Don't need no stupid thermometer

[DeanWinchester]

Yep, I've said that for years. Cast thousands upon thousands of good boolits without a thermometer. Thought the idea was silly. Then, I started having unsolvable issues so I tear every thing back down to bare block and rebuild. I traded around with one of Castboolits finest members and got myself a new thermometer. Where I've been casting and where I SHOULD have been casting......much difference. About 175 degrees difference!

Shame on me.

Even old dogs can learn to sit.

[fastfire]

Wait till you get a PID, you'll think why didn't I do this before?

[45 2.1]

^^^^^^ So, where does one get one for a gas fired pot ^^^^^

:bigsmyl2: :bigsmyl2: :bigsmyl2:

:kidding:

[Master_Mechanic]

^^^^^^ So, where does one get one for a gas fired pot ^^^^^

:bigsmyl2: :bigsmyl2: :bigsmyl2:

:kidding:

Its doable, where I work we have temporary construction heaters ranging from 400000btu to 2.2million with electronic gas valves, could rob all the bits and pieces from one to make your "pid"

[bangerjim]

^^^^^^ So, where does one get one for a gas fired pot ^^^^^

:bigsmyl2: :bigsmyl2: :bigsmyl2:

:kidding:

I am an instrumentation engineer and the company I own sells all the "stuff you need. Not cheap. Controlling nat gas or propane is far more difficult than controlling a Solid State Relay for your electric pot. You could attempt to do it with on-off control using a 24vdc solenoid. You would need a pilot light to ignite every time the controller called for heat. Not very accurate and VERY "spikey" due to the literal instant on & off of the heat. Your electric pot element ramps up and down slowly and tuning the controller is far easier than with almost instant heat. The over-shoot of control could be tuned out with a lot of time and playing around with the P-I-D algorhythms.

A more accurate way would be true proportional control with a motorized throttling gas control valve. It would open and close to whatever amount needed to maintain the temp called for. You still need the pilot light.

And in many locations, local safety codes do not allow "weekend plumbers" to build home brew gas-operated appliances due to fire code violations. You would have to check. But if one lives in the boonies or a swamp, I guess there would be no codes? Does not sound like you do, being in Chi-Town.

Everything is possible, given the will to do it and unlimited funds. I sell controllers and industrial temp control equipment.........and I do NOT use a PID controller or even a thermometer.........and have always cast perfect boolits 99.99% of the time....a HOT mold right off a hotplate is most of the battle people seem to fight in their quest for wrinkle-free perfect boolits, not a PID controller for lead temp.

bangerjim

[bangerjim]

Something I have learned from a LOT of casting..........there is a "poor man's" thermometer in every boolit you water drop. If the boolits do not hiss & sizzle hard when they hit the water, you are not at a good casting temp. I know it is not scientific or "PID", but if your pour is of correct temp and the mold is at HOT casting temp, your drops will make the water sizzle as they hit. No sizzle = you probably will have poor fill and/or wrinkles.

Check it out. It is actually a pretty good seat-of-the-pants indicator of the quality of your dropped boolits.

bangerjim

[wallenba]

Thermometer saves me time. I would always wait well past the 'go' time to be sure. Now I know how long till it melts, then when it's best to flux, and finally when it's ready to pour.

[45 2.1]

Darn, I thought the big smiles and the yanking chain was a clue that it was impractical...........

[covert]

Codes! Codes! We don't need no stinking codes!

[EDG]

Only for you


Darn, I thought the big smiles and the yanking chain was a clue that it was impractical...........

[Smoke4320]

^^^^^^ So, where does one get one for a gas fired pot ^^^^^

:bigsmyl2: :bigsmyl2: :bigsmyl2:

:kidding:

Colorado and Now Washington State :) :)

[Jayhawkhuntclub]

I don't own a thermometer. I prefer to remain ignorant as to why I need one. It truely is bliss.