Lead Thermometer

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  • inkd

    Ultimate Member
    Aug 4, 2009
    7,512
    Ridge
    Will a thermometer for deep frying a turkey work or should I go with one from Lyman, RCBS or Rotometals?

    I searched the forum and found some threads on casting but the only mention of thermometers were that you should use one.

    I only looked at about 3% of the threads so the answer may be in there somewhere :D
     

    trickg

    Guns 'n Drums
    MDS Supporter
    Jul 22, 2008
    14,591
    Glen Burnie
    My Dad cast thousands and thousands of bullets in his lifetime, and I never saw him use a thermometer, and he cast plenty of very good bullets. I'm not sure why you'd need one.

    Dad had a pretty basic setup - he had a propane burner and cast iron cauldrons. He'd melt the lead and start casting - the first few bullets cast were duds - they were only to get the mould hot enough so that the lead didn't set up too fast. Once he had that set, then it was game-on until the mould got too hot and the bullets weren't setting up fast enough. Then, IIRC, he'd quench the mould, typically in a can of water he had sitting on the bench.

    Is this the "correct" way to do it? Dunno - that's what he did though, and he had a couple of decades of experience doing it by the time he started teaching me about it.
     

    inkd

    Ultimate Member
    Aug 4, 2009
    7,512
    Ridge
    My Dad cast thousands and thousands of bullets in his lifetime, and I never saw him use a thermometer, and he cast plenty of very good bullets. I'm not sure why you'd need one.

    Dad had a pretty basic setup - he had a propane burner and cast iron cauldrons. He'd melt the lead and start casting - the first few bullets cast were duds - they were only to get the mould hot enough so that the lead didn't set up too fast. Once he had that set, then it was game-on until the mould got too hot and the bullets weren't setting up fast enough. Then, IIRC, he'd quench the mould, typically in a can of water he had sitting on the bench.

    Is this the "correct" way to do it? Dunno - that's what he did though, and he had a couple of decades of experience doing it by the time he started teaching me about it.

    I'm not casting yet, just melting a bunch of wheel weights I have on hand. I want to make sure I keep the temp low enough to just melt the lead in case I missed a few non-lead weights.
     

    inkd

    Ultimate Member
    Aug 4, 2009
    7,512
    Ridge
    I got an IR thermometer on Amazon to tell me when things that were heated were cool enough to pick up. It seems to work quite well. It's like a no-touch medical thermometer.

    Like this, but they sell several models:

    https://smile.amazon.com/ANGGO-Non-contact-Temperature-Thermometer-Precisely/dp/B01FYVEJMY/

    I thought of that too but one of the threads I found mentioned an IR thermometer and it not having a consistent read. Something about the surface of the lead being too reflective? I dunno if that makes sense or not? Maybe I'll get one and try it out anyways?
     

    K31

    "Part of that Ultra MAGA Crowd"
    MDS Supporter
    Jan 15, 2006
    35,632
    AA county
    I thought of that too but one of the threads I found mentioned an IR thermometer and it not having a consistent read. Something about the surface of the lead being too reflective? I dunno if that makes sense or not? Maybe I'll get one and try it out anyways?

    I doubt it's "too reflective" based on my own experiences reading shiny metal. I think it may be that the surface may have impurities floating on top that are lower temperature due to them having less thermal conductivity. They can (should) be skimmed away but you could always point it at the crucible/whatever. It all depends on what you are measuring it for. Consistency?
    Readiness to pour? Or a specific temp.?
     

    John from MD

    American Patriot
    MDS Supporter
    May 12, 2005
    22,730
    Socialist State of Maryland
    I have several IR thermometers and they don't work on molten lead reliably enough to use them.

    I bought the Lyman digital on sale a while back. It reads 10* lower than my calibrated dial thermometer at casting temperature.
     

    inkd

    Ultimate Member
    Aug 4, 2009
    7,512
    Ridge
    I doubt it's "too reflective" based on my own experiences reading shiny metal. I think it may be that the surface may have impurities floating on top that are lower temperature due to them having less thermal conductivity. They can (should) be skimmed away but you could always point it at the crucible/whatever. It all depends on what you are measuring it for. Consistency?
    Readiness to pour? Or a specific temp.?

