Home Forums Hunting & Shooting BPCR New casting pots with built-in PID controllers

Some of you may have seen my article titled, Casting with a PID Controller, that was recently published in The Single Shot Exchange Magazine and also posted on my website. It was submitted a few months ago and is already outdated since both RCBS and Lyman have recently introduced new casting furnaces with PID controllers built in. The RCBS ProMelt 2, RCBS Easy Melt and the Lyman Mag 25 feature easy to program and use PID feature. All hold 25 lbs of alloy. The RCBS ProMelt 2 and Lyman Mag 25 are bottom pour designs but can also be used for ladle dipping. The RCBS Easy Melt model for ladle dipping only is an especially good buy. MidwayUSA is offering a limited time sale for $109.99 & shipping is free. The regular Midway price is $129.99 and RCBS lists the unit for $149.95.

It seems the casting equipment suppliers are finally starting to wake up to the use of digital technology. No doubt there will be more offerings to come. I bet Lee won't be left in the dust for long and Waage will have to upgrade their pot to stay competitive.

Wayne

Thanks for the heads-up, Wayne!

Ed

Didn't see any free shipping.

Paul

It apparently was dropped shortly after I started the thread, but another guy indicated there was a $25 RCBS rebate. I have not checked.

Wayne

My RCBS Easy Melt arrived yesterday. I haven't fired it up yet, but here are my first impressions. First, it doesn't sit squarely on its four feet. I can't see visually that it is warped, but it rocks on our granite kitchen counter. The thing is fastened together permanently, so there is no easy way to fix it properly, so I'll probably add a spacer to one of the feet. The warranty is for two years, and you have to ship it on your dime and send them a $10 check for return shipping, so there goes the rebate at least.

Then the controls. Again, I haven't played with it yet, so these are first impressions. The control panel is tiny and not intuitive. You have to read the instructions to understand the symbols and how to set up and adjust it.

The proof will be in its use. Will it melt lead alloy and hold a constant, accurate temperature, and have a reasonable life span? An electric pot is a simple device. It either works or it doesn't. If it does, the special pricing will prove to be a good deal.

The gold standard in casting pots has been the Waage, but it is a commercial pot, expensive and with no warranty. Mine finally died.

Paul

Well Paul it's been 24 hours now, should of been plenty of time to run off 4-500 bullets and give us a report.

Sorry, it'll be awhile before I can get around to doing any casting.

Too much other stuff going on right now, but I just wanted to jump on this deal while it was available.

When I get to it, it'll first be used for 235 gr. .32 spitzers. I'm waiting for a mould to arrive.

Paul

I really like my Lyman with the PID,

Although I have a RCBS furnace which is controlled with a separate PID, I ordered an Easy Melt from MidwayUSA yesterday & it’s on backorder. So I probably won’t qualify for the $25 rebate but it’s still a good deal without it.

Below is some feedback on the RCBS Easy Melt I just received from a guy that recently bought one. He also has a Waage pot controlled with a separate PID.

Wayne
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I ordered and received a RCBS Easy Melt from Midway. I set it up next to my Waage w/PID controller to make a comparison. The Easy Melt has a built in PID. My observations:
Price RCBS $109.99 + $11.49 shipping and additional $25.00 rebate from RCBS (must purchase by 3/31/18) – advantage Easy Melt
RCBS holds more alloy and no thermocouple in the pot which is required with a separate PID. – advantage Easy Melt
RCBS held the temperature more constant than the Waage while casting 20 bullets each. – advantage Easy Melt
RCBS made in China. – advantage Waage
For the price, I couldn’t pass this up as a second pot. After using the Easy Melt today, my Waage w/PID is my second pot. I was pleasantly surprised by the Easy Melt’s performance, considering the low price. I think having the PID as an integral part of the unit is giving it better temperature stability.
I just hope the Easy Melt holds up……………………..

Guys,

If you subscribe to The Single Shot Exchange Magazine you can ignore this post since the article was just published in the most recent June 2018 edition. Otherwise, if you’re interested in a detailed evaluation of the RCBS Easy Melt casting furnace, click on the following link: http://www.texas-mac.com/Evaluation_of_the_RCBS_Easy_Melt_Casting_Furnace_with_PID.html

Wayne