Putting weights on a bottom pour pot pin......

[Harry O]

I have a Lee 20” bottom pour lead melter/furnace. In the past, I had the usual problems with it leaking. Long ago, I rigged up a 3oz weight pressed onto the top of the main on/off pin. It helped, but did not end the leaks. For various reasons, I am using that pot for a cleaning/smelting pot now.

My wife bought me a new Lee pot recently and it has several minor differences from the old one. One of the changes is the top of the pin is threaded instead of having a separate screw next to the pin. Another change is it has a small steel weight for the handle instead of the lightweight wooden handle. The weight is about 3oz like the one I used before. I expected that it would help, but not end the leaks, plus it was off center.

I also had an 8oz steel bearing from a roller bearing (a little less than 2” high and about 1” diameter) laying around. After annealing it, I drilled and tapped the center to match the threads on the pin.

After adjusting the pin height, I screwed on the bearing and locked the two in place. I first tried it out yesterday and it worked perfectly. No leaks at all and when I dropped the handle, it shut off quick. Now to see how it works long term.

[Garyshome]

I have the newer style and it still leaks. But I don't pay it any mind.

[bangerjim]

I have two 4-20's for some time now and not a drip from either one!

But the metal weight on the handle does help seat the valve in the bottom better. Also lubing the mechanism (where the slide contacts anything) with beeswax or other lube helps eliminate sticking.

banger

[Bent Ramrod]

I put a weight on top of the valve rod in an old SAECO bottom pour pot. I had previously cleaned the pot and valve, lapped the valve and seat, and even turned the guide on the end of the rod a little longer to fill the spout more. These mods would stop the drips after one mould fill, then it would drip the next, stop for the next couple, drip between the next ten, stop again for a fill or so, and so forth. But the weight seems to have done the trick. If a drop forms on the spout, a jiggle of the lever stops it right there, and generally they don't form at all.