I was casting some boolits Sunday AM, and ran down the load in the furnace, so I added another 5 lbs of alloy to the 1-2 lbs already there, cranked the control up high, and went in to check eBay. Ten-fifteen minutes later I went out to resume - and DANG! The thermometer said 900*! I looked in, and the level was pretty far down - ??? Then I looked under the furnace...
I hate it when this happens...
Echo
USAF Ret
DPS, 2600
NRA Benefactor
O&U
One of the most endearing sights in the world is the vision of a naked good-looking woman leaving the bedroom to make breakfast. Bolivar Shagnasty (I believe that Lazarus Long also said it, but I can't find any record of it.)
At least you caught it before the pot overheated and went Chernobyl on you.
Been there, done that!
"Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn't pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same......." - Ronald Reagan
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Sure glad the top pours dont have that problem
I have sworn on the altar of GOD eternal hostility against every form of tyranny over the mind of man.Thomas Jefferson
" Any law that is NOT constitutional is not a law" James Madison
LOL. Been there. Done that too. I was able to knock mine off after it cooled, remelt and all was good.
I have a weight I hang on the handle of my dripomatic if I have to walk away from it for a minute.
Neither of my bottom pour pots leak full of alloy and any temp. Because I seated my stopper rod properly and keep the dirt out of the seat. One is a RCBS Pro-Melt the other an Ohio Furnace pot, same pot, basically, because RCBS bought out Ohio Furnace long ago.
Did the **** get in the spout?
I think so - haven't gotten into this yet, and have another furnace...
Echo
USAF Ret
DPS, 2600
NRA Benefactor
O&U
One of the most endearing sights in the world is the vision of a naked good-looking woman leaving the bedroom to make breakfast. Bolivar Shagnasty (I believe that Lazarus Long also said it, but I can't find any record of it.)
I put a cast iron pan under my RCBS Pro-melt just incase, because it likes to drip some.
Good thing the hot lead didn't start a fire. ;-(
NRA Life Member
As slow as my big dipper is, it won't do that.... why bottom pours scare me
You better watch where you go and remember where you beenThat's the way I see it I'm a Simple Man. - Charlie DanielsFor if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins. -Matthew 6:14-15
That's one perk for a PID, don't have to worry about a temp run away if it starts leaking. I've been lucky so far with my Lee 20lber, limited drips here and there, never anything that a quarter turn of the rod didn't immediately solve. But I always keep a pan underneath it just in case.
I've got two ingots the shape of the pie pan that I had stuck under the Lee pot thanks to the warnings received here. Was amazed how fast the lead drained out. The first time the pot was warming up, the second time was in the middle of a session...just wasn't paying attention.
Solved that problem, got a Magnum Melter and went back to my beloved dipper...no drips or clogs!
Gary
On a Lee pot, all you need is some lapping compound and a drill. Problem solved.
When I first got my Lee 4-20 I was dinking around with the flow control after adding lead to a half full pot. Of course the cool ingots caused the spout to freeze but I didn't know that then so I'm happily unscrewing the stem more and more trying to get the thing to flow which of course wasn't gonna happen until the alloy heated up well enough to un-freeze that spout and un-freeze it did. Right about the same time that I managed to unscrew the stem far enough to drop it right off the threads!! I wish I'd have had a video of me wearing welding gloves and trying to screw that stupid stem back in before the tart pan under the spout completely filled up. Lessons learned the hard way I'm afraid.
HEY! Did everybody see that the dripper isn't a Lee pot? I'm saving that pic for all the Lee Haters that constantly bad mouth Lee pots as "Drip-o-matics"...
My Anchor is holding fast!
Originally Posted by mdi
HEY! Did everybody see that the dripper isn't a Lee pot? I'm saving that pic for all the Lee Haters that constantly bad mouth Lee pots as "Drip-o-matics"...
The unit shown is a Saeco Model 24 which usually doesn't do that. A drip and leak can occur with any pot regardless of manufacturer. Keep the valve clean (and use a counter weight as a precaution) and put an ingot mold (as was done) or other cast iron receptacle under the snout if you have to leave the unit alone for a while. If it happens as pictured by the OP...yes it is a pain, but it should not be a frequent event or you have to go after the cause and remedy it. LLS
It took me over a year to actually pull the trigger and buy a Lee 4-20 pot, why?? Because of all the nasty things I'd read about bottom pours in general and Lee in particular. That Lee bottom pour now has run over a thousand pounds of lead through the spout, it's had sawdust used as flux (although not regularly) and I've never done a thing to it other than keep putting ingots in the top.
Yup that sucks.
My lee 4-20 doesnt drip. PID controlled so it stays right where I set it at no matter if it's full or empty.
Sometimes it will just start dripping a drop, and I just wiggle the rod and it's ok.
I never let it drain completely though. And every time I just wiggle the rod a little to get a good seal.
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