Suggestions on a furnace

[Down South]

I’m just getting started into casting and am now ready to buy a furnace. I’m looking at either the Lyman Mag 20 or the RCBS Pro-Melt. The RCBS furnace is around 80 bucks higher. Which of the two would you folks recommend or would you suggest another brand. I’m not crazy about buying a Lee after reading about the spout problems. I would like a 20 lb furnace. [smilie=1:

[felix]

Depends on the guarantee you prefer. You are paying for a lifetime guarantee with the RCBS and you'd be getting the friendliest complaint department in the gun world. ... felix

[montana_charlie]

Are you certain you want a pot with a bottom spoit?
CM

[Springfield]

Even though I bought a Magma 40 pounder I would never sell my RCBS 22 lber, it works so well. Just wasn't big enough for my commercial casting. I still use it for smaller jobs with different alloy.

[bobthenailer]

i had a lee 10 pounder when i first started casting then i went to a 10 pound saeco when the thermostat went south i bought a rcbs 22 pounder about 15 years ago never had a problem with it and i usually make at least 10,000 bullets a year . i perfer the lyman mould guide over the one that comes with the rcbs, but you will have to drill holes in the base and use spacers and long bolts to attache ,, also i seem to have read that the new rcbs pots by the new conglomerat? who now ownes rcbs is no longer offering a lifetime warrenty on the pot , ck it out on the web sight. bob

[Down South]

Are you certain you want a pot with a bottom spoit?
CM

Yes, I want a bottom Spoit. If I decide that I don't like it then I can always use a ladle. I'll be starting out with 6-cavity moulds. :Fire:

[mtgrs737]

When I started boolit casting 30 years ago, all I could afford was a Lee "Bullet Caster" 4 pound pot and a Lyman ladle. It worked well enough that I bought a second one a year later to up my production. About a year ago I got lucky and snagged a little used RCBS Pro-Melt on ebay for $175 shipped and it has changed my casting life. I like the way I can cast a lot of boolits without refilling and the adjustable heat control works wonderfully. I highly recomend the RCBS Pro-Melt. I have no experiance with the Lyman pot but I do like most of the products that I have that are made by Lyman. I would pay the extra for the RCBS and never think twice, it is a proven product and according to the comments I have read here other users feel the same. :castmine:

[sagamore-one]

Just my 2 cents worth. ... I have and use both furnaces. The Mag 20 has been rebuilt twice, both times it cost me money. The Rcbs has been rebuilt once, at Rcbs cost. Both units are Excellent !!!!!!!!!!!!! I do find the Mag 20 a little more user friendly and use it most of the time but keep the Rcbs as a backup. Normally I run 2 H&G 6 bangers or 2 H&G 8 bangers. In my humble opinion..... go for either one. You won't go wrong.
As for customer service, both have been more than helpful, extremely understanding, and in the case of Lyman, very affordable.

[calsite]

I second what felix said, RCBS has always been there to help me out, usually at no cost.

[Lloyd Smale]

i run 3 lyman pots and there good pots but if it were my money id buy the rcbs. Its just as good if not better and like was said rcbs really stands behind there products. I had my two big lymans rebuilt last year. they charged 75 bucks a pot and that included about everything but the shell and i thought it was a great deal but im sure rcbs would have done it for nothing. to be totaly honest with you if i was to buy a new pot right now it wouldnt be either of them. Id step up to a 40 lb magma but then your talking twice the money. Those magmas sure are nice though twice the capasity and they still melt lead as fast as the 20 lb lyman and rcbs. You really cant go wrong with any of the three. There all a giant step up from a lee.

[Down South]

I notice that Lyman and RCBS both have went up dramatically on prices. My last order from Midsouth a couple weeks ago included a catalog. The catalog was a 2007 master catalog. The catalog price for a RCBS was 289.99. I checked the Midsouth online price and it was 320.00. :shock: Lyman went up too. Lee stayed about the same price. Midsouth is out of the RCBS furnaces right now too.
It looks like that I had better hurry up and order before there is another price increase.

[Lee W]

Between the two, get the RCBS. I KNOW the thermostat is not a Chinese ***. In fact, I could get all the specs on it.
The warrenty is not bad too.

[Down South]

I ordered the RCBS PRO-MELT furnace today. I already had an order in with Midsouth with one of my Moulds on back order. I decided to save a few bucks on shipping and had the furnace added to the order. Now the furnace is on back order too. :roll:
Thanks for all of the advice.

[mtgrs737]

You will be pleased with the RCBS unit!

