This was a first

[Bzcraig]

I use a Lee 20# furnace for casting, which hasn't given me a lick of problem in two years. I do occasionally empty the pot and give it a good cleaning, the last such time I tweaked the valve handle. Thought I got it straightened out pretty good but it just was not working like it had. I ordered a new one so last night emptied the pot, gave it a cleaning, replaced the valve assembly, loaded in some lead, heated it up and everything checked out good. I unplugged it and left it on my work bench to cool off. When I went into the garage this morning this is what I found. What a pita to get this off and remelt. Don't know what went wrong, but all seems well now.

[retread]

I often get interrupted and have to shutdown the pot and leave. While I have never had your experience I have heard of it happening to others, so I always put a pan under the spout that can more than handle to 'runout' of an entire pot. The PITA is not my biggest concern, fire is.

[AlaskanGuy]

I use a cookie sheet under my each and every time, as well as an ingot mold on the platform... Contains all my drips and such, and that way, if i get called away or whatever, i have 2 layers of containment.... This is especially important as I cast in the kitchen in the wintertime on top of e stove... Just too cold outside in the shop.... Dont even ask me why I do the 2 layers of lead containment barriers... I will just say that the pile on your bench looks familiar.... Lol. [smilie=1:

[monadnock#5]

I have a full spool of plumbers solder which I am very reluctant to use for making boolits. The reason is because it is just the right size and weight to hang on the handle of my Mag 20. Anytime I have to leave a hot pot unattended, for any amount of time, that spool goes onto the handle.

[Hickok]

Looks like the tinsel fairy had a bowel movement.

Glad nothing bad happened.

[Mk42gunner]

Looks like the tinsel fairy had a bowel movement.

That made me laugh, thanks for brightening my day.

Robert

[smokesahoy]

Yeah it drips often enough. I got lucky early on as a newbie so didn't heed the advice as I should have. As I casted more and more the numbers game started to catch up to me now containment catch trays are never far. Once I got a piece of dross stuck in the spigot after filling the pot and doing the first flux and the pot emptied to half before I could stop it. It probably helped that I was casting in freezing temps as it didn't go to far but getting it cut off the leg was a job. I an say during that casting session the pot certainly wasn't top heavy:)

[Walter Laich]

been there. have the containment barrier, too.
Hardest part is getting the lead back in the pot. Torch is used to do this

[leadman]

When I clean my pots I always use lapping compound on the sealing portion of the valve And turn it with my cordless screwdriver or drill.
I then use a Q-tip to clean most of the lapping compound out of the pot and then hit it with brake kleen to flush the rest out.
I still use a small bread pan under the spout to catch any drips or run off from filling the mold.
Looks like that drip could have been a source of fire very easily.

[Bzcraig]

I thought about lapping the valve rod but I don't normally have a drip problem. What was really odd was that I ran some lead out testing function and all was well. It was almost as if something worked its way under the valve rod after. You can see the scorched wood under where the lead was. I will be putting a cheap cookie sheet under it from now on.

[dragonrider]

I think that happens to everyone with a Lee pot. I don't find it annoying, I just clean it up and start over.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/0603/PaulGauthier/Lee%20pot%20drip/IMG_9058.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/PaulGauthier/media/Lee%20pot%20drip/IMG_9058.jpg.html)

I had this one also.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/0603/PaulGauthier/Lee%20pot%20drip/IMAG0180.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/PaulGauthier/media/Lee%20pot%20drip/IMAG0180.jpg.html)

[Bzcraig]

I think that happens to everyone with a Lee pot. I don't find it annoying, I just clean it up and start over.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/0603/PaulGauthier/Lee%20pot%20drip/IMG_9058.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/PaulGauthier/media/Lee%20pot%20drip/IMG_9058.jpg.html)

I had this one also.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/0603/PaulGauthier/Lee%20pot%20drip/IMAG0180.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/PaulGauthier/media/Lee%20pot%20drip/IMAG0180.jpg.html)

Now that is art!

[dikman]

Dragonrider, I would've framed that second one! I don't reckon you could do that if you deliberately tried to!