Lee 20# pot grrrrr

[Don McDowell]

Narrowly avoided trajedy this morning. Was going to take advantage of the cool temps to cast some bullets. Went out and fired up the big lee pot, went back in about 20 minutes only to find a big pile of lead that had of course over flowed the ingot mould that I habitually put under the spout... Couldn't get the drip to stop no matter what sort of gyrattions I put the stopper thru...
:veryconfu Turns out the bottom of the pot has a hole in it, and the melt runs between the pot and the cover and comes out running down the side of the pour spout.
Always said I thought that thing was an accident waiting to happen, and this morning it just about was....

[gbrown]

All I can say is, I'm sorry for the mess! The server on this site does not have the space for all the stories of Sir Drippy! I feel your pain.

[454PB]

I'm sorry to hear you learned a lesson the hard way......never EVER walk away from a heating lead pot....of any brand.

[John Boy]

Don, sorry to hear about the mess. Time to buy a new pot or dig out a cast iron plumber's pot and start using a ladle

In a pinch, I've used a stainless steel cooking pot with a ladle. Am sure Carol would lend you one! [smilie=l:

[bowfin]

I am constantly surprised at people who are constantly surprised when walking away from a task at hand and come back to a mess. Whether it is filling a bathtub, grilling a steak, babysitting a toddler, or melting a pot full of lead. My luck was never good enough to have any of those things turn out okay if I pressed the issue.

I empathize with the mess and expense, but don't forget to say a prayer of thanks that no fire was started or person or pet was injured, and nothing was ruined.

[dragonrider]

On a Lee 20 lb pot the spout is removable. Are you sure it is not simply loose???

[Don McDowell]

Drgaonrider no the spout isn't loose. The pot has a hole in it big enough to let a good stream of lead pour thru it.
John fortunatley my 20 some odd year old 10# dripomatic still works like a champ and I was able to get another batch of the slicks for the 44-77 cast up.

[bigted]

don...the first pot i purchased was a lee bottom pour that was temp controlable...it was such a terd that i now simply use it as a mould heater. i find that on the lowest setting it heats the mould to the rite temp at the same rate it takes my lyman dipper pot to heat and melt the lead and by the time i get my melt fluxed and cleaned the mould is ready with a couple casts to make boolits. the adjustable mould does very well warming in it as well with the stem and hollow base plug warming along with the rest of the mould.

[Don McDowell]

Ted outside of the drip issues I've never had any real complaints about the little 10lb production pots. Wore one out and replaced it with the one I used today about 20 years ago.
The big 20 lb pot has never been anything that I was completely satisfied with, and today just confirmed my dislike of it.
I'll either get a Lyman or RCBS pot, I like the bottom pour so I can pour out ingots if I don't cast an entire 20 lbs at one sitting.

[bigted]

rite on...i allow the melt to remain in the pot and fill to the brim after every casting session. heard that they collect rust less this way. i too am gonna get a rcbs bottom pour someday as a feller can use the bottom pour feature or dip outta it. small boolits seem harder with my dipper and the multi cavity moulds so would like to try the bottom pour for these.

[Don McDowell]

Those locking mould handles from Gussy make for some really consistant bullets when bottom pouring. The trick to good bottom pouring is being able to control the handle to a nice slow flow.

[Lead pot]

Earlier this year my lead pot sprung a leak but mine is a 5 quart dutch oven sitting on a turkey cooker with the gas regulator removed so it roars like a plumbers lead pot :bigsmyl2: I will melt a 60 pound batch of alloy in short time. Well I was making a batch and I dont sit by it either breathing in the fumes waiting for it to melt specially cleaning up WW my COPD dont like that. Well the whole pot was on the ground while I was mowing the yard.
No problem just got a new pot and fold up the spilled lead rocks and all and remelt it. Rocks float to the top and skim them off.:bigsmyl2:

[sargenv]

One reason why I put my Lee Pot in a 1/2 sheet pan that has a cotton towel liner underneath it.. I figure if the pot leaks out all over into the sheet pan, I'll have an empty pot and a nice sheet of lead in the pan as opposed to having it drip on the bench and down onto the floor..

