Got my new Lee 20lber

[JeffinNZ]

The 20lber arrived yesterday and a fine example of quality it is. I fired it up last night and did some more casting with the 40-1 and .310 Cadet mould. In a wild fit of enthusiasm I decided to give the bottom pour thing a go again. Found I was faster with the ladle and it was physically easier. And of course the pot did a lil dripping. At the end of the session I emptied the pot, let it cool, took out the pouring mechanism and prompt wound a big self tapper into the pour hole. Ladles R Us is back.

[Mk42gunner]

Glad you are back in business. People gripe about Lee's quality, but for the money they can't be beat.

Robert

[pdawg_shooter]

I have 3 Lee 20# pots and none drip. I have plugged them all. I have decided if you have a Lee that is not dripping you best ad some lead cause you are out. I am a hard core ladle caster and at the price of Lee I can afford to keep 3 different alloys ready to go. If on quits, I will buy another Lee, plug it and keep on casting.

[fcvan]

My 10lb pots only leak when they are dirty. I've learned to keep them cleaner and I also keep a safety pin on hand to clear the spout if it does get some crud. The safety pin gets straightened out and I put a 90* bend in it for poking/digging out the spout. 25 years ago, I only had the 10 pounder for casting and smelting. My lead was generally range scrap from work so it would have some dirt in it. I ran the pot to half empty before I would top it off. By the time I finished lubing, sizing, and setting 100 rounds, the pot would be back at temp. A good fluxing and I would be off and running again.

I found that dirt and crud clings to the valve rod and migrates down the rod to the spout. I guess as you lift the valve rod the crud just creeps down. I've found that scraping the crud from the valve rod and then the sides of the pot with a metal spoon helps keep the valve rod clean and reduces the crud migration.

Dripping hasn't been a problem but I still keep a SS 'Sierra' cup under the spout when casting. It also catches dribbles. When the pot is heating up I have the cup index the spout and my ingot mold on top of the cup. If it does decide to drip it makes an ingot instead of a lead stalagmite.

[Ed in North Texas]

I put extra weight on my "handle" and mostly eliminated the drip. If it drips, I failed to let the "valve" seat - a quick jiggle and the drip stops.

[ShootR]

Mine works fine and no drips, but it's fairly new. Will check to see if crud builds up on the rod.

[newton]

Hey, thanks for the info. I never thought about the fact that dirt would migrate down the rod. Makes sense though. Mine does not drip unless it gets dirty. I can start out with a clean pot and cast a bunch, but a while later it will start to drip. I'll have to keep up with cleaning the rid and see if that's the ticket.

I like ladle pouring as well. But my bottom pour holds more so that's what I use.