Do you measure metal temperature and how ?

Here's something: http://www.clay-king.com/pyrometer.htm

Scroll down a ways, and there's a nice analog pyrometer (the meter part) at a decent price. Just get a Mifco probe, and the stuff to connect it up. (Note that the meter runs out of steam at or near bronze temps... fine for Al or Zn, though...

 

Weird that these are all type K ones. Am I really the only using the (hotter) type S ? For me S is very reliable.

 

Under most circumstances using what a lot of of other people are using, as long as it's adequate for your needs, just makes sense. For the vast majority of processes, especially non-casting ones, K-type is adequate so it seems to have become be a standard of sorts.
A number of years ago, I picked up a large roll of K-type wire, it was part of an auction lot of stuff at a decommissioned oil refinery. The purchaser of the lot had no need for it so he gave it to me as partial payment for helping him move his stuff. So, since I've got a free lifetime supply of the stuff, for me using anything other than K-type, when it will do the job, would make no sense.

 

SO this is what I got from Mifco.

Whats this end made out of? Am I going to break this the first time out the gate?

 

I recall reading somewhere that Mifco uses an inconel sheath.

 

SO maybe just the tip (and only for a minute) could be graphite? Something made this black crap on the cardboard.

 

No,that looks like heat-induced discoloration. At least it does to Me.

 

closer inspection.. it's all metal.

 

Good to see a picture of a Mifco probe. I gots the "I-want-ums" for one of them.

 

Impressive. I stuck some thermocouple wire on it and plugged it in. Remind again we you guys screw with an ohm meter??

 

Yeah, I've wanted to try one for awhile, I'm a cowboy when it comes to melting my bronze. I go for it and watch for the swirl on the surface. I do believe that method works well, but hard to explain it to guys. I had the home made graphite version before. It would work a couple of times then get stupid. I think this was probably worth the money.

 

Life tends to hae enough aggravation to not want to add to it more than necessary.

 

PRECISELY! Its important to pick your battles wisely.

 

here is my video, on the pyrometer I use on a Mifco probe, the most imprtant thing is to protect the wires, by putting those ceramic beads on the probe inside a metal tube you protect it very well , you just dont want the heat getting too far up from the probe tip,

if you start getting flaky measurements, the first thing to check is actually the plug going into the meter , those little yellow plugs are crap, and if you leave it plugged in, it will mess up the contacts inside your meter(constant pressure to one side)


V/r HT1

 

I wonder what the significance of storing it down does to them?

 

The plating on the plugs and receptacles dislike each other?

 

Nah it probably weakens the spring tension inside the meter. Again, the chinese still haven't quite fingered out metallurgy and rubber technology.

 

Henry, I used the probe tonight for the first time. Yup, I've beem pouring about 100 degrees to hot. I will say that thing worked like a champ!
Now whats the story with the bronze that stuck to it? Will it just melt off next time?

 

Telling you. A pyrometer is just the dog's bullocks. You'll never want to eye ball it again. Big increase in reproducibility of castings.