How much wattage to heat a dual cavity iron mould?

[ohland]

Today was marginally better than torturing myself with a fork, but there more ups than otherwise...

Fired up the Pro-Melt. That dinky light in the switch is hard to see in direct sun... Ran an RCBS 44-370-FN and a RCBS 32-170-FN, both did fine once up to heat. But about 1/4 of the boolits were wrinkled enough to miss making the team. Since I like loading the deck in my favor, I'm open to the idea of a hotplate.

Any favored brands or makers? Would a coffee warmer do? I like the idea of a heating element with a solid top...

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

There may be an ideal size (wattage) heater, but I don't know what that'd be.
You will want a heater that'll get your mold up to 350º to 400º.

I bought this one for $1 at a thrift store, added a worn out 7" circle saw blade and a coffee can to hold the heat in (oven effect). Most molds are held close to operating temp when I have the dial set to "low". Larger molds with small cavities, I tweek the dial up a click or two beyond "low". I have also used this setup on steel parts to "heat stain" blue them.

That's my 2¢
http://i640.photobucket.com/albums/uu127/JonB_in_Glencoe/reduced.jpg (http://s640.photobucket.com/user/JonB_in_Glencoe/media/reduced.jpg.html)

[taco650]

A similar item can be had at your local Wally world for around $20. I got one when I first started casting along (along with a few other items). On high it will melt lead so low would be good for warming iron molds I would think. Mine is 900wt.

[Yodogsandman]

I tried the coffee pot heater, it sort of works but, does not heat up the molds all the way up to casting temperature. I found a hot plate while at a yard sale with a solid top for $2 and it can heat to 450*-500*F.

[Blammer]

I just cheap out, I let the mould sit on the top of the lead pot while it's heating up.

[country gent]

WIth the hot plate you want to do several things. You want a go between the actual element and the mold to help disipate the heat more evenly and a cover to help hold the heat in. Drill a 1/4" or so hole in the covers top and drop you casting thermometer in to see temp. MArk dial when 350 is being held then up to 400 being held and mark again. you might even want a 450 mark for some moulds. The marks will get you darned close

[montana_charlie]

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=50219

[silverjay]

I use the oster single from Walmart (walmart# 551010232). Just above medium gives good boolits first pour on my four cavity brass and two cavity iron molds.

[David2011]

I think mine was $10 at Walgreen's. It gets plenty hot at 1/3 throttle. I also used a circular saw blade to even out the heat and provide better support. Some are available with a solid top instead of exposed coils. One of those would be my choice if I ever have to replace it.

David

[taco650]

Mine has the solid top

[RED333]

I just cheap out, I let the mould sit on the top of the lead pot while it's heating up.
We are both cheap. LOL
I do use an older pot sometimes as well.
http://i896.photobucket.com/albums/ac165/redintn/MiHec%20mold/moldheater_zps388681fb.jpg (http://s896.photobucket.com/user/redintn/media/MiHec%20mold/moldheater_zps388681fb.jpg.html)

[bangerjim]

The more wattage the better. I use a lab grade 1,500 watt flat top electronic controlled plate with great success. It WILL melt lead easily! Don't ask why I know!?!?!?!?!

I works great for heating up to 4) six cavity molds at a time. I just heat 'em up and grab the one I want to cast with. Perfect drops from #1 pour every time.

Flat tops are much better but some use the old coil types. Try to find one in the 500-800 watt range.

Also use it to preheat your feed ingots to shorten the cycle time in your casting pot!!!

banger

[bangerjim]

I just cheap out, I let the mould sit on the top of the lead pot while it's heating up.

I never have had any success doing that. Glad you do. My molds just do not get up to full casting temp sitting about the pot while it is heating. And you cannot heat more than one at a time. I heat up to four 6-cavity molds on my hotplate, and use it to preheat all my feed ingots.

With the hotplate I get my molds to FULL casting temp B4 even starting and get perfect drops from the 1st pour every time.

[Down South]

A standard electric burner that can be purchased at Walley World will work. I'm in between places when casting and most times and I just bring the mould up to temp by just casting 20 or so cast and putting them in the scrap pile.
Once I can break the sprue plate by thumb pressure, the mould is up to casting temp. The rest are keepers.

[Yodogsandman]

I use my hot plate for all sorts of casting tasks...boiling old lube out of sizing dies, cooking up lube, preheating ingots...

[44man]

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=50219
That is my exact set up, $8 plate from Wallmart.
Same handle for the box and thermometer, BBQ one.
It stopped working once, gets too hot so I eliminated the thermal fuse in the insides.
I bring my mold to 500° and heat soak enough to get the sprue plate hot too. First boolits are perfect.

[mongoose33]

Here's mine; you can see, earlier in the thread, where the idea came from. :)

140363140364

The saw blade is a cheapie I use just to even out the heat from the elements. The thermometer came w/ the turkey fryer I use for smelting lead.