Lee 10# pot spout problems

[stang68]

Today we have a brief respite from the 105+ weather so I thought I would cast a few boolits. After about 45 minutes of getting bad boolits from the spout no matter what I did I decided to try with the ladle, got 2 perfect boolits, and 2 more, and so on, kept getting good boolits with the ladle. Tried the spout some more trying to duplicate the flow rate of using the ladle, no joy. I tried tipping the mold to the right, to the left, forward, back, no joy. I tried a slow flow from the spout, medium flow, and wide open and still got boolits that looked pitted or not filled out good. I would get maybe 4 keepers for every 10 cast but with the ladle almost every one was a keeper. Also with the spout it would start leaking after about two pours, I'd do the screwdriver thing and it would stop only to start again after two pours. I've had the leak problem from the spout from day one. Any suggestions or should I just give up on the spout and continue with the ladle, I'm much more productive that way since most are keepers.

[qajaq59]

You may have something stuck in the spout or that screw on the bottom of the pot right under the pouring handle may be loose. Try using a paper clip to clear the spout. I use a good heavy glove and run the clip in and out of the spout a few times while holding it open. It may not work, but it's easy to do, and it usually takes care of the problem with mine.

[GBertolet]

I had that pesky leak problem with mine also. I solved it by getting a Pro-Melt.

[stang68]

I tried the paper clip with the handle up and it got me a good flow going but then started leaking again. I found a thread called "Leaky Lees" on this forum and it had a lot of good tips. My problem with both the bad bullets from the bottom and the leaky spout may be caused by crud so I think I'll drain it tomorrow and take it apart and try to clean it. I think the ingots I bought are very dirty, I got a brown coating the looks like dirt coating the sides and bottom of my pot, and when I flux and skim unless that's lead oxide.

[qajaq59]

I think the ingots I bought are very dirty, Yup, that would drive you up the walls. Clean it up and then flux that lead real well in a different pot before trying to use it. I keep a stainless pot from the junk store just for the occasional batch of filthy lead that I might pick up.