I'm going to measure the interior diameter (when hot), melt the pot, stick in a rod, and measure that for the depth to the rim, then calculate the theoretical weight of lead. I will report back.
I'm going to measure the interior diameter (when hot), melt the pot, stick in a rod, and measure that for the depth to the rim, then calculate the theoretical weight of lead. I will report back.
If it was easy, anybody could do it.
The simplest way to check if you have a scale that will read in that weight range is weigh the pot empty and weigh it full .
lol well now 2/3 full and add 6lbs of alloy seems that makes atleast 18lbs of lead in the pot.no matter seems it is working for you.if you want 20 lbs of bullets out of your pot go buy the 40lb magma lol
The pot is full of cooled alloy. Melting, dipping a steel rod in to the bottom, measuring the rod, measuring the pot diameter, and doing the math calculation:
Volume of pot (cubic inches) = Pi * (pot diameter/2) ^ squared * depth of pot (all measurements in units of inches) [Eq. 1]
Weight of Lead = 0.41 pounds per cubic inch [0.41pci]
Weight of pure lead = 0.41pci * Volume of pot [Eq. 2]
Unraveling this "math" in reverse, a 20# pot of pure lead has to be 20#/0.41 pci or 48.78 cubic inches.
I measure my pot diameter to be: 4 and 1/8" diameter and not more than 5.5" deep (cold, full, can't take apart to see where heating elements are, etc.). My pot is at most 73.50 cubic inches and most probably 48.78 cubic inches...so I am closer to the pin of a 20# pot, theoretically, than before I started this thread.
If it was easy, anybody could do it.
Let me be clear(er). The pot is nearly full of alloy and cold. Not wanting to heat the alloy just to measure the pot depth, I measured the outside of the Pro-Melt housing, top to bottom, as a "cannot-be-deeper-than-this" number. So 73.5 ci is a big number, but is not representative of the "pot" that actually holds the alloy when it is liquid.
If it was easy, anybody could do it.
When you draw the pot down to 1/3 left, who do you determine it's 1/3 left? If it's at 1/3 and it's a 20 lb. pot you should be able to add 13 lbs. If you are only adding 6 lbs. you are not drawing it down to 1/3 left, you are drawing it down to 2/3 left.
The only way to now for sure is to heat the pot and measure the depth of the pot and the depth of the lead at what you think is 1/3 left. If you don't want to do either then I guess you don't really want to know.
Leo
Try advertising an 17 & 3/4# pot.
Just fill with alloy you weigh before hand and get to casting.
Whatever!
Alan - yes. Just guessing.
44magLeo - I will quit the speculation and measure the pot when it is next molten.
If it was easy, anybody could do it.
My lee 4-20 can melt right at 20lbs of pure lead and slightly less from ingots made from wheel weights.
No matter where you are taking the pot down to when you stop to refill.Apples to Oranges.you may be only refilling 6 lbs but there is still 20bs or more in the pot when full.Me when I get to a point I stop to refill the pot I drop in 2 ingots 4lb each then put in the sprues>this works out pretty good for me with my RCBS promelt.I get it it would be nice if we could pour 20lbs of lead from the casting pot but not going to happen with any 20lb pot.my lee holds about 18lb and the Promelt holds about 22lbs.this is toltal lead in the pot from empty to full.Depending on the bullet and size of the sprue i need to pout i get about 6 yo 8lbs of bulllets from the Lee and 8 to 10lbs of bullets from the Promelt. Now if you want to cast 20lbs of bullets you need the Magma master pot it holds 40lbs.anymore I welcome the break between filling.
I'm guessing here but I suspect the bottom of the pot MIGHT be rounded like my Lee !0# is. Just put some water in the thing to the level you fill to and measure that water capacity. Simple matter to convert water volume to what an equal volume of lead would weigh! Also depends on how full you fill and I doubt anyone fills a lead pot up to the brim anyways. 18, 20 ,22 pounds what difference does it make?
Mike
Benefactor Member NRA
Life Member Iowa Firearms Coalition
US Army Vet
There are two ways to conquer and enslave a nation.
One is by the sword. The other is by debt.”
John Adams 1826
Makes no difference to me I know my 20 holds a lot more than my ten.
My 2006 vintage RCBS Pro melt holds 22 lb.
BP | Bronze Point | IMR | Improved Military Rifle | PTD | Pointed |
BR | Bench Rest | M | Magnum | RN | Round Nose |
BT | Boat Tail | PL | Power-Lokt | SP | Soft Point |
C | Compressed Charge | PR | Primer | SPCL | Soft Point "Core-Lokt" |
HP | Hollow Point | PSPCL | Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" | C.O.L. | Cartridge Overall Length |
PSP | Pointed Soft Point | Spz | Spitzer Point | SBT | Spitzer Boat Tail |
LRN | Lead Round Nose | LWC | Lead Wad Cutter | LSWC | Lead Semi Wad Cutter |
GC | Gas Check |