Smelting without a thermometer ???

[pjh421]

My bullet sizes are inconsistant due to temperature variations during a casting cycle. I can tell by running them thru a sizer. Some slip right thru without touching and others require more leverage on the 450 handle.

Jim are you sure this isn't due to alloy inconsistencies?

Paul

[calsite]

Has anyone tried an infared heat gun thermometer with their lead pots, I picked one up for $65.00 that goes from -50 to 1200 (f). The only thing I can of that would vary with using it would be the type of flux on top of your melt. That maybe a little cooler than your lead but I can't imagine by much.

[shooter575]

Jim are you sure this isn't due to alloy inconsistencies?

Paul

Casting tempo will make a big diffrence in finished OD. Do everything the same in the same time frame. Think boring production line work [for you ex shop rats]

[UweJ]

Hello everybody
We have a old fellow in our club which is using a piece of newspaper instead of a thermometer. He tears of a strip and dips it in the lead.If it comes out dark brown , just like a deer , without burning up it has the right temp.
I watched him work like that and he sure is pouring great boolits.

[jim4065]

Hello everybody
We have a old fellow in our club which is using a piece of newspaper instead of a thermometer. He tears of a strip and dips it in the lead.If it comes out dark brown , just like a deer , without burning up it has the right temp.
I watched him work like that and he sure is pouring great boolits.

Now that's a neat trick. Going to try the newspaper against the thermometer tomorrow when I get in some casting time. Could be a real time saver.

[miestro_jerry]

I use the newspaper trick and some times brown paper from those cheap lunch bags.

Jerry

[brshooter]

Infrared thermometers do not work well on reflective surfaces, I have a Raytex (now Fluke) STProPlus a $400 meter. In it's user's manual, it is not recommended for use in measuring shiny surfaces and molten lead is like that. I just drop a piece of steel about an 1/8" thick and about 1" square in the molten lead and measure off the surface of that while it is floating on top of the lead.