My Lee Production Pot is on the way, did I make a mistake?

[gofastman]

Two things:

After ordering I started looking on here and it seems most people like the Pro 4 20lb melter over the 10lb one I ordered.
Is it worth my time and money to send it back and get the 20lb one?



I have never casted a single bullet before, but I was planing on using ww's from my shop and casting with Lee .44mag 240grSWC and 10mm 175grSWC moulds. I was thinking the 6 cavity ones would be better, but maybe I should get the 2 cavity ones to make up for the smaller melter capacity.
Thoughts?

[swamp]

I think that the 10# and two cavity moulds would be good to start the learning process. Once you get good on those you will know if you need to go with higher production gear. You might find that for your shooting needs the smaller pot and two cavity moulds will be just fine. The learning curve with a 2x is alot easier than a 6er for a beginner.

Also welcome to the site and addiction.

swamp

[kostner]

Have had a 10lb for years and never even thought of up grading to a larger pot. Just keep your ingots close and drop a couple in when needed. Take a coffee break remember this is Fun. Keep your molds hot. Have always wondered about a six cavity mold but have six two cavity Lee's for 30-30, 3006 , 45acp 38&357 and on for 7,62X38 and almost forget one for 303. Saving money is fun. Stay safe.

[jmsj]

gofastman,
First off, welcome to the best site on the net.
Personally I like the 20 pounders better. Especially if you are planning on using 6 cavity molds. If you have to pay the shipping back to the retailer on the 10# pot and new shipping charges for the 20# pot, you will be out about $30.00. In my opinion the 10# pot would be worth keeping if you think this is a hobby (read addiction) you will be staying in.
I don't know if you were planning on smelting your wheel weights down in your bottom pour pot but I would caution against it. The crud from smelting can get down into the valve and cause the pot to drip. I know a lot of people will chime in and say that the Lee's are bad for dripping. I have found that if I keep my casting alloy and pot clean that I have few if any drips. If I get dripping that turning the valve rod won't clear, I just turn the heat up and reflux the pot and scrap the bottom and sides w/ a piece of stainless steel the dripping goes away.
I agree w/ swamp that it is probably easier starting with a 2 cavity but I started w/ a Lee TL358-158-SWC cavity. There was definitely a learning curve but if you read the "stickies" here at Castboolits on "Leementing" and preheating that it should not be too big a problem. If you can't find the answers you are looking for in the "stickies" don't be afraid to ask questions. There are a lot great guys here with a lot knowledge and experience that are more than willing to help a guy out
Good luck, jmsj

[dragonrider]

Certainly not, I have used lee pots exclusively for over 20 years, 10 pounders and now 20 pounder, any problems I had were minor and easily delt with. Get the Lee

[mongo]

Welcome. I started about a year ago. I got the Lee 6 Cavity molds and 20lb pot. I wish there was a 40lb pot. Casting is addicting. I started with .357. Then got a mold for.45, then .44, 41,and .40 Before I was casting I would spend a couple hours at the range once a week. Now I still go once a week but spend the whole day and shoot probably more than I should. I like Lee products. You cant go wrong for the price, Tommy

[Beagler]

Was at Cabelas Saturday and was cruising through the bargain cave. They had a Production Pot there for 35.00 NIB. Marked clearance/discontinued item. Picked it up looked at long and hard and put it back down.

[Leadlum]

Thats the one I started with, and still use. I like it. mine drips a little. but it is old.

[ss40_70]

dont send it back use it , and later on if you find it doesnt have the capacity you need you can use it as a preheater for your new bigger pot or keep it for use with a differant alloy .. things like this have a way of snowballing , start with one and end with 5 planning on the sixth

[Mike W1]

I'm on #3 after about 35 years of casting. One needs rebuilding and I use one piggybacked to feed the third. I like that spout up front so I can see the pour as I get my best results when the lead hits the center of the sprue hole. System allows me to pour 400+ bullets/h using 2 moulds. I'm not aware that any other models on the market have that spout up front where I want it!

[Bret4207]

Pros and cons- the 20 lbs pot with need reloading less often, but the 20lbs will give you about 20lbs of lead alloy all over your bench every time it decides to act up, which will be pretty often IME.

[cbrick]

I've never used a LEE pot so can't comment on that, I've read a lot of posts from folks saying how much they love them and then go on to describe how much trouble they are.

