Anybody Using a Lee Pro 4 20lb Furnace?

[Foto Joe]

I've been using a Lyman Big Dipper 10lb ladle pour now for the better part of a year. I like it but I'm ready to step up to a bottom pour after having observed a couple being used, one by someone who knew what he was doing even. What I would like is a Lyman bottom pour but unfortunately those who sell them like 'em a lot more than I do, i.e. they're really expensive.

Since I can't drum up the fun tickets to by a Lyman I'm looking at the Lee Pro 4 20 pounder and I'd like some opinions from those who use them. If those of you who use them can give the pot a good enough endorsement I'll buy one, otherwise I'll just keep ladle casting.

[R.M.]

Been using one for 15-20 years. Do they have their faults, sure do, but I can live with them considering the price.

[starmac]

I have a new one I have only used a few times. The first time I used it, it lived up to the dripomatic name and I was not really satisfied. between reading the instructions and help from another member here, I did a little adjusting and it doesn't drip anymore and works like it is suppose to. I don't have anything to compare it too, but I can't imagine a different one doing the job any better.

[Crash_Corrigan]

I have two Lee 4-20's. One is over 20 years old and I use it for a pre melter as I keep it on a high shelf above my other lead furnaces. I use channel iron to make a chute and when a lower casting pot is getting low on alloy I flow some hot metal on down to get the level where I want it on the lower pot.

When I finally bought another less leaky new 4-20 that became my new casting pot. A few years back I came into a windfall and I sprang for a RCBS Pro-Melt furnace. I totally love it. It does a fantastic job and holds more alloy. It is a pleasure to use and never a leak at all. Now I have two Lee's feeding into the RCBS. I have equipped the RCBS with a PID controller and I use that along with Sweede's mold temperature gauge for my molds.

The quality of my boolits has really taken a major jump upwards since I started using that setup. My rejects are few and far between and I get more done in less time than ever before. Now my major problem is finding lead.

[bangerjim]

Have used 4-20 exclusively for a long time with great success. Have 2.

Have NEVER had any drippppppp problems people complain about. Not a one!!!!!! Just do NOT smelt in it! Keep only clean lead in it and use beeswax to reduce tin back in....NOT sawdust.

I do NOT use a PID or thermometer at all and get excellent boolits. I have found a setting of 5.5-6 will give me a perfect casting temp with my alloys into a PREHEATED mold. That's THOUSANDS of them!!!!!!!

For $59, it is an excellent product. Hey it just melts lead! Buy one.......you can always use a 2nd pot if you someday decide to mortgage your house and buy one of the other over-priced melters.

But above all..............Have Fun!!!!!! [smilie=w:

banger

[Buzz64]

I'd recommend the Lee. Have been using the same one for over 9 years now, several thousand boolits a month thrufrom it. Advice above about not smelting in it and reading the instructions is good. Most leaks seem to come from folks who don't know how to adjust the flow - try to slow it down too much and it will drip.

[Foto Joe]

I'm glad to see that we have avoided the Lee bashing that accompanies a lot of threads inquiring about Lee products, thanks for that by the way. After perusing MidwayUSA and Cabela's I think that I'll keep my Cabela's points from accumulating too much and offset the cost by using those points. Besides I need some boolit lube and they've got Lyman 50/50 so that will compliment the order.

As far as smelting is concerned, when I smelt COWW's I use a cast iron pot and a turkey burner so that's not an issue. I figure that I'll use my old Lyman dipper pot for pure lead and round balls since I don't do near as many of those. Mr. Gibson advised that once I start using a bottom pour that I NOT run it empty and I can see the wisdom in that as you don't want anything that's not molten lead/alloy going through that orifice. I flux with Gulf wax and a stick match so the sawdust won't be an issue. I tried sawdust a few times and I wasn't impressed personally but I supposed it works for some folks. One of these days I'll probably pick up a Lyman or RCBS pot but for now I think Lee will work nicely given the responses I've gotten on this thread.

