pro-melt issue

[robpete]

I recently acquired a nice used pro-melt. So far I love it. The only issue that I am having is that if I stop pouring for a couple of minutes, the pot will stop pouring as well(no flow). I have the temp around 675F. I can't see the nozzle being too cold as the issue. Thoughts??

[Zymurgy50]

I had the same problem with my promelt, finally gave up and bought a ladle.

[D Crockett]

try this take a drill bit and a set of vice grips when the pot is hot clean out the orifice of the pot with it you probbly have some crud up in there and raise your temp up to 700 you have to clean it out ever so often here a tip for keeping the inside clean take a hacksaw blade and get the end red hot and bend a 90 use that to scrape the sides and bottom of the pot D Crockett

[Outpost75]

try this take a drill bit and a set of vice grips when the pot is hot clean out the orifice of the pot with it you probbly have some crud up in there and raise your temp up to 700 you have to clean it out ever so often here a tip for keeping the inside clean take a hacksaw blade and get the end red hot and bend a 90 use that to scrape the sides and bottom of the pot D Crockett


I have two Pro Melts made back in the Ohio Thermal days before RCBS handled them, and I have used them for over 30 years.

What D Crockett says is spot on. That is what I do. Plugging the drain offrice with residue is caused by improper fluxing and introducing dirty metal into the pot.

Always do your primary melting and casting of scrap alloys into ingots in a separate propane-fired pot. Never in the bullet casting pot.

When casting bullets use a thermometer! 675 is fine with commercial hardball alloy or linotype, but wheelweights and backstop scrap need to run at 700-725 to get good fillout. Avoid running over 750 because the higher heat rapidly oxidizes the tin out of the melt. If water dropping frosty bullets with a bottom-pour pot, after fluxing pour a 1/2" layer of Fuller's earth or unscented crushed clay kitty litter over the melt to better contain the heat and to act as a boundary layer oxidation control to prevent drossing and outgassing.

Do not run the pot "dry" as you will introduce drosses and dirt into the drain offrice. If you do plug the pot, empty, disassemble and throughly clean it, clearing the lead out of the drain sump with a 1/4" drill and the drain opening itself with a 1/16" drill.

Reassemble, fill and reheat with clean metal, go forth and sin no more.

I use only Vitaflux. It is preferred by commercial casters using the Magma machines. A 2 oz. stick will flux a ton of metal. Only one quarter of a dime-thicknessed slice is needed for a 20 pound potful. It works much better and smokes less than improvised fluxes of candle wax, etc.

[robpete]

Thanks guys. This pot is an old one and my friend said that he last used it in the early 80's. I cleaned up the outside and gave it some fresh paint. Wasn't sure on the drain until I got pouring. Now I know! Thanks again. I'll snake it out the next time I fire it up.
82485

[trixter]

You may not even need to use drill bits....etc; I usually run my pot at 750deg to 775deg, and let it warm up till the thermometer is stabilized. If the spout acts up, I just grab a paperclip bent to a 90deg and clean out the spout that way. I never let the pot drain completely. Try it, you'll like it.

[OuchHot!]

I have a pro-melt from just after the buyout from Ohio Thermal. There was some conversation among owners that they had a smaller diameter pizzle (than later models) and that a slight enlargement with a drill was a good idea. I do not know the truth of that matter and never drilled mine. I could not run at 675F without the spout freezing, I know that for sure. I wrapped a little glass tape around the pizzle to limit radiative heat loss and run at over 700F. That worked for me. The usual "keep the pot/alloy clean" is useful for any bottom draw pot.