So yesterday, the wife was off shopping and I decided to replenish my 300 grain .45/70 bullet stock. This is with a RCBS 45-300-FN with one cavity hollow pointed. One of the drawbacks to a bottom pour pot is that it's hard to get light under the pot where you can see the lead go into the mould and judge the size of the sprue. You're just casting in the dark so to speak. I expeimented with a bare light bulb earlier but that blinded me. Several days later, I ran across an old motion sensor floodlight in my "stuff" . I attached a short cord to allow plug in and a shield to direct the light. Yesterday was the first time i tried it. Man, what a difference. Next time I cast, I'll position the light a little differently but this was a great help and I can see what's going on under there. You can "hit the hole" with the melt, insure that you have a filled cavity and allow a good puddle on top. You can bet i'll be using this from now on. Easy to rig too./beagle
Let there be light
- Thread starter beagle
- Start date
Snakeoil
Well-Known Member
From your post I get the feeling that your shop simply does not have sufficient lighting. I use a bottom pour RCBS pot and there is zero issue seeing under the pot.
I would urge you to head over to Horror Fright as they are currently having a sale on them, plus I think there is still a day or two left on a 10% coupon. Their LED lights are superb. A couple years ago, they had a sale and I bought 2 cases of them as my cousin wanted a few. I replaced all the 4 foot flourescent fixtures in my basement shop with the HF LED shop lights. I added a coupe extra in areas that were under-lit. The shop is so bright now that it is downright cheery. It's almost like standing in the noon day sun.
They are all wired. All you have to do is hang them and plug them in. We have the same lights on our enclosed firing line at the club. I guarantee that you will not be disappointed. What is also neat about these is you can link up to 8 of them together so that 1 switch turns them all on.
www.harborfreight.com
I would urge you to head over to Horror Fright as they are currently having a sale on them, plus I think there is still a day or two left on a 10% coupon. Their LED lights are superb. A couple years ago, they had a sale and I bought 2 cases of them as my cousin wanted a few. I replaced all the 4 foot flourescent fixtures in my basement shop with the HF LED shop lights. I added a coupe extra in areas that were under-lit. The shop is so bright now that it is downright cheery. It's almost like standing in the noon day sun.
They are all wired. All you have to do is hang them and plug them in. We have the same lights on our enclosed firing line at the club. I guarantee that you will not be disappointed. What is also neat about these is you can link up to 8 of them together so that 1 switch turns them all on.
5500 Lumen, 4 ft. Linkable LED Hanging Shop Light
Amazing deals on this 5500 Lumen 4Ft Linkable Led Shop Light at Harbor Freight. Quality tools & low prices.
Last edited:
When you live in an 1840s era farm house, all is not as you sometimes desire. My shop is an unheated chicken house that was converted into a rec room for teenagers in the 50s and into my shop when we bought the place.. Got a concrete floor, roof and electricity but it's pretty spartan. But, it's my mess.
Always lights on the ceiling but they don't reach under the pot like i need it. My rig makes a lot of difference. Having traveled around the world in the Army for years, actually, my shop is pretty good compared to some places I have cast.
Just pointing out that sometimes a little light goes a long way in better bullets./beagle
Always lights on the ceiling but they don't reach under the pot like i need it. My rig makes a lot of difference. Having traveled around the world in the Army for years, actually, my shop is pretty good compared to some places I have cast.
Just pointing out that sometimes a little light goes a long way in better bullets./beagle
RicinYakima
High Steppes of Eastern Washington
Solved a lot of my problem went I painted the entire interior bright white. FWIW
fiver
Well-Known Member
i got a couple of the lights Snake shows and they are simply amazing.
a tiny little 4 foot light that you have to hang behind you or the light is so intense it will bother your eyes,, plus they suck down nuthin energy wise.
the best part is you can link like 4 of them together and turn on 1 or 2 or all 4 or even set one to turn on when you walk in the shop, and use the chain to turn on the others.
i've been putting them in pretty much all of my reloading, storage, and casting areas.
a tiny little 4 foot light that you have to hang behind you or the light is so intense it will bother your eyes,, plus they suck down nuthin energy wise.
the best part is you can link like 4 of them together and turn on 1 or 2 or all 4 or even set one to turn on when you walk in the shop, and use the chain to turn on the others.
i've been putting them in pretty much all of my reloading, storage, and casting areas.
CWLONGSHOT
Well-Known Member
I have taken to more task lights to supplement overhead lighting.
LED "sewing machine" lights are good for me! They have a long flexable arm. Are light in weight and has a magnetic base. THEY ARE CHEAP TOO! (Amazon 10-20$)
I have one on every pot. Flex to put light right on spigot/sprue.
I cast in garage and have screwin light sockets. I have added two. Moving existing to one side down 2x6 to one wall as far as wiring allows. Then added a spurr down same 2x6 to
Opposite wall and another socket. Then Home Depot has had "as seen on TV" LED "garage" lights for these single screw in receptacles. Somewhat adjustable bending paddles to direction if needed light. They are about 20$ ea. I have two of them and they really throw allot of light compared to a single 100w bulb.
CW
LED "sewing machine" lights are good for me! They have a long flexable arm. Are light in weight and has a magnetic base. THEY ARE CHEAP TOO! (Amazon 10-20$)
I have one on every pot. Flex to put light right on spigot/sprue.
I cast in garage and have screwin light sockets. I have added two. Moving existing to one side down 2x6 to one wall as far as wiring allows. Then added a spurr down same 2x6 to
Opposite wall and another socket. Then Home Depot has had "as seen on TV" LED "garage" lights for these single screw in receptacles. Somewhat adjustable bending paddles to direction if needed light. They are about 20$ ea. I have two of them and they really throw allot of light compared to a single 100w bulb.
CW
Slughammer
Member
I built a riser to get a better line of sight and one of my swing arm lamps (I've finally accumulated enough of them from the thrift shop to have one permanently each machine/bench/grinder and saw in my shop).
CWLONGSHOT
Well-Known Member
I know its my trimmer not my pot.
But ya can see these lights can be the catz azz to put good light where its needed AND ADJUSTED AS NEEDED!
CW