RCBS Pro Melt disassembly?

[Rickf1985]

I would think you could insert a PID probe right against the side of the pot and it will do a serviceable job, Insert between pot and insulation.

[405grain]

This is such a timely thread. I just picked up an older RCBS Promelt yesterday. it may have come from an estate sale, but I don't know. It was with a bunch of stuff in the backroom of a gun shop, and they wanted to clear out the space. I was also able to pick up six different RCBS bullet molds that may be 30 or 40 years old, but are in brand new condition. There were lots of molds for sale, but some were in calibers that I don't cast in, or were molds that I already have.

The Promelt was 3/4 full of solidified alloy, and it looks rough. The sheet metal on the top is rusty, and there was some spotty rust on the lever and other parts. This morning I plugged it in and turned it on. It works! Now I'm going to have to do a partial disassembly, not to replace any parts, but to clean up the parts, and paint the pieces that need it. This Promelt looks older than the ones I've seen because it has screws instead of rivets. The screws look factory, not like there were rivets that got drilled out. I fluxed the alloy 3 times once it melted, then cast what was in the pot into ingots. I got 16 pounds of ingots, and whatever the alloy is an HB (#2) pencil will just barely scratch it.

I saved the detailed disassembly instructions from this post to a PDF, and I'll use those to make this old pot look like new. I was pleasantly supprized once the lead melted - the Promelt hardly barely drips at all. That's a far cry from both of my driptastic Lee pots.

[Petander]

Took a while... angle grinder it was!

That old thermostat took a physical hit -but I was able to disassemble,repair and re-adjust it! Date stamp is June 24 1985...

All working now,temps verified.



The micro switch was in "open" position all the time. Something had got bumped wrong. Adjustment nut and lubing ... got the lever working normally,letting the switch close,too. I was carrying a crosstrainer and a leg bumped the Pro Melt out of order,quiet. I'm still not sure what exactly bent or jumped but... everything works now. A stray piece of old,dark solder fell out the unit...



I was prepared to use a PID but I'm much happier with the old,simple Pro Melt. Even though it gets hotter when alloy level gets lower. No problem when you know that.

Good bullets are pouring again. Gotta love simple things. PID is good for coating,I'm playing around with it now.



Test results from my "new" Pro Melt & PID -guided coating, 462" Mihec 325 NLG.