Maintenance of LEE Bottom Pour Pot

[thegasharkman]

I have a 10LB Lee Production pot and I use it only for melting and pouring clean lead. I poured out the remaining lead and discovered that the bottom of the pot is rusting. What can be done to slow or remedy this?

[BACKTOSHOOTING]

I doubt its rust, probly sulfer, I use a wire brush in a drill and it cleans up real nice and ready to cast again

[williamwaco]

I doubt its rust, probly sulfer, I use a wire brush in a drill and it cleans up real nice and ready to cast again


ditto.

[foxtrapper]

I hope that I don't jinx myself. My 10lb Lee bottom pour is over 35 years old.in it's long lfe, I used it to melt WW for ingots , pb for muzzle loader and WW ingots. When I'm done with a casting session I let it cool off ,put it back in it's box and place it on a shelf in an unheated garage.. The end. P.S. Maybe I should order a new one ........

[thegasharkman]

ok ill check the pot i bet it is sulfer. The lead I have been getting has a high sulfer content from the ground here. The smelting pot turns yellow on the outside when melting large batches. After cooling it washes away with water. Is this bad for the bullets? If so is there a way to flux it out of the lead?

[Theunsb]

Is it better to empty the pot after each use or leave it full of lead before storing it?

[Donor8x56r]

I leave about an inch of lead in my 4-20.Makes start-up a whole lot easier and faster.

[Theunsb]

I leave about an inch of lead in my 4-20.Makes start-up a whole lot easier and faster.
Makes a lot of sense to me but will the pot not rust under the lead that cooled down in there?

[runfiverun]

I leave all my pot's full all the time even when casting.
my first lee is still going after 24-25 sumthin years, I figure if it's rusting out then I got my 59 err 49-79 whatever bucks worth out of it.

[Spawn-Inc]

you can always order a new pot for it, they only cost $8 + shipping. i would also order a new valve rod while you at it, $3.00 each.

http://www.titanreloading.com/service-parts/mold-and-melter-parts/lee-em1097-propot-assembly

http://www.titanreloading.com/service-parts/mold-and-melter-parts/lee-em1143-pro-4-valve-rod

i took mine out and it is a real pain, but it is possible. i also leave my pots full and refill them at about the half mark.

[Donor8x56r]

Makes a lot of sense to me but will the pot not rust under the lead that cooled down in there?

Nope.I leave thin layer of that yellow suplhur (or whatever it is) and that keeps rust away.I grease only top of the pot where there is no yellow cover.

I'm doing it for 6 years now and it seems to work just fine.