Lead Bullet Casting

Pure lead melts at 621.5 degrees Fahrenheit. I doubt a 1000 watt hot plate will even come close. Just my common sense guess. I will be shocked if, I am wrong.
I use a hot plate to keep my moulds warm while casting. Their heat demand is much less than lead's melting point. That is my $.02. Best wishes.
 
Running lead

I've been trying to melt lead bullets but my heat sources have been to weak.
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Ben,
I am often guilty of being too literal. By melting, do you mean smelting to melt down "Range-Mined" bullets or are you actually trying to "run" or cast projectiles? I too feel that 1000-watts is not going to get it done. When I "smelt", I use a propane, outdoor heat source like a turkey cooker. When I cast, I use and old Lyman electric lead pot. ..... ;)

Be Safe !!!
 
When I started I used a Coleman stove. The Lee lead pots are cheap and work well. Get the bottom pour version. I have 2 10lb pots, they make a larger one, I would get it now.
 
I don't think a hot plate is going to work for you.

You can easily tell, though, by placing a casting thermometer on it and seeing if you reach 800F.

But I would highly recommend a nice Lee pot, like the Lee 4-20 bottom pour pot. I like bottom pour as you don't have to fool with a ladle and all the dross stays on top while you pour clean lead from the bottom.

You can get a small pot for like $30, and the 4-20 is like $70.

Steve
 
I use a Lee 20lb bottom pour which, I believe is a great pot. I wired up a PID temp. control. The plans are all over the web. Shop, the components real hard and $30-40, should do it, with a bit of scrounging. I can set it to the temp I want, and set the differential to keep it there, within 5 degrees degrees. I set it to 670 and it will stay between 670 and 675. Unattended. I feed "muffins" into this pot from my outside propane cooker. I melt lead,wheel weights, antimony, tin in a cast iron dutch oven that holds about 90-100lbs. This means it is not real big....
no more than 1-1.5 gallons. I make my alloy and pour it into muffin tins to feed my Lee pot. This is good stuff! This makes many many bullets!
Just to clarify, the $30-40 is for the modification only.
 
1000 watt hot plate is just too light duty.

I use a restaurant grade 1500 watt hot plate that has the exposed burner. Works like a charm. Melts the lead in a cast iron pot in a reasonable time frame.
 
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