Lee Pro 4-20?

[dk17hmr]

The controls on the old 10lb Saeco I have are starting to get hit or miss, thinking about getting a new pot. How do you guys like your 4-20's? The Midway reviews look good for this "cheaper" furnace.

[cheese1566]

I like mine, but nothing to compare it to as it is my first. (Other than an old bottom pour 10 pounder I rebuilt.)

My Lee 4-20 has had minimal drips and works good. I did add some heavy fender washers to the handle to help with drips.

What about adding a PID to your Saeco?

let me know if it comes up for sale or trade.;)

[Mk42gunner]

Doug,

I like mine, but it is the only electric pot I have used. I do have a 10 pound Lee pot that I bought at a pawn shop for $10.00; but I haven't used it yet.

Before I even plugged the 4-20 in I lapped the valve stem and seat to help prevent the drips you always read about. Mine still drips occaisionally, but even if I am using a ladle it isn't too objectionable. The drips will eventually build up to the spout and self limit. If I am bottom pouring I let thenm build up an inch or so then put the pile back in the pot.

Before I got the 4-20 I was using a coleman stove and a cast iron sauce pan; I will not go back to that setup.

Robert

[59sharps]

I like mine as much as I like my RCBS. Been using both for 10yrs or more.

[Cowboy T]

After 20,000 boolits cast with it, I continue to have good experiences with mine. It's especially nice when you're using Lee's 6-cavity moulds.

[skeet1]

Doug,
Like you I had an old Saeco that was on its last legs and I decided to get a Lee 4-20. I have not been disappointed. The price is very competitive compared to other comparable products as Lee is noted for. My Lee 4-20 works great and I couldn't be happier. I have other Lee products and have found them a good value for the money.

Skeet1

[JIMinPHX]

I tried one that belonged to a friend a few weeks ago. Now I'm waiting for my little Lyman pot to die so that I can have an excuse to replace it. The Lee had much more heat capacity, a heat control built in & a bottom pour spout. What's not to like? My little Lyman just doesn't put out enough heat to get pure lead hot enough to really flow as well as I would like. The 20# Lee pot does.

[Elmar66]

Thanks for the info too...I am new to reloading and hope to start casting my own once the Texas heat gets somewhere under 90, heck under 100 would be a good start!

[smilie=l:

[cajun shooter]

Do a search on the Lee pot and you will find pages of horror stories including mine. If you use a Lee pot then you "WILL" have a bad day sooner or later. The entire pouring lever broke out of mine with a full pot of 750 degree lead pouring all over and no way to stop it. Be careful and I hope all you happy users stay safe.The reostat will quit and you will be chasing temp settings all Day.

[dk17hmr]

I took the controls off my Saeco last night and did some cleaning and tweaking. Its working like a champ now. Probably will still get a LEE 4-20, as I havent read anything to negative about them.

[iammarkjones]

I have a lee 4-20 and mine functions fine with no leaks yet. Please note this is still a fairly new pot less than 20 hours running so far.

[Elmar66]

I am sure there are horror stories with every piece of equipment. But if you go to the Midway site, there are a LOT of reviews on this pot and nearly all of them are 4 or 5 star ratings.

Like many people I know, I am on a tight budget. I have more than one expensive hobby so I consistently look for value and bang for the buck. Lee seems to offer that in manyof their products. I nearly bought a Lee Press, I was convinced at buying the LoadMaster, I ended up buying the Hornady Lock N Load, not because I didn't trust Lee, but rather because I didn't trust me setting up my first progressive press.

[Moonie]

My first pot was the lee 10lb drip-o-matic, it worked well for what I was doing. Didn't really know any different until I got the 20-4. WOW, huge difference, wouldn't go back to the 10 pounder.

[shootinxd]

I started with a lee turret,dies Pot,mouldNo complaints.

[geargnasher]

I started with a lee turret,dies Pot,mouldNo complaints.

Good way to start. Actually, I started with RCBS stuff and ended up going almost exclusively with Lee now, although the RCBS products are no comparison in quality. Thing is, Lee makes the tools I need in the configuration I need them and makes them super-cheap and with a LOT of common sense built in, and I can buy three or even five of Lee's products for the cost of ONE from a first-rate manufacturer. If RCBS made a better version of the Pro-1000 for a bit more money I would own three of them, but RCBS discontinued the only decent progressive press kit they ever made. Lee better watch out if some of the other guys start wanting to hire away their thinkers.

Gear

[dragonrider]

Used two ten pounders for 20+ years, one of them died so I got a 20 pounder and have been happy with it for about 4 years. It drips some yes, but not alot and I see no problem with that.

[David2011]

The entire pouring lever broke out of mine with a full pot of 750 degree lead pouring all over and no way to stop it.

I just posted in another thread my work surface which could also be a dam to contain a lead spill. I put a garage floor oil drip pan on my casting bench. It's 25" x 47", galvanized steel so lead doesn't stick and it's easy to clean. It has a lip around the perimteter that keeps most of the boolits from rolling off and would hold a lot of molten metal should you have a failure like Cajun Shooter's. It's more than big enough to set everyting I use for casting on it.

David

[Shiloh]

My LEE 4-20 pot works great. Drips a bit, but nothing like before I added weight to the handle.

Shiloh

[Doby45]

I added the fender washers to my handle also and I really have no problems with drips. Do I have a little drip every now and then, yes. But, it is never a problem and I just put the drip right back intot he pot.. Love mine..

[COREY]

Hi guys. I sort of stumbled in here searching for solutions for my dripping 4-20; sorry to hijack the thread. Doby45, are the washers placed on the handle to increase the weight or are they placed another way? Mine is dripping about once every 3 seconds right now. The manual says to clean the spout, but I have no idea about how to do this. Anyone have any ideas?

[lwknight]

The Pro 20 holds 16 pounds running over full.
I don't know where they got the name " Pro 20"
My old 80s model 20 pounder actually holds nearly 20 pounds.

[sourceofuncertainty]

Mine drips more than I'd like but I haven't gotten around to addressing it yet. Seems like it has two modes "slow drip" which is maybe one drop every 5 seconds, and "fast drip" which is one drop every 2-3 seconds. When it goes into "fast drip" mode turning the adjustment screw in and out a bit usually gets it back to slow drip.