Casting with Modern Equipment

[Sliver Shooter]

Hey Gang, I just got done casting some 50 Cal. boolits for my 50-70 Gov. I have cast bullets in a variety of ways over the years and at best it was quit a crude set-up. But in spite of the way I did the job I ended up with some lead objects to sling out of various barrels. Just by luck did I get any of them to turn out half a__ed decent and accuracy was a bonus at best. Well the other day I recieved in the mail a Lee Melter with bottom feed. AAAHHH MAN is that sweet. I fixed up a vent system in my basement shop and got everything in order to do some serious casting. That melter is the best. Temp stays put and I don't have to be dipping laddles. My end result was a mess of nice looking boolits.

[That'll Do]

Welcome to Cast Boolits!

I'm glad your new pot worked for you. I like my Lee 4/20 pot too.

[heathydee]

I know the feeling man. I have cast the last 15 years out of an old saucepan on a gas ring on the floor , using a bent spoon as a ladle . A new Lee 20 pound bottom pour melter arrived about a fortnight ago . I screwed it to a board which could be clamped to the welding bench in the workshop being a bit worried about having 20 pounds of molten metal four feet off the ground . I have never cast so fast . I was also breaking in a Lee double cavity 175 grain 8mm mould . Using a wet rag to cool the sprue and water dropping the boolits I was getting up to five castings a minute with few rejects . The narrow stream of melt under pressure allows the air to vent out of the sprue hole much better than I had experienced using a bent spoon . Most of my rejects previously have been caused by poor base fill-out . The new melter has all but eliminated this problem .
I see a need for a little rack to hold an ingot above the pot where it can be pre-heated . That is the next thing to do . Then it will be perfect.

[Skipper488]

:drinks:

[RayinNH]

Another satisfied customer :mrgreen:.

Welcome to the forum...Ray

[gefiltephish]

...I see a need for a little rack to hold an ingot above the pot where it can be pre-heated . That is the next thing to do . Then it will be perfect.
Like many, I have a cheap hot plate nearby to preheat the molds. I place a 1/4" thick aluminum plate on top of the hot plate. I use it to preheat lead as well. Just don't turn the temp up too high! If money is tight for you, check out local thrift shops for a hot plate, you may be able to pick one up for only a buck or two. Recently my Dad gave me his old "soldering" pot - it turned out to be a Lee 10lb bottom pour. I'm gonna use it to premelt alloy when I plan to churn out lots-a boolits.

Just built a PID - can't wait for my new mihec mold to show up to try it out.

[onondaga]

The Lee 4-20 has been a great pot for me too. Frequently turn the valve screw and it won't leak. The instructions for the flow control screw are a little vague so study how the part works. It is the screw head in the slot of the valve rod and the adjustment is easily overdone. Keep a screw driver at your casting table just for that and the valve.You can maintain an even flow volume from full pot down to the last pound by opening the flow screw about 1/8 turn every couple pounds. and the temp will get hotter if you leave the dial in the same place as you use lead up, So when I open the valve a bit I turn the temp down a tiny amount too.

The mold guide is terrific if you haven't used one before. Set it so it will guide your mold and hold it at the height you need to have a 1/4 to 1/2 stream from the bottom pour nozzle to the sprue gate.

I used iron pots and ladles for decades before I got the 4-20 and changing to bottom pour was easy and natural. If you don't have an ingot mold or small shallow pan to put on the platform under the spout while you are working, get one for safety. Anybody can accidentally jam the valve. While you correct that by turning it with a screw driver, the ingot mold or a shallow pan will catch the flow and save your table and floor from grief. Keep the external valve moving parts contact areas lubricated with Neverseize high heat lube and that will minimize or eliminate sticking of the valve in an open position. It does happen occasionally, be ready to turn it with a screw driver, that will let it drop down and close when you have that happen. Turning the valve frequently will also clear debris from the valve seat and maintain fit and seal of the valve seat---very important.

It is recommended by Lee to leave about an inch of alloy in the pot when you shut down. A full pot may open the valve while melting as a lot of metal changing temp will expand and lift the valve.

After cool down I spray the pot with silicone spray, this will prevent excess rust from eating your pot..

Have fun, enjoy and be safe.

Welcome aboard.

Gary, Retired Casting Analyst

[geargnasher]

Another satisfied Lee Pro 4-20 customer!

+1 on everything Gary said. I've had to do frequent minor repairs to mine, but mostly from not being aware of the maintenance items. Keep the guide screws for the valve handle tight, the bottom one likes to back out and once you run it for a while being loose, it strips the threads in the pot and falls out, and is a pain to repair. Use Bullplate Sprue lube on the moving parts to keep them from rusting, wearing, and binding and to keep lead splashes from sticking to them, recoat every casting session. If you don't run a PID temp controller and wire around the Lee thermostat, I'd recommend getting a lead thermometer so you can keep making frequent adjustments. I cast without one for years in a 10-lb, but finally got one and it makes a world of difference. Recently, since my old one is too short for the 4-20, I bought a Tel-Tru from Swede Nelson of NOE for cheap, you might check with him and see if he has any left, they are IDEAL for the 4-20 since the clip is just right and at the right angle, and they are just the right length. I use mine to double-check the thermocouple in my PID setup.

Gear