But the LEE pot isn't what I would or would not have a problem with. I am so spoiled with a 40 pound pot that even getting out the RCBS 22 pound pot is tough to do. If you'll only be casting a handful of bullets every now and then a 10 pounder may well do for you, if you cast much more than that it will be sooner than you believe and you'll be getting the 20 pounder. You mentioned getting 6 cavity molds, I would send it back and get what you'll spend more money later getting any way.

Rick

[Char-Gar]

The only way you will know if you made a mistake is to use it a couple of years. Then you will know!

[GP100man]

I now own 3 furnaces a Lee 10#er, 20#er & a Lyman .

This is how I use all 3 , the 10#er has a lino mix for rifle casting , the 20# Lee has 50/50 stik on/WW, the Lyman has Isotope alloy +

So more pots expanded my casting capabilitys & speed .

[RKJ]

I've got a Lee Pro 4 20 Lb Furnace and while I haven't had it for years or used it to make thousands of bullets I like it a lot. It does leak a tad but I just put a condiment cup under it (what I use for ingots) and then empty it back into the pot. I think I would keep it, if nothing else for a backup (of course I don't want to be presumptuous and spend your money willy nilly) that is what I would do if affordable. As others have said Welcome to the forum and the addiction.

[zxcvbob]

IF it was a mistake, it was an inexpensive one -- and you can buy a 20# pot for your everyday alloy and use the 10# for pure lead or for linotype (whichever way your odd stuff goes.) It won't go to waste.

I think it'll be too small only if you're planning on pouring 200+ grain bullets with a 6 cavity mold. But even then, there are ways to work around that without much trouble.

[462]

My first pot was a Lee 10-pounder, then I bought a 20-pounder. They fit my needs and each serves its purpose.

[Pigslayer]

I've had my Lee 10lb. pot for 10 years now. I love it! I've cooked down a lot of wheelweights & cast thousands of bullets with it. It's a worthwhile investment!

[Pigslayer]

Two things:

After ordering I started looking on here and it seems most people like the Pro 4 20lb melter over the 10lb one I ordered.
Is it worth my time and money to send it back and get the 20lb one?



I have never casted a single bullet before, but I was planing on using ww's from my shop and casting with Lee .44mag 240grSWC and 10mm 175grSWC moulds. I was thinking the 6 cavity ones would be better, but maybe I should get the 2 cavity ones to make up for the smaller melter capacity.
Thoughts?

You'll do fine with the 10lb. pot & will churn out a big pile of bullets in no time with a two cavity mold. I've never owned a six cavity mold . . . never had the need. Been casting for over thirty years.

[Pigslayer]

I've never used a LEE pot so can't comment on that, I've read a lot of posts from folks saying how much they love them and then go on to describe how much trouble they are.

But the LEE pot isn't what I would or would not have a problem with. I am so spoiled with a 40 pound pot that even getting out the RCBS 22 pound pot is tough to do. If you'll only be casting a handful of bullets every now and then a 10 pounder may well do for you, if you cast much more than that it will be sooner than you believe and you'll be getting the 20 pounder. You mentioned getting 6 cavity molds, I would send it back and get what you'll spend more money later getting any way.

Rick
I cast 240gr SWC for my .45 Long Colt & I found that 10 lbs of lead will produce a lot of boolits. But I guess if you're casting by the thousand the bigger pot would be the way to go.

[jlchucker]

My first pot was a Lee 10-pounder, then I bought a 20-pounder. They fit my needs and each serves its purpose.

Same here. I've still got a 10 pounder that I bought in the mid-1980's, and it still works OK. I've got my money's worth out of it. I also have a 20 pounder, and between the two, I think that, for short runs using single or double cavity molds, I prefer the 10 pounder. When my old one craps out, I'll get another. The 10 pounder is a good one to start out with.

[Maximumbob54]

The only problem I had with my 10# or 20# Lee pots was when I let them get dirty and the needle didn't sit right in the valve so she would leak. My fault. A cleaning later and no more drippy.

[olafhardt]

I do this for fun and consider 100 boolits a lot. I smelt, blend and cast out of the same little four pound furnace using a gravy ladle. I flux with ckicken food. I might someday get a 6 cavity mold but I use two cavities now except for my single cavity minie mold. On this thread we have covered 4 to 40# furnaces and 1 to 6 cavity molds. There are lots of ways to skin this cat, you can use a little bit of equipment or a room full. Just start in and develope your own style.

[cbrick]

I cast 240gr SWC for my .45 Long Colt & I found that 10 lbs of lead will produce a lot of boolits. But I guess if you're casting by the thousand the bigger pot would be the way to go.

I don't cast by the thousands but there is another reason for a 40 pounder. Consistency of alloy, many of the bullets I cast are used in long range handgun competition and I can cast session after session and not add alloy. From session to session the alloy doesn't change and all bullets are the same.

But your right, you can get a lot of bullets out of a 40 pounder. When casting for the Hornet it seems that I could cast for weeks on a pot full.

Rick

[zuke]

Same here. I've still got a 10 pounder that I bought in the mid-1980's, and it still works OK. I've got my money's worth out of it. I also have a 20 pounder, and between the two, I think that, for short runs using single or double cavity molds, I prefer the 10 pounder. When my old one craps out, I'll get another. The 10 pounder is a good one to start out with.

When I get my 6 cavity mold's out they empty the pot FAST.
What I do now is when the mold's up to temp I plug in the 10lb pot that's loaded up with ingot's.
When it's all liquified I pour it imto the 20lb pot.
There's no waiting for the pot to melt the new ingot's.
Without the waiting time you can make a pile pretty quickly.
This is 28 lbs in 4 hour's

http://i807.photobucket.com/albums/yy356/zuke_bucket/DSCF1053.jpg

[Pigslayer]

When I get my 6 cavity mold's out they empty the pot FAST.
What I do now is when the mold's up to temp I plug in the 10lb pot that's loaded up with ingot's.
When it's all liquified I pour it imto the 20lb pot.
There's no waiting for the pot to melt the new ingot's.
Without the waiting time you can make a pile pretty quickly.
This is 28 lbs in 4 hour's

http://i807.photobucket.com/albums/yy356/zuke_bucket/DSCF1053.jpg

That's a lot of boolits!!!:shock:

[zxcvbob]

We haven't heard back from Gofastman. Do you have your new melter yet? How do you like it?

[gray wolf]

He's probly out casting, and trying to get that imaginary chain off his leg.
You know, the one that attaches you to your casting pot. (Humor )
If your still there and reading this--you will be fine learning the craft with a 10# pot.
You and your needs will tell you when to up-grade.

Nice to have you here.

[rodsvet]

Zuke, where do I send the $.15 ??

[koehlerrk]

I started two years ago with a Lee 10# pot. So far, it has served me well. As my needs grow, I could see me needing to get a 20# pot, but since my biggest mold is a two-banger .358 - 158gr, well, 10lbs at a time makes 440 boolits, and that's enough for me to need a break.

I do have a 12ga 1oz slug mold, but I don't do a lot of those at any one time. again, 160 of those is enough to make me want a break.

So I re-load the melter, and go chill for a while while it melts the next batch. Works good for me.

[Sonnypie]

Relax. You are just experiencing "Buyers Remorse".
The 10 will be fine to get your feet wet. (Uh, figuratively speaking. I got my foot wet when I was a kid. You never saw such a wild dance!)
Later on, if you decide to, you can upgrade and have two pots, or sell the starter pot.
There's lots of ways to skin a cat. ;-)

Just add some as you go along, once you find your preferred pot level.

Did you get a bottom pour 10 pounder? Or the pot and dipper style?

I mounted mine to an aluminium tray I got at a yard sale, then mounted that to the tail end of my smaller wood lathe so everything is secure if ever a spill occurs. (Unlikely with it bolted down.) Kind of nice with the extra room and metal tray to set hot things down if I want to. (Like cups full of molten lead when ingotting-out the furnace.)
Having the whole works up high makes it much easier on my back to stand most of a day at times. 8-)
But when things are bolted or screwed down, it isn't going to get away on you. ;-)
All good things in time. First, get to casting.

[Sonnypie]

http://i807.photobucket.com/albums/yy356/zuke_bucket/DSCF1053.jpg

I WANT!

Where do I send the dime and nickel?

That's the cheapest pile of boolits I ever did see!
I don't even care what the alloy is. :bigsmyl2:

[zxcvbob]

I recognize that boolit. It's one of my favorites for .45 Colt, loaded kind of hot. I wish I'd bought a 6-cavity mold instead of a 2, but it's the first mold I bought and ya gotta start somewhere.

[Echo]

You can cast a BUNCH of boolits with the 10-pounder. Just make sure you have ready access to your alloy - a stack next to the pot would be nice. When you start casting, after loading the pot with ingots, have a couple of ingots sitting on the top of the pot coming up to temp. Then, as the pot level goes down enough, take an ingot off the top and drop it in the pot, and replace it with another from the stack. Preheating this way reduces the thermal excursions that could be caused by introducing a cold ingot into the hot melt. You will be wearing gloves, won't you?

