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Thread: Lee 4 20 Leaking suddenly

  1. #1
    Boolit Man trapper44shooter's Avatar
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    Feb 2020
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    Lee 4 20 Leaking suddenly

    I was casting today & I went to get me a drink & when I got back I found that my Lee 4 20 was empty so I got up all of that spilled lead & re melted backdown & give it a good fluxing & it cast some very nice looking RB I wonder why it just poured out like that for no reason so now if i leave it I screw the flow & turn it off My Lee 4 20 is a good casting furnace just a hiccup I guess

  2. #2
    Boolit Grand Master Bazoo's Avatar
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    Leads trying to make a run for it. Welcome to the world of bottom pour pots.

    You can tell I'm a ladle caster I bet.

  3. #3
    Moderator



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    Some debris got caught between the stop rod and the edge of the hole and kept it partially open. It never happens at a good time, but turn your back for a minute and that's when it's going to pounce.

    Hope this helps.

    Fred
    After a shooting spree, they always want to take the guns away from the people who didn't do it. - William S. Burroughs.

  4. #4
    Boolit Master slim1836's Avatar
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    put a small fridge in the room.

    Slim
    JUST GOTTA LOVE THIS JOINT.

  5. #5
    Boolit Buddy
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    Don't leave your pot unattended. Or you will incur the wrath of the lead gods and you will suffer. Most of have even if we don't admit it

  6. #6
    Boolit Master
    CastingFool's Avatar
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    Ah, it was just trying to tell you it missed you.

  7. #7
    Boolit Master
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    You took a bathroom break so it did too.

  8. #8
    Boolit Master
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    lead at the bottom of the pot melts and expands first pushing up the valve .had that happen last week luckily i came back in time to push down on the valve and stop the flow.

  9. #9
    Boolit Master
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    Lesson in that . Place an ingot mold or pot under the spout if you leave it unattended for even a few minutes.

  10. #10
    Boolit Master Digger's Avatar
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    Little tidbit that has helped me is I found a couple of heavy oversize washers that I slipped on behind the little wooden handle ...
    Making the entire plug mechanism a little bit heavier ...
    cuts down on the number of leaking incidents that I have encountered.
    It is much easier to fool people ,
    than to convince them they have been fooled !

    If you can read this , thank a teacher ...
    If you can read this in English , .. thank a Vet !

  11. #11
    Boolit Master

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    On the Lee 4-20 pot sometimes the little “ guide rods” for the bottom pour spout will loosen up on the bottom and hang up the slide rod. I may not be describing the screws I’m talking about correctly, but I hoped this helps. They are just long extended screws with a sleeve for the slide to slide on. Hahahaha clear as mud now??? Good luck
    I firmly believe that you should only get treated by how you act, not by who or what you are!!

  12. #12
    Boolit Master
    Mal Paso's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Budzilla 19 View Post
    On the Lee 4-20 pot sometimes the little “ guide rods” for the bottom pour spout will loosen up on the bottom and hang up the slide rod. I may not be describing the screws I’m talking about correctly, but I hoped this helps. They are just long extended screws with a sleeve for the slide to slide on. Hahahaha clear as mud now??? Good luck
    The bottom Shoulder Bolt backs out and the Valve Arm Assembly hangs on the shoulder and you can't shut the lead flow off. Perfectly clear,
    Mal

    Mal Paso means Bad Pass, just so you know.

  13. #13
    Boolit Bub
    Join Date
    May 2019
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    39
    Was your mould sitting on top of pot to heat it ? This happened to me. The mould was putting pressure on the handle. When the lead melted out it came.

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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