Buying an electric melter - a personal saga....

[dikman]

Many years ago I used to cast fishing sinkers/lures. I used an old saucepan on a camping stove and a soup ladle to pour the lead. Simple and it worked. Fast forward many years and I've suddenly taken up blackpowder shooting! "Ah", thinks I, "it should be easy to cast round balls using my old setup". And it is - once I made a pourer like the Lyman with a small nozzle. Made quite a few hundred balls that way. However, it slowly became obvious that there were a couple of potential problems with this method, to whit safety (a saucepan of hot lead balanced on a stove) and having to stand up while doing it - both being related to the fact I'm getting old! I don't like standing around too much anymore and am becoming clumsier, it seems.

So, an electric unit sounded like a good idea - at least I'd be able to sit down while casting. Lots of reading and searching of forums followed. Best value appeared to be the Lee 20 lb. bottom pour. While some have problems with them it was nothing I couldn't work around. The RCBS sounded real good, but at a doubtless significant price increase. Now, the real problem, I soon discovered, is that with you Yanks panic buying anything to do with guns almost everything is in short supply! I should add that I'm in Australia, which complicates things even more. After working my way through the big gunparts/accessory suppliers' websites, I found that they were either 1) on back order 2) didn't sell the "Export" versions (220v) or 3) wouldn't ship overseas.

I then decided to pay the inevitable higher price here (Lee is around $150) and buy from a local gunshop. Nice theory, but.... one shop had 5 on order and received 2 (already sold), with next delivery anywhere up to 16 weeks! Other shops likewise had nil stock and backorders. Aaaarrrggghhh. I finally found a shop that could get an RCBS Pro-melt, so I figured I might as well treat myself.......until he told me the price - over $800!!!!

Back to the internet.......after much searching I came across a site called lurepartsonline.com, and they listed both the Lee and the RCBS. I sent off a query about supplies, not being overly optimistic, and next day had a reply that yes, they had both the Lee and RCBS in stock (220v models)! The Lee came in at $154 (Aus) and the RCBS at $500, shipped. After all my stuffing around I figured it was an omen, so I decided to go the whole hog and order the RCBS. At that price I can't lose, as I can easily re-sell it for that if I decide I don't want it (very unlikely!).

The email from them actually said that they are hard to keep in stock as gun people use them for casting bullets (sounds like they are a bit surprised at that). I must admit, it never occurred to me to look at fishing places for a melter!!

Now I have a long two weeks wait.......

[jmort]

Either one would work. But if you have the $$$ you won't regret getting the RCBS melter.

[Mk42gunner]

I bought my first electric pot, a Lee 4-20, at a semi local fishing supply store. By the time I paid sales tax, it was about a wash with ordering online. The price they wanted for lead, on the other hand made me scrounge a bit harder.

Nothing I have bought, before or since has made casting as comfortable as using that 4-20 instead of the cast iron sauce pan on a Coleman stove.

Robert

[dikman]

It's on its way. Excellent service from them, and friendly emails too. Funnily enough, since retiring I've found time seems to be passing faster than ever, but all of a sudden it's slowed down. (Wonder why.....).

I know the Lee would have served my needs, but hey, it's nice to treat oneself once in a while (and I do like fancy toys).

[enfieldphile]

dikman,

I enjoyed your story!

Please update us when you get it.

As I get older, I find that I too like best-quality items and services, (I just purchased a Swiss made watch).

But I also try to get a good price as well. I have also found that some items can be not only best quality but also inexpensive!

I like and use Lee molds as well as higher price molds.

[22 rifle]

started with the lee but had bad leakage problems after awhile.after the rod totally disengaged one time and dumped 20 pounds of 800 degree melt (with me scrambling around with ignot moulds to catch it) i decided to go all the way and get a rcbs pro melt.the rcbs is a lot more expensive but but really nice i've never regretted getting it.sometimes it pays to go ahead and spend the cash and buy something better to start with then you only have to buy once,i'm sure that you will enjoy yours.if you follow the instructions that come with it should last many years.

