Do you trust an infrared read on a mirror-sheen surface, or is a quick probe still the only truth? I’m holding a 6 kg melter at a silken 31.5°C for dark shells, but my IR runs 0.8–1.0°C lower than the Thermapen even after stirring, and that tiny gap changes the snap and flow — what’s proven accurate for you?
IR reads low on a ‘mirror‑sheen’ surface; set emissivity to 0.95 and shoot the thin film on your spatula after a stir, not the pool — mine tracks the Thermapen within 0.2°C at 31.5°C. If you’re still 0.8–1.0°C off, use the IR for trend and trust the probe for snap/flow. What model are you on — can you adjust emissivity?
Quick example: I hang a small matte black silicone strip on the rim, dip/wipe it in the bath, then shoot that — set the IR’s emissivity to match your Thermapen once and it’ll stay within about 0.2°C; I still default to the probe right after seeding when the bath stratifies. @emoran201 which gun are you using?