Heat treating small batches

[charger 1]

For those 520 gr bore riders I'm goin to try getting 2300 out of in the ruger lott..I got this off ebay for $5.50...Should be the cats A$$ I figure for small batch heat treating
http://cgi.ebay.ca/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=4465259061&ssPageName=ADME:B:EOIBSA:CA:11

[Antietamgw]

I had the idea of a toaster oven to try heat-treating as well, figured I'd get one at a yard sale sometime. I don't need anything big and it can just stay in the shop. Momma says "You put lead in my oven and I'm going to feed it back to you". Until I find one I just have to add a little tin..

[scrapcan]

Charger,

I have a good friend who bought a new model at walmart and he has had good luck heat treating 22 cal cast bullets with it. He had to fab up a couple of wire mesh trays but hat was easy enough. I had some 1/16 inch hardware cloth that made dandy baskets.

you will hav eto let us know how a well made older model toater oven works out.

[Dale53]

Charlie Dell, co-author of "The Modern Schuetzen Rifle" always used a toaster oven to both heat treat and anneal lead alloy bullets to get just exactly the hardness wanted while testing with his rail gun (for schuetzen rifles).

Dale53

[Paul B]

I use a toaster over to heat treat my bullets. I went to Walmart and looked for one with a dial that went to at least 500 degrees. I started at about 400 degrees and slowly worked up until the bullets started to slum, then dropped back a bit and marked the spot. I call it 425 degrees based on the position of marking on the dial. works for me. Even a new one won't break the bank, and you will at least know for sure that it will work. I think IIRC, mine ran me $25.00.
Paul B.

[waksupi]

I use a toaster oven to heat treat. I find by varying the temp about 20-25 degrees, I can make the bullets most any hardness I desire.

[Antietamgw]

I use a toaster oven to heat treat. I find by varying the temp about 20-25 degrees, I can make the bullets most any hardness I desire.

Are you varying hardness by changing temp when annealing or during the hardening stage? I've hardened by water dropping with variable results but never by a controlled process.

[fatnhappy]

I use a toaster oven to heat treat. I find by varying the temp about 20-25 degrees, I can make the bullets most any hardness I desire.


Two more advantages to a toaster oven, It's easy to see if your temp is too high and you can station it next to the sink.


I don't have windows in the oven and it's 20' from the sink.


FWIW

[largecaliberman]

Charger,
Do what PaulB did. You can't rely on the dial, many toaster ovens greatly vary in temp.

[charger 1]

Charger,
Do what PaulB did. You can't rely on the dial, many toaster ovens greatly vary in temp.

Got a dig thermometer . Bought two thermocouples for it. One stays in the lead pot for cast temp, the other stays in the toaster oven through a small hole drilled through the side. When I wanta cast I connect my unit to the pot whip. When I wanta heat treat I connect to the oven whip. temps to 1/10 degree..I bee ohkay

[bigm8]

Got a dig thermometer . Bought two thermocouples for it. One stays in the lead pot for cast temp, the other stays in the toaster oven through a small hole drilled through the side. When I wanta cast I connect my unit to the pot whip. When I wanta heat treat I connect to the oven whip. temps to 1/10 degree..I bee ohkay

Where did you get those items and what did they cost?

[meldrimgunsmith]

do like I did, go to goodwill store and bought a used range for 20.00, ripped the top burners off and set in the bluing shop on cinderblocks, now have a nice sized heat treating or bake on finish oven for 20.00

[charger 1]

do like I did, go to goodwill store and bought a used range for 20.00, ripped the top burners off and set in the bluing shop on cinderblocks, now have a nice sized heat treating or bake on finish oven for 20.00

I tried like a begger to find one . A nice little 120v one slipped through my fingers and havent found one since. The toaster over(if its big enough)aint bad. Got the thermometer for 20 and the seperate thermocouples for 4 ea. all on ebay