Waage Solder Pot

[jim4065]

Bought a Waage Electric Solder Melting Pot RSP2-13-1 on ebay for $40 including freight - the 8" x 4" x 2" Deep tank is full of solder which the Lee tester says has a BHN of about 18. The pot was missing the cord - $44 at Waage. :shock:

Anyway, this thing has a 1200 watt heating element which is supposed to maintain 550 degrees. It doesn't - the heater stayed on past 750, where I had to unplug it to go to work. There is what appears to be a thermocouple emerging from the pool of solder and clamped to the flange on top with two wires coming out. Is it possible to control the current flow by hooking those wires up to a semi-magical device? (Electricity defies my understanding.) I can always unplug it - but it's tough to keep a constant temperature that way.

[montana_charlie]

There is what appears to be a thermocouple emerging from the pool of solder and clamped to the flange on top with two wires coming out. Is it possible to control the current flow by hooking those wires up to a semi-magical device?
Maybe...
But it would not surprise me if that 'temperature controller' cost sixty dollars.

Sadly, sixty dollars, added to what you have already spent, would have bought a new Waage K-4757, which is the 25 lb. pot they sell for bullet casting.
CM

[454PB]

If it was designed to maintain 550 degrees, it has to have a thermostat of some kind, apparently not adjustable. Most of these type thermostats have a simple bimetal strip, if you can locate the strip, you can "tweak" it by bending it.

The other cheap options would be either a rheostat (dimmer switch) or simply plug it into a power strip that has an on-off switch.

[Trez Hensley]

Keep us updated as to what you do with it. I picked up a 220V version that was 12x12x2 for $65 that had 63# of solder in it. I was thinking about building a 12" steel pipe smelting pot and thought that I would see if it would work with this for smelting. I'll build the pot for smelting even if it doesn't and the solder was worth what I paid for it so all's good.

If you consider the cost of the solder you purchased with yours. I'm sure you made out fine. I'd try a flat bottom pot in it and see how it works. You might have to add some lead in the solder basin around your pot for best heat transfer.

Well at least that's what I thought I'd do with it when I get enough time off to try it. They are made to be used non-stop in a manufacturing plant so I think they can handle our use even if we do modify them for a higher temperature. At least those are my thoughts

As for that $44 Cord from waage. I'd think you could buy a heat temp resistant pig tail (wire with plug on it) at a hardware store for a lot less than that.

Them's my thoughts on the matter.

[jim4065]

I think I'm gonna use it for dippin". Got to admit that there's somethin' about it that seems to suit me more than the bottom pour - at least for single and double cavity moulds.

The $44 cord is a done deal, too late to do more than whimper just a bit. Went and bought a dutch oven and a turkey fryer, so I can't see using it for smelting. You're right about all the solder - feels like 30#'s of fine boolits to me. :-D

[TAWILDCATT]

I wonder if the pot was atached to a controler that used the thermocoupler to control temp.you should be able to use a motor controler.

[jim4065]

I think the pot was part of an electronics soldering set-up. Would a motor controller turn the pot on and off based on the temp? I thought of an electric frying pan controller. ??

Used the pot today for ladle pouring in the 6.5 mm group buy mold. It is so much better and faster than the bottom pour. No dripping, and seems to hold enough lead in the Lyman ladle to fill all 6 cavities with no problem. If I could control the temp I'd probably sell both my Lee pots.

[Alpowa]

I'm pulling up this old thread for the sake of those who are googling for information.

The Waage pots are used for assembly/disassembly on a bench. The temp controller is often remotely mounted, and is apparently missing on the unit discussed here.

Having just picked one of these up off Craigslist, knowing nothing about it before I bought it, I have been trying to figure mine out. Mine is a 1250 watt round-pot style.

It has an industrial controller, with a twist-lock 30 amp plug which attaches it to the pot: Paktronics P64A0318903.

This is what the the brochure calls a Packstat series 1, or 2 ( 2 has a digital temp display) and it uses a 'K thermocouple'. It could easily be hooked up to a PID controller. There is a pdf for the original control on the web -- I think the PID might be an upgrade for the original control.

I'm looking at one of these listed on ebay for 400 bucks wishing I could just get my hands on that 20lbs of solder! I don't care if it's 63/37 or lead-free!

[Alpowa]

[eta: photo, my pot w/controller. This has a twist-lok connector; Some are 3-prong frypan style.]

http://i46.tinypic.com/w15u7q.jpg

[Idaho Sharpshooter]

My lovely wife is getting me the#MP40A-6-1 for my B-day. It has an adjustable thermostatic controller that goes to 800-degrees, and holds 40lbs.
$605 retail.

Rich
Sua Sponte

[Alpowa]

Now I'm drooling! But here:

"Waage Electric MP40A-6-1 Round Solder Pot has inside pot dimensions of 6.0" diameter x 6.0 deep. Waage Electric's heavy-duty round solder pots feature a heavy cast iron crucible wrapped with fiberglass insulation in a steel jacket to minimize heat loss. The MP40A-6-1 has 1350 watts and a dial thermostat with a temperature range of 200F - 850F. This pot holds up to 50 lbs of tin/lead solder and 40 lbs of lead-free solder."

So if it holds 50 lbs. of solder, it must hold 60 lbs of bullet metal!? Very nice.