Newby on the block... well, to casting anyways.

[avator]

I've never been burned from direct contact with hot lead but I have choked up a bit too far on the mold handles and received a blister on my finger through the glove before I realized it was happening.
I also stand so I can move back quickly if I need to.

[WobblyHand]

Lemme break this down a little...
This is the PID I ordered and received yesterday.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/225465702351?var=524460129088
Just an FYI... I ordered on June 29 and received it on July 10. I got a tracking notice 4 times on June 29 that it was moving around in NYC. I never saw another update to tracking until it arrived in my mailbox. I even have an account with USPS but movement just seemed to stop. I was concerned that in was lost somewhere. ETA was between July 6 and 11. So, in reality, it arrived "on time".
The actual model number of the one I received is REX-C100FK05-V*DN.
Page 1 of the manual I posted above gives the break down of each position in that Model number. The one I was most concerned with was pos 3. Which in my case was 5. The last 2 PID controllers I bought were both 2.
If you look at pg. 10 of the manual it will give you the meaning of this code.
2 = 400c
5 = 1000c

Thanks for that link.  Think I will upgrade mine to 1000C.  Been really wanting that.  Control loops work poorly against a stop - they need headroom to operate properly.  My TC is rated to 800C, so should be good enough.  Hoping it is a "simple remove and replace", but sometimes those operations don't quite go as planned.

I cast with shorts and teeshirt, because it has been so darned hot.  (Or wet cold and rainy, which is no fun.)  But I wear good boots a lot.  Still, I got burned a couple of times on my arms by some mini-splashes.  They took a while to heal.  But yeah, crocks are basically just foam and offer zero protection from molten metal of any sort.  Learned all about wearing good footwear when welding.  You just don't want to get a hot foot from an orange hot ball of steel!  Even open pockets like on a shirt are trouble, as they retain those little red hot devils.  Back to casting, err no flip flops for me.

[avator]

My TC is a 700c.

[WobblyHand]

My TC is a 700c.

It will work fine - unless you want to melt higher temp metals like copper, silver, gold, iron, etc.  The thermocouple would just work on aluminum, as it melts at 660C. 

It will be great for casting pellets, etc with practically any casting alloy that I can think of.

[WobblyHand]

But don't melt aluminum in your pot!  The walls surrounding the pot (not the pot itself which is steel) are aluminum.  Would be interesting to watch what failed first, but the pot probably wouldn't be useful after that.  If the outer wall was upgraded to steel, I guess you could melt aluminum, but I'd want a lot of insulation around it.  660C is very hot 1220F.

[avator]

I've recently been running my pot at 370c and my mold oven at 120c. I'm getting great results at those temps with the 4 cav aluminum .25 mold.

[2A Georgia]

Tracking
Learning
Gloves away from maiden voyage slug casting....

[Firewalker]

Probably already posted this but I've never worn gloves while casting, I dont see the need and my hands tell me when things are getting hot.

[avator]

Probably already posted this but I've never worn gloves while casting, I dont see the need and my hands tell me when things are getting hot.

It's all good, I never wear safety glasses when shooting airguns.. I wish us both continued good luck. 

[cosmic]

I use thin leather gloves and a full face shield... Seen my pot erupt from moisture in the scrap I threw in... Luckily I walked away in time.. But a mess to clean up..  I also have a apron that is fire proof.
  I heat all my scrap in my oven before adding back to the pot now..

[triggertreat]

I use thin leather gloves and a full face shield... Seen my pot erupt from moisture in the scrap I threw in... Luckily I walked away in time.. But a mess to clean up..  I also have a apron that is fire proof.
  I heat all my scrap in my oven before adding back to the pot now..

A similar thing happened to my brother while casting saltwater sinkers using a Lee 10lb. pot.  We think he either stirred in some sweat or didn't heat the dipper up before diving in below the surface.  Lead covers some of his shed ceiling now.  He was very lucky and came out with only a few burns.  His shed was trashed with lead splatters.  Gotta keep all moisture away or at least just on top until it evaporates before diving below.

[2A Georgia]

I use thin leather gloves and a full face shield... Seen my pot erupt from moisture in the scrap I threw in... Luckily I walked away in time.. But a mess to clean up..  I also have a apron that is fire proof.
  I heat all my scrap in my oven before adding back to the pot now..

Noted and continuing to study before firing up my pot for the first time...

[avator]

Been awhile since I posted to this thread. Matter of fact, it's been awhile since I seriously cast any pellets. Just a few here and there as I was testing some PID related stuff.
While I was cleaning and organizing work benches this morning I fired up "Casting Corner". I chose to use the hot plate mold oven with it's new PID instead of the toaster oven unit.
I set the PID at 150c and the temp rose to 375f inside the oven. I had the lead pot set to 675f. Once it was up to temp I poured a couple drops from the .25 4 cav aluminum mold with poor results... so I started making temp adjustments. I suspected the mold was too hot because it seemed like the sprue took longer to solidify and change to a dullish color.
I dropped the mold oven to 120c and that lowered the temp inside to 275ish. I dropped the pot to 650f (the pot PID is changeable to read F and the other 2 are not).
That seems to be some magic numbers because I ran 2 125ish runs and only culled 3 pellets for obvious deforms.
I put them in the tumbler and after 10 minutes they changed to a dull color. After 20 minutes they went to a beautiful shiny silver.
Next I will do a closer inspection and take some weight samples. I usually weigh around one in 5 to 10 depending on the spread. Anything in the 27gr range goes in one tin and anything in the 28gr range goes in another. Anything over or under goes back into the pot. Most drop between 27.30 to 27.70. I keep the 28gr pellets because the Avenger likes them a little heavy. The Hatsan 1KV break barrel and the 2 Sentry HC Deluxe guns do not.

[avator]

I had been using some run of the mill gloves for casting. The kind with leather palms and finger tips and canvas on the back of the hands. I don't know if I just wore them out or if a mouse found them good to eat. Either way, the hot sprue plate on one of my molds found that hole and the finger tip that was within.
We have a Co Op in town and I founds some great all leather gloves yesterday. They are a bit stiff and will take some breaking in but they are good and thick. I had to get XXL to fit these clubs I got from my Dad. I was grateful they had 5 sizes to choose from. $20 out the door. No burned fingers = priceless.

[avator]

It's been awhile since I did any serious casting. But since setting up a 50yd range I wanted to give some of the 217 20 RF pellets a try. Since I got the 217 24 RF Magnum mold and had such good luck kinda stuck with those. That mold is also aluminum and easier to pour good pellets than the brass. Both are 2 cav molds.
I normally pour the aluminum molds at 660f and preheat the mold to 250 - 275. But the brass mold likes things a bit hotter. I preheat to 350 and bump the pot up to 700. They drop between 19.70 and 20.50 with the long pins. Those weights are after a 20 minute tumble. I put an average of 150 in the tumbler at a time. No SS tumbling pins, just pellets. I cull around 10 - 15 %.
The lead is recycled wheel weights. No idea how pure it is but I sort it before pouring ingots. I also scoop anything out of the smelting pot that don't melt in a timely manner.

[EdinGa]

If you have a Prod, try the 20s in it. Mine loves them.

[avator]

No PRod but that 1358 shot them one hole at 35yds. I just wish I could figure out that blowback in my face out of the breech. I can't seem to get the barrel out. I suspect the barrel orings.
Knowing at least one gun shoots them I'll drop a good run and try some others. I started a log on them.

[EdinGa]

No PRod but that 1358 shot them one hole at 35yds. I just wish I could figure out that blowback in my face out of the breech. I can't seem to get the barrel out. I suspect the barrel orings.
Knowing at least one gun shoots them I'll drop a good run and try some others. I started a log on them.

My Cayden likes them too. I don't think I've tried them in anything else.

[avator]

No PRod but that 1358 shot them one hole at 35yds. I just wish I could figure out that blowback in my face out of the breech. I can't seem to get the barrel out. I suspect the barrel orings.
Knowing at least one gun shoots them I'll drop a good run and try some others. I started a log on them.

My Cayden likes them too. I don't think I've tried them in anything else.

Most all my .22 guns like the 217 24 magnums. I also have a couple springers I want to try these Hunters in as well. The goal is to cast all my .22 and .25 pellets and only buy .177 and .20. Controlling the lead pot and mold oven temps for this brass mold is key to good consistent pour. The aluminum molds are much less picky.

[EdinGa]

No PRod but that 1358 shot them one hole at 35yds. I just wish I could figure out that blowback in my face out of the breech. I can't seem to get the barrel out. I suspect the barrel orings.
Knowing at least one gun shoots them I'll drop a good run and try some others. I started a log on them.

My Cayden likes them too. I don't think I've tried them in anything else.

Most all my .22 guns like the 217 24 magnums. I also have a couple springers I want to try these Hunters in as well. The goal is to cast all my .22 and .25 pellets and only buy .177 and .20. Controlling the lead pot and mold oven temps for this brass mold is key to good consistent pour. The aluminum molds are much less picky.

I'm right there with you. I'm narrowing down to my favorite guns and I'll probably sell off the rest eventually. I have all of the lead and all of the molds I need for .22 and .25, so I'm good there. I probably have close to 30k .177s I'm probably fine in that department, but I can't resist a good sale and new products.  This is probably a good thing because I've really become obsessed with .177 again.

I'm probably going to get rid of my brass molds. I prefer aluminum.