Lee Pot gave up

[Glenn54]

I just ordered this one from Midway yesterday. It shipped today. I've been using a 10 lb Lee bottom pour but it's time consuming with the smaller pot.

Go with a 20# Lee 4-20 bottom pour...........IF.........you can find one these crazy daze!

[Jniedbalski]

I got the lee 10 pounder bottom pour about 25 years Ago. Still going strong but looking rough. About two years ago I got the lee 20 lb a good ladle and pot thermometer. Still new in the box waiting for the 10 lb to quit. Glad it’s still going but need to try out the 20 lb. the 10 lb looks so rough iam surprised it still works. I keep it under a porch on a metal bench with lead in it all the time. The thermostat has rusted solid can’t change it . It is set on 5 or 6 just right where it makes just slightly frosted bullets if I run the mold fast. It takes a little longer to heat up like this but still makes great bullets. I really like my lee pot.

[44magLeo]

For cleaning up scrap lead using your bottom pour is not the best way. I've done it that way for years and always had issues with the pot, needed frequent cleaning to use it for bullet casting.
Once I found this place and found I could cut of an old 20 lb. propane tank and set it on my outdoor burner I stopped using the little electric pot. The big outdoor pot lets me clean up a couple hundred lbs. of lead at a time. It would takes days in the little pot.
Once cleaned am into ingots then they went into the little pot for boolits.
Leo

[skeet1]

Fix it !

I agree, fix it. Lee sells the parts to replace the heating element and even if you get a bigger pot it would be nice a backup or just for small batches.

Ken

[murf205]

My Lee 10lb bottom pour pot finally gave up the ghost after 46 years and 5 months. So now the the thinking and rethinking starts. Gas or just go with Electric again.

Ok turtle, you win. my 10 pounder is ONLY 40 yrs old. I bought it in 1980 and it never hiccuped and still makes fishing jigs to this day. I scored an RCBS Pro Melt when they were still made in the US and it is a great one but if I didnt have it I would buy a 20 lb pot right now.

[Wally]

Lee sells a replacement part for $11.00...

https://leeprecision.com/110v-Thermostat.html

I got the lee 10 pounder bottom pour about 25 years Ago. Still going strong but looking rough. About two years ago I got the lee 20 lb a good ladle and pot thermometer. Still new in the box waiting for the 10 lb to quit. Glad it’s still going but need to try out the 20 lb. the 10 lb looks so rough iam surprised it still works. I keep it under a porch on a metal bench with lead in it all the time. The thermostat has rusted solid can’t change it . It is set on 5 or 6 just right where it makes just slightly frosted bullets if I run the mold fast. It takes a little longer to heat up like this but still makes great bullets. I really like my lee pot.

[The Dar]

Lee sells a replacement part for $11.00...

https://leeprecision.com/110v-Thermostat.html

Titan Reloading, link at the top of this page will have it for less, I guarantee. I purchased a thermostat and coil from Titan for my 4-20 to have just in case. When it comes to casting I don't care for down time.

Nevermind, I just checked, $11.00 at Titan also. I believe I got mine on sale.