Lead pot temperature control

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perry owens
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Lead pot temperature control

Post by perry owens »

My Lee 4-20 lead pot has served me well but I needed better temperature control than it provides. I thought about an RCBS Pro-Melt but the profiteer at Midwayuk wants £574($918) for one so that was a non starter.
I decided to buy some bits and make my own controller and found it surprisingly easy. For about $50 in parts I now have an electronic temperature controller that controls to within +/- 1 degree F.
If anyone is interested in making one I posted a video about it on my You Tube channel here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vwDgkrNMJQA

Perry Owens
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cjensen
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Re: Lead pot temperature control

Post by cjensen »

Nice video.
I made mine so I can plug the pot into a receptacle on the PID box. I just turn the pot's therostat all the way up and plug it into my PID device. I have several pots with different alloys and can plug any one of them into my PID. I just need to remember to take my detector out of the pot before in cools off.
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TedH
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Re: Lead pot temperature control

Post by TedH »

Nice work. Thanks for sharing that.
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AJMD429
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Re: Lead pot temperature control

Post by AJMD429 »

If there were a forum as nice as leverguns that was for electronics tinkerers, I'd probably waste lots of time there, for sure... :D
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Griff
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Re: Lead pot temperature control

Post by Griff »

I see my next project for the reloading bench... Thanks Perry!!! :twisted: :twisted: :D
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AJMD429
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Re: Lead pot temperature control

Post by AJMD429 »

I liked the photo-interlude.

Thanks for posting the specific parts you used, too.

Cool stuff.
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M. M. Wright
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Re: Lead pot temperature control

Post by M. M. Wright »

Wow Perry, that was a really good video. I have a 90 lb pot off a Magma casting machine that I have been wanting to get going for years. This will let me get it going though I may need more amperage for the huge heater in it. Should only need a bigger relay.
The interlude was a very nice touch. I've noticed Stevie Nicks doing some mop commercials for the U. S. television though they don't give her credit, just play one of her songs in the background. I think it was for a mop but then the commercials now days sometimes you can't tell what they are advertising.
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perry owens
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Re: Lead pot temperature control

Post by perry owens »

AJMD429 wrote:I liked the photo-interlude.

Thanks for posting the specific parts you used, too.

Cool stuff.
Just realised I used one of Kirk D's beautiful Winchester photos. Should have asked him first - sorry Kirk.

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gamekeeper
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Re: Lead pot temperature control

Post by gamekeeper »

AJMD429 wrote:I liked the photo-interlude.

Thanks for posting the specific parts you used, too.

Cool stuff.
+1 excellent....... 8)
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Canuck Bob
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Re: Lead pot temperature control

Post by Canuck Bob »

cjensen wrote:Nice video.
I made mine so I can plug the pot into a receptacle on the PID box. I just turn the pot's therostat all the way up and plug it into my PID device. I have several pots with different alloys and can plug any one of them into my PID. I just need to remember to take my detector out of the pot before in cools off.
Wonderful video production. It finally makes sense why and how to build a PID control. Along with this idea above it is a double bright thread.
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Re: Lead pot temperature control

Post by Nate Kiowa Jones »

Great info and well done. I hope this makes it to
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