What has gotten in to my pot?Need help

[lonewelder]

I'm getting trash (inclusions) in my bullets.I was useing WW ingots in my bottom pour pot.When I noticed the problem I stop casting and started fluxing.I got a lot of redish brown powder out,some small chunks even.That done I cast some more,still getting trash.So I flux some more.I used motor oil,candle wax,cooking oil,crisco,old media,and bullet lube till I could get no more dross.Mirror bright and shinny melt now.Clean mold again......Still trash in bullets. I tried same alloy in a cast iron pot and ladle,most bullets came out good with only a few bad ones,still more than sould hve been.So back to bottom pour.I drain pot.Pot has the yellow crud like the alloy cooked.I don't remember over heating it but,it could happen.So I cleaned the pot with steel wool and scraped out the spout.Also found red stuff in the spout.Now with the pot clean I tried some isotope lead.Very clean good stuff,same thing.

Now the WW would cast bullets with good fillout with pot on 4,usually 5-6

The iso lead right on at 6

What could be in my pott that can't be fuxed out?

[arjacobson]

I just had to do this...Empty your pot and clean the heck out of it. You wouldn't believe the amount of stuff that was around the spout... Now my boolits are casting great again.

[stubshaft]

I just had to do this...Empty your pot and clean the heck out of it. You wouldn't believe the amount of stuff that was around the spout... Now my boolits are casting great again.

It's not what is in the pot. It is THE pot. Corrosion and debris can collect in the bottom of the post and when you cast it is being dragged along like rocks at the bottom of a glacier. Draining it and cleaning down to bare metal should cure your problem.

One of the many reasons I went back to ladle casting.

[Jim]

.....One of the many reasons I went back to ladle casting.

10-4 on that. I'm done with bottom pouring.

[lonewelder]

I'm going to try cleaning the pot again.I have another pot to try,but I may go back to a ladle myself.I've enjoyed the bottom pour but I always got fewer rejects with a ladle.Thanks for your time guys,I'll let you know how it comes out.

[onondaga]

When you get your pot clean, refer back to the instructions if it is a Lee pot.

When you are done casting leave about 1 inch alloy in the pot and when completely cool spray the pot with silicone spray lubricant this will reduce rusting of your pot.

I called years ago to Lee and asked WHY?. The technician said that a full pot will raise the valve stem as the pot heats and a full pot when cooled has the casting alloy shrink leaving a collection area for moisture to rust your pot. With only an inch of metal in the pot and cooled , the silicone spray will penetrate around the cooled bullet alloy and even lube the bottom of the pot to protect it from rusting.

As usual, Lee instructions are excellent, you just have to follow them.


Gary

[lonewelder]

Stubshaft
Back to good boolits once I got the layer of corrosion off.Thanks

Onondaga
I will sure do that from now on.Cleaning it down to bare metal was a pain in the butt.I already have a can of spray silicone thats going to live on my bench.thanks

[Rokkit Syinss]

Other than WD-40, which I will not have around or silicone, which I cannot have around because of where I work; are there any other products that will protect the pot?

[badbob454]

i fill my pot melt it and let it harden full to the top ...,, 5 years and never had any rust or bad junk in my pot once in a while i scrape the inside with a wooden stick to clean slag on the inside of the pot put it in slowly as it may have moisture , dont want the tinsel .. visit

[P.K.]

i fill my pot melt it and let it harden full to the top ...,, 5 years and never had any rust or bad junk in my pot once in a while i scrape the inside with a wooden stick to clean slag on the inside of the pot put it in slowly as it may have moisture , dont want the tinsel .. visit

That's how I always leave my ladle dipper. Burnt matchsticks and all. ;-)

[Boolseye]

You can buy a replacement pot for a Lee from titanreloading.com. Also valves and such. Noticed it the other day.
-jp