Casting 200-grain .45 SWC's means that after molding 35 boolits, you have used about a pound of alloy (returning sprue's to the pot as they come off the mold). That would be 9 4-bangers or 6 6-bangers.

[Sonnypie]

You can cast a BUNCH of boolits with the 10-pounder. Just make sure you have ready access to your alloy - a stack next to the pot would be nice. When you start casting, after loading the pot with ingots, have a couple of ingots sitting on the top of the pot coming up to temp. Then, as the pot level goes down enough, take an ingot off the top and drop it in the pot, and replace it with another from the stack. Preheating this way reduces the thermal excursions that could be caused by introducing a cold ingot into the hot melt. You will be wearing gloves, won't you?

Casting 200-grain .45 SWC's means that after molding 35 boolits, you have used about a pound of alloy (returning sprue's to the pot as they come off the mold). That would be 9 4-bangers or 6 6-bangers.

Well, don't drop it. I had one of my cup ingots slip out of the pliers I was using to set it in the pot with.
Nasty splash of lead left the pot. Got my shirt in places, but no bare skin.
Closest I've come to the Tinsel Fairy so far. The silver Tsunami. [smilie=b:

[Moonman]

Accident Happen! That's why you always wear ALL your safety equipment.

[mooko]

For too long, I fooled around with single cavity molds and a ten pound dip pot. Shooting half a dozen 44 Specials will cure you fast. When I got a 20 # Lee production, I was in hog heaven, except it didn't really speed up production. I grabbed a Lee 240 six cavity, nad all of a sudden, I could really spend time shooting. However, I still like Lyman bullets better for 44 and 45 Colt, so I got a pair of 4 bangers and am truly happy with the results. Two 4 bangers operating with a 20# drop pot can make a lot of shiny boolits in a short time. My wife hardly has time to get crabby before I'm dome. By the way, I flux with Marvelux.

Bye,

Mike

[jlchucker]

When I get my 6 cavity mold's out they empty the pot FAST.
What I do now is when the mold's up to temp I plug in the 10lb pot that's loaded up with ingot's.
When it's all liquified I pour it imto the 20lb pot.
There's no waiting for the pot to melt the new ingot's.
Without the waiting time you can make a pile pretty quickly.
This is 28 lbs in 4 hour's

http://i807.photobucket.com/albums/yy356/zuke_bucket/DSCF1053.jpg

That's a good method you've got there, Zuke. Come summer, when I do my casting, I'm going to try it.

[357terry]

I have just started making boolits for my 38 and 357. I have a 10 lb Lee Production pot and Lee molds. I only use my pot for casting and smelt and flux my rough lead in a turkey fryer and an old cast iron dutch oven. I have smelted over 600 lbs of 1lb ingots. I only use my Lee pot for pouring my processed 1lb. ingots into my molds.I have had no problems with my Lee pot. Sure it drips a little but so what! I do not have a small fortune invested and I am having a great time casting, learning and shooting my own loads. Thanks to all of you for all your posts. This is where I learned what I know. Keep the pot. Thanks and have fun. Terry

[Inkman]

Two things:

After ordering I started looking on here and it seems most people like the Pro 4 20lb melter over the 10lb one I ordered.
Is it worth my time and money to send it back and get the 20lb one?



I have never casted a single bullet before, but I was planing on using ww's from my shop and casting with Lee .44mag 240grSWC and 10mm 175grSWC moulds. I was thinking the 6 cavity ones would be better, but maybe I should get the 2 cavity ones to make up for the smaller melter capacity.
Thoughts?


I say keep it and see if you even enjoy casting bullets. Personally i've found a new addiction in casting and smelting and can only see more molds and casting far into the future.

Al

[a.squibload]

If you get tired of it you can always sell it here on the Swappin & Sellin forum,
I think they go for a dollar a pound (10lb pot = $10), right?:bigsmyl2:

I use a propane pot for smelting, and a small enameled pot for casting,
probably only holds 10 lbs but I can crank out some boolits.
Last time I cast I used 5 molds and made a few hundred boolits in a couple of hours.
Later you might get a bigger pot, then you could use the 10 pounder for pre-melt.
Some of the casting setups I've seen pictured here are pretty hot (snicker),
I never woulda thought of having one pot pour into another.
Whatever works for you and keeps you in boolits!