Need help repairing lyman mold master xx

[Ramson222]

My lyman mold master xx always leaked a little from around the spout. I'm was fine with that being, that it has to be ancient. While casting today she proceeded to empty a few pounds of molten lead from the wrong side of the pot. I would like to keep this pot working if possible, because I just bought a pid to go with it.

One I got it all apart, required 2hrs of work. I noticed that the hole were the spout comes out of the pot was oval and that this is the source of the leak.

I rounded the hole again by moving the metal with a punch. I also noticed that the pot has no gasket. Is that how they were made or did it burn up?

I think a gasket will be needed this time. The damage to the metal is to much to seal without a gasket. The best available material for the job seems to be stainless steel reinforced carbon fiber gasket. Before I buy any of it, I thought I would ask here If a better material exists.

Forgot to mention that the pot looks like the previous owner dragged it behind the car, as punishment for leaking.

[bosterr]

I had a Lyman Mold Master 10 pounder way back and when the heating element failed Lyman said to send it in and they would sell me the Mag 20 at a slightly reduced price which is what I did. That pot eventually started to drip so I lapped the metering rod to the seat with Clovers 320 grit valve grinding paste and my cordless drill. That fixed the dripping. It still gets dirt in the wrong place once in a while and it drips again, but I hack-sawed a slot into the top of the rod and I just turn it back and forth with a screwdriver and that always takes care of it. You can call Lyman and see what they say but I'm sure they don't support these old pots with parts or service. I'm not aware of any gasket to be had for these things.

[georgerkahn]

I have two ancient MouldMasters, and had a similar challenge with one. I had just spent a lot of time eliminating its thermostat -- temp to be regulated by a Variac (before PIDs were invented ) -- and the AC cord mica had broken. Sooo, after all that effort I no longer wanted a leaky pot. My solution was to buy a few BRASS 1/4"-20 bolts, a couple of stainless steel washers, a lock washer, and nut from the (then) True-Value Hardware store. I carefully drilled out stock spout -- a LOT easier than I had anticipated; "polished" top and bottom with a wire brush in a Dremel, and enlarged the hole using -- if my memory is correct -- a #7 drill. I screwed the brass screw in a nut, clamped in a drill press vice, and drilled straight thru that -- do not recall the drill size, but I know it was in "forties" ? I used a micrometer to determine diameter of Lyman's metal, and drilled accordingly. Interestingly, I used NO gaskets at all -- just one s.s. washer under screw head and the second between pot bottom and lock-washer / nut. Worked like a charm! One last thing, is I had to fudge/move the Lyman plug piece a tad, which I did by putting it back together empty, and bending/filing a tad. No biggie . Again, it worked. It turned out my biggest challenge was keeping the A.C. connected where mica plug/socket had broken -- my final solution being to use two .22 short cases and a crimping tool to keep them connected, with some ceramic scrap keeping them apart to not short.
BEST!
geo

[Ramson222]

update: I did manage to fix it sort of, still drips from the side of the spout a bit. Just enough to be annoying and burn your hand every so often.