Electronic Temperature control for Lee Production Pot.

[bigfathairybiker]

I've currently got a PID Temperature controller, Thermocouple and Power controller on the work bench. I haven't wired it up to the Lee Pot yet, but will over the next week or so.

Has anyone else done this?
Did it make a difference to casting knowing that the temperature of the lead was controlled?

Currently I set the control on the Lee to 7 and a bit which seems to be ok. Although I do worry a little when the level gets low and I see a nice red glow inside the pot.


Mark

[Alpha1]

I have access to some of the best temperature control kit known to man using it on a Le lead smelter is a waste of time. I have one of the Lee pots my advice is fill it turn it full on once the lead wheel weights or what ever melt cast ten boolits then top it up wait a while cast ten more top it up. Don't let the pot go empty. keep it full. Take your time enjoy. I keep my pot as full as I can Iv had it for donkeys years and it still gives good service. Iv fettled it a bit to stop the thing dumping its contents. The Lee pots tend to leak after a little while.
They are not the best on the market but it does me. like all Lee kit they need a little bit of fettling.

[dromia]

I run my RCBS ProMelts of a PID, the Pro Melt doesn't need it so much as the Lee does as the Pro Melt has a thermostatic control which the Lee doesn't.

I also fit a thermometer probe to my moulds.

Do you need one? well that all depends on what you are looking for. I cast for decades without a pid or thermometer but that was mainly pistol boolits being shot out to a maximum of 50 yrds.

Now I cast for rifle for shooting out to 600 and occasionally beyond then temperature control is an important part of getting consistency and reducing rejects. This is especially the case with the Lee as it has no thermostatic control and are small either 10 or 17lbs capacity (the Promelt is 22lbs capacity) so as the alloy level in the pot drops the melt temp increases. So as the the alloy heats up so does the fill of the mould also it can effect the blend as it can increase oxidisation on the surface of the melt. Also different moulds will have a sweet temperature spot at which they cast best easily dropping boolits with consistent diameter and weight. I keep a casting log for my moulds where I record the moulds preferences for reference.

Most of my casting is done with a coolish alloy of around 685F, most of my moulds like to be run hot at around 425F but then again some don't.

If you have one I'd try it and see if it makes any difference for your needs. Should you buy one that really depends on how important consistent boolits are to you, you can still get good results without one, I have done so for many years however when I got my pid and mould thermometer my reject rate dropped considerably and I had a meaningful reference point for noting each moulds qualities.

So whether you need one all depends on what you want from your casting.

[dromia]

This is one of my casting PIDs that I assembled from a kit.

http://www.full-bore.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=8891

[bigfathairybiker]

Thank you for the info.
My reject rate is currently over 50%.
This is probably a mixture of being impatient and not having moulds and lead at the right temp.

I've already bought the the elkectronicy stuff so its gonna happen. And the neat thing is I can use it for other stuff as well.

Mark

[bigfathairybiker]

Thank you for the info.
My reject rate is currently over 50%.
This is probably a mixture of being impatient and not having moulds and lead at the right temp.

I've already bought the the elkectronicy stuff so its gonna happen. And the neat thing is I can use it for other stuff as well.

Mark