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Thread: Lyman MAG 25 Broke

  1. #21
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    georgerkahn's Avatar
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    After reading the replies, I haven't seen one addressing your problem. I, too, am happy that both the heating element and PID still function. If it were my pot, I'd heat it up and drain as much -- hopefully ALL -- alloy out of it. After cooling, I'd put a stainless steel brush in my Dremel -- kind of like those used for cleaning primer pockets -- to get every molecule of melt out, and finally using same brush with some Iso alcohol. I'd then put something -- anything to snugly fit the drain hole to keep epoxy from getting into it -- followed by my generous mix of J-B weld. At the "worst", I reckon you'd be better than before. But, as long as the area you're to put the epoxy on is 101% grease free, and you have ensured you're not getting it in the hole you need -- by gum & golly -- it might be worth a try!
    Good luck!
    geo

  2. #22
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    wonder if a guy couldn't fab one out of a mig welder torch tip. Or a gas orifice from a furnace.

  3. #23
    Boolit Master


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    Talkng to Lyman customer service is useless. I just throw it away now and stay away. Bullet molds, the same. Bought an undersized 452651. Returned and received another undersized. Feel like sending it back telling them to keep it but it is just throwing away another $7 postage. Don't get me started on their case trimmers.

  4. #24
    Boolit Master
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    This may all be totally irrelevant but,,,,

    Back in the time-frame of mid to late 1970s Lyman introduced a 20# pot, the MoldMaster XX. That was when I was casting a pretty fair volume of 429421 to keep up with my IHMSA and practice shooting. Bought one from Midsouth. I was one proud puppy. Right up to where it started leaking!

    It wasn't dripping from the spout, it was dripping from where the spout attached to the bottom of the pot and the lead was running out the bottom of the outer jacket. The pot shell was Aluminum, the spout was, IIRC, Stainless Steel although it may have been just plain Steel. As a side note the hole in the outer jacket, around the spout, was big enough that you could the see red glow from the heating heating element reflecting off the mold guide.

    That pot got returned, I don't recall if it was through Midsouth or directly to Lyman, but I don't remember us having to pay return shipping. We were sent a new pot. Proud owners again and pleased at how easy it was to get things set right. But relief was brief, in short order the second pot was leaking the same as the first one did.

    I decided there was no use in sending the second pot back, chances were just too good that another replacement would fritz out the same way. Again IIRC, (remember this is going back 40 years on memory alone) I think the pot was held in the shell by small screws, not the rivets RCBS uses. At any rate I got the pot out and found that the spout was loose. The spout was flanged on the inside of the pot and secured by a nut on the thread lower portion outside the bottom of the pot. I think the flange inside the pot might have been hexagonal and could be held with a socket & extension while the bottom nut was turned with a regular wrench.

    That fixed the problem temporarily but had to be repeated regularly as it would start leaking again.

    At one point I removed the spout in its' entirety to try to determine why it kept loosening. It turned out that it was that the nut was loosening. The Al of the pot was slowly creeping out of the area between the two steel surfaces of the spout. Maybe it was getting hot enough to flow slightly or maybe it was differential expansion between dissimilar metals. At any rate the pot was getting thinner where the spout was holding it under compression.

    I knew it was just a matter of time before it got thin enough to crack or tear completely away and precipitate a disaster of greater or lesser proportions and it was retired.

    At some later time Lyman started using a Stainless Steel pot on the MoldMasterXX so they must have become aware that they had a dog on their hands. I think I gave the carcass away when someone was going to try to get a SS pot to retrofit it.
    Literacy should not be considered optional in computer based communication.

  5. #25
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    That's lead dripping out took me by surprise thought the PID unit would go first. They should have how to make the pot down pat after all these years. Won't being getting another one but it was fun while it lasted. Some of my Lee pots are 30 years old and still going, but they are China pots too.
    the lee costs $65 and the lyman almost $300. for that money, I'll keep my lee and the occasional drip. When it finally dies, I'll just go buy another one. I've got 6 years and THOUSANDS of rounds through my first lee. At this rate, I'll be nearly 85 years old when the money comes out even, in another 25 years.
    Last edited by dogmower; 02-03-2019 at 08:58 PM.

  6. #26
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    Quote Originally Posted by dogmower View Post
    [QUOTThat's lead dripping out took me by surprise thought the PID unit would go first. They should have how to make the pot down pat after all these years. Won't being getting another one but it was fun while it lasted. Some of my Lee pots are 30 years old and still going, but they are China pots too. E]
    the lee costs $65 and the lyman almost $300. for that money, I'll keep my lee and the occasional drip. When it finally dies, I'll just go buy another one. I've got 6 years and THOUSANDS of rounds through my first lee. At this rate, I'll be nearly 85 years old when the money comes out even, in another 25 years.[/QUOTE]

    I just like buying new reloading or casting equipment, may try the RCBS next.

  7. #27
    Boolit Buddy
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    oh, I got that bug, too. I keep buying parts and building AR's. I've heard good things about the RCBS furnace, and the Lyman, too, for that matter. I think they can do better, especially since it's new. The only Lyman products I've had that let me down was one of their tumblers, but I beat the snot out of it.

  8. #28
    Boolit Master

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    My first furnace was a Mag 25. When it arrived from Midway, I went as far as unboxing it in my living room. I looked it over for a day or two. Never turned it on, but had that feeling like it looked like cheap Chinese electronics. The last straw was the mold guide not being compatible with most. Midway gladly accepted my return, and I promptly ordered a Pro Melt. Probably a good decision.

  9. #29
    Boolit Bub
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    I don't know so much about the JB weld suggestion. It is rated at 600f.

  10. #30
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    Mal Paso's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by LongRangeAir View Post
    I don't know so much about the JB weld suggestion. It is rated at 600f.
    JB Weld is Epoxy=Plastic. Will eventually break down from heat when used on mold handles. Melting pot, no way.

    Silver bearing brazing rod would be the lowest temperature solution I would use.
    Mal

    Mal Paso means Bad Pass, just so you know.

  11. #31
    Boolit Master
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    If is a steel pot, I would braze it with regular brass rod. I aluminum, I would lathe a new bottom spout from aluminum and have it tig welded. Should be a permanent fix. Probably cost as much as a new Lee 20 lb pot unless you can do some or all of the work yourself. I have a Lee 10lb pot that I bought in the late 70's that is still working fine.

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Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check