Considering bottom-pour pot - need insight from Forum Members

[JackQuest]

SHORT STORY:

Have been a ladle kind of guy for the last 50 years. I've ignored the bottom pour pots all these years. My old SAECO pot will some day die beyond my skills to resurrect.

So I'm looking for input from users of bottom pour pots. I would like to know if there are other brands besides RCBS PRO MELT 2 and LYMAN MAG 25 bottom pour pots. What are the unique problems of each brand? If you have one brand and want another, why?

I know about the Lyman mould racks not working with other brands of mould blocks despite their advertising. I understand the RCBS can be a dripper. What other problems are common?


LONG STORY:

I have a 20 pound SAECO pot (new to me 50 years ago). It's followed me across the country in the Navy and beyond. I've sourced and replaced the heating element, have gone to a variable speed controller from Harbor Freight to replace the bi-metallic flat spring heat control, and use a remote reading infrared 'gun' style thermometer to check running temps.

Today melted down something less than 100 lbs of various alloys from my bro-in-law. Got done working on the garage floor set things up to run my (new to me) Lyman 356404 4 cavity, stepped in the house for lunch, came back out, pot is getting cold.

Ohmmeter proves it's not the cheap Harbor Freight variable speed controller; it's continuity through the heating element. Working through the rusted screws and sheet metal it turns out the crimp lug had failed again at the crimp to the power cord. 20 minutes of submariner repairs and it's ready to use again (for who knows how long ?).

Wife says I need to be ready to replace the SAECO!!! I might cast more with a bottom-pour pot, I might not. Not sure I want to start over learning and correcting a new batch of problems like the RCBS dripping and the Lyman racks that don't work with other moulds. Just looking for professional forum-level input on which pot is "best" (yes, I know, it's a 4 letter word).

[Bazoo]

I'll start things off right and suggest staying with a ladle system. Ive not used any of the fancier pots but I've used a couple of the lee 10 pound drippers. I am now using a lee magnum melter 20 pound ladle pot. Lots of folks like their 20 pound dripper, but I ain't used it. I figured out I prefer ladle casting so I might as well just stick to it.

[Winger Ed.]

I use a RCBS pro melt.

Its fine when it's on good behavior.
When the spout gets dirty and it drips, it can be rather aggravating to clean out.

If it ever dies, I think I'll go to a ladle pour pot since the ladle seems like it would be much easier to clean,
and the pot won't ever drip.

[Mitch]

I have an RCBS Pro Melt.lee 4-20 an a leed 20 dipper pots.i have cat a lot of bullets with the lee bottom pour.and it worked pretty good for a long time and still does.do like the RCBS Pro Melt the best of the 2 bottom pour pots.the lee dipper pot works just fine.i run all 3 with a PID.

now my question is how big weight wise or length of bullets are you planning on casting?I use the dipper for long bullets and for heavy bullets say 300gr plus and something like 30cal rifle bullets.you can not beat the ladel casting the big bullets.now for my 45 and 38 pistol bullets I can as realy nice from the bottom pour pots.I am leaning more tward ladel casting more all the time.If you are use to ladle casting you may not be happy with the bottom pour.i can cast better or purdy bullets from the ladle lol. why change uless after 50 years of casting you are having problems getting the job done and need the bottom pour to help you out?

[Burnt Fingers]

I've got a Pro-Melt and a Pro-Melt II.

If you like using a ladle then just get a Waage?

[georgerkahn]

I feel your pain in deciding! For what it's worth, I was in a similar predicament years back, and stumbled upon a very used Lyman Mould Master pot; bottom pour, with a thermostat, and its fault being the 110VAC plug mates through what appears to be mica, which was broken. I took a cord from a surplus electric percolator, and soldered it to the pot's wires. Bingo! It worked quite nicely for perhaps 20 years of casting til the thermostat disintegrated. I shorted this out of circuit, and bought a PID from a seller on this sight. It works better than new! At age 71, I have stacks of (free) laminate flooring samples from Home Depot and Lowes, which I simply stack beneath the pour spout to provide perfect distance to fill the mould cavities. I had the metal mould guides, but the stacked samples works soooo much better. Quite regularly these (Mould Master) appear on eBay at more than reasonable prices... I can not speak badly about my two (I was so impressed I picked up a 2nd ).
Good luck!
geo

[country gent]

I pour shorter lighter pistol bullets with a bottom pour pot and my big long BPCR bullets with a bigger ladle pour pot for 2 main reasons. 1) the lighter bullets and the 20 lb pot make a decent run of keepers for me and a rest when refilling is needed. 2) the bottom pour has the flow to fill them while all is still molten. When casting the big long bullets a 550 grn bullet roughly 1.4" long really empties the 20lb pot fast and the ladle gives a faster fill with less heat loss in the material pouring the long bullets. My 20 lb bottom pour is a electric pot and does good for what its used for. My ladle pot holds 130lbs of lead and is gas fired. The big pot holds temps well and runs long when casting the big bullets.

