My first Lee 4-20

[mjwcaster]

I got a couple of used Lee 4-20’s in a bulk lead purchase this week, nice bonus since I always wanted to try one.
I melted out the lead in them, boiled water and cleaned the pots a bit.
I then cleaned the nozzle in one and lapped the rod and tried casting with it, breaking in a new mold.

It was an experience. It dripped like crazy, was too low on my current bench to see the mold/pour, the mold guide bolt wouldn’t tighten all the way so the guide kept moving around.

So I’m bending over trying to see under it, trying to keep the mold straight/level while the guide is spinning around, having to flip my catch pan around and remove the lead mountain that built up too high.

And yet I think I still liked using a bottom pour.
I still got a decent pile of bullets quickly and think I will enjoy it once I address the issues.

The leaking issue can probably be minimized, I planned on a better guide and the height issue is easy enough to address.

And yes I was running clean lead, premelted/refluxed on my Coleman and just ladled into the Lee. Only beeswax will go into the Lee as needed.

Now to rig up a stand, guide and give the other pot and another new mold a try.

Then order a thermocouple and SSR to build a PID out of an arduino I have laying around.


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[GregLaROCHE]

Bottom pours are a lot more convenient when they are located higher than table top or workbench height.

They can be finicky to get a good flow rate and stop when you want them to. I often turn the flow rate screw back and forth, with pressure on it during a casting session. That seems to help. Too often I just put up with a slow drip and micro splatter, to keep casting. I keep threatening to plug it and go to a ladle, but when they are working correctly they are great.

[Wheelguns 1961]

They do have their quirks, but nothing that can’t be addressed. I highly reccomend the noe mold guide.

[Petrol & Powder]

Pages and Pages have been filled with information on how to: fix, maintain, repair, modify and generally live with the Lee 4-20.

They can be a bit frustrating but they can also be made to work well. For the dollar, I don't think you can go too wrong with a 4-20.

Just about everything on a 4-20 can be repaired or modified (and some would say that just about everything on a 4-20 NEEDS to be repaired or modified ) But they are serviceable pots.

Hang in there.

[mjwcaster]

Bench height is a pain.
At one point I wanted a series of long benches, 8’ all the same height. I have given up on that idea and now am leaning towards shorter dedicated benches at specific heights.
The comfortable height of a bench for reloading is different than casting or even general work. And ladle casting height is different than bottom casting.
I might still lean towards a general height or two and use risers where applicable.
Plus I like to work standing and am over 6’ tall and hate bending over so most general benches are just too short for me.


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[mjwcaster]

Pages and Pages have been filled with information on how to: fix, maintain, repair, modify and generally live with the Lee 4-20.

They can be a bit frustrating but they can also be made to work well. For the dollar, I don't think you can go too wrong with a 4-20.

Just about everything on a 4-20 can be repaired or modified (and some would say that just about everything on a 4-20 NEEDS to be repaired or modified ) But they are serviceable pots.

Hang in there.

And I have read most of it over the years, just wish I had taken better notes.
I consider the 4-20 pot a nice kit, just like many lower priced items. They can be decent if finished properly.
I figure a customized 4-20 is a nice step between ladle casting and a home built bottom pour or automated caster.
I still want an automated caster, but not in the budget for now.


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[toallmy]

The new style flow rate adjustment fixed a lot of problems .

[Petrol & Powder]

I should have purchased one of the original RCBS Pro-melt units when they were available.

I got my Lee 4-20 on sale and as part of a larger order, so from a cost viewpoint, it was a no-brainer. I can't complain too much.

Lapping the nozzle & rod fixed the majority of the dripping issues. That rod could stand to be a bit heavier, even with the new style handle that adds a bit more down force.

The Lee "shoulder bolts" (AKA sheet metal screw with an unthreaded shank) is about as pitiful as a piece of hardware can get. The threads of those screws engage (barely) an extruded channel inside the outer aluminum walls of the pot. They pull loose easily. The fix is to disassemble the sides of the pot, tighten the channel up with a pair of pilers and reassemble. Lee could have designed that a lot better.

I hate using extension cords so I permanently spliced a section into the power cord to make it the correct length for my set up. (we're talking a few feet not several yards, so no voltage drop issues).

People complain about the simple thermostat on the 4-20 but frankly, it is more than adequate. I'm sure a PID controller would work better but I'm not sure it's necessary. Large variations in the amount of molten lead in the pot will affect the temperature. So keeping an eye on the level of lead and the temperature setting helps to maintain a more consistent temperature. It's not as difficult as it sounds.

[TNsailorman]

I have used the Lyman old style pots and after finally when the old one became unusable, I bought a Lee 4-20 and it turned out to be a excellent investment. Yes it did drip a little, but so did the Lyman once in a whole. I took some advice from a Lee user and fit drill bits into the pouring hole until one just barely fit. Then I went up one drill size and drilled and polished a slithgly bigger hole for the pot, this before I ever used it. Worked out well for me as it never did drip much and I could well live with that small amount, I simply dropped the cooled drippings back into the pot as they cololed and it was no problem at all. I did regularly clean the pour hole, especially when I emptied the pot. Like I said, it worked well for me. my experience anyway, james

[OS OK]

Morphing of the casting bench is normal...they just keep'on changing as you have ideas to improve.

[Mitch]

OS OK has the right idea for your height problem and don not forget the nut!!!

[Mk42gunner]

I bought a 4-20 brand new and used it quite a while. I'd still be using it for everyday use if I hadn't lucked into a Promelt at an estate sale.

Dripping can be an issue, but even when I was ladle casting it dripped slow enough that it became a self limiting feature, not really an impediment to casting good boolits.

I don't think a PID is needed, it might be nice, but it isn't an absolute necessity.

Robert

[GregLaROCHE]

Nothing says you have to be standing to cast. I sit in a chair and that puts me lower to see how the pour is going. Less tiresome too. When things are going well (in the groove to say) I can go two to three hours without stopping. I’d hate to be standing all that time.

[Mitch]

GregLaROCHE I feel your pain a lifetime of standing on cement floors has taken it toal on my body for sure.Never did i ever think about standing casting.I do not stand loading either.

I am a KISS kind of guy.allways bave some craps of wood around 4x4.2x4.and wht ever else is laying around.so i just used some wood to play around with the height off the table I use for casting till I could see and be comfortable. an inch can be a world of differance.

[Cosmic_Charlie]

I have a probe that I push up the nozzle to clear gunk. I also have a bic lighter that I use to heat the nozzle before I clean it. This is while I'm casting. I don't have drip issues.

[44magLeo]

If your old pots won't stop dripping then order a few new parts from Lee or Titan.
My old style $-20 even with lapping dripped a bit. I saw that Lee recently changed the rod and handle on the 4-20. No more of that funky screw in the groove for flow adjustment.
So I bought a new spout, rod and handle bracket. Once installed I got very little to no dripping. I also added a handle on top of the rod. A 1/4" connector for all thread rod and a 1/4 bolt to lock it in place. I got to looking through some old hardware I had and found a turnbuckle for 1/4 thread. One end is right hand thread the other is left. Cut the head off the bolt so I could thread the turn buckle on to add a bit of height to the rod Easier to adjust and spin a bit to help clear crud in the spout to help the drips.
On the old parts I had made a lead weight, it's about 1 1/2 " in diameter and about 3/4" thick. A center hole just big enough so when I un-threaded the wood knob it slid on the bolt and put the knob back on. This added weight to help seal the rod to the spout. I put this on with the new parts.
The parts didn't cost much but helped a lot. Might want to consider this.
Leo