What Can You Tell Me About This

[BigRix]

Just picked this up at the local gun store and was wondering what y'all could tell me about it.



I have no idea what vintage it might be but it looks nice. Am I correct in assuming that it will hold a certain temperature in the pot as opposed to the Lee pots?

It is warming up as we speak and it also came with an almost full load of mystery metal.

[gray wolf]

I would check out the heat settings with a thermometer, You may find it's fairly close.
I believe they are very good pots, but it may be way off also.
Unless you have a very good read on your lead and know whats going on you may find yourself chasing Temps.

[Le Loup Solitaire]

I've had one for several decades and it is still running strong. It holds 10# of melt and is one of the better/best pots ever made in the opinion of some. Solidly made parts and no cracker-jack-box prize construction. No "dripomatic" problems on mine after continuous service. Holds within reasonable margin according to the temp settings indicated on the dial. Stand is cast iron or aluminum so nothing ever sticks. Vintage is hard to pin down; it may be as old as the sixties. That is when Saeco moved out of Southern Cal. It is a find, especially in the shape shown in your pics, so treat it good. Touching up the outside is easy....Rustoleum high heat 1200 degree BBQ/stove spray paint available at any Walmart/hardware outlet. Any other parts like the thermo housing you can wipe with an oily rag when cool...may stink a bit when reheated, but its better than rust. If anything ever goes kaput, parts can be easily searched up and obtained. Good luck with it. LLS

[cbrick]

It's an RCBS pot only from several years before RCBS bought it. Didn't know SAECO had a 10 pound pot, all the ones I've seen were 20 pounders.

It's a good pot & should give much use. If nothing else you have a collectors item. I have the SAECO lubrisizer from the same era & with the same Carpenteria name plate that's in mint condition, don't use it though, I have two Stars set up.

If you don't mind me nosey, what did you have to give for it?

Rick

Rick

[BigRix]

$65 bucks plus tax. I also bought 400+ rounds of 44 Mag brass for .06 cents each. The story is that a local gent passed away and the gun store bought everything he had. Kinda sad. The stuff went fast. I originally went back to buy one of the molds i saw last week. It was long gone. But this was in the back last week. Funny how that works out.

[Echo]

You got a dang good pot for a reasonable price. I suggest that you drain the 'mystery metal' into an ingot mold and save for plinkers. Or - cast a few boolits, and check the hardness - you may want to put the 'MM' to use.

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

+1 with Echo on the mystery Metal.
when You hang out here for a few more months,
you'll have a better Idea how to ID that metal and how to use it.

Sweet deal on the 44 Brass...way to go.
I bet most of the stuff from that Gent went cheap.
Jon

[GOPHER SLAYER]

When I retired in 1993 I decided to buy me a first class melting pot and quit using my wife's kitchen stove. I went to the,Stocade, which is a huge gunshop in Orange Co. Ca. and bought a Lyman Mag 20 electric melting pot. It happened that before I had a chance to plug it in, I went to the big gun show in Pomona, Ca. Walking thru the first building I saw a SAECO dipper type pot. I asked how much and the man said thirty five dollars and it included all the extras, even the casting mold. Needless to say I bought it and have never got around to using the Lyman. Suffice to say I think what you bought is the best you can get and I am confident it will give you years of service.

[nascarkent]

I have the same pot, Found it at the flea market $20.00. They are dandys.

[hunterldh]

"Didn't know SAECO had a 10 pound pot, all the ones I've seen were 20 pounders."

The Saeco model 24 bottom pour pot holds 10 pounds. The Saeco model 32 open top pot holds 20 pounds. They are high quality and still very desirable. Best regards, Hunter

[LAH]

BigRix I started casting with the same pot in '73. In fact the first Dry Creek bullets were cast with that pot & sent to Jim Taylor. Time is really getting on.

[BigRix]

I have nothing to compare it to, but from watching others on youtube casting with their Lee pots, this seems a lot more trouble free so far.

It appears to be very well built.

I'm considering draining it and taking the wire brush to it but I'm afraid it might do more harm than good. What say you?

[WILCO]

I'm considering draining it and taking the wire brush to it but I'm afraid it might do more harm than good. What say you?

Don't see a problem with it. Do it outside with a mask though.

[cbrick]

I would clean it up. WILCO is right, wear a mask. There will be a good deal of pretty nasty dust and you don't want to breath it.

Rick

[trevj]

I paid $5 for mine!

I thought I done OK.

I had some steady drippage, that I attributed to basic bottom-pour standard stuff. I got the pot a bit filthy processing wheel weights, so I sandblasted it and cleaned it right out. Much better.

Someday I'll cast a slug to use as a handle/weight for the valve lever, till then a small pair of locking pliers lives there. It still dripps a wee bit, but I can live with that.

I'll rebuild it, rather than bother to buy a new pot if this one dies. It'll get a PID controller, when I do.

I've never used a dipper to cast. I cannot imaging trying to go as fast as I can with the bottom pour pot, casting small bullets. (single cav 225107, 225415, etc.)



Cheers
Trev

[Wayne Smith]

You don't need a mask, but do wear eye protection. I have a beard, maybe that's why I don't wear a mask. No problem with breathing but the tinsel fairy does occasionally visit.

[leadman]

You DO need a mask when cleaning the pot, especially with a wire brush! Even if there is no lead dust there is still residue from other metals, flux, antimony, etc.

[nvbirdman]

I have the same pot, but mine was made in Pasadena. I have no idea how old mine (or yours) is, but I bought mine used for $15 in 1973.
Mine died this weekend and I am going to buy a new pot, but I am planning on rebuilding my Saeco just because it's too good not to restore.
Here's hoping you can look forward to many, many happy years of casting.

[leadman]

cbrick, is this the pot you are thinking of?? Ad is from Sept-Oct 1977, handloader #69

[cbrick]

I think so, and for $120.00.

I've had the same pot since the mid 80's cept its green and says RCBS, it was also somewhere around $120.00 or so.

That ad says its new, got me thinking now. I wonder if that is the old SAECO pot & then RCBS. Memory is a terrible thing to waste.

Rick