Take some time and analyze your casting needs and wants. Make a list of your specs. Then decide on what to do

[GhostHawk]

Magnum Melter by Lee rocks. I traded off my drip o matic 40 years ago and won't get another. Ladle guy till I die.

[StuBach]

If your a Saeco guy why not try and find an old Saeco bottom pour if the 10lb pot is enough for you? I started with a 60 year old one when I started casting and it still works great.

I have upgraded my Saeco to a Lee Drip-O-Matic Strictly for the size but it has not really dripped on my yet and just got a ProMelt 1 and have been happy with all though I do like the mold guide on the ProMelt for my MP molds (haven’t tried the old HG and Ideals yet but expect they will do fine as well).

No matter what though a PiD is a wonderful thing when running a bottom pour. Find the sweet spot on temp for a particular mold and write it down, than your good to go every time.

[Conditor22]

You keep the alloy clean, flux well before feeding the pot. This will eliminate most drips.

I've found no need to change from the Lee 4-20, thousands of pounds cast.

IF you want to pay more, go with RCBS, Lyman has gotten flakey and outsourced. their warranty was nonexistent and customer service was deplorable. They may be trying to get back to where they were but I"m reserving my business until I see bigger changes.

My 2 ¢

[JackQuest]

Thanks for the replies! The Forum comes through, again!

Used to cast a lot of .44 Mag and .45 ACP in 4 cavity, not so much these days. Cast 180 gr RN GC for the SOCOM, and still developing loads for that. Ladle casting seems the right way to go for 2 cavities. Blocks get up to temperature quickly.

Now casting mostly 9mm for .380 ACP. Takes time to get the mould blocks up to heat, and need to tinker a little with tin content, but when it gets to the right temp then good old ladle casting is my answer.

Very much appreciate the years of experience being shared here.

[country gent]

If its not broke, How do you really "fix" it then. I get good results with the ladle and it offers some advantages bottom pours don't. I like to "over fill" moulds letting excess run back into pit wit te ladle this is a measured thing 1 full ladle poured in sprue hole till ladle is empty keeping everything molten and hot the same each pour.

[Rich/WIS]

Started with a Lyman Model 61(?), and the a SAECO 24. Used a LEE 10# in an emergency, had a LYMAN 20# whose model I forget and now have a LEE 20#. All worked well, especially the 10# Lyman and SAECO, the Lyman 20# not so much and the LEE 20# is what I have been using for the 8-10 years. Did modify the LEE to use the Lyman mold guide and made a few covers for the rails with flashing tin to work with bigger molds. All dripped to some extent but if kept clean and with clean alloy it was never an issue. Found best lube for the rod the flow control rides on was hi-temp copper anti-seize, which also works well under the sprue plate at it's pivot point and stop screw on LEE 6 cavity molds.

[44magLeo]

If you buy a bottom pour and you don't like it you can just plug the spout, remove the handle and rod. This leaves you with a good ladle pot.
That's how Lee does it. Same pot, one with no spout the other with one.
You might find a Lee pot used somewhere with a bad thermostat and the owner is selling because he doesn't want to fix it.
Build of Buy a PID controller, remove the bad thermostat, wire the cord straight to the heating element, plug into PID and good to go.
As I said If you don't like the spout. With the pot empty remove handle and rod. tip upside down, remove the base.
Thread the spout for a screw or bolt. Screw in the screw or bolt. Might have to drill it out some to get a thread to fit.
Put the base back on. Tip right side up.
Now you have a Ladle pot.
Leo

[flyingmonkey35]

every bottom pour pot will drip eventually.

I've been using a Lee drip-o-matic for the past 7 years.

I have to drain it clean it. take Emery cloth to the rod and it stops again for a while.

I bought a PID tuner years ago. and have never had to worry about the perfect temp.

I use a cut 2x4 for my mold guide and I can crank them out.



Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk

[kens]

I also have the Lee 'drip-o-matic'.
Some days it works like a dream, some days, it wants to drip.
Some days I cast with no culls all day.
Some days I cannot pour a good bullet all day
No days do I feel the need to spend 4x the money over the Lee bottom pour pot to get a RCBS or Lyman.

[Bazoo]

What country gent said about pouring a ladle full over the mould helps a lot to get good fillout and keep a cold natured mould to temperature.

[Hahndorf1874]

Have two Pro Melts,Lino in one 20/1 in other, bottom pour in smaller cals. Turn the pot around ,place is on a lower table,bench, and ladle ,best of both worlds.

Cheers Mal in au.

[JackQuest]

I notice that no one has commented about a Magma Master pot. Current price on their webpage is $600, basically twice the price of RCBS or Lyman. Is it worth that cost? I'm not casting on a daily basis; in the past I've gone a couple of years at a time between long casting sessions.

Any insight out there?

[lightman]

I've had a ProMelt for 30 something years and have been happy with it. It very seldom drips and its been an easy fix when it has. If it ever dies and I can't repair it I'll look real hard at a Magma pot.