oh, i will answer those questions....at least in my limited experience...
warm up on a full (1/2" from top, i finish a casting session by filling the pot) about 30 min from cold to 700° ready to cast...
when first starting out i pull the handle/actuate the pour by hand...first 10 or so casts are put back into the pot...from then all pretty good looking bullets using the pneumatics...
not PID controlled...i feel the Magma thermostat is pretty close, i do have a digital thermometer with probe 1/2" from the bottom to monitor though...
if i keep my focus on casting i can cast about 600 130/158gr bullets/hr, about 500 200gr/hr and the same for 230gr...slower on the big boy 450 and 500gr...
pneumatic conversion did not really increase production, which is really driven by cooling of the cast bullets...BUT, it sure does take the strain off of my Rugby damaged shoulder...as does the pneumatics on the Star....
i would say that a good 4 or 6-up mold in the right hands using a "drips-a-lot" or RCBS could probably match the output on the Master Caster...except maybe the reloading of lead into the pot...the MC is a 3000 watt unit vs the others at 800 watts
hope this helps...
BTW, i have several 6-up and single molds for old specialty rounds that i only cast on the RCBS....540gr Sharps bullets take a bit of time to cool properly....LOL
wyman