Mike W1
Active Member
Had a little more "play time" today. Sometimes I wonder where I read what, as I look at 4 casting sites regularly. Read somewhere about "hot spots" on the hot plate so I dug out my little ebay surface reading probe. No matter where I placed it on the hot plate it seemed to be consistent. Mine has the closed coil top and the 1/4" aluminum plate over that. Don't imagine that probe is scientifically accurate but my curiousity is satisfied.
Then was the fun with the Lee I bought mainly to play around with. Set the hot plate to 380° F while the pot was heating to 374° C (705° F) which got the mold up to 310° F in short order. First casts looked OK but mold temperature quickly rose to the 330-350° range at which point it became apparent that my sprue cooling fan would be of value as temps would easily reach the 400° area and sprue cooling time became quite lengthy. And again noted that my little warming shelves on the pots would not have adequately warmed a Lee DC mold to casting temperature.
Still find them "adequate" for my Lymans but even they will get the hot plate treatment henceforth.
I think now I'd be comfortable casting with an AL mold excepting they feel light to me and I don't feel the need for any more molds. Also find it easier to maintain a mold temp with iron but that's what I'm used to. Any how learned a bit more and had a good time at it while it rained a little.
Then was the fun with the Lee I bought mainly to play around with. Set the hot plate to 380° F while the pot was heating to 374° C (705° F) which got the mold up to 310° F in short order. First casts looked OK but mold temperature quickly rose to the 330-350° range at which point it became apparent that my sprue cooling fan would be of value as temps would easily reach the 400° area and sprue cooling time became quite lengthy. And again noted that my little warming shelves on the pots would not have adequately warmed a Lee DC mold to casting temperature.
Still find them "adequate" for my Lymans but even they will get the hot plate treatment henceforth.
I think now I'd be comfortable casting with an AL mold excepting they feel light to me and I don't feel the need for any more molds. Also find it easier to maintain a mold temp with iron but that's what I'm used to. Any how learned a bit more and had a good time at it while it rained a little.
