Is the LEE bottom pour worth it?

[am44mag]

For years I have used a 10 lb Lyman pot and a dipper to cast with. The only complaints I have is that they're a bit slow and the dipper occasionally gets clogged up. The $200+ RCBS and Lyman bottom pours are outside of what I can afford right now, but the LEE is much cheaper. Is it worth getting though, or should I stay with my current set up? I don't want something that's going to frustrate me or make casting a hassle. I just want to be able to turn it on and go.

[pworley1]

I have 4 lee pots, the first one that I still use the most is from the early 80's. They will all drip occasionally, but once adjusted, not enough to bother me. For me they are much faster than using the dipper.

[kungfustyle]

You have the option of ladle or bottom and I keep going back and forth. I ladle pore for some of my more finicky molds they seem to fill out better and bottom pore for my 357 and 45 stuff to crank out the boolits. So, for me it has been worth it. I have the 20lb pot it takes about 20 minutes to get the lead melted and off you go. Get a thermometer for it or a PID the temp goes from 650 to 800 on the same setting as the pot drains out. Either keep it full or monitor the temp. It does drip but not that much and you can stop it for a bit.

[rancher1913]

the lee pots do drip, but they can be made to work really good. I have cast thousands and thousands of boolits with mine and have never regretted purchasing it. much cleaner to use than a dipper.

[tazman]

I use Lee bottom pour pots and have cast untold thousands of boolits with them. I even have a couple of old ten pound pots from back in the 70s that still work fine. They got wet when my basement flooded twice and I lost track of them for several months. One of them still had water in it when I found them.
I just took them apart and got them dried out, plugged them in, and turned them on expecting anything from a loud crack to nothing at all. They both worked just fine. One has the temp control knob stuck in one position but it is set where it needs to be so I didn't bother to replace it.
The ones I use the most are a couple of newer 4-20 pots. It is nice to have the extra volume when you start casting 45 cal boolits. They will drain a pot fast.
I have range scrap in one of them that I use for my handgun boolits and linotype in the other that I use for the rifle.
Yes, they do drip some, but it is easily remedied as you work. Just give the top of the adjustment screw a light tap and the drip will stop. Or just keep a screwdriver handy and give the valve rod a little turn back and forth while you are waiting for the lead to cool in the mold.
I set my pots on a medium/large cookie pan so that if it gets carried away dripping while it is heating up and I am in the other room, I don't have a mess on the table or floor. It happened once.
For the price, they work well. I don't know if a different pot would work any better for me.
It takes about 25-30 minutes for the big 20lb pots to get up to casting temperature if the pot is full. I usually fill mine back up when done for the day so it will be ready to go the next time.
earlier this week, I had a great run going with a Lyman 356402 mold and cast 650 boolits, all keepers, in an hour. I hated to quit, things were going so well, but I was tired.

[FLINTNFIRE]

I have a 10 lb and the 20 lb and I like them the dripping is a little annoying but you can work with it and adjust or tinker to stop or slow down , my advice is yes get one you will cast more and for most casting it is going to go faster , I have thought about getting a more expensive pot and as much as already have cast and stored with my lee pots there is no need . I find as time goes on that I am still loading some of the stuff I cast years ago and had stored .

[Tom W.]

I have two, a ten pounder that I used for pure lead , maxi and round balls, and my 20 pounder that I use for everything else. When I was casting for the .480 that I had those 400 gr boolits would drain it very fast. They are called "drip-o-matics" for a reason, but it's really not too bad unless you either get some crud stuck in the spout or it just wears after 15 years or more. I did drain my 20 pound pot and reseated the valve w/ some valve grinding compound, and it is almost as good as it was when new. I have a Lodge miniature ashtray/ spoon holder to catch any drips now....
http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a118/OldeFarte/lodge-spoon-rest.jpg (http://s10.photobucket.com/user/OldeFarte/media/lodge-spoon-rest.jpg.html)

[Mal Paso]

I had 2 Lee 4-20s, good value and you can add PID later. I wouldn't get less than a 20 pounder if you're feeding a 44. LOL

[BK7saum]

I have 2 10lbers and 3 20lbers I keep different alloys in each so I dont have to empty the pot to change alloy.

1 10lber contains unknown lead for fishing sinkers.

The 20lbers are WW, 50/50 pb/ww, and third is range scrap. I cant remember what the second 10lber has.

I run one PID and remove the thermocouple before turning off the pot. Hear up second pot, insert thermocouple, and start warming up molds on a hot plate.

[RogerDat]

Nooooo! Don't go to the dark side. :-)

I use a 20# Lee pot and a Lyman little dipper. I think a 10# pot would be more prone to temp variation of getting hotter as lead is used and colder when material is added. I would guess they would heat up faster from a cold pot having less lead in them

Was a little tempted when I have seen used Lee 10# bottom pours for 1/2 price at gun shows every once in awhile.

[sigep1764]

A Lee 10lb bottom pour is the only thing Ive ever used. Once we buy a house, Ill buy a 20lb pot. Sure they drip. Small adjustment and no more. I doubt you'll be disappointed for the money.

