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Posted: 6/22/2017 3:36:48 PM EDT
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Do I need anything better than this?
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00451B7TI?tag=vglnk-c102-20 |
| My used convection oven wouldn't hold consistent temps, no matter what I did. It also wouldn't go over 400 degrees on its best day. I ended up bypassing the ovens thermostat so it runs all the time, and I control the temps with my PID. Now I can heat-treat cast bullets and everything. |
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I tried with a standard toaster oven and it made puddles of lead in the center and left loose powder on the edges. Convection man. Convection. Big difference between the wanted 400 degrees and the 700+ degrees needed to melt lead. |
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Puddles of lead? Did u have pan resting on heating element? Seems unbelievable. FWIW, pure lead is molten at what, 612F. Alloys much less than that, and it gets mushy well before it's actually molten. Either way, checking the oven temp is the smart thing to do. |
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http://i250.photobucket.com/albums/gg272/dryflash3/Powder%20Coat/P1010912_zpssw3a91gd.jpg That will work fine OP. Just one thing, use an oven thermometer and mark on the stove where 400 degrees is. The blue mark on my oven. https://www.walmart.com/ip/Mainstays-4-Slice-Toaster-Oven-White/54514797 |
| I also heat-treat cast bullets for some uses, and agree that it's easy enough to get the bullets to slump at the base in a toaster oven. Especially with the el cheapo bi-metal temp controls commonly used in toaster ovens. I've had some alloys slump at around 425*, especially with heavy for diameter rifle bullets which have a rather small "footprint" for their weight. Knowledge of your ovens actual temperature should keep you out of trouble here. Also consider trying two different stand alone oven thermometers from two different manufacturers. These thermometers are often off a bit too. |
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Your bullets won't slump at 425 degrees. Your thermostat is broken....... Cheap even works fine. Convection works, but no better. And you are curing the PC, not trying to get the bullet to 400 at it's center. Don't go over 15 min, 10 should be fine. I am well aware of the melting temps of various alloys so please don't inconvenience yourself by posting them. The radiant heat of the lower element caused the problem. This is another reason I use a convection toaster oven. |
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I have a convection type. It was $50, vs $35. So I figured "Why not". That said, I can't say for sure that little fan does much. Not like the commercial convection ovens where I used to work.
That said, for those of you with PIDs, try this:
Does it make a real difference? I dunno. Probably not. It was interesting though. Downside to the PID is you should almost wire it to the element because it shuts the fan off when it cycles as well whereas the oven therm doesn't. |
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http://i250.photobucket.com/albums/gg272/dryflash3/Powder%20Coat/P1010912_zpssw3a91gd.jpg That will work fine OP. Just one thing, use an oven thermometer and mark on the stove where 400 degrees is. The blue mark on my oven. Props to the alignment. :) |
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3 ways to keep bullets sticking to your tray;
Non stick aluminum foil Parchment paper (used in baking) comes in a roll like aluminum foil. Silicone baking sheets like in my pic. I started with Parchment paper, but it wears out after about 5 bakes. Tried Silicone baking sheets and found what works for me. They never wear out. |
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3 ways to keep bullets sticking to your tray; Non stick aluminum foil Parchment paper (used in baking) comes in a roll like aluminum foil. Silicone baking sheets like in my pic. I started with Parchment paper, but it wears out after about 5 bakes. Tried Silicone baking sheets and found what works for me. They never wear out. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01BVVMSYC?tag=vglnk-c102-20 |
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Are these the ones you use? https://www.amazon.com/Silicone-Baking-Mat-Toaster-Oven/dp/B01BVVMSYC?tag=vglnk-c102-20 Mine came from the wife as she had an extra one to give me. |
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