[carbine]

I bought a Waage 20 lbs ladle pot from them for $163 brand new. Works like a dream

[w5pv]

I have an old Lyman that is old still works good,it takes about 20 minutes to come up to heat and drips a small amount during the casting.I think a good cleaning would take care of the drips.The way it looks it will be a hand men down to my grandson if he follows in my foot steps.

[shoot-n-lead]

I have used the Lee 20 for years and it has served it purpose well. It has it quirks like all things and is obviously not the same quality unit as the RCBS...but it does pour bullets. However, when I replace it...it will be with the RCBS...just for kicks.

[dikman]

For the money the Lee is pretty good value and I'm sure it would have served me well, but I'm in the fortunate position of being able to afford the RCBS (read: my wife said buy it if that's what I want :bigsmyl2:). Judging by the other posts it seems I may have been very lucky finding this one - they all seem to be in very short supply!!!

[dikman]

It arrived today, much to my surprise! 7 days from the US to Australia is pretty good! I had already watched a video on youtube so I knew how to put the thing together and then chopped off the US power plug and fitted an Oz one.

A couple of comments to follow, but first I must say it's a lovely piece of gear! Once I got it fired up I tried it out using my .451 RB mold (Lee 2-cavity) and in almost no-time at all I had 87 shiny round balls sitting there!! I can just see me casting lots of balls, simply 'cos it's fun!!!

First thing I found is that it took nearly an hour, from starting, to get it half-full of molten lead. I began, like the instructions say, at 650* with small pieces of sheet lead in the bottom. As they slowly melted I added more, but it caused it to solidify in the pot. Hmmm. I cranked up the temp to 750*, which was better. I don't have a thermometer, but I'm guessing that the thermostat setting is probably pretty inaccurate. The heating element appears to be around the lower half of the pot (not on the bottom) which would explain why it started melting better once I had a decent amount of liquid in there. Once the level came up the 1 1/2 lb. ingots melted pretty quick when I dropped them in (laying them across the top to pre-warm helped).

It has a mold support underneath, which works fine, but I found the two "guide collars" on it to be pretty useless. I bring the mold in at an angle from the left and found I was holding the mold on top of the collar, so they'll be coming off. I may modify it and make a flat plate to support the mold, depending how it works out. I'll also make a cover plate to slide over the top of the pot.

It also surprised me how little travel I need when lifting the handle to pour. I had far too much to start with and was having trouble controlling the flow (probably needs more with a bigger mold, I guess, but for me I need a very low flow rate).

This is just so much better than using my camp stove/saucepan/dipper system! There is simply no comparison. A lot of money, true, but in this case I have no regrets whatsoever. Highly recommended :drinks:.

[Wal']

Nice when a plan all comes together, hey :bigsmyl2: 7 days from the USofA is usually what I have when buying from there........then usually watch the tracking go back & forward between Melbourne & Sydney for the next few day's, frustrating but eventually Oz post or the couriers finally get the package to its right address.

Sounds like a nice unit, will definitely look out for the same if & when I burn out my Lee pot. :smile:

[dikman]

I've got quite a few kilos of fishing sinkers (pure lead), and as I don't go fishing much now I'll re-use them for shooting and cast a few new ones using range scrap (not-quite-so-pure lead). I think I'm looking for things to cast now :lol:.

We just had a holiday over at Bright, it's a beautiful part of Oz up in the High Country. Nice place to live, Wal'.

[Ed in North Texas]

I bought a Waage 20 lbs ladle pot from them for $163 brand new. Works like a dream

Ordered one today. The 4757 (officially 25 pound) pot is now $198 plus $25 S&H - and still the best dipping pot by reputation. And that is essentially how they sell this pot - by reputation. It isn't listed on their website or advertised. Nice folks to do business with too.