Master caster quesion

[Moonman]

I would like to know the height of the operating handle in its up position to the bottom of the base stand of the machine itself. I'm looking at drawing up a bench to suit my size requirements for garage storage and myself standing while casting.
Thanks.

[ReloaderFred]

It's 10.25" from the bottom of the base to the top of the handle.

I think you're going to find that it's much less tiring to use the machine from the sitting position. I've spent 8 hours on my machine and there's no way I could do that standing.

I built a framework out of 2x6 lumber for mine to set on that's open at the front, facing me. I built two wooden boxes that slide under the machine, inside the framework. The back box is for catching the bullets and the front box is for catching the sprues. If you work out the size of your boxes properly, the bullets will fall into the back box and the sprues into the front box. You'll see when you get your machine how they fall. The bullet box has a piece of heavy towel in the bottom to cushion the bullets.

I may raise my framework another 1.5" to get more clearance, so I can raise the sides of the bullet catching box. Right now, I have to empty it after casting 400 .45 caliber bullets. When I get going, it's a distraction to have to empty the box.

Hope this helps.

Fred

[Colorado4wheel]

Wow, 8 hours of casting. How many bullets did you make. How do you like the stock temp control unit?

[ReloaderFred]

The volume with the Master Caster depends on the size of the bullet being cast. With 105 gr. .38 bullets, I can maintain about 500 an hour, but with 200 gr. .45 bullets, I'm getting about 350 an hour. It's really no faster than using a 6 cavity mold (or even a 10 cavity, like my H&G gang mold), but it doesn't beat you up like hand casting does. I can spend 8 hours on the Master Caster and then go do something else. With hand casting, I'd be done in about 4 hours and looking for my easy chair. That's the biggest difference. The Master Caster doesn't wear you out.

I look at the 50+ molds I've got that require hand casting and think harder about selling them off all the time. I've got two bottom pour casting pots, a 10 lb. and a 20 lb. that haven't been warmed up since I got the Master Caster. It's going to take really needing a bullet I don't have a mold for the Master Caster to get me to use either one of them.....

The stock temperature controller works fine for my needs. I've never used a PID, so I don't know how much difference it would make, but if I was ordering a new Master Caster, I'd probably have them install the PID at the factory.

Hope this helps.

Fred

[Colorado4wheel]

Thanks for the response.

[ReloaderFred]

You're welcome. I should have added that the reason it's slower with the larger bullets is because the mold gets too hot and it takes longer for the sprue to harden. If you rush it, you end up with lead splatters all over the place. Once you see the sprue start to shrink, then you can move the handle forward enough that it's in the draft from the fan and that finishes it cooling enough to dump the bullets.

I've got a couple of double cavity .45-70 molds for the Master Caster and they're even slower to cast, but they produce nice bullets. It's still easier than hand casting. I can get about 300 per hour with those molds.

The nice thing about the Master Caster is all you're moving is your right arm, most of the time. Oh, and the thumb and forefinger of your right hand to manipulate the trigger for the spigot.

Hope this helps.

Fred

[Moonman]

ReloaderFred,
Thanks for the info. Springtime 2012 is looking like a really great time.:cbpour:

[finishman2000]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JyXGQp0oolQ

[Colorado4wheel]

It's hard to watch that and then do what I do to make bullets.

Actually I watched the link attached to that link on the Master Caster 7 mold setup. Thats just sick.

[angus6]

It's hard to watch that and then do what I do to make bullets.

Actually I watched the link attached to that link on the Master Caster 7 mold setup. Thats just sick.

Do like I did, find a used Bullet Master MK 5 for a little more then double the Master Caster price