Help with new lee 4-20 pot

[Frank H]

Sorry if this has been asked am bunch but I am brand new to casting and just purchased a brand new lee 4-20 bottom pour pot from midway usa. When I screwed on the handle I noticed immediately that I could not lift the handle to allow the lead to pour. Keep in mind there was no lead in the pot and its brand new. I'm sure its something silly like some simple adjustment I could make but I feel like the pour handle should move freely and I should be able to see something move in the pour spout. Has anyone experienced this? What's the remedy for it?

[onelight]

Here is a link to the directions and set up.
https://leeprecision.com/files/instruct/EL3469.pdf

[Frank H]

I cant raise the knob or the valve arm at all.

[metricmonkeywrench]

The stroke of the bar/knob is set by the threaded rod/valve. The more the handle can be lifted (within the confines of the top and bottom bends) the faster or slower the lead will flow.

it sounds like you have the rod/valve screwed all the way in. Back it off a few turns so the handle/knob can lift up about half the stroke as a starting point.

Once you get your lead up to temp and your selected mould the pour speed would be adjusted for good fill out without dribbling in slowly or splashing back out or overrunning the mould too much

[Frank H]

Thank you for the response. I will check it our more in depth today when I get home and mess with the valve screw

[metricmonkeywrench]

Welcome to the madness, I would also recommend swinging by a goodwill or the like and look for a small metal pan/bowl to catch any drips that will likely occur as the pot heats and during use. I have a 6in wilton cake pan for that. When casting i have a small tray formed from some aluminum roof flashing to keep the workspace open and catch any drips. a tap with a mallet or a turn left/right of the valve rod often slows or stops drips once up to temp.

Also highly recommend getting a lead thermometer as the temp control is ok but very basic and the lead temp will vary as you go along and the lead level drops or you add more. Would also recommend a small propane or butane torch to be kept handy as the valve will often stop flowing during a session. A bent piece of stiff wire may also suffice.

It will likely drip when warming up as the heating element is on the bottom and the expanding lead will push up on the top lead crust and can cause the valve rod to rise and either drip or pour out. need to be vigilant with these pots. Plenty of stories on this site and others on the lee drip-o-matics.

[OS OK]

Hahaaa...Frank H..."You sound like me . . . . . If the wife ain't around to read the instructions to me...they don't get read!"

[SSGOldfart]

Yep it's the rod right on top they are screwed in thight for shipping, it's slotted for a screw driver just back it out a few turns good advice above.I use a small potted meat can to catch the drips, they will drip sometimes,That's why we call them "drop -o-matic" welcome to the forum.

[Frank H]

I ran home on my lunch break and found that you guys are in fact correct. I did not see that portion in the instructions and I watched a few unboxing videos where the handle moved freely out of the box. Thanks for the help fellas!

[onelight]

It's in the bottom left picture of the second page on the instructions

[metricmonkeywrench]

Hehe potted meat...chock full peckers and lips, Hargraves meat products...

[44magLeo]

I think the nickname drip-o-matic came from the 10 lb. Lee pot. The angled rod version. The one I had dripped alot. This nickname just carried over to the 4-20.
The 4-20's hardly drip at all in comparison. The vertical rod helps with this. Puts all the weight of the rod straight down on the point. Keeping the pot and lead clean helps too. If your new pot drips much, then lapping the rod to the spout will help. I even made a weight to mount behind the knob. It's about 1 1/2 inchesin diameter and about 1/2 thick. Used an old transmission gear as a mold. Drilled a hole so it could slip on the stud the knob screws onto. This extra weight helps the rod seal to the spout.
My pot had the old style adjuster for the rod. A big headed screw was mounted by the rod. This big head caught a groove in the rod. You adjusted the screw to adjust the rod. I recently replaced this old stuff for the new version that the rod itself screws into the handle. No extra screw. I also replaced the spout. It don't drip.
I do set the Lee ingot mold under the spout in case I get drips and to use as a mold guide.
I did build a PID for temp cintrol. It reads in celcius but that's ok. Getting a C to F chart online was easy. It never varies much more than a few degrees when I add an ingot.
Leo