Home Forums Reloading Bullet Casting info on equipment wanted

Thanks again for the feedback. I may watch for the better electric pots in the used market, but for now I don't think the hiss of gas plates will be too bad. I'm thinking of calling Mr. Furg, and ordering a larger pot for even faster ingot production, and keeping my 40# pot for casting. Maybe a second 40# while I'm at it. I struck out locally on stoves, so I'll have to make a trip.

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If you've got a buddy with a welding outfit, get yourself a 9" stub of 8" schedule #40 pipe, or well casing...............

Cap it, on only one end, of course, with a 10' x 10" Square plate.......1/4' min. thickness, 1/2" plate is better. Just "seal weld" around outer radius, nothing fancy.

Now you've got yerself a 130 Lb. capacity alloying pot, with a super stable base. I didn't bother with a bail, on mine (though some customers request it)........I just handle it with Vice Grips, or a stout C-clamp, for dumping that last little bit out, when cleaning it.

Cheers, GTC

How about one of the thousands of old heavy cast aluminum pressure kettles you see at all the junky stores for a large lead pot? They are usually available for a song. Next time I see one I am going to try it on my gas burner. Steve

Be careful using aluminum pots. I used a heavy aluminum pot I picked up cheap to smelt wheel weights. After a use or two it wouldn't sit flat, I figured it was just warping from the heat. Upon closer examination I saw it was actually sagging in the spots the bottom wasn't supported by the burner assembly.

Lyman casting equipment, unfortunately, is well worth avoiding. Their furnaces will wear out in a couple of years. I'm sure about that. Their tumblers fail just about as frequently. Their moulds don't last long either.

RCBS makes very good equipment and it is guaranteed. I have three of their furnaces and never have had a problem with any of them. I've worn out a mould or two but RCBS will replace them free.

Excellent moulds are also made by Ballisti-Cast, Hoch and SAECO.

Fluxing is worth avoiding, at least during casting, as it disturbes your alloy's temperature and because of that promotes visual rejects and weight loss. Don't believe me? Use a single cavity mould. Save the bullets in their as cast order. Note where you flux. Plot the bullets weights in their as cast order noting which ones were visual rejects. Weight loss and visual rejects will be higher around the points where you fluxed.