a great way of putting it back online.

Murphy

[Ben]

Murphry:

When I'm not using my " Drip - A- Matic " Lee 10 pound Upper Pot, I simply twist the valve rod a little and give it a soft tap , that stops the drip 99% of the time , I pick up my ladle and start casting from my filled 20 lb. lower pot.

A great way to get some added mileage from your " Lee Drip - A- Matic." The primary role of my Lee 10 lb pot is to pre-heat my alloy and deliver it at the appropriate temp. to my primary casting pot , the new Lee 20 lb. Mag. Melter.

Best,

Ben

[MT Gianni]

Ben, What is the cover on your Lee 10# pot made from? It looks like a great idea to cut down on oxidizing. Gianni.

[Ben]

MT Gianni

I had some scrap sheet metal that is the type and thickness used in heating and A/C duct work. I took a pair of snips and cut out a circle.
You need to cut out a notch for the valve rod.( look close at the photo below and you'll see that notch )

I used a single screw to put a small " handle " on the cover. Presto ! !
I've been using this now for about 10 - 12 yrs. Not pretty, but works great !

And yes, it helps on start up time and it also helps minimize oxidation.

Thanks,

Ben
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v494/haysb/Casting%20Table/555.jpg

[Patrick L]

How exactly do you reverse te top pot on its base? I too replaced my 10 lb Dripmaster with a 20 lb Dripmaster (although they don't drip THAT much, certainly not enough to warrant pots costing 4x - 5x as much) but I kept my 10 pounder "just in case."

Since I don't have it setting in front of me, if someone who has reversed theirs could elaborate...

Also, Robertbank would you please clarify exactly what you mean about the angle iron? Certainly I understand the need to bolt or screw the pot down (both pots) but am I missing something else ?

[robertbank]

Hi

There are four screws under the base of the pot. On mine two were longer than the other two. Note which hole they come out of as you don't want to strip the aluminum pot. Remove the screws, turn the pot around and attach the base to the pot.

If you do this make sure you use an angle bracket to tie down your stand to the table you are using to place your pot on. There is 10#'s of lead overhanging the base now and just attaching the base to your stand is half the job. The other is attaching the stand to the table. I very nearly spilled a full pot on my lap when I accidently hit my table with my knee. As it was I did an Indian rain dance to avoid some of what spilled. Could have been much worse!

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=2378&d=1163621541

In this picture I have not attached an angle bracket. I put one in the middle of the stand that holds the top pot and attached it to the table.

Take Care

Bob

[dragonrider]

Bob
My top pot is screwed to the stand and the top and bottom stands are glued and screwed together as one unit, when in use it is screwed to the bench.

[robertbank]

You realize by doing so you have saved yourself the opportunity to never have to worry about birth control again.:mrgreen:

Mine is tied down real good, now. I am one of the guys Will Rogers was thinking of when he talked about electric fences.

Take Care

Bob

[Patrick L]

Thanks guys.

I guess the point I was missing is that the important thing is that all pots be anchored securely in a manner that will prevent tipping either over. The angle bracket is just one possible way to achieve this.

[robertbank]

Yea I kind of dragged on it a bit but I scared the death out of me for being so stupid and I sure don't want anyone else as dumb as I, to do the same thing. I came very close to going through a voice change and I am to old to be a choir boy.

Take Care

Bob

[Rooster]

I feel like a thief on this site! If it wasn't so late I swear I'd go out and rig that up with my old Lee pot right now. Thanks for the great ideas guys. I get so excited sometimes its embarassing.

[Norton]

This is my casting bench and these are my boys casting a few 303.

[Nueces]

That's about the homiest (read carefully) lookin' outfit I've ever seen. Believe Elmer Keith would have been comfortable there. I like the WW1 photos, too. Relative?

[Norton]

Yes I think Elmer would be comfortable in my casting room, but not with my skill.
Thats why I joined this board, maybe I can pick up some know- how from you folks.
As for the photos It is a pass and review from a Natl Guard Div (29th) F/A unit circa 1941 and Gen Patton beside a FT 17 cira 1918
Thanks for the compliment,outside it may be 2007 but inside my casting room it's 1954.

[Howdy Doody]

Great looking set ups you guys have. I have the Lee 20# dripper myself. I found though that if I am ladeling, I stick a block under spout and it build up a small pyramid and quits dripping.
However, since I am getting an RCBS pot soon, I think your method is excellent way to do my precast melting and I am gonna swipe your plan. Thanks.:-D

[LAH]

Neat..........Creeker