IllinoisCoyoteHunter
New member
Figured since there is a thread for pictures of reloading benches, we may as well show off our casting setup. This includes melting pots, molds, lubrisizers, etc. Let's see what ya got! 
Pictures of your casting setup
- Thread starter IllinoisCoyoteHunter
- Start date
DiscoRacing
New member
Would have thought you would start us off with a pic of yours I C H.
Mines spread all over the place, BUT I do have a few pics;
Smelting;
A mold I "altered" to make a .510 slug for a sabot 12 ga. load. Used a reamer to remove the lube grooves from a 500 S&W 440 lee mold and add .010 to the overall diameter.
Mold guide I made to alter that poor excuse for a mold guide that lee puts on their 4-20 pot. I've covered the wood with a sheet of thin aluminum since that was taken.
Here's the 4-20 with a 5 pound lee melter/ladle pot alongside it.
About half the range lead we processed last summer, at least a ton all told. Used the same smelter as the above pic.
I also have a 20 pound lee ladle pot I use for making the big bullets, like for 500 S&W, and my 45/70 bullets, but no pic yet.
Smelting;
A mold I "altered" to make a .510 slug for a sabot 12 ga. load. Used a reamer to remove the lube grooves from a 500 S&W 440 lee mold and add .010 to the overall diameter.
Mold guide I made to alter that poor excuse for a mold guide that lee puts on their 4-20 pot. I've covered the wood with a sheet of thin aluminum since that was taken.
Here's the 4-20 with a 5 pound lee melter/ladle pot alongside it.
About half the range lead we processed last summer, at least a ton all told. Used the same smelter as the above pic.
I also have a 20 pound lee ladle pot I use for making the big bullets, like for 500 S&W, and my 45/70 bullets, but no pic yet.
Here's a few more;
My PID temperature control,(proportional–integral–derivative controller) . Makes for precise control of the melt temp. That allows you to keep records at which temp a certain alloy and mold combo makes good bullets.
Thermocouple goes directly into the bottom of the pot.
Here it is in operation. I had to block the flash to get the LED digits to show up.
My PID temperature control,(proportional–integral–derivative controller) . Makes for precise control of the melt temp. That allows you to keep records at which temp a certain alloy and mold combo makes good bullets.
Thermocouple goes directly into the bottom of the pot.
Here it is in operation. I had to block the flash to get the LED digits to show up.
IllinoisCoyoteHunter
New member
Snuffy, that is just too "high tech" for me. I wouldn't even be able to turn it on! Here's mine...
Here's mine...
Here's my setup. Its nothing fancy. But it gets the job done.
side burner on an old gas grill serve as heat source for melting wheel weights.
1x6 makeshift table top set on folding saw horse.
Someday I'll put together a nicer setup. But, this works for now.
Someday I'll put together a nicer setup. But, this works for now.
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I cast in my workshop. Melt wheel weights outside, and reload in my house. I ordered a sizer lube thing but have not recieved it yet, I am not sure if that will be a in the house or shop operation. I did copy off of snuffys setup with the PID control...works good I dont have to mess with the LEE control anymore.
On a earlier post I was questioning the accuracy of my lyman thermometer
I even went so far as claiming it may be a POS. Well the thermometer is accurate and I would like to appoligize to Lyman for the bad press.
On a earlier post I was questioning the accuracy of my lyman thermometer
I even went so far as claiming it may be a POS. Well the thermometer is accurate and I would like to appoligize to Lyman for the bad press.
IllinoisCoyoteHunter
New member
I do.
IllinoisCoyoteHunter
New member
Nice star Ed! Is that a bullet I see stuck in sizer die?! 
BTW, when you take your sizing die out to swap calibers, you will probably bind it up on the top o-ring in the die housing. It takes a combination of upward force and twisting to get the die out (you will shear the o-ring). Once this o-ring is out, don't worry about replacing it. The lubrisizer works fine without it...it just oozes a little lube out of the top...not enough to get worried about. If it bothers you, let me know because I have like 500 replacement o-rings for it.
BTW, when you take your sizing die out to swap calibers, you will probably bind it up on the top o-ring in the die housing. It takes a combination of upward force and twisting to get the die out (you will shear the o-ring). Once this o-ring is out, don't worry about replacing it. The lubrisizer works fine without it...it just oozes a little lube out of the top...not enough to get worried about. If it bothers you, let me know because I have like 500 replacement o-rings for it.
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LOL... I am not telling. Right now I only have one mold for a 45 acp so I wont be removing the die for awhile unless the unthinkable happens again lol.
I have another handgun a GP-100, but It is kind of like an ex-wife since I got my 1911. Who knows over time I might start missing her and buy a 357 mold after slugging her bore of course.
I have another handgun a GP-100, but It is kind of like an ex-wife since I got my 1911. Who knows over time I might start missing her and buy a 357 mold after slugging her bore of course.
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IllinoisCoyoteHunter
New member
Ed, if you wanna try out a couple different style boolits for 38/357 let me know. I have a 148 grn wadcutter (Lee), 155 grn gas checked SWC (Lyman), 158 grn RFN (Lee), 75 grn wadcutter (Custom Lee), 170/180 grn WFN HP/FP gas checked or plain based (NOE Custom). All I ask is for some shipping $$$$.
Man there are sum very nice set ups... ill have to take some pics of my gheto set ups, to smelt i make a camp fire in the back... then to cast theres this old shack with no door in the back yard that i take out my small box of casting stuff to then hand cast out in the cold 
my lubesizers just next to my presses on my bench... if i had a nice set up like you guys id cast all day and night, but having to venture out in the snow for a couple hours is a large deterant lol
my lubesizers just next to my presses on my bench... if i had a nice set up like you guys id cast all day and night, but having to venture out in the snow for a couple hours is a large deterant lolreloader28
New member
reloader28
New member
^^^^
This is where I cast. I can smelt either in here or outside depending on the wheather.
The lube sizer is in the reloading room.
Yes that is a furnace, but not for the house. This goes to my 30' x 30' personal bar/rec-room complete with everything including a spare bed-room for those that drank way too much.
Obviously if I'm casting, I'm not partying so the furnace aint on.
I used to blow the smoke out the window with a fan, but with the wheather one night, it would'nt go out. The next day I felt like I smoked 30 cigars.
I built the hood from a box fan and after fine tuning it, it sucks out probly 90% of the smoke.
Works great for BBQing and casting with the hinged bench behind the grill.
Thi is also the same room the becomes a cooler during hunting season. We can hang 6 deer / antalope or 3 halved elk and have plenty of room for butchering them. A cooler unit keeps the room cool while we're partying and staying warm in the other room.
No, the wall aint finished, but the rest of the room is and I needed bullets.
This is where I cast. I can smelt either in here or outside depending on the wheather.
The lube sizer is in the reloading room.
Yes that is a furnace, but not for the house. This goes to my 30' x 30' personal bar/rec-room complete with everything including a spare bed-room for those that drank way too much.
Obviously if I'm casting, I'm not partying so the furnace aint on.
I used to blow the smoke out the window with a fan, but with the wheather one night, it would'nt go out. The next day I felt like I smoked 30 cigars.
I built the hood from a box fan and after fine tuning it, it sucks out probly 90% of the smoke.
Works great for BBQing and casting with the hinged bench behind the grill.
Thi is also the same room the becomes a cooler during hunting season. We can hang 6 deer / antalope or 3 halved elk and have plenty of room for butchering them. A cooler unit keeps the room cool while we're partying and staying warm in the other room.
No, the wall aint finished, but the rest of the room is and I needed bullets.