[TAWILDCATT]

for the price of a RCBS you can get 3 lees. unless your a lunk head the lee will work well.many of us have the lee. some curse it.life time warrenty often means the object is over priced.---:coffee:-----[smilie=1:----:Fire:

[Adam10mm]

RCBS made changes to their warranty read it.

I cast commerically with a Lee 20# pot. Works well and is a great deal. I can go through 3 Lee pots before I'm out as much money as an RCBS or Lyman. I'm a "cry once" type of guy for some stuff, but for melting lead, I'm a CRB (cheap rat bastard).

[madcaster]

With RCBS the only thing you would be out is the money shipping it back to them for repair and the short time to fix it,I had mine back in 2 weeks!
If I could afford a Magna I'd still have an RCBS or 2 around!:-D

[gcollins]

As a pure dumb $$$$ I ran across a Magna Master Caster at a good price, not thinking it took special moulds, I have a machist friend who took all my RCBS moulds and retro them to my caster, but now after reading this, I am not for sure that I made a good move there? I still have my little Lee and I can get buy, but my bubble might of just got busted!!
Greg

[xtimberman]

I asked this question on another thread.

I've been using a RCBS Pro Melt for ~25 years and have been fairly happy. However, shortly after I started using it, the bottom spigot began plugging and eventually plugged up totally. I've taken it apart several times since and tried to clean it out. Same scenario - works for awhile, then plugs up totally again.

I eventually gave up on the bottom-pour feature and chalked it up to casting gremlins. Now I'm OK with casting with a ladle from the top.

Any of you had this problem? How did you eventually solve it?

xtm

[bobthewelder]

I'm NOT a big fan of most of Lee's stuff. BUT! Someone sent me a really really old bottom pour pot for the price of shipping and my brand new Lyman, will only be plugged in to drain it or as a backup. This very old Lee can get my mix over 900*, I know that's too hot, but I wanted to see what it would do and it is adjustable. The Lyman that comes as part of the Master Caster kit won't hold 700*. And I don't have to ladle anymore. I'm sold on the Lee pots, maybe adding a larger one as they are cheap. I won't knock what I don't know, but the Lee pot is above and beyond alot of their other stuff, and miles ahead of that little Lyman plug and wait fornever pot I got.

[Down South]

Bob, I was under the impression that the Lyman pots were better than Lee. But what do I know? I haven't owned any of them. The RCBS that I ordered a week or so ago is in shipment now and should be at my house by the time that I get there. I sort of over done it. I ordered three sets of Lee Moulds, a casting thermometer. bullet lube. the RCBS Pro Melt. a ladle and a few other items. Then yesterday I ordered a Handi 45/70 rifle. It should be in when I get home too. [smilie=1:

[Jon K]

xtimberman,

Sounds like an alloy problem, what is your alloy? and how often do you flux?

Jon

[bobthewelder]

You haven't overdone it. If It weren't for the good looks of the Lymann all inclusive deal, I likely would have done the same. I ordered the Lee Mould because I researched it in depth here and many are very confident in their moulds, even if a little finishing work is in order. Price of the cast iron mould was out of my reach at the point of ordering and I was excited to get started. Many thaks to all here who have both helped in postings and those of you who have loaned, donated or practically donated equipment to help keep me from tossing in the towell. These are the most generous forum members you will find anywhere.

[bobthewelder]

I flux right before starting to fill the moulds. Then again when new ingots come to temp just before filling. How often should we flux?

[wdsstraw]

You will have trouble casting bullets in a 6 banger, with out it fouling up the last two bullets, from a bottom pour. That is to say that I always did, but mabye you can do better. AS you say you can allways use a dipper, as I do.

[wdsstraw]

Xtemberman, I had the same trouble with my Lee. I drilled the hole out a few times. Then I made me a sterring spoon from a kitchen spoon, and started stirring the bottom, around the spiicket hole sever times and that seemed to stop the lead from stopping up the holee.WDSSTRAW

[Down South]

I'll have my new RCBS to play with tomorrow.

[454PB]

I use a dental pick to keep the valve clear on my Lee pots. Others use a pair of vice grips holding a finishing nail. The trick is to run the pick in the open valve every 200 to 300 casts and prevent the buildup of oxides. Yes, you'll dump 300 grains of lead on the base when you do this, but pop it back in the pot or scrap container for latter use. In the 35 years I've been using Lee bottom pour pots, I've never had to drill one out.

[xr650]

Down South,
You are going to enjoy your Pro Melt.
I just got mine up and running.
This thing is ridiculous. Holds so much lead, I don't think it has a bottom.
You will stay up late casting. Ya just can't quit.

Hope you enjoy it as much as I do. :drinks: