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Thread: Are Lee Pots just garbage?

  1. #21
    Boolit Man chumly2071's Avatar
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    I have a pro 4-20, and with my PID I put on it, it will hold +/- 3 to 5 degrees, at least until I put to much cold lead in and "freeze" the melt. Mine occasionally drips, but I just keep a Lee ingot mold under it, and every so often dump it back into the melt. For the cost, and the additions, I am more than happy with it.

  2. #22
    Boolit Master curioushooter's Avatar
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    After I put a PID on my 4-20 I've found no need to "upgrade"
    I just keep a Lee ingot mold under it, and every so often dump it back into the melt.
    I looked into the PID. For what the guy on here wants for a PID upgrade to your Lee 4-20 you will have spent nearly what it costs to get a Lyman Mag25. I also keep Lee's cheap ingot mold under it. Is it too much to ask for a valve that works correctly...that is doesn't drip and allows the lead to flow at the proper speed and temp?

    It drips so I keep a designated screwdriver handy to reset the valve with- not a big deal.
    Yes it is a big deal to have to break your handle on the mold to mess with the valve screw. It is an even bigger deal when you are casting HPs.

    Look, if you are not casting HPs, or have pretty low quality standards, I'm sure a Lee pot will work. I've been getting the thing to work for 10 years myself. It does get lead up to melting temp a little easier than a cast iron pot and a camp fire would. Native Americans used to use hollowed out rocks to cast bullets I am sure they thought they were great, too.

    And a $1100 Magma is a bit ridiculous. There should I think be something between that and a Lee pot.

    As for keeping pots clean I always use smelted alloy. I never put raw material into my pot. I flux with sawdust or oatmeal and tallow...as good as anything I've found. I smelt alloy in big batches in an iron pot and then adjust it to the proper alloys I use for casting. I then pour this into ingots and then label them with what I alloy they are.

    I clean my pot after every other casting session, it looks almost as clean as it did when new. But I can't fix the fact that the well where the valve screw goes in is either too big or has a bad finish on it or something else and it likes to accumulate reside and begin to malfunction. A pot should cast for at least the weight of its contents before it begins to malfunction IMO.
    Last edited by curioushooter; 06-28-2020 at 11:11 AM.

  3. #23
    Boolit Master curioushooter's Avatar
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    The Lee 4-20 can be very good. Lap the rod into the hole and add some weight to the top of the rod. Never leaks.
    Yes, the problem is that the rod is not good. It has poor fit in the well and doesn't weigh enough. The lee production pot, which uses a lever to put more pressure on the rod, doesn't leak as badly. That iron knob on the rod just doesn't weigh enough either.

    Just like Lee used that dumb alignment system forever on their two cavity molds and finally went to a proper one on the last few years. Lee seems to take a few decades to figure out how the make stuff right.

  4. #24
    Boolit Master Wheelguns 1961's Avatar
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    I don’t know. Maybe I just got lucky, but my lee 4-20 has been good since the beginning. I do have a pid hooked to it, but that is just for convenience. I also have a noe mold guide on it that I like.
    Due to the price of primers, warning shots will no longer be given!

  5. #25
    Boolit Master


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    I have had 2 Lee pots over the years, and simply keep them clean. I put a chunk of paraffin wax in the pot when finished casting, and the lead is solid but still warm. The wax melts down into the pot between the lead and steel, to prevent any possible rust between casting sessions. I also took a wire gauge drill bit (can't remember the size), and drilled out the spout a bit. This helps the flow, in my opinion. Works for me, anyway. When I rebuild them, I abrasive blast the interior of the pots, and coat them with WD-40. Also picked up a few heating elements to replace the burned-out ones. They have always done well for me.
    Lead Forever!


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  6. #26
    Boolit Master
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    I like mine just fine , I know it's going to drip so I put a little pie pan under it .

  7. #27
    Boolit Grand Master popper's Avatar
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    Only have the Lee pot, not going to get another. Did build a PID for it. Did some mods. Worked fine for 10 yrs, hpe it continues for the next. Tried ladle, nope.
    Whatever!

  8. #28
    Boolit Buddy glaciers's Avatar
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    I admit, I'm a lowly ladle caster.
    Some people are just fussy. I understand not wanting to fuss around, but as other poster have pointed out, there are different remedies for the Lee bottom pour pots.
    I bought a Lee bottom pour 20 pound pot back in the 70's I believe. I never used the bottom pour at all. It did drip from time to time, but seem to heal itself. Then I started using it in earnest, and tried using the bottom pour. Never should have woke the beast. Dripped like no tomorrow. Well I am a confessed ladle caster, so I plug the spout permanently and removed the hardware the was in the way of ladling. About 10 years ago I bought a second Lee 20 pound ladle pot. Both work well, melt, hold temp reasonably well, and I can have two different alloys ready for casting. I am looking for a third pot, it will be a Lee as I can't afford the other brands and don't see the need.
    LEE products have allowed me to enjoy this hobby on a budget I can afford. LEE has provided that affordability for many folks.
    I have about a dozen Lee 2 cavity Moulds and about the same in 6 cavity. The 2 cavity Moulds can be a pain, but they work. The 6 cavity Moulds are quite nice to cast with.
    The Lee Classic Turret Prees is a good affordable unit. I also use a lot of there dies and other products. If you need commercial quantities then you need to be ready to pay more.

  9. #29
    Boolit Buddy glaciers's Avatar
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    Really wished someone would offer a PID setup for sale because It's Greek to me.

  10. #30
    Boolit Master MOA's Avatar
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    Buy one and be done.
    Order it with the PID.





    MAGMA MASTER POT.

  11. #31
    Boolit Buddy tmanbuckhunter's Avatar
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    Their molds are terrible, bar none, you won't convince me otherwise. To say their molds are as good as my vintage 50's, 60's, 70's lyman molds or my custom accurate molds is a bald face lie. NOW, with that out of the way. I have been running a Pro 4-20 for I think 10 years or so, maybe a little less. I won't bother to post the round count because it would unbelievable to most, but it's cast a whole crap ton of bullets. Does it drip? Here and there. Does it hold consistent temperature though? Sure does. I'm about to get a standard 20lb pot and go to ladle pour here soon as my interest in boolits is shifting towards the larger heavier side, but for production, that 4-20 is a good value. I can't speak to anything made in the last few years though.

  12. #32
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    Quote Originally Posted by MOA View Post
    Buy one and be done.
    Order it with the PID.





    MAGMA MASTER POT.
    https://www.magmaengineering.com/masterpot/

    Master Pot
    Masterpot

    Steel frame features adjustable mold guide for accuracy when casting molds with handles.
    Pot can be removed from frame and mounted to Master Caster base when a manual casting machine is desired.
    40 lb. alloy capacity.
    Specifications:
    120v/240v
    13/6.5 amps
    1500 watts.
    Price: $600.00

    I'll stay with my 4-20's

  13. #33
    Boolit Master Dapaki's Avatar
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    No.... Lee pots are not junk. I have been running 2 of them for 35 years and apart from replacing a coil, they have served me well.

    If your bottom pour is dripping or leaking, it's your metal. Buy any of the expensive bottom pours and you will get the same results with them if you run dirty lead through them. I give the stem a twist with my fluxing spoon and the drips stop. I also only use bees wax and a very tiny amount only, never a flame up.

  14. #34
    Boolit Grand Master In Remembrance
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    Two 20 lb ladle pour - digital thermometer holds temp on both ... After many years with both ... Zero issues ... ergo, they are not “crap” for me. So sorry the OP has issues, could be the caster
    Regards
    John

  15. #35
    Boolit Buddy

    Ranger 7's Avatar
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    I have two lee 20# pots, purchased in Sept. 2009.
    These two have processed over 1,000 pounds of range scrap into clean ingots.
    Both are STILL operating, producing very nice bullets!
    Can NOT be beat ! It can be a big help to reseat the bottom pour nozzle, using valve grinding compound.
    I remove the rod and put it in a hand vise, put a gob of the compound on the tip and pressing downward, rotate in one direction for a dozen or so times.
    No more leaks! I do this after I have processed range scrap. I clean the pot and reseat the rod. No problems! AND sure are a heck of a lot less costly! Have yet to replace anything!

  16. #36
    Boolit Master Dapaki's Avatar
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    Nice!

  17. #37
    Boolit Master Retumbo's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by glaciers View Post
    Really wished someone would offer a PID setup for sale because It's Greek to me.
    Pay for the parts and shipping and I will build you one

  18. #38
    Boolit Master 44magLeo's Avatar
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    I don't think Lee pots are just garbage.
    They are not expensive, some of their features are the way they are to keep the price at an affordable level. Could they build a pot costing two or three times as much, yes. but that would keep a lot of people out of casting.
    I bought the 10 lb. Pro pot in about 78. It worked ok. I didn't like the way the rod went at an angle. Interfered with stirring while fluxing. It did drip even with added weight to the handle. I lost in in a move after about ten years.
    I kinda got out of casting for a few years. About ten years ago I got a place of my own, No room mates.
    I got back into the casting with the 4-20. A much better pot than the Pro pot. Larger capacity is the big thing. It still drips but not nearly as much as the Pro pot.
    I think with a bit of a redesign on the handle to be more like the RCBS or Lyman pots would make it a much better pot. The extra leverage of that style handle would probably stop the dripping.
    I have seen mods on RCBS pots where adding a spring and rearranging the pivot points looked like a good idea.
    I have been thinking of how I could mod my 4-20 to that style of handle.
    I did build a new rod. I used 1/4" rod, cut it about 3/4 of an inch longer than the stock rod. Threaded it at 28 threads per inch as well as the hole where the rod goes. This way I eliminated the adjusting screw the stock rod used.
    With the bracket and rod threaded adjustment was easier. I plan on adding a handle to the top of the threaded portion to add weight and not have to keep track of the screwdriver.
    I got the idea from looking at the new Lee pots.
    I have a cut off propane tank and turkey cooker for smelting. Get the lead well cleaned there then the Lee pot stays much cleaner.
    If I found another or Lee 4-20 Lee pot for a good price I might just buy it and mod it like I did this one so I could keep different alloys in each pot would be nice.
    Leo

  19. #39
    Boolit Buddy glaciers's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Conditor22 View Post
    https://www.magmaengineering.com/masterpot/

    Master Pot
    Masterpot

    Steel frame features adjustable mold guide for accuracy when casting molds with handles.
    Pot can be removed from frame and mounted to Master Caster base when a manual casting machine is desired.
    40 lb. alloy capacity.
    Specifications:
    120v/240v
    13/6.5 amps
    1500 watts.
    Price: $600.00

    I'll stay with my 4-20's
    This is exactly my point. While I'd love a Magma Master Pot, I don't have $600 to spend for a lead pot, when I can spend $75 for a Lee and had reliable operation for 40 years. If I have the 600 bucks, I'll buy the Lee and $525 of other casting reloading equipment.

  20. #40
    Boolit Master

    Hickory's Avatar
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    My first Lee 4 lb pot lasted me 31 years before the heating element quite working. I wrote Lee and explained the situation wanting a new heating element instead they sent me a new melting pot.
    No complaints from me about Lee produces.
    Political correctness is a national suicide pact.

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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