    Mainly going to use it to make sure the heat doesn't get too hot to melt non-lead wheel weights.

    I think I do a good job of culling them out but after doing buckets and buckets, I have to be honest and say it's possible I missed a few.
     

    inkd

    Ultimate Member
    Aug 4, 2009
    7,512
    Ridge
    Spot on keep the temperature hot enough for lead to melt but to cold to melt zinc and the zinc will float so it can be skimmed off. Any thermometer that covers that temperature range will work but after using one for lead I don't think I would stick it in my turkey fryer. I have a dedicated lead thermometer.

    Lots of good information here:
    http://castboolits.gunloads.com/forumdisplay.php?35-Classics-amp-Stickies

    I don't know why I didn't think of castboolits first. That place is a gold mine of info.

    My turkey frying days are over so there will be no double dipping with the thermometer :lol2:

    I will though, probably, just buy a shorter thermometer since I am not melting lead in a pot as deep as my turkey frying pot.

    Thank you!!
     

    Art3

    Eqinsu Ocha
    MDS Supporter
    Jan 30, 2015
    13,267
    Harford County
    Will a thermometer for deep frying a turkey work or should I go with one from Lyman, RCBS or Rotometals?

    I searched the forum and found some threads on casting but the only mention of thermometers were that you should use one.

    I only looked at about 3% of the threads so the answer may be in there somewhere :D

    If a turkey thermometer has a high enough range and will fit into your lead pot without being a dangerous obstruction, I don't see why it wouldn't work. I definitely believe you should use...something.

    I was first introduced to casting by my father, making Minnie balls and round balls out of wheel weights in a small pot on the kitchen stove. We certainly got useable projectiles, but there was definite room for improvement (a four inch diameter pot in the center of an eight inch electric burner quickly leads to hairless knuckles).

    We'd adjust temperature by reading the dropped bullets (swirly vs frosty...maybe a couple of keepers in between), but, even when we got out of the kitchen with a "real" lead pot, it was just a very reactive method (and slow to react). Topping up the pot started the guessing process all over.

    When I got back into casting, I realized I wanted a little more consistent product and process. I tried the infrared thermometer, but it still left me unsatisfied. Sometimes, I'm pretty sure it was reading the heating elements (especially when the lead level was low). Remember that, especially at such close range, it is actually measuring from a point slightly below the laser. The other challenge of using the point and click temperature reading was remembering to do it...regularly:o

    I finally got a lead thermometer (Lyman, I think) for Christmas, and wish I had done it sooner. Sure, it's kind of in the way in the pot when it comes to ladling or skimming, but that is a small price to pay. Unlike the infrared one, it's always there giving me data at a glance. I don't have to set anything down to pick up the infrared thermometer and break my rhythm to take a reading.

    I'm not worried if it is super accurate. It keeps me from burning my lead and lets me know when we're back up to temp after restocking the pot. I'm still bouncing the temperature control up and down to stay within my "sweet spot" range, but I'm making the subtle adjustments based on the thermometer long before I would have seen signs in the bullets.

    TL/DR: Yes, use a thermometer.
     

    inkd

    Ultimate Member
    Aug 4, 2009
    7,512
    Ridge
    If a turkey thermometer has a high enough range and will fit into your lead pot without being a dangerous obstruction, I don't see why it wouldn't work. I definitely believe you should use...something.

    I was first introduced to casting by my father, making Minnie balls and round balls out of wheel weights in a small pot on the kitchen stove. We certainly got useable projectiles, but there was definite room for improvement (a four inch diameter pot in the center of an eight inch electric burner quickly leads to hairless knuckles).

    We'd adjust temperature by reading the dropped bullets (swirly vs frosty...maybe a couple of keepers in between), but, even when we got out of the kitchen with a "real" lead pot, it was just a very reactive method (and slow to react). Topping up the pot started the guessing process all over.

