Spent $80 on a digital pyrometer and it paid off in one shift

Was getting tired of guessing pour temps on our iron casts. Bought a cheap infrared gun first for $30 but it was way off on shiny surfaces. Picked up a type K thermocouple setup with a handheld reader and it made a huge difference. First job I used it on saved me from pouring a batch 50 degrees too cold. Anyone else ditch their guesswork tools for something more precise?

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anthony1275mo ago

Saved me from pouring a batch 50 degrees too cold" - that's the kind of mistake that costs way more than $80 in wasted material and rework time. What kind of iron were you casting and did the thermocouple show any weird hot spots in the crucible that the IR gun totally missed? I been wondering if those cheaper readers drift after a few months of shop dust and heat.

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sagey695mo ago

Yeah I chased my tail for a week trying to figure out why my ductile iron was coming out brittle. Turned out the IR gun was reading 50 degrees low because of all the graphite dust baked onto the lens. Guess my cheap reader got a suntan before I did.

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