Flea Market SAECO casting furnace find.... $15

[d4xycrq]

Found a SAECO Model 24 in the wild. $15 - but missing whatever makes up the base. Just had the two 'legs' hanging down. Turned the two legs on my lathe - threaded for 1/2-20. Used old lugnuts for hardware.

Had a junk Chinee drill press that donated itself to complete the furnace. Can't think of a reason this won't work. Infinitely adjustable.

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y171/d4xycrq/DSC_4086_zps8xgaovtf.jpg (http://s5.photobucket.com/user/d4xycrq/media/DSC_4086_zps8xgaovtf.jpg.html)

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y171/d4xycrq/DSC_4083_zpslqr2qusg.jpg (http://s5.photobucket.com/user/d4xycrq/media/DSC_4083_zpslqr2qusg.jpg.html)

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y171/d4xycrq/DSC_4085_zps9rglb3c2.jpg (http://s5.photobucket.com/user/d4xycrq/media/DSC_4085_zps9rglb3c2.jpg.html)

Ray

[jeepyj]

Interestingly I picked one up the other day as well. Your base looks like it will work perfect. Although I haven't even touched mine yet and it's still quite dirty I've attached is a photo of the original base as a reference. Nice price by the way.
174523

[d4xycrq]

Thanks Jeep! They must have sold a lot of these. Appreciate the photo. Does yours have the mould guide? Can't see it in your picture.

Ray

[jeepyj]

No mould guide nor do I see any provisions for one. However the gentleman before me had put a cast iron ingot mould upside down for what I think was his makeshift mould guide.
Good luck!
jeepyj

[jeepyj]

Just noticed my face plate is a little different than yours. My Serial D441 not sur what it means but all in all pretty darn cool.

[Strtspdlx]

I've been dying to get my hands on one of these pots. Good scores. Out of curiosity does anyone know if the temp control is actually a temp control or is it a rheostat with a wonky temp switch like the Lee pots?

[PaulG67]

Now that is the way to think, well done indeed. I never see any reloading related items at flea market here in New England, you can perhaps understand why:(

[mold maker]

Mine has another open end box on the side that included an isinglass socket for the removable cord. This was the weak link that failed first.
The mold guide ( flat Al. plate) has bushings with screws that slide up and down on the legs.

[GOPHER SLAYER]

I have two Lyman bottom pours with mold guides, which I never use because you have to adjust the guide with each mold. Since I usually cast with three separate molds at each casting session, that would be too much trouble.

[d4xycrq]

Jeep,

My 'mould guide' is the drill press table. You want the one off my SAECO? Just sitting on my bench now, so it's your for the askin'.

Ray

[d4xycrq]

Just cast several hundred 9mm - so the Flea Market SAECO works. I knew it got warm, but wasn't sure it was 100% operational. Passed the test. Lowered the furnace/table assembly down a bit. Perfect.

Not sure how sophisticated the dial is - settled on about 750F for just a bit frosty boolits.

Rain was on the way, so had to get 'er inside pronto. Picked up the still-hot whole assembly by the vertical shaft and base - no burning my hands. Easy to manage. Pot was not full, though.

Ray

[d4xycrq]

Now that is the way to think, well done indeed. I never see any reloading related items at flea market here in New England, you can perhaps understand why:(

Move south, Paul. Come on down. Grew up on Cape Cod - but now understand my "never expires" "good forever" Firearms ID card is no longer valid. Will only go back, grudgingly, to visit friends and fambly.

RAy

[d4xycrq]

Mine has another open end box on the side that included an isinglass socket for the removable cord. This was the weak link that failed first.
The mold guide ( flat Al. plate) has bushings with screws that slide up and down on the legs.

Permanent cord on this one, Mold, but she's saying "...replace me...".

[d4xycrq]

An old advertisement refers to the control as a "thermostat" good for +/- 20F.


I've been dying to get my hands on one of these pots. Good scores. Out of curiosity does anyone know if the temp control is actually a temp control or is it a rheostat with a wonky temp switch like the Lee pots?

[jeepyj]

Jeep,

My 'mould guide' is the drill press table. You want the one off my SAECO? Just sitting on my bench now, so it's your for the askin'.

Ray
d4xycrq, Very gererious offer. I'd be interested in completing my old SAECO with the mould guide. I'll send you a pm in a bit.
jeepyj

[copdills]

great find and great idea

[EdZ KG6UTS]

Great lead pot, mine is still cooking along! When it stopped working the problem was with the bit of bimetal that forms the thermostat. I just took apart the thermostat, cleaned the parts , then reassembled it. The dial temp is kinda close but I use an external thermometer to dial it all in.......lots of bullets and fishing weights.

Ed KG6UTS

[d4xycrq]

Fine business, Ed! The thermostats are available, too. But fixin' the one you have is even better!

73,

de N3XO


Great lead pot, mine is still cooking along! When it stopped working the problem was with the bit of bimetal that forms the thermostat. I just took apart the thermostat, cleaned the parts , then reassembled it. The dial temp is kinda close but I use an external thermometer to dial it all in.......lots of bullets and fishing weights.

Ed KG6UTS

[d4xycrq]

Ed,

Just Googled your call. For those that don't know Ed, he's world famous in a very small, but very very critical community that rely on wideband comms world wide. Ed's retired, but not forgotten! How have you been, Ed!?

Ray Wilson



Fine business, Ed! The thermostats are available, too. But fixin' the one you have is even better!

73,

de N3XO

[jeepyj]

d4xycrq, Very gererious offer. I'd be interested in completing my old SAECO with the mould guide. I'll send you a pm in a bit.
jeepyj
d4xycrq sent me the mould rest off his to complete mine. Interestingly I didn't even know there was ever one that came with them as I've seen a few of these in my day but never one with the rest in place. Many thanks to the OP for his generosity. He is definitely another fine example of the top quality membership that resides here on Cast Boolits - Jeepyj

[OS OK]

Whatta great find and even greater job of converting that Chinese imitation drill press into a useful tool base!

You actually invented two useful objects when you did this job...tie a rope to the other end of that Chinese thing and you'll have a fairly good boat anchor!

charlie

[EdZ KG6UTS]

Ed,

Just Googled your call. For those that don't know Ed, he's world famous in a very small, but very very critical community that rely on wideband comms world wide. Ed's retired, but not forgotten! How have you been, Ed!?

Ray Wilson from GE Space Systems/Lockheed??? Wahoo!!! I retired in 2012 but in late 2013 got hired by another group to be a consultant on a Boeing project in our old community. Now I'm retired again...went from time and mission critical comms to changing out wax rings in rental house toilets....also time critical. All in all I'm doing fine, reload and shoot in the desert, annoy fish in Baja. Ray, we had some great times, how are ya doin'??

EdZ

Ray Wilson

Oh, still in San Diego and Borrego Springs