Lee Loader

So far I' haven't figured out how, if indeed it's possible, to add a photo plus comments as a reply to a post or not. Guess another topic won't hurt anything though.

With a lot of experimenting with moulds, stem TC's, PIDS and a VOM. all of the few moulds I have responded well to a mould temperature of about 430° F. So present method is I don't use the little shelves I added to the pots years back as my recollection was I never more than 358° readings on of the shelf itself. I run the hotplate at 440°and can rest the mould for a break and it'll still be right where I want it when I get back.

Pots are set at 365° C and the feeder on at 366° and cast pot doesn't drop any while refilling it.

FWIW (probably not much!)

I also use a hotplate to preheat my molds. I also use it to preheat my lead ingots before adding them to the pot.

I tried the over-engineered, super complex route and it didn't suit me. Went back to basics and made better bullets.

GasGuzzler wrote: ↑31 Aug 2023 04:31 I tried the over-engineered, super complex route and it didn't suit me. Went back to basics and made better bullets.

Yup, same for me. Back to basics except for my PID. I sure do like the melt staying
at the same temp all the way down without constantly fussing with the pot's temp control.

An older thread but what the heck nothing else seems to be goin' on. Have to admit, haven't cast a bullet in a couple years but I used to do quite a lot. Most was wheel weight alloy and I ran my pot and moulds hot. Kept the melt between 700 and 725 degrees, ran the moulds hot as well. I went as fast as I could pour, drop, and refill the mould. Also never dropped sprues back into the melt. I kept a small dish with water and a damp wash cloth in the dish. Whenever the sprue's starting feeling a bit to "easy" I'd place the mold on the cloth for a few seconds to cool. Run a big sprue, and I mean big, sometimes (usually) the sprue would run the length of the mould. I made good bullets, and I liked them "frosty" looking. Just my method.