    When I got back into casting, I realized I wanted a little more consistent product and process. I tried the infrared thermometer, but it still left me unsatisfied. Sometimes, I'm pretty sure it was reading the heating elements (especially when the lead level was low). Remember that, especially at such close range, it is actually measuring from a point slightly below the laser. The other challenge of using the point and click temperature reading was remembering to do it...regularly:o

    I finally got a lead thermometer (Lyman, I think) for Christmas, and wish I had done it sooner. Sure, it's kind of in the way in the pot when it comes to ladling or skimming, but that is a small price to pay. Unlike the infrared one, it's always there giving me data at a glance. I don't have to set anything down to pick up the infrared thermometer and break my rhythm to take a reading.

    I'm not worried if it is super accurate. It keeps me from burning my lead and lets me know when we're back up to temp after restocking the pot. I'm still bouncing the temperature control up and down to stay within my "sweet spot" range, but I'm making the subtle adjustments based on the thermometer long before I would have seen signs in the bullets.

    TL/DR: Yes, use a thermometer.


    Nope, I read it all and appreciate your input. My turkey thermometer would probably work and it does have a clip that I can slide down to fasten it to the pot. I think I would just prefer to have one that doesn't stick up so far there where it would be easy to knock over into the lead pot, my luck, or onto the ground and breaking it.

    If I can get a stubby one from a local store, I'll go that route. If not, I'll get one off line. I think Amazon had a Lyman for a decent price and free shipping.
     

    wgttgw

    Active Member
    Apr 10, 2011
    284
    Cambridge
    For smelting down wheel weights you can float a penny on the surface to get an acceptably accurate temperature reading from an IR thermometer to keep the zinc one from melting. Remove anything not melted at 700 degrees and you know you have all lead.

    If you are diligent when sorting you can probably skip taking a temperature when smelting.

    For casting I personally have never needed at thermometer. Cast at a pace to keep your sprue puddle liquid for a few seconds. Experiment with your pace and pot setting and get a feel for what each mold likes. I tyipically cast to where I get just slightly frosted bullets. But good fill out and full mold diameter.

    If the puddle takes longer to solidify and my bullets get frosty and skinny I slow my pace or touch a damp rag with my mold to cool it some.

    If the puddle starts to harden too quick and I'm getting wrinkles and non fill out I'll speed up. Or heat the mold on a hot plate.
     

    Melnic

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Dec 27, 2012
    15,281
    HoCo
    Will a thermometer for deep frying a turkey work or should I go with one from Lyman, RCBS or Rotometals?

    I searched the forum and found some threads on casting but the only mention of thermometers were that you should use one.

    I only looked at about 3% of the threads so the answer may be in there somewhere :D

    Always look at more than 3%, but if you only look half as hard, it will only still be 3%
     

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    bigcountry

    Active Member
    Jan 4, 2013
    105
    Carroll County
    I used a lead thermometer when I started. But it was a waste. Bottom line, is if your cast comes out frosty, your getting hot. Turn down the heat.

    A way I do it when smelting large quanities of lead wheel wieghts or whatever is to start my melt with known lead. Add stuff to my cast bowl, etc and stuff that don't melt immediately, It gets pulled for a closer look. That will keep out the zinc.
     

    trickg

    Guns 'n Drums
    MDS Supporter
    Jul 22, 2008
    14,591
    Glen Burnie
    I'm not casting yet, just melting a bunch of wheel weights I have on hand. I want to make sure I keep the temp low enough to just melt the lead in case I missed a few non-lead weights.
    That makes sense - when my Dad was casting, no one used zinc wheel weights - it was all the same basic alloy of lead, tin and antimony....3% I believe. :lol2:

    Dad always said that wheel weights were a pretty good alloy for casting, and although you could tinker with it, for most of the shooting he did, he felt it was fine as is.

    It makes sense though to get a thermometer if you want to be sure you don't accidentally melt some zinc into your lead - from what I've read, it pretty much ruins things when that happens.
     

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