[h8dirt]

I have one and have only cast about 250# of bullets so far but it works fine. No drips. No leaks. I do adjust the pour rate to suit the mold I am using at the time. I have noticed that the temperature swings more than I'd like (measured using an analog immersion thermometer). To remedy that I have ordered a PID controller (that costs 3X what the pot costs) to more closely regulate the temp's. But, I have made some mighty fine bullets with it just like it is.

[Foto Joe]

I just got off the phone with the nice folks at Cabela's and I now am starting from scratch on my points. A Lee Pro 4 20 pound pot is awaiting the brown truck for its journey to Arizona for the remainder of the winter along with three tubes of Lyman Alox boolit lube. I suppose that my learning curve will be steepening again after it arrives.

[tygar]

I've been using a Lyman Big Dipper 10lb ladle pour now for the better part of a year. I like it but I'm ready to step up to a bottom pour after having observed a couple being used, one by someone who knew what he was doing even. What I would like is a Lyman bottom pour but unfortunately those who sell them like 'em a lot more than I do, i.e. they're really expensive.

Since I can't drum up the fun tickets to by a Lyman I'm looking at the Lee Pro 4 20 pounder and I'd like some opinions from those who use them. If those of you who use them can give the pot a good enough endorsement I'll buy one, otherwise I'll just keep ladle casting.

I got one to replace my 40yo dripomatic as well as the 20# smelting pot. The pot works fine.

The Pro4 has a thermostat problem. I have to have it as low as it goes & its still at 700.

Does not drip, drops lead good & flow can be regulated but the 2 legs are a bother to me. I havn't yet quit got the position down to fill a 6 cav without having to reset the mold.

Need to send it back & get the thermostat repaired unless they will send one.

Still a great buy if it lasts 40+ yrs like my 10#er.

[flashhole]

Good for you Foto Joe. I bought one about 2 years ago after doing exactly what you did ... ask the guys on this forum. I have not had a problem with mine after making about 3000 bullets. I did put some washers on the lift handle to give it a bit more weight when it closes. No drips to date and I'm happy with the purchase. Like stated above, do not use it for smelting, just fill it with clean lead and make bullets.

[dragon813gt]

I have one. And it's frustrating at times. I have never smelted in it,ever. Every now and then it starts to leak. Notice I said leak and not drip. This requires an emptying of the pot and a thorough cleaning of the spout and rod. The frustration is inline w/ the cost and I refuse to pay for the other pots that are overpriced for what they are. I do feel that the Lee pot could be improved to prevent it from dripping and it would cost Lee little to do it. But that's another discussion entirely.

[Foto Joe]

From what I understand, one way to avoid the "Drip-O-Matic" is to never ever drain the pot via the bottom pour spout. This makes sense as it would only take a little piece of crud from the surface to stick and then harden in a bad place when the pot cools. I'll keep in mind the washers on the lift handle and may do that before it even gets any lead in it.

[prs]

"Anybody Using a Lee Pro 4 20lb Furnace?"

No, absolutely nobody has ever used one of those. LOL

Well, maybe a few; like it is probably the best selling product in its class for many years running. Both of mine are the older-shorter units of same design and both have served very well for many years. If you use only properly cleaned alloy, dripping is minimal and easy to stop with a twist of the valve pin. Its a good buy and a very serviceable tool.

prs

[44man]

I have had one for years but I had to buy it because the production pot was out of stock. I just plugged the hole with a tapered brass plug because I ladle cast. Best pot I ever had.
I have had Lyman's and RCBS pots but had more trouble with them then anything, thermostats, etc. My friend has a bunch of them and never made a good boolit until he cast with my Lee.
The lead in one Lyman actually hardened before it turned back on.

[youngda9]

I'm not sure what all the fuss is about the Lee. I have one and have used it for several years. It works just fine and it is stirdy and cheap. I hooked mine up to a PID controller to more precisely control the heat.

If it starts to leak (mine never has)...it's just a simple needle valve (not rocket science). It would be easy to fix. Odds are it's clogged up with something due to not fluxing the lead right. Might just need to shove a small piece of metal up through the bottom to break it free so the valve will seat correctly. A paperclip can be used for this.

[dudel]

I have one. It's currently my only pot. None of the problems you read about.

