Changing Recipes

First time poster, so sorry if this is in the wrong forum.

I'm a long time reloader, but just went further down the rabbit hole with casting SWC for 38/357. I'm using a Lee Production Pot IV, that came with a bunch of wheel weight lead, which I continued to use for my SWC casting session.

I also shoot black powder, and want to cast some pure lead ball boolits.

I've seen warnings about running the pot dry. Do y'all have recommendations for changing the lead recipe to or from pure lead, then back to alloys, other than allowing the pot to get low, then adding enough of the new recipe to dilute the remaining mix, and ending up with a bunch poor quality alloy or lead?

Thanks.

I'm not any sort of authority on this but were it me I'd heat things up, wear appropriate protection, and pour the contents in ingot molds of some sort. If you don't have molds a tip I think I saw on here was empty pop can bottoms would make nice small ingots. I'd then melt a bit of whatever with a torch, pour that into the furnace and turn it on. Don't think it's so much emptying the pot hurting things as it's that it takes a long time to get an empty pot to melt something. Goes a lot faster if there's something in the pot. Just my take anyhow.

Welcome Aboard!
You could unplug the pot after the lead is melted and pour it into ingot molds. Be careful, like slow and easy, and grasp the pot with both hands, with gloves, at the back away from the actual pot and pour. I doubt that you would hurt the pot by having it empty and on for a short time but the melted lead will stay molten for a good while after you unplug it. I do mine this way and it works fine. Lead has a way of getting mixed up so mark what you pour out in some way.

I empty my Lee pot all the time.
Since my pot is bolted to the bench, I just drain it through the bottom pour spout into a ingot mold, when no more lead comes out, I make a cross in the remaining lead and shut off the pot. When cool, I can just pick out the pie shaped pieces from the bottom of the pot. ...Oh, I highly suggest removing all the dross before you are about to empty the pot.

Heat up the pot on it's highest setting, unplug it and drain it into ingots of some kind. Put some of the new alloy into the pot and turn it back on. When it melts enough to cover the bottom easily, add more.
You won't hurt the pot. I have done this many times over the years with mine.
About the only way to damage the pot would be to leave it plugged in when empty for several hours.

If you drain the pot as far as you can there's so little left in there it will not adversely effect the alloy of the next batch.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Petrol & Powder

If you drain the pot as far as you can there's so little left in there it will not adversely effect the alloy of the next batch.

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This is true. I like to give mine a scrubbing with a wire brush occasionally to get rid of the scale and other trash that builds up on the sides. But the tiny amount of lead left in the bottom won't affect your alloy enough to matter.

I run most of the hot alloy out, then pick up the pot , wear heavy gloves, and pour out the remaining alloy into a ingot mould . Totally empty then.
Gary

I switch alloys often depending on bullet and use. Doesn't harm a thing. I thing the sulfer i add to my alloy causes unique problems on its own, but all is fair in love and reloading.

I only have one pot so it is used for casting and melting wheel weights and scrap. It is only a couple screws and nuts that hold it in. Just take it out and use wire brush and drill to clean most of crud and sandpaper to finish it off it only takes a couple minutes to do.

Most of my casting is with pure for ML. I keep a separate pot for other alloy. Pots seem to accumulate by magic

Thanks, all. Time to heat up another mold.

My Lee 4-20 pot is mounted to a 1"x8" about 24" long for stability, and I can pick up the whole thing/assemble and pour, but, I run almost all the melt through the pour spout to make the pot lighter. I wouldn't want to try and pick up a hot pot with 10 lbs. of molten lead in it and try to pout into an ingot mold...I have some mini-loaf pans (about 3"x6"x3" deep) that when full will hold about 8-10 lbs. and with a good alloy work well for me. I can mix up some alloy, cast a half pot or so and store the rest in one piece/one ingot and I'll stamp the alloy on the ingot so I don't forget the alloy...

I have a 20 lb pot for most of my casting, and a 10 lb pot for pure lead.....