How to slow leaks on Lee 4-20 and other questions

[bigarm]

I have heard that there are some ways to at least slow the drip from my bottom pour Lee 4-20. I have used the search function and found references to adding weight such as fender washers to the handle maybe, but can't find specifics. Can someone show me a link to this fix?

My spout will clog up (I assume that is what it is doing) when I add lead in and let it heat up to temp. What do you use to clean it out quickly? I have a piece of house wire but that seems too thick?

Has anyone used the Lee furnace upgrades sold by My2ndRight? It looks interesting. The lid would probably help with heating faster and the platform may help with my old body, but what have you found?

[compass will]

I use the dumb end of the proper sized drill bit, held in the jaws of needle nose pliers.

[rsrocket1]

Most likely the spout is not "clogging up" when you add lead to a pot full of liquid, what happens is it is cooling off and "freezing up". If you wait for the temperature to get back up to where you were before adding the new lead, it would free up. If you can't wait, take either a propane torch (http://www.bernzomatic.com/item.html?id=9) or one of those barbeque lighters that have a jet of flame (for windy conditions) and it will start flowing freely again. The propane torch in the hyperlink also screws into camping propane cans which are about $2-$3 at Walmart.

Unless you're using dirty lead, you can usually stop the drip with a quick "up and down" of the handle and/or a twist of the stem with a slotted screwdriver. I keep my Lyman ingot mold under the spout to catch the drips and overflows and occasionally just dump the stuff back into the pot while casting.

I also drop my sprue puddle right back into the pot while casting. It makes a full pot last longer than dumping a pile back in and waiting for the temp to go back up. If you keep a regular cadence, the whole thing reaches an equilibrium even while you are draining the pot. A PID helps.

Good luck

[osteodoc08]

A torch is your friend. Give it a quick blast to free up the cooled off and solidified lead. I also use a drill bit to "clean the spout" every now
and again. Some have added a small amount of weight to the handle to make for more down pressure to make it quit. Some just leak.

I keep a small SS shot measure under the spout and let it run free for a second if ive had to let a mold cool and haven't been running lead through. It will cool off and while still molten, will for you a wrinkle on the first pour.

[ShooterAZ]

Yes, your pot is "freezing up" when you add alloy. Adding it more slowly may help. Mine did this too. As to the drips, it's usually caused by bits of dirt in the melt getting into the nozzle. I used a paper clip up the nozzle to clear it. I ended up getting the RCBS Pro melt, no more drips at all.

[williamwaco]

+1 on freezing.

Happens to me almost every time I add metal.

And when starting the pot for a new session, the metal will reach casting temperature at least ten minutes before the spout will flow.

I keep a butane lighter at hand. It is much smaller, lighter, cheaper, and easier to use than the propane torch.

http://www.amazon.com/Refillable-Lighter-Grilling-BBQ-Adjustable/dp/B00B2ATAYY/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1412796330&sr=8-3&keywords=propane+lighter

[fredj338]

My Lee pots don't drip. I never empty them & never smelt in them. If it is freezing, add new alloy more slowly, like no more than 2# at a time to a half empty pot.

[williamwaco]

My Lee pots don't drip. I never empty them & never smelt in them. If it is freezing, add new alloy more slowly, like no more than 2# at a time to a half empty pot.

This is good advice.

[dragonrider]

I use two pots one to cast from and one to melt in. When the casting pot get low I add to it from the other pot, Put some ingots in the other pot and continue casting with the casting pot. No waiting for the pot to come back up to temp.

[rintinglen]

Put the next ingot due up on the edge of the pot to prewarm and don't let the level drop more than an inch before adding it in. Then put the next one up on and repeat til your arms get tired, your butt gets sore, or you run out of lead (Heaven forfend). This practice will keep the boolits flowing without recourse to lighters, torches, pitch forks or angry mobs.

[williamwaco]

I use two pots one to cast from and one to melt in. When the casting pot get low I add to it from the other pot, Put some ingots in the other pot and continue casting with the casting pot. No waiting for the pot to come back up to temp.

great idea. I used to do that but somehow lost the habit.

[Garyshome]

I use two pots, when the first is empty I use the second until it is empty then switch back to the first. I got the small lee pot first then picked up the 4-20 later and just kept them both. This really speeds up casting.

