Favorite Thermometers?

[P51D]

Greetings. Looking for ideas on your favorite casting pot thermometers. I'll be using it in my Lyman Big Dipper casting furnace. Just for grins, I tried a grill/smoker thermometer that runs up to 750 deg., but had poor results. Erratic readings, and the alloy seemed to stick to and coat the probe. Anyway, I know I can buy a nice RCBS thermometer, but was looking for a good lower cost solution that maybe I could find at Lowes, Farm and Fleet, etc.

Thanks

P51D

[imashooter2]

Tel-Tru has very good units at fair prices. NOE is a convenient source.

ETA: Alloy will stick to the probe of all thermometers used in a casting pot. When you remove it, hold it over the pot, pinch the probe between your gloved thumb and index finger and wipe the lead back into the pot. The hot alloy will come right off.

[Themoose]

I just got a Tel-tru and used it last night for the first time... really like it. I had a couple of Lyman before and had issues... one just stopped working and gave really wild readings and the other was way off with no way of calibrating.. the Tel-tru may be off a little, but it does have a calibration nut so you can adjust it.

[bangerjim]

"SOTP" brand. Thats "seat of the pants"!

I do not use a casting thermometer at all. After doing it "for a while" (!) I can can tell if the lead is to hot or too cold, or the mold is not right. Not rocket science......just common sense.

If you just absolutely must have a casting therm, do not waste your time with anything but one that is designed for casting pot measurement. They are about $30. You will not find anything at Lowe's (like grill thermometers) that will work. And do NOT even attempt to use an IR gun. Will NOT read shiny surfaces.......at all. Covered ad-neausium on here.

Good luck in our quest.

banger

[P51D]

Thanks for the advice!

Sorry for being a noob, but what is NOE and ETA?

[Garyb]

ETA - edited to add
NOE - http://noebulletmolds.com/ NOE makes a good mold.

[Garyb]

I use a Weston 4313 200-1000 degrees F. It's and industrial thermometer I got off eBay. It will probably be going strong after I'm died and gone.

[wistlepig1]

http://www.teltru.com/p-272-big-green-egg-primo-grill-dome-kamado-replacement-thermometer-lt225r-5-inch-stem-2001000-degrees-f.aspx

$22. , I have used it for 3 yrs- no problems. 200-1000 F.

[John Boy]

I bough my Tel-Tru Big Green Egg back in about 1997 ... same thermometer and have only checked the calibration twice! Just to see if the readings were on the mark, which they were!

[Ed_Shot]

http://www.teltru.com/p-272-big-green-egg-primo-grill-dome-kamado-replacement-thermometer-lt225r-5-inch-stem-2001000-degrees-f.aspx

$22. , i have used it for 3 yrs- no problems. 200-1000 f.

ditto

[P51D]

THANKS, all.