Another Lee Bottom Pour Cure

[Matt3357]

After I designed my second bottom pour pot for my lead shot maker, I came up with a simple solution to making a super easy valve end for the valve rod. I took a 1/4" ball bearing a welded it to the end of the rod. It was seated in a 9/32" hole with a common 82deg bottom. The ball allows the rod to seal no matter if the angle is perfect. So far it has held back over 60lbs of lead with nary a drip out the 1/8" hole. Let me know if any of you try it and how it works.

Matt

[jmsj]

Matt3357,
I posted a while back about a foot operated smelter that used a 3/8" radius on the valve tip and a 3/8" radius on the valve seat. I used a 3/8" ball end mill to machine the radius in the seat. I then used various valve lapping compound grits to lap the two together until it would hold water. I added some weight to the valve rod to make it heavier.
I got the idea from HotGuns a member here. My smelter holds well over a 100 pounds and doesn't leak.
jmsj