What to do to stop clogging

[bullpen7979]

Thought I'd cast a few this afternoon, got about 100 and got the rhythm going.
Put my sprues back, and threw in a few more ingots. Went away to let it heat up.
All melted down, threw a few pinches of sawdust on top, pushed it down and made the molted lead bubble....

Stupid spout clogs. Every d*mn time. I have to take a finish nail with a pair of pliers and jam it up in there about 8 to 10 times to clear it . PITA.

So, poking the nail up there, I managed to displace the flow needle, and now I have lead flowing out continuously. Can't stop it. all I could do was grab the nearest metal pot and a small cast iron skillet looking thing and catch it.

Whole thing ran out. Of course, I put a nice hot lead ingot dent in a nice cordless drill I laid down in the rush to not have lead going everywhere...Discouraged, pulled the plug, and decided I'd back off and have another, smarter run at this after some recommendations..

What can I do to fix this tendency to clog? It's a real drag to have to deal with that every time I melt a new pot. Drill out a bigger hole? I think I recall seeing some posts about this, and also possibly a blow torch to heat up the nozzle?

[Wayne Smith]

My first thought from the title - burn the wooden shoes!

I really can't help, only use a ladle, but couldn't resist the opportunity!

[Larry Gibson]

Stupid spout on what kind (brand and model) of furnace?

Larry Gibson

[bullpen7979]

Sorry, the Lee Pro 4-20

[edler7]

I keep one of those butane pencil torches by the pot. When the spout clogs, I hit it with the torch for a couple seconds and it melts the clog. I'm sure there are better ways to remedy this PITA, so I'm gonna watch this thread pretty close.

[imashooter2]

Depending on ambient temperature, my Lee spout freezes at about 625 - 650 degrees. Run the pot at 700 and you won't get spout freeze.

[Larry Gibson]

Keep the temp up a little higher. Back when I used a couple Lee's I bolted a small chunk of steel to the arm that holds the spout rod. The extra weight was needed to hold it down in the alloy as the not totally melted alloy (from the sprues you added and id did likewise) was sticking to the Lee light weight rod and "floating" it up as the aaloy melted causing it to drip and or freeze up. A little higher temp and the extra weight did the trick for me.

Larry Gibson

[Charlie Two Tracks]

I just fixed my Lee 4-20 yesterday. I emptied it and cleaned it out real well. I took a flashlight and shined it down at the spout. Couldn't see beans. I took a propane torch and heated up the spout from the bottom until it glowed. A couple of drops of what I think was zink came out. I cleaned the rod real well and put it into my cordless drill. I used some Barkeepers Friend with a touch of water and put it on the inside of the pot where the rod goes. I spun that sucker for quite awhile. I cleaned out the spout with a piece of small wire and put it all back together. No drips and worked great. I think that the plugging comes from the sprue that I throw back in will take some of the burnt sawdust to the bottom of the pot and it gets trapped there and then clogs the spout. I'd recommend not putting the sprue back in (after the pot is cleaned) and see if that is your problem. There is a post someplace about lementing your pot or something like that.

[geargnasher]

If you had the pintle rod adjusted properly, there should have been no way you could have shoved it out of the seat from the bottom. Recheck the instructions on how to set it, look at the pics and make certain the adjustment screw rides in the groove. The rod shouldn't move upward more than about 1/8" off the seat.

Since the pot is empty now, clean it completely of any residue or dust, remove the valve pintle rod, and polish the tip with fine sandpaper. If you have some fine valve-lapping compound, go ahead and lap the pintle into the seat and clean it out really well. Now, put it back together, fill it up with CLEAN lead, and DON'T add your sprues back during the session, do it during a refill. The sprues will carry their oxide skin to the bottom of the melt where it accumulates as grey crud, and that crud (or anything like ashes from a stick used to stir) will stay trapped under the melt and migrate to the spout causing drips and clogs.

Get a casting thermometer, too, and run your alloy about 100 degrees over the full-liquidus point, no more is necessary unless you're using a pure or nearly pure lead alloy. If the pot still freezes the spout, you might have zink contamination, as it can cause the spout to freeze at even high temperatures.

Gear

[bullpen7979]

Dont have a lead thermometer. Usu. Cast w/dial on about 5. Ill be trying a variety of thw suggestions above. (and below if more appear)

[longbow]

Not much help and Wayne Smith beat me to it anyway but my suggestion was to cast with a ladle as well.

I like simple. Ladles are simple and don't clog.

[docone31]

I like my Lee Pro 20. I run mine at #8, or #9. The only time it clogged was when I ran some byzantine through it. Made for a miserable alloy.
You gotta run them hot.

[ColColt]

I experienced this very thing Thursday evening when I was casting with my new mold. I attribute it to the temp dropping to 650 when I added a few more pounds of ww's to keep the level at least half full. I fired up the butane, played it around the nozzle maybe 10 seconds and that fixed it from that point on. I've tried paper clips but that doesn't cut it for me.

[Dennis Eugene]

Hey, when you add cold alloy your spout will freeze and that is that. I just keep butane torch handy per elder7 and hit it. Spout opens up in seconds. Dennis

[imashooter2]

Dont have a lead thermometer. Usu. Cast w/dial on about 5. Ill be trying a variety of thw suggestions above. (and below if more appear)

Ah! In that case, run your pot progressively hotter until the spout freeze stops.

I preheat 1 pound ingots on the lip of the pot, add sprues back after every pour and drop in one of the preheated ingots whenever the lead level goes down a half an inch or so. Using this method I can cast continuously for hours with 6 cavity molds.

Spout freeze is not a condition that has to happen.

[fishnbob]

I found that my clogging issues came from smelting in the Lee pot, fluxing and skimming instead of smelting my WW's in a pot outside on the fish fryer and pouring clean lead into ingots to be remelted in the ol' Lee pot. I agree with imashooter2 about laying an ingot or two on top of the pot and introducing it when needed. Cuts out a lotta clogged spouts problems. I am glad you didn't get burned when it all came running out. I would've left skid marks in my drawers!

[imashooter2]

Good point! I foolishly assumed that only clean lead was being added to the pot...

[chucky64]

I have had the same clogging problem as you. I did drill out the hole to get
rid of my clog, the downside to that was now that hole is larger the lead flow
is stronger when the lead pot is more than half full. I would run the pot on
6 or 7 and that would eliminate most of your problems.

[TXGunNut]

Don't know how folks cast without a thermometer, I know it can be done but it was part of my initial setup and it's been invaluable. My temps vary with melt level or addition of alloy and it seems different moulds and alloys have different optimal temps. I'd be lost without it.

[geargnasher]

Actually, once you cast with a thermometer for a while and pay attention to the details, you'll be able to duplicate and maintain pot temperature without one, provided you made good notes about alloy and mould temperature preference. Once you know what to look for, you can tell if it's too hot or cool, or if the temp is creeping up on you while casting.

Gear

[williamwaco]

I just fixed my Lee 4-20 yesterday. I emptied it and cleaned it out real well. I took a flashlight and shined it down at the spout. Couldn't see beans. I took a propane torch and heated up the spout from the bottom until it glowed. A couple of drops of what I think was zink came out. I cleaned the rod real well and put it into my cordless drill. I used some Barkeepers Friend with a touch of water and put it on the inside of the pot where the rod goes. I spun that sucker for quite awhile. I cleaned out the spout with a piece of small wire and put it all back together. No drips and worked great. I think that the plugging comes from the sprue that I throw back in will take some of the burnt sawdust to the bottom of the pot and it gets trapped there and then clogs the spout. I'd recommend not putting the sprue back in (after the pot is cleaned) and see if that is your problem. There is a post someplace about lementing your pot or something like that.


I do the same thing to clean mine. I don't use sawdust, I use paraffin and it still clogs up ( not freezes - clogs ) after every three or four sessions.

[plainsman456]

When casting I always put my sprues back in the pot and they float on top of the sawdust.
I would try and run the pot a little hotter to keep that sucker flowing.As for cleaning the flow hole out I use some mig wire .035 I believe,only had to do it once.
OH and put a little more than a pinch of sawdust in when smelting or casting its cheap.

[TXGunNut]

Once you know what to look for, you can tell if it's too hot or cool, or if the temp is creeping up on you while casting.-geargnasher


Understood, I am starting to recognize the signs but I think I'll do better with a thermometer. I admire the old-time casters who neither use nor need a thermometer, I also realize I'm not one of them.

[nighthunter]

I have found with my Lee 4-20 I have to make sure the alloy is cleaned and fluxed very very well. It doesn't take very much accumulated dirt in the spout to start the DRIPS and eventual clogging of the hole. Dirt is the number 1 offender with a bottom pour pot regardless of the brand. Proper cleaning and fluxing of the alloy involves more than throwing in some sawdust into the melt. I'd suggest you get a piece of hardwood suck as oak and use it in your alloy. Work the wood in the alloy makeing sure you scrape the sides and bottom of the pot. Anything that floats to the top should be rubbed back and forth against the side of the pot till you have just a pile of dirt and carbon floating and then that is removed with a spoon or similar tool. Clean alloy is much easier to cast with and you will have far less rejected bullets. Hope this helps.

Nighthunter

[williamwaco]

Don't know how folks cast without a thermometer . . .


.

Been doing it for 50 years. Never missed it.

Not to knock those who use one but I don't see any need.

Especially since if you read 5 posts on temprature you will get 10 different casting tempratures.

The only thing I really care about is well formed uniform weight bullets.

I do it like this: I flux with paraffin. If the fumes don't self ignite, the melt is not hot enough. When the fumes will ignite the alloy is ready to cast. Cast until the bullets begin to frost, then slow down the cadence until the frost dissapears, or add new metal to cool it off.


In the interest of complete disclosure, as they say on TV, I bought a thermometer about a month ago. I have played around with it. I find it very difficult to keep the pot temprature within a 100 degree range ( +/- 50).

[243winxb]

More heat, if that dont work, drill it.

[geargnasher]

I have found with my Lee 4-20 I have to make sure the alloy is cleaned and fluxed very very well. It doesn't take very much accumulated dirt in the spout to start the DRIPS and eventual clogging of the hole. Dirt is the number 1 offender with a bottom pour pot regardless of the brand. Proper cleaning and fluxing of the alloy involves more than throwing in some sawdust into the melt. I'd suggest you get a piece of hardwood suck as oak and use it in your alloy. Work the wood in the alloy makeing sure you scrape the sides and bottom of the pot. Anything that floats to the top should be rubbed back and forth against the side of the pot till you have just a pile of dirt and carbon floating and then that is removed with a spoon or similar tool. Clean alloy is much easier to cast with and you will have far less rejected bullets. Hope this helps.

Nighthunter

Very good description, and what I do for the most part, especially about the "rubbing" the dross pile against the side of the pot to force it in contact with the reducing carbon from the stick.

However, I must point out that, in the part I put in bold above, if you scrape the BOTTOM of the pot with a wooden stick your WILL put ashes and chunks of carbon under the melt, and you WILL have clogs and ash inclusions in your boolits. Scrape the bottom with a long-handled teaspoon, and stir/scrape the sides with a dry stick for fluxing. It took me a long time to realize how the ash from my fluxing stick was causing my dross inclusions and drippy spout, but that's what was happening. Once ash is introduced beneath the melt's surface at the bottom of the pot, the surface tension and weight of the alloy won't allow it to filter up through the metal and float to the top. You can work it to the sides and up the sides to the top with a spoon, but it's best not to put it in there in the first place.

Gear

[Jailer]

Good description and explanation gear. I use paint stir sticks and framing shims to stir the pot. I don't scrape with the sticks, only scrape withe a spoon.

If you scrape the bottom, start near the spout spindle and scrape away from it until you reach the side and then scrap upwards. This will bring the crud to the top.

When you stir with sticks hold them at an angle under the melt and slowly draw them upwards. The stick burns underneath the surface and as you draw it upwards will force any crud suspended in the melt to the top.

I've been using my 4-20 for over a year now and cast thousands of boolits. I've never cleaned it and I've never had a clogged or drippy spout so I must be doing something right.

[fredj338]

I have an old 10# LEE BP & 4-20, neither leaks. Here is the secret. NEVER smelt in your casting pot. NEVER run the pot empty, NEVER. That is when the crud gets pushed down into the spout. If there is enough alloy in the pot, any crud floats to the top from fluxing. If you keep the pot half full, clean alloy, it should rarely if ever leak IME.

[10 ga]

"What to do to stop clogging"?

#1. Stop playing that bluegrass music!

Sometimes ya just gotta dance!
10 ga

[bullpen7979]

I keep one of those butane pencil torches by the pot. When the spout clogs, I hit it with the torch for a couple seconds and it melts the clog. I'm sure there are better ways to remedy this PITA, so I'm gonna watch this thread pretty close.

This.
Works perfectly. Way, way better than the previous method. $10.00 "Bernzomatic" torch and a box of matches, and done. Thx Edler

[HDS]

Never had this problem with my Lee pot, but I never smelt in it, I do that in a separate pot, likewise I never run it empty. About the temperature I never did see much of a difference in the lead as it alternated between 700-900F, only my thermometer indicated that the pot was running away with me. And the hot melt didn't improve things either, seems to be much more important that the mold is hot enough.

[Sonnypie]

More heat, Igor. More heat!

I run my Pro4-20 at 7-7.5 and don't have freeze-ups at all. 8 on the dial seems too hot, and the lead starts showing signs of overheating. I don't have a thermometer and don't feel that I (me, myself, and I) really need one.
But I do know the control is at best a Hokey-Pokey affair. At the lowest setting it will melt lead to the mushy state. At 8 it begins to show rainbows. At 7-7.5 it casts and takes back the sprues like nice and steady.
In fact, mine very rarely gets a runny nose. (Drips)
If it does, I do several rapid open and closes with a SS condiment cup under it until it shuts off nice again.
And I tend to keep it above half full. Or never less than half empty. Whatever your definition of is, is.
I flux with Lizard Litter, and stir gently with my spoon. The point is not to mix the dross back in, but to help the tin disperse back into the main melt. I like a coating of ash and burnt litter on my pot, keeps the oxygen off the pool.

And be sure to hold your tongue towards the left, sticking out slightly but not enough to get burned. Ya got to hold your tongue correctly.
That ought to fix it. [smilie=s: