Lee or Lyman small pot/furnace: max heat?

[bow shot]

I'm thinking of tinkering with one of these. Lyman says theirs maxes at 800, Lee says 900 for theirs.

Any one out there have experience with how hot these will go?

this is not about casing bullets, I just want to know how hot.

I'd like something that will do 800 without breathing hard.

I'm getting close to just buying one for industrial soldering (some exceed 1K) but if the Lee or Lyman will do it, that'll do.

 

[bheadboy]

either will melt lead and the work level for most molds is in the 550-600f range so why worry.
Bob

 

[Immike]

I have had 2 LEE pots and they will go well beyond the melt point @621 degrees.

 

[bow shot]

I just need something that will go 800.

'Not too concerned about melting the lead, just the temp that they can reach

 

[kelbro]

My 20# Lee will easily go to 800. You can also bypass the thermistor/limiter. I have converted mine to a PLD controller.

 

[bow shot]

Perfect. What is a PLD?

 

[Immike]

The 1-10 temperature dial on my LEE seems to closely compare to the melt point in hundreds of degrees. I do most of my casting on 7.5 with a hot mold. If this is any indication of it's range then we are looking at 1000 degree capability.

 

[mikecr]

My LEE will go a bit over 1,000. Probably enough to actually anneal rather than stress relieve(but this is not what we want to do).
You would have to go max on the dial though.
Kelbro probably mean't PID control (Proportional-Integral-Derivative) which is tunable to a process with feedback, feedforward, and variable control devices. We would only be using the proportional (on/off) output based on feedback from a thermometer in an inexpensive setup. This would produce a band(deadband) to control with some delay/overshoot in temps. The band I see in the Lee by itself, and running the pot outdoors, is +/- ~25deg. Any better contoller would reduce this band some.

If dip annealing;
Given that most folks seem satisfied with far greater temperature bands from torches, I think a lead dip on the cheap is plenty accurate enough. Try getting +/-25deg of control with propane torches imparting any temp to ~3500deg (depending on distance & dwell).
If you manufacture brass, or your reloading is an olympic race, then torches make sense despite. Otherwise, Lead dip is easier to do -with better precision.

 

[Bobr]

Are we annealing brass with this method???

 

[bheadboy]

While pure lead melts at 621 f, the bullets we shoot are an alloy of tin and antimony, usually 6-7% tin 1-2 % antimony, thus the melting point is well below 621 F as tin lowers the alloy melt.

and the working temp needed for good mold fill is in the 600f+/- area depending on the size of the bullet and the metal of the mold. higher temps are not necessary in my experience and after many discussions with James Gibbs of H& G molds.

check out the California cast bullet web page.



Bob

 

[Webster]

I don't see anything in the Lee or Lyman data specs on the Midwest website about what temperature the furnaces will reach. It says 800/850 Watts not temperature. There is no reason for a bullet casting pot to get that hot. If you cast higher than necessary temperatures you get a frosted surface condition if I remember correctly. It's been thirty years since I cast bullets. My 40 YO Lee 500 watt pot is the same one currently being sold. It reaches 650F max verified by an optical pyrometer from Harbor Freight for $25. I anneal cases occasionally with my lead pot by holding two at a time near the head with my fingers. When they get to warm to hold I drop them on a piece of wood on the driveway. I wouldn't recommend this method because it's time consuming. You have to somehow remove lead from about 25% of the case neck o.d.'s. Sometimes it falls off easily and sometimes it bonds to the case. I have used a neck turner to clean lead from the necks. If you go to 800F you will get more lead sticking to the case. You have to decide if you want to throw those cases out or spend 5 minutes cleaning each one. If the lead is stuck inside the case mouth you have to throw the case out. Next next time I anneal I am going to try dipping the necks in silicone to try to prevent lead adhesion.
Lead fumes are hazardous. Use it outside and get upwind.

 

[Bobr]

Any one ever try annealing with sand in the lead pot instead of lead

 

[bheadboy]

years ago I was taught to anneal by taking a cake pan, put 1/2" water in it and stand the cases in the water, take a propane torch and heat the throat /neck area until the color began to alter, stop, tip the cases over in the water.

it worked.

Bob

 

[mikecr]

Any one ever try annealing with sand in the lead pot instead of lead

I don't think it would work well. Sand is an insulator rather than conductor, and with this there would be a large temperature gradient from heat source(sides/bottom) to surface.
A more thermally conductive media(maybe metal powder), with agitation, might work.
It's something to consider for sure.

 

[bow shot]

Thanks folks!

I have anOmega PID I can borrow from work. Time to tinker!!!