Lights for the pot

[Mike W1]

Fellow on the "other" site showed his setup to light things up a bit. Looked better than what I had so bought a couple LED Puck lights and got em' set up. I like to hit the center of the sprue hole and it looks like this will be the ticket. Photo skills are lacking but they really make a big difference. Things came 3 to a pack so I hit it from both sides.

Without the Puck Lighting

With the Puck Light ON

 

[Ian]

That's better!

 

[yodogsandman]

I need to do that too!

 

[KHornet]

A decent Idea!
Paul

 

[Mike W1]

Cast a few yesterday after adding the 3rd puck above the pots and gotta say it's easier to skim when you can see what you're doing. All in all a worth-while little endeavor.

 

[Kevin Stenberg]

Mike I would like to know more about your mold shelf (table) With no front support on the pot does it change the height of the pot when it is full of lead? Doe the mold shelf adjust up and down? I like it.

 

[Mike W1]

Mike I would like to know more about your mold shelf (table) With no front support on the pot does it change the height of the pot when it is full of lead? Doe the mold shelf adjust up and down? I like it.

My pots are both the Lee 10# Production Pots. The top one that's used to feed the lower one merely has to have it's base reversed. It doesn't affect the level of lead of course and is lag screwed down so it cannot tip. The mold shelf is spacered so I get the clearance I want for my Lyman moulds. The Lee that I have requires a little less so there's another shelf that slips over the exiisting one for that. I prefer that smooth surface as it aids in sliding the mold slightly as I like to hit the center of the sprue hole with the lead stream. Also that rounded front edge lets me sweep any droppings into the little removeable box on the front.

Maybe a couple pictures show things better.

Lower pot slid rearward to refill the lower pot

Lower Pot forward in casting position

Side shot of spacers to get height I wanted and
handles to assist in sliding the pot

 

[Paden]

Lights for the pot

When I read this, I thought for a second maybe we had a new gardening section.

 

[Paden]

deleted dup

 

[Kevin Stenberg]

Mike W1
How close do you have to have the outlet of the top pot to the lead level on the bottom pot so as not to get a splash of lead when re-filling the bottom pot?
To the right of your bottom pot about 6" in an electrical device. What is that for? I think I just figured it out. It is a puck light. You also have one on the opposite side of the pot.

 

[Mike W1]

Yup those are the pucks and a 3rd one above that shines down. The bottom pot slides back and forth for refill or casting and I've had various separations. Used to use long lag screws with spacers on the top one and had about 1/4" clearance between the top spout and the bottom pot rim. When I added the steel handle on the lower one I built that conglomeration up there so I can slide the top pot out for any maintenance and not have to unscrew 4 lag screws.

The base up top is still lag screwed down and you have to undo a couple screws on the vertical strip of metal to slide the pot out. You do want things solid up there!!!

That all said now, the separation from top spout to rim of lower is 1-3/4" to clear that handle. Splash has never been an issue at all. Takes about 2 minutes to pour the alloy from top to lower so recently added a little chain and hook to hold the top pot fill handle open and that's also worked out OK.