[am44mag]

I think you guys have convinced me. I'll probably order one in the next week or two, and it will be the 20lb version. :D

Thanks fellas.

[tazman]

Good choice.

[Hannibal]

Just remember not to leave a bottom pour pot unattended and don't put recovered lead/scrap in the pot and I think you'll be fine. I have found over time that not submerging fluxing material in the melt helps a whole bunch with spout clogging, but that's beat to death in the 'fluxing' threads.

[LenH]

I have cast thousands of bullets with a Lee 20 pounder and it got better with a digital controller. I see nothing wrong with those pots.

[DerekP Houston]

Lee pot worked fine for me until I saved my pennies to upgrade, next guy I passed it on to is still using it to cast as well. Keep something handy to catch the drips but no big deal other than that. Adding some weight to the handle will help.

[mdi]

the lee pots do drip, but they can be made to work really good. I have cast thousands and thousands of boolits with mine and have never regretted purchasing it. much cleaner to use than a dipper.

I'm in the same boat. I can get my Lee Pro 4-20 to stop leaking, but it will only stop for 10-20 pounds of lead. One thing, the Lee pot needs clean (very clean) alloy to keep from leaking. I got my Lee pot in 1995 and have had no major problems with thousands of casts...

[jungleman9941]

I have a 10lb pot and have cast for years, it drips alittle but its good.

[Gtrubicon]

The drips make interesting looking creations if left to build up

[Biggin]

The dripping is a minor nuisance. I used a used 10lb pot for the first few months when I started casting. It was used but serviceable. If since upgraded to a better pot. I've thought about getting one of new 20s just for a spare but haven't seen one on sale when I've had the money

[Smk SHoe]

Had to replace the spout and rod on a older 20lb pot. Just would not stop dripping no matter how clean. 6$ on eBay and when new parts installed, back to the occasional drip. Pot has been in service for 15 or 16 years. Ordered a new one incase this one wouldn't have been fixable. So now I have a new pot, heating coil and a extra spout and rod on hand. If I have the replacement parts, I will never have a breakdown. Karma only allows a breakdown if you have to get something done and no spare parts. Keep thinking of a new RCBS pot, but can't justify the $$ to replace a pot that is working fine and has been good to me.

[Crash_Corrigan]

I have two, a ten pounder that I used for pure lead , maxi and round balls, and my 20 pounder that I use for everything else. When I was casting for the .480 that I had those 400 gr boolits would drain it very fast. They are called "drip-o-matics" for a reason, but it's really not too bad unless you either get some crud stuck in the spout or it just wears after 15 years or more. I did drain my 20 pound pot and reseated the valve w/ some valve grinding compound, and it is almost as good as it was when new. I have a Lodge miniature ashtray/ spoon holder to catch any drips now....
http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a118/OldeFarte/lodge-spoon-rest.jpg (http://s10.photobucket.com/user/OldeFarte/media/lodge-spoon-rest.jpg.html)

I bought a dozen of those Lodge cast iron ashtrays years ago. They have molded thousands of ingot for me. The cast disk stacks well and is easy to load in my Lee 4-20's or my RCBS 22 lb casting pot.

[Goldstar225]

I'm on my 2nd Lee pot. I started with a 10# model in the late 80's. Lasted me about 15 years. I'm using the 20# that replaced it. Drips aren't a big problem. I've had occasions where the spout will freeze up but a light touch with a propane torch gets it going quickly.

[redhawk0]

I have only one pot....the 10# bottom pour. I am about to rebuild it. I got all the parts from Lee to rebuild it at just the cost of shipping....I did purchase a small pack of ceramic wool insulation and I plan to rebuild next week....this is after 20+ years of casting. I paid about $45 20+ ago...so for a cost of $25 for parts (shipping mostly)...its worth rebuilding. I've also build my own PID for it at a cost of about $45. I've been happy with it...and I am still happy with it. It casts great bullets...10# at a time...but for the volume of shooting I do...its been perfect.

redhawk

[KenT7021]

I'm not a Lee fan and currently use a Lyman Mag25 lead melting pot but I still have and like the Lee 4-20 and the 10 lb bottom pour pots I have.I would recommend the Lee 4-20 over the Lyman and RCBS pots on price alone.They get the job done.

[mac1911]

For years I have used a 10 lb Lyman pot and a dipper to cast with. The only complaints I have is that they're a bit slow and the dipper occasionally gets clogged up. The $200+ RCBS and Lyman bottom pours are outside of what I can afford right now, but the LEE is much cheaper. Is it worth getting though, or should I stay with my current set up? I don't want something that's going to frustrate me or make casting a hassle. I just want to be able to turn it on and go.

I picked up 2 used lee 20lb pots when I started. Once in a while I need to spin the "needle valve" to keep it from dripping. It will also drip when I ger low on alloy and do not keep an eye on the temp. For what I paid and the amount I have casted I cant see spending 200 on a RCBS or any other....unless they can melt 20lbs in about 5 min?

[robg]

Been using a Lee 10lb pot for 20 years had to clean it for the first time last week full of crud blocked up ,scraped the crud out polished the rod and seat with metal polish .no drips now works like new .great tool at a great price .