The test apparatus consists of a heated bar in which a temperature gradient is established so that the left end of the bar is cooler than the right. The temperature gradient of the bar can be controlled. To make a test, the sand sample is loaded into a specially designed traveling hopper. When a test is started, the instrument automatically opens the sand hopper and moves it left to right at a controlled travel speed. While traveling, the hopper delivers a very controlled amount of shell sand onto the heated bar. After a predetermined time the instrument automatically blows a gentle jet of air starting from the cool end towards the hot end of the bar. At the point where the sand resists being blown off, a thermocouple tip aligned by laser is applied to the surface of the heated bar. The temperature measured at this point on the heated bar is the melt point of the sand sample. The Simpson Melt Point Tester automatically controls the bar temperature and the loading and unloading of the heated bar which reduces the operator influence on the test results. The Melt Point Tester includes pneumatic regulator/filter, blow off sample tray, pneumatic hose and connectors to connect the supplied regulator/filter to a compressed air source.