which furnace is best

[buttonbuck]

I am considering my options on a lead furnace for casting roundballs in 32 cal, 54 cal and 60 cal and possibly 54 cal 380 grain REAL bullets . I see Lee sells a 20 lb and a 10 lb furnace. I looked on the midway site and a lot of people said they would have got the 20 lb but I do not see myself casting 500 bullets at a time. As a novice to casting any observations on both would be appreciated.

 

[DNICK]

I use a lee 10 lb pot for casting roundball and real conicals for my .50 and .54 the 10 lb pot is large enough if you add lead as you cast I keep mine over half full all the time dont know if it keeps the tempurature more even or not it's just the way I do it.

 

[GreyWhiskers]

BB,

I've got 2 Lee 10lb pots and a new 20 pounder. I like the big one better. It's easier to ladle out of if you don't want to use the bottom pour spout. And casting those big boolets you can really go thru the lead. GW

 

[paulvallandigham]

If you were only going to cast the small RBs, then the smaller pot would make sense. ( 10 lbs.) But you say you are also going to cast .60 caliber balls, and those take a lot of lead. I would seriously think about getting a 20 lb. pot. It takes a good sized pot to keep enough lead hot enough, long enough to pour any quantity of large lead balls. 325 grains( the weight of the .600" RB,is 3/4 oz!) 6 balls weigh 4 oz. one pound is only going to give you between 20 and 24 balls. If you use the smaller pot, and fill it only a little more than half way, you can go through 5-6 lbs. in less than an hour making these large balls. YOu will find in casting, that adding new lead regularly is the key to keeping enough lead in the pot at temerature, that you don't have to stop and wait for the lead to reach mold temperature. It is perhaps the most difficult part of casting to learn to do. Any size pot is going to be much more forgiving if you are using only a little weight of lead out of the pot for eat casting. When you start casting the big boys, you are going through a lot of lead fast.

Use the big pot. Check with other makers, to compare prices. . I believe that SAECO still makes lead casting pots.

 

[MSW]

i agree with Paul- get the bigger pot. i didn't and ofetn wish i had

 

[Thunderchild]

I cast all my balls and bullets. I usually make about 100-200 balls per sitting. I use the Lee 20 pound dip pot and a bottom pour ladle. I like the space under the pot for heating up moulds that I plan to use. The large capacity helps to keep the temp constant and you will not have to wait as long when you add lead or return spue to the pot.

One other thing. When ever you pour a lead mould that is over one ounce like a mini ball. You need to use a dip type pot. Bottom pour pots do not put enough lead in the mould fast enough to prevent constant wrinkles and air bubbles.

 

[bwhoffman]

I've had a Lee production pot IV for almost 20 years, great little furnace, has done its job well and was good money well spent.
feeding all my guns, thinking of getting a bigger one. It will be the 20 pound Lee, without a doubt!

Thats my reccomendation!

 

[jtmattison]

I use a Lee Production Pot IV with the four inch clearance for the bottom pour spout. I guess it holds 8-10 pounds. It works perfect for me. I cast a lot of .50 and .54 roundball and conicals.

Then again, I used to use my Coleman stove and an old stainless steel pot with a ladel and it worked just as good. Just not as easy.

HD

 

[Bob Gular]

Since I went to the Coleman/iron pot & ladle method my Lyman bottom pour furnace is covered with dust. I get more consistent results with larger roundballs and conicals. The equipment costs a lot less too.

 

[rabbit03]

If you have the room this large pot works well with the fish fryer type burner under it. Very inexpensive and the results are great with balls that are very consistant. The large volume helps the lead remain at a more constant temperature and there is usually no need to put more lead in once you start to pour.

The fish fryer also serves as a deep fryer for my fish, chicken, and especially the venison not in the same pot of course.

rabbit03


[url] http://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/fusionbb/showpost.php?post/485835/[/url] :thumbsup:

 

[arquebus]

If you are dead set on an electric pot I'd go with the 20lb capacity. However my recommendation would be to get a propane ring & a small to medium cast iron Dutch Oven, along with a RCBS or Lyman ladle (forget the Lee ladle, it's just a glorified spoon!). I have owned 2-3 of the 10lb Lee bottom-pour furnaces over the years, mainly for alloyed lead, & they worked ok but I shoot alot of .56 & .58 Minies plus .32 & .45 conicals & found I didn't get enough heat (with pure lead) or flow-rate to do a good job with the Minies. The Dutch Oven gives me ample capacity of lead, plus easy access for the ladle & I get more consistent bullet weights when using a ladle, too.

 

[longcruise]

Since I went to the Coleman/iron pot & ladle method my Lyman bottom pour furnace is covered with dust. I get more consistent results with larger roundballs and conicals. The equipment costs a lot less too.

I'll second that!! :thumbsup:

I haven't used my Lee production pot in ages. It's a pain in the butt to work with compared to the coleman and irn pot.

Only thing I might change is adding a lead thermometer or I might get rid of the bottom pour apparatus in the Lee pot and use it as a dip pot with my ladle. That would be only to allow the use of the temp contro thermostat. May not work cause the pot is fairly narrow.

 

[paulvallandigham]

Thunderchild: If you drill open the entrance hole in the cut off plate, to a larger diameter, you can get more lead into those large cavity molds faster, and you won't get the wrinkles.

 

[buttonbuck]

this is great info. I have a dutch oven that is junk becuase the lid broke, I had orignally planned just to use it for cleaning lead and producing ingots. I do not plan to cast center fire bullets yet I will try the coleman propane stove and dutch oven cool. My next topic is on what moulds to get?

 

Bbuck,

This is what I use...
[url] http://www.theantimonyman.com/furnace.htm[/url]

 

[Thunderchild]

billy

Isn't 500 bucks is a bit pricy for a lead furnace. A lee furnace cost less than fifty new. You can pick up a old colman stove and iron skillet at a flea market for less than 20 dollars and melt lead in it. I am just saying there are cheeper ways to go.

TC

 

[arquebus]

Buttonbuck said: My next topic is on what moulds to get?

I've had good success with the Lee moulds cut for roundballs, but prefer others for conicals & Minies. I have both 1 & 2 cavity Lee RB moulds & either work well but the double cavity obviously helps speed up production. In conical bullet moulds I prefer single cavity, as there are more variables (nose, base, lube grooves, etc.) in that type of projectile, but with RB moulds I think multiple cavity are just fine.

 

[cptleo1]

Lee production pot IV

Bottom pour for smaller balls

ladle for .62 on up and conicals

 

[buttonbuck]

thanks for the info. I plan to try using a dutch oven and a coleman stove at first since I ordered a 32 double cavity rb mould and have a 60 cal rb lee moulds. I also took the advise and ordered a lyman dipper to cast I had previously ordered the lee dipper but will use that to skim, also I will use the marvelflux to clean up the lead, I could use the bees wax but figured try the commercial stuff. When the change Jar fills and the factory rb and conicals are fired off I will order a couple more moulds for the 54 cal.

 

[sniper68]

Good choice!! :thumbsup:
Here are some recommendations I have.
Get the Coleman #424 duel fuel(silver tank). It has more BTU's than the older models(red tank) and the the propane ones. File a notch in the wind screen to hold your ladle/dipper in the pot.
Drill out the hole in the dipper to just slightly to smooth it and slightly enlarge it for better controlled lead flow. HAVE FUN!! :grin: