Draing lee 4-20 pot empty

[wendyj]

I've got about a half pot full of one alloy. I am wanting to use a different one with a different caliber. Is it safe to drain the pot completely empty or ladle all out but a 1/4 inch or so in the bottom. I have been lucky so far with 400 casts or so and no leaks. Don't want to start one now.

[popper]

I just pour it into ingots (old steel muffin pans) by tipping the entire unit over, using gloves. That way most of any crud in the bottom comes out. Unplug the pot first of course.

[wendyj]

Sounds smarter than getting something in my spout.

[Bookworm]

Same here. Put on welding gloves, pick the pot up, pour into ingot mold.

That would be stick welding gloves, not the thin TIG gloves....

[wendyj]

I used fairly big ladle and got about 3/4 of it. Poured 2 more molds out by hand. I was kind of afraid it would stick all over sides and be cruddy in the bottom but only about a small soup spoon which came right out. I loaded a few bricks of what I wanted in it and when it cools off am bringing it inside to my reloading room. Any special oil to put on iron parts. Thought about ballistol to keep rust off. Clp. Something.

[Mike W1]

Somewhere I read a suggestion to drain it down fairly low and then prop it at an angle. After it's cool what's left should be removeable in a small piece along with whatever crud might be in it.

[Beagle333]

I use the tip and pour method too, with gloves and eye protection (whatever you are pouring it into might have just a little bit of moisture hiding). I just drain down to about 1-1/2" left and then pour that into an ingot mold by tipping. Then you can clean the bottom while you got it tipped up. (if you need to)