Using Lee Pro 4-20 for melting scrap lead...

[LivewireBlanco]

I'm just getting into casting and money is tight, as in I'm getting married next month and honey moon to follow. I have my Lee Pro 4-20 bottom pour pot coming and I have 50 pounds of scrap plumbing pipe and roof lead. Would it be ok if I made my ingots in the Lee pot for the time being or should I wait until I can afford a propane setup?

[454PB]

Sure. You may build up some crud in the pouring spout, dependent on how dirty the lead is, but Lee pots are easy to clean.

One way to minimize the crud buildup is to dip the molten lead from the pot to the ingots, rather than running it all through the spout.

[Glock Junkie]

If it was me I would wait until I could get a propane set up. You will ruin your pot with the dirty lead. It will be a pain in the butt to melt odd size pipe lead with a pot. Will definitely stop up the pour spout. Walmart has a nice fish fry set up for about $40. But its up to you! If you are like me your impatient lol.

Good luck!

[glowe]

Wait for the propane setup, You will never clean your lee from all the crud in the WW.
my 2 cents

[LivewireBlanco]

Impatient might be an understatement...[smilie=1:

[Smoke4320]

bass Pro has a Propane fish cooker/turky fryer setup for $29.99 on sale
money VERY well spent for smelting

[Freightman]

Bad idea, did my first pot that way stopped up valve and made a dipping pot, couldn't stop it from leaking, and it didn't leak till I did that not a Lee.
PS Lyman and it is still a dipping pot.

[Frozone]

I smelt WWs in a LEE 20# all the time - no drips. It IS a dedicated pot though, I don't use it for anything else.
Don't take it to empty, always leave an inch in the bottom AND FLUX WELL.

When you're done, Pour the last alloy out the top.
Then disassemble and clean the pot and valve.

[7Acres]

I have done what Frozone describes with no issue using WWs. However I now have a propane setup and its much easier now.

[mold maker]

Go to a goodwill/salvation army/thrift store and get a cheap stainless steel pot. Set it on cinder blocks and build a fire under it. Free wood, cheap pot, problem solved.
Just don't try to pour the lead out of the pot, dip it till only a pound or so remains. Lead poured from a pot gets really awkward fast. The handles aren't made to handle the weight.

[trapper300RUM]

I am getting a old cast iron pot to melt down the dirty lead & get it cleaned up before melting it my New LEE 4/20 Melter i am ordering just my 2 pennies worth

[LivewireBlanco]

Ok guys, I guess if I'm gonna do this I better do it right. Which one of these looks to be better? Would the $22 work ok?
http://www.academy.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Product_10151_10051_27749_-1__?N=77985508
http://www.academy.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Product_10151_10051_27741_-1__?N=77985508

[LivewireBlanco]

Or would a Coleman camp stove be good? I'm looking at casting maybe 50 pounds every once and a while.

[popper]

The square one, it's sturdier. $4 diff.

[Rio Grande]

Go to a goodwill/salvation army/thrift store and get a cheap stainless steel pot. Set it on cinder blocks and build a fire under it. Free wood, cheap pot, problem solved.


Well. Who'd a thought it? Fire?

[H.Callahan]

The square one, it's sturdier. $4 diff.
+1 Remember, you are going to be supporting a lot of weight.

[fredj338]

You can certainly use the Lee for smelting but it will cause it to leak more. I do NOT smelt in mine, never let it run empty, it never leaks. You can get a used turkey fryer cheap, what I did. Find a cast rion dutch oven @ a garage sale or flea market, probably get out for $50 total.

[flipajig]

You can use a Colman stove. I did for awhile the turkey fryer is much faster as for 50 lb I would cut it in half 50 lb is a lot of weight on a Colman.
Flip

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

I use a coleman gasoline stove and a 4 qt stainless soup pot...do not use aluminum cookware. you can find these items at garage sales or thrift stove for a few bucks !
http://i640.photobucket.com/albums/uu127/JonB_in_Glencoe/reduced100_2657.jpg (http://s640.photobucket.com/user/JonB_in_Glencoe/media/reduced100_2657.jpg.html)