[Jeff Michel]

Forgive my ignorance, but what is the short comings with the Lee 20 pound melter? I'm planning on getting one. I've had a ten pound for years, never had a bit of trouble. I have had all of my melters "drip" but never heard of one rusting through. Any input is appreciated.
Thanks
Jeff Michel

[Don McDowell]

Forgive my ignorance, but what is the short comings with the Lee 20 pound melter? I'm planning on getting one. I've had a ten pound for years, never had a bit of trouble. I have had all of my melters "drip" but never heard of one rusting through. Any input is appreciated.
Thanks
Jeff Michel

Yes it is the 20 pound pot. I don't believe it rusted thru, I think the heating coil probably melted thru.
The thing is just an accident waiting to happen the control on the bottom pour is extremely poorly designed and will dump a half a pot on the ground before you can get it shut off. Very unsafe to use as a bottom pour.
http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f358/Ranch137/lee20004.jpg

[Lead pot]

I was given one for Christmas several years ago when my old Ideal pot got hit by lightning and blew the rheostat off the front end.
The first thing I noticed that needed to be changed was the bottom dump. I had more ingots then bullets cast so I plugged it and took all that garbage off I didn't use anyway, I cast using a ladle.
It lasted for several years of intermittent use with the Wage. One had hard alloy and the other I used for round balls and soft bullets but it also burned through and leaked between the jacket and ran out of the bottom.

[Don McDowell]

I think they must be using lighter metal for the big pot than the little one. The little ones could be lighter now as well, as this production pot I have is 20 some odd years old..
Thinking really serious on the big Lyman pot. Bookkeeper says buy it (after all she knows if I no casty bullets, she no shooty)

[Jim2]

About 10 years I got a 20# Lyman bottom-pour pot. I finally put a screw in the bottom and made a ladle-pot out of it, about 5 years ago.

Never looked back!

Grafs had a sale on the Lee 10# ladle-pot awhile back, so I now have two very handy lead pots.

Jim

[wallenba]

[QUOTE=Don McDowell;1827081]I think they must be using lighter metal for the big pot than the little one.

Probably so. Stamping the pot out of sheet metal and drawing it deeper than the small pot, would I think, tend to thin out the metal. I'm not an expert on metal forming, but I can visualize it happening.

[Skipper]

About 10 years I got a 20# Lyman bottom-pour pot. I finally put a screw in the bottom and made a ladle-pot out of it, about 5 years ago.


Same here; 8 years ago I welded mine. Works great as a ladle-pot.

[Lead pot]

Does Lee offer a #20 ladle pot

[Skipper]

Yep, their MAGNUM MELTER holds 20 lbs.

[softpoint]

I have an RCBS pot that there is no telling how many boolits it has cast. I have run at least 3000lbs. of alloy through it, and other than looking kind of rough, it still works fine. It is about 30 years old. I use it, one of the small Lee's, and a Coleman stove.

[MT Chambers]

Is the RCBS pot (inside) not made of stainless steel? Or at least much thicker material?

[Boz330]

I have 2 of the 20 pounders. The first was a bottom pour and I plugged it and made a ladle pour pot out of it. The second came as a ladle pot. I had a Lyman but it didn't seem to work as well as the Lee so I sold it. I cast WWs as well so that is why I got the second Lee so I wouldn't have to fool with cleaning and switching. I also have an old Ideal pot that holds about 4lbs. Don't have a clue how old it is but at least 65 years and still works like a charm. It only has 2 settings that you change by moving the plug up or down. The plug is one of those like the old waffle irons had.

Bob

[cajun shooter]

Don, I always figured you for a ladle man. With all the BPCR bullets you put downrange.
I have found over the years that nothing beats my Wagge 4557 when it comes to pouring my 535 grain 45-70 bullets from my Saeco 745 mould. The ladle and furnace make better bullets than my RCBS bottom pour furnace.
I love my RCBS and it's my second one to own. It's the best furnace made as the thermostat is dead on for adjusting your alloy temperature. You can cast for 6 hours and it makes every bullet a keeper and you don't have to watch it. At my age I have frequent bathroom trips. Before I got these neighbors that I now have, I just stepped to the door of my 12x24 shed.
You really should call Wagge and have them build you a 4557. They don't have them in the catalog
and you have to call in your order. Best laddle pot built, just as the RCBS is the best by far of the bottom pour furnaces. My last RCBS worked for 15 years and was still working when I sold it to buy my present one. Later David

[Don McDowell]

David the vast majority of my bullets both large and small are ladel cast. But as I said before I do like the bottom pour option so that I can pour ingots and keep different alloys seperate without having 37 different pots to conted with.