[Hamish]

I knew when I deleted the pic two days ago
I would need it,,,,,

Some time back, a member posted a pic where they had modded their pot with a simple spring on the post of the pot that pushes down into the spout.


Found it!

[buletdoc]

I agree with rintinglen. I don't have to do it but on my ballisti-cast mark 2 because of the size of the pot. I put four 5lb ingots around the top of the pot during winter to stop the fluctuation of the thermocouple even though my shop is heated. By the time I'm ready to add them the ingots are warmed up.

[kbstenberg]

Another fix for the leaky spout. Empty the pot and let it cool. make sure the stem is free so it wont freeze in the closed position. Unscrew the lg. headed screw so the valve stem is free. Take the stem out of the holder. Put a dab (small quantity) of valve grinding comp. on the tip of the valve stem. Put the stem back into the holder and the hole that it rides in. Spin the stem with a drill for a few seconds. Reapply more grinding comp. on the stem tip. And re-spin in the valve hole. I believe this polishes both the stem and the hole to a more uniform fit. Which seals better.
Clean out any of the grinding comp. And cast like normal next time. If it still leaks. When the pot is empty next time go through the same process. I think it took me about 3 attempts till my valve stopped leaking. Kevin

[bigarm]

Thanks for all the suggestions! I can see that I am waiting too long before adding lead. It would be fairly easy to add the sprue back as I am casting rather than waiting and adding it back in when my lead is almost empty. That is causing me the slow downs. Although, at my age sometimes a few minutes of down time is welcome. Thanks again.

[Petrol & Powder]

I use a combination of the above methods. Cleaned and polished the pin & nozzle, added weight to the top of the stem and keep a propane torch handy for when I add a little too much cold lead to the pot. The Lee 4-20 isn't the best design but it's not the worst either.

[prs]

I have also been using two pots of the 4-20 Lee type. Neither drip enough to be a problem. I did hang a large hex nut on the handle of my casting pot, that nut borrowed from a 2 5/8" trailer hitch ball. Then again, I also follow the rule of no dirty lead in my casting pots.

When my PID controlled pot is getting low, I dip hot alloy from the pre-heating pot to replenish and then clean ingots to the pre-heating pots. I can do this all without too much interruption of my pace, just a few moments extra time with spru cut and full mold sitting on hot plate to preserve temp.

prs

[Gtek]

Have not used mine in a while. I have a clean 1/4" steel plate to sit on top covering about 50% or so of top. Sized it so the ladle fits through. Hole drilled to set thermometer through and stack 1lb. ingots on top helping them along and reducing temp swing a touch. What I remember was workable with CLEAN alloy, added weight on arm. Also make sure you have a containment pan underneath large enough to hold full pot. There seems to be those that have and those that will, the Ol' Drip-o-Matic can go Dump-o-Matic.

[brtelec]

I use two pots and have an ingot on the handle. No leaks, no freezing up. I have done the My2ndRight conversion on my pot and it is really nice to have a useable mold guide. The lid makes initial warm up very quick and it gives you a nice spot to set your mold on while it is heating up. I also do not smelt in my 4-20, that is what the second pot is for.

[44man]

I have used a weight but since I cast better with a ladle I plugged the hole with a tapered brass pin, problem solved.
Nice with all the junk on top removed.

[dondiego]

If you plan to add sprues back while casting you can count on a few lead splashes. Dress accordingly.

[bigarm]

If you plan to add sprues back while casting you can count on a few lead splashes. Dress accordingly.
Yes, good advice. I have been wearing long jeans, long sleeve flannel shirt, boots, leather apron and leather gloves.

[dondiego]

...................and safety glasses?

[bigarm]

...................and safety glasses?
Well, kind of, my glasses which are not glass. I do have a shield that I should wear.

[dondiego]

Yes, I have a shield too that I don't use.

[GunFun]

Put the next ingot due up on the edge of the pot to prewarm and don't let the level drop more than an inch before adding it in. Then put the next one up on and repeat til your arms get tired, your butt gets sore, or you run out of lead (Heaven forfend). This practice will keep the boolits flowing without recourse to lighters, torches, pitch forks or angry mobs.

Bruce B method for the win. I also think a hot plate to pre-warm or a toaster oven to preheat ingots could work well.