The temp control begs for a thermometer if you want to know the temperature of your melt. Even if it had a calibrated dial, I'd still use a thermometer. A setting around 6 keeps it about where I like it. The dial stays put, I just unplug the pot. I don't smelt WW in the pot, just use it with clean metal. Early on, I did worry (needlessly) about it tipping if I snagged the handle, so I put a set of rails on the bench that the base slides into, yet still lets me remove the pot when I put it away. A sturdy, safe pot is a good idea regardless of the brand. Early on, when I thought the spout was plugged, it just needed more heat up time. It's about as cost effective a pot you can buy.

Bottom line, I'd buy another without reservations.

[bangerjim]

I have one. And it's frustrating at times. I have never smelted in it,ever. Every now and then it starts to leak. Notice I said leak and not drip. This requires an emptying of the pot and a thorough cleaning of the spout and rod. The frustration is inline w/ the cost and I refuse to pay for the other pots that are overpriced for what they are. I do feel that the Lee pot could be improved to prevent it from dripping and it would cost Lee little to do it. But that's another discussion entirely.

Are you sure your ingots are 100% clean? I have run many hundreds thru my 4-20's and have never had a drip or had to clean the valve. Sounds like you may possibly be getting a stray little piece of smelting crud in your ingots that winds up on the bottom of the Lee and in the valve. That will sure do it.

It IS a pain to have to dump and clean a pot. I rarely do it and then only to get rid of a build-up of "stuff" around the sides.

I agree 110% the other products are waaaaaaaaaaaaaay overpriced for just some heaters coiled around a pot to melt lead!!!!!! But there is the Lee syndrome where "nothing they make will be fond in MY shop"!

banger

[bangerjim]

Early on, when I thought the spout was plugged, it just needed more heat up time. It's about as cost effective a pot you can buy.

Bottom line, I'd buy another without reservations.

Keep a butane grill/water heater lighter, the one with the long flexible neck, handy to heat up the spigot. I do that after adding ingots to the melt to get the flow going. Only takes a couple seconds to get things flowing!

banger

[Foto Joe]

I think I just came up with a new use for one of my Butane solder torches.

[pdawg_shooter]

I have 2 of them, both leaked. Plugged both and ladle cast. Get better bullets that way anyway.

[dragon813gt]

Are you sure your ingots are 100% clean?

96/3/1 Isotope Core lead caused the problem last weekend. And I'm positive that's clean. I have a separate pot that I melt down the cores in so I don't get any crud from WW in it. Now if it acts up when I'm using WW lead then it's my fault for not cleaning it well enough.

I've only had to dump it twice. Most of the time a paperclip cleans any debris out. And most small drips can be fixed by spinning the rod in place.

I will not talk bad about the pot. It's the only one that's priced properly. I think I'm going to have one of the welders at work make me one that holds 50-60 pounds. My only complaint is that the Lee pot empties quickly when you cast larger bullets.

[cali4088]

Most of the dripping on lee-4 20lb bottom pourers come from the valve not being tightened properly and the screws on the bottom and top coming loose. This keeps the valve rod from entering the bottom valve chamber flush and instead comes in at a tilt or not down far enough. Adjusting the valve is another issue i have dealt with but not as much as the screws coming loose

[cali4088]

96/3/1 Isotope Core lead caused the problem last weekend. And I'm positive that's clean. I have a separate pot that I melt down the cores in so I don't get any crud from WW in it. Now if it acts up when I'm using WW lead then it's my fault for not cleaning it well enough.

I've only had to dump it twice. Most of the time a paperclip cleans any debris out. And most small drips can be fixed by spinning the rod in place.

I will not talk bad about the pot. It's the only one that's priced properly. I think I'm going to have one of the welders at work make me one that holds 50-60 pounds. My only complaint is that the Lee pot empties quickly when you cast larger bullets.

How much are you fluxing? Fluxing not only helps your lead pour better but also seperates contaminates.

BTW, Almost all the melting I do is on a turkey fryer with a cast iron high walled skillet. Holds around 50 lbs. I use different ladles for different size pours. Maybe you should try this out, or better yet, have your electric pourer going and also a turkey fryer. Once your pourer becomes low just scoop more lead out from the skillet. It works for me because I have around 20 different fishing molds, and the excess lead I have just gets poured into a 10 lb ingot

[Lever-man]

I bought one of these last summer when my old Lee Production (10 lb) pot finally got to where it would not allow the lead to flow fast enough to cast a good boolit. No problems so far, it drips a little but no where near what the smaller Production pot did. Wish I had bought the bigger pot first when I first started casting for BP about 20 years ago.

[jonas302]

One thing is to set it in a cake pan or such to catch any problems if it does leak on you

[fredj338]

IT works fine, one of the better things Lee sells IMO. It won't leak if you NEVER empty it or smelt dirty alloy in it, at least mine don't.

[dondiego]

The spout valve nut on my older Lee pot got loose and allowed lead to leak around it internally. Molten lead was leaking out of all of the bottom seams! I have always kept my pots on a metal tray for just such occasions. I emptied it and took the pot out and tightened up the valve nut. It seems tight now but I of course couldn't get the plates all back in alignment and tightened down. It is cockeyed on one side. Haven't tried it yet. Hope it works. I have a newer one that works fine. Most all of the parts are available from Lee for a rebuild if needed.

[Cherokee]

I'll recommend the Lee Pro4 20# pot. I used the Lee pots for many years (3 at one time) and still have two. Last year I got the RCBS because it was supposedf to be so much better. Well, it is better but at 5 to 6 times the price of the Lee. The Lee sometimes takes more attention/maintenance than the RCBS (so far anyway) but it did the job for me and did it well.

[dondiego]

I just received a new valve rod for my 4- 20 pot that needed the valve spout nut tightened. It is too short and is threaded. Anyone know anything about this? I have an email in to Lee about it. The original rod was longer and just had a slot to hold the rim of the adjustment nut.

[myg30]

I have not had any trouble out of mine for several years now. I did empty the pot to clean it once. I do like to keep a light layer of saw dust on top to keep the lead from oxidizing.
If I ever needed another pot, I replace this lee with another, No other !

Mike

[TCLouis]

My Lee 20 is old enough that I expect it to go "Belly Up" any time.

The batch of alloy i am casting with was put up into ingots dirtier than usual thus it has some drip problems due to grit getting in the mechanism. Screwdriver beside me when casting and a turn or two or three and I am good for a while I do cover melt with a layer of sawdust a couple of times in a pot full, with some candle wax too.

When it goes I will likely get another just like it.

[dikman]

Excellent idea! (Now why didn't I think of that? Dumb.....).
I reckon you'll be happy with the Lee. For the money they're excellent value. I see lots of fun in your future :grin:.

[Shiloh]

Mine works fine.
I got replacement parts for it when it started to drip more tan a little. As stated above, avoid smelting in it. That causes issues with the spout.

Shiloh

[Walter Laich]

my two work fine. Good, solid pot that does what's it's supposed to: meat lead

[Mal Paso]

Might be the mutt alloy I use but yellow (Lead Oxide?) deposits on the 4-20 rod and it drips. It takes 3-400 pounds of alloy and by that time there is dust on the bottom under the lead. Time to clean mine again and it won't drip for a long time. Don't know that a better pot would change that.

The Lee "Thermostat" is an "Infinite Control" or heated bimetal switch making tight temperature control difficult. With a PID controller I have poured ww alloy down to 640F although the spout needed a few seconds of BBQ lighter to start the session.

The better pots have real thermostats and hold a bit more lead but I have 2 Lee 4-20s and a PID Control for less than the cost of a Lyman.

[Foto Joe]

I'm not so concerned with temp control as even my Lyman pot wanders a bit and I've learned how to deal with it. Basically I tend to stockpile a half pound or so of sprues in a pie tin and just keep an eye on the thermometer. If my temp starts to creep up on me I dump those sprues back into the melt to bring it back down where I want it. Of course there are days where it will dial in right where I want it for a particular mold and stay put, temp control is more of an art form than a science.

[Old School Big Bore]

Great info here, thanks guys. I bought one to replace an old Lee 10 pounder when I got some six cav molds. Mine stays at a little over 700 when it's turned down low too. I use a pipe cap over a turkey immolator AKA garage fire starter for smelting, so only my allegedly clean ingots go into the furnace, but I still get drips sometimes, but I keep screwdrivers pliers paper clip etc right on the table along with the be-good stick & ladle. I have the furnace sitting in an old aluminum tray with enough capacity to catch a catastrophic leak. I c-clamp the furnace and tray to the table. I will be building an elevator stand for my old ten-lb Lee to position it reversed on its base plate with the spout low over the 20, hopefully enough out of the way to let me stir the 20. I figure the lower it is over the 20, the less splash when I let down some alloy.

[Mal Paso]

Looks Like it's Lee or RCBS. Lyman won't have a bottom pour until Fall 2014....IF THEN!

[GL49]

The Lee is all I've ever owned, so I can't say if the others are "better". Sure, it'll start the drip-drip-drip occasionally, but I can usually blame it on what I put in the pot, not the pot itself. I've drained mine completely three times to clean it, I'm surprised it didn't drip more after finding all the accumulated crud that you think wouldn't be there. A little drop of clover compound in the pour spout/needle seat, spin it a bit to polish it, clean it out and I'm good to go for thousands more if I keep clean alloy in the pot. Only a little twist of the stem seals off the leaks if an occasional drip bothers you. Only once did I have to cut an ingot out from around the legs of the pot, but that wasn't a good day anyway.
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?152336-Plastic-in-a-hot-mould-oops

[JSnover]

Mr. Gibson advised that once I start using a bottom pour that I NOT run it empty and I can see the wisdom in that as you don't want anything that's not molten lead/alloy going through ...

That is good advice. It also helps prevent some wild temperature swings as the element tries to heat a near empty pot.

[Ausglock]

This is my double pot setup.
94541

[Foto Joe]

For crying out load GL49, how have you managed to live as long as you have?? I'm sitting in my RV in our daughters driveway in AZ reading this at 0700 and chuckling enough that I woke up my wife. I then had to read it to her, thanks for the "How Not To" tutorial.

[RIDETOEAT]

Mine was brand new today, I started it up with 4 ingots of new lead and it ran right out the bottom, adjusting lift stroke, twisting to clean and seat the valve done nothing, pooled up around the legs while I was distracted and made a mess that took an hour to cleanup. Could not get it to stop for nothing. It has the steel weighted handle but considering more directly on top. Not sure, I't is why I am here reading and this is my first post. Next time will be better I'm sure. I was just surprised and expected it to seal this first use.

[BNE]

Keep a butane grill/water heater lighter, the one with the long flexible neck, handy to heat up the spigot. I do that after adding ingots to the melt to get the flow going. Only takes a couple seconds to get things flowing!

banger

DO THIS! This is probabaly the best advice for this pot. lack of flow was my biggest gripe with this pot. The lighter is quick and easy. I have used my 4-20 for smelting and casting because that is all I had. It works, I just emptied the whole pot and brushed it down before casting. It is an incredibly simple pot. You will not have a hard time figuring out how to keep it running.

[retread]

4-20 is a good pot. I have used mine for several years with no problems. However, the temperature control is terrible. Like to chase your tail? I went to a PID and life in the casting world went from good to great.

[fattires]

I got a Lee 4-20 for Christmas, so far it has been really good, no dripping. Hoping to get set up with a PID soon.

[N4AUD]

I bought one right after Christmas, no problems with it at all so far. I did make sure I read the instructions and read the threads here about it.

[OpenNRG]

The only complaint I had was the base and mold guide, so I fixed it. Will add PID shortly.

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?202648-Lee-Furnace-Upgrades

[lka]

For crying out load GL49, how have you managed to live as long as you have?? I'm sitting in my RV in our daughters driveway in AZ reading this at 0700 and chuckling enough that I woke up my wife. I then had to read it to her, thanks for the "How Not To" tutorial.

Lol I just read it, that was awesome.

[Hannibal]

For crying out load GL49, how have you managed to live as long as you have?? I'm sitting in my RV in our daughters driveway in AZ reading this at 0700 and chuckling enough that I woke up my wife. I then had to read it to her, thanks for the "How Not To" tutorial.

+2! :2 drunk buddies: