refill the pot at the end of the casting session or wait till next time to fill it

[Walter Laich]

After I cast the pot down to within 1 inch of the bottom I'm done for the day

I usually refill the pot and let the lead melt so I'll have a full pot ready to go the next time

I can see this is using more energy and time than if I waited till next time and then filled and let the lead melt before casting. Hate to have to wait though when I'm ready to start a new casting session

any thoughts on filling at the end vs. filling at the beginning?

[Winger Ed.]

I try not to let my Pro-Melt get much below half full or where the level is below the heating coil.

When I'm done, and just before I unplug it:
I usually go ahead and fill it most of the way back up, let it all melt & level out as I clean up
and putter around after I'm done casting. I think it heats up faster that way for the next time.

I leave it about a inch from the top so when its cold and I come across odds and ends or floor
sweepings of Lead, I can toss them back on top of the pot instead of finding another place for them.

[Conditor22]

I cast down to apr 1/2" since I'm not sure what alloy I will be using next time :)

[Wheelguns 1961]

I usually leave about an inch in my lee 20 pound pot. If I fill it when I am done, it seems to take twice the time to heat up at the beginning of a new casting session. I just fill it up at the beginning.

[Kylongrifle32]

I usually run my lyman pot down to about an inch of lead left. Turn the pot off. Then I dump the sprues into the pot for the next round.

[metricmonkeywrench]

Figured out with my Lee 10 pounder to leave it about half full when I’m done, when it’s full the heating of the lead seems to push up the valve and start dripping long before the top starts to melt.

[joe leadslinger]

I leave an inch or so then turn the pot off. Makes it easy to change alloys if needed at the next casting session.

[jeepyj]

I try not to let my Pro-Melt get much below half full or where the level is below the heating coil.

When I'm done, and just before I unplug it:
I usually go ahead and fill it most of the way back up, let it all melt & level out as I clean up
and putter around after I'm done casting. I think it heats up faster that way for the next time.

I leave it about a inch from the top so when its cold and I come across odds and ends or floor
sweepings of Lead, I can toss them back on top of the pot instead of finding another place for them.

^^^This is exactly what I do.^^^

[Chris S]

Ever run the pot with nothing it it? Mine glow red hot. I'd rather things not get that hot so I keep them full.
My .02$
Chris

[turtlezx]

think leaving full prevents rust

[lightman]

I leave mine full unless I know that I'll be using a different alloy at the next casting session.

[Mike W1]

I usually run my lyman pot down to about an inch of lead left. Turn the pot off. Then I dump the sprues into the pot for the next round.

Ditto

[Winger Ed.]

^^^This is exactly what I do.^^^

I feel vindicated!

I cast almost totally for slow wadcutters so the pot always has a soft alloy in it for next time.
The occasions when I want hard stuff for rifles, I cast the soft stuff until the level goes on down, then add the ingots for hard ones.

When I'm done with them, the pot is back down, and I add pure Lead to refill it and shut down.
The next run is a little harder than 'normal' until I refill it again, but its no big deal.

[imashooter2]

I never let the pot fall lower than 1 ingots worth, so I leave it full. I have 3 pots for the different alloys I use.

[rockrat]

I don't let my Pro-melt get lower than about half way and when I am done, I fill it with alloy and turn it off. It can melt when I turn it on next time.

[Digger]

About Half full is when I add another ingot as I prefer the "pressure" flow with it being a bit more that way ..

[country gent]

I leave my bottom pours full when done. On the new rcbs with the required cool down this may increase the cool down time some. If you siply add ingots to the pot to fill it and turn off the fresh cold lead will freeze it and cool faster may not fill completely and make a smooth surface though.

On my big gas fired casting pot I leave at least half full. Its has a capacity of 120 lbs.

One thing I do s after the pot has solidified and still hot. I drop a ball of wax in about the size of what I use to flux. This will seal the gap and keep moisture out preventing rust.

[GhostHawk]

I run a magnum melter not a bottom pour. But once I'm done casting I drop ingots into the melt until it is back at the level I prefer.

I don't think it makes a big difference. Maybe more so for the bottom pours.

[stubshaft]

Mine gets filled full after casting.

[TyGuy]

Well, I feel like the odd man out... I use a little Lyman dipper pot and when finished I typically dump any leftovers into the ingot mold. I have always just assumed it’s better not to store it full especially since I’ll forget what alloy is in it. I change alloys pretty well every time I cast so I figured it’s better to start fresh. Maybe I’ll have to try leaving it full and see if I notice a difference.

[Texas by God]

Except once a year or so when I dump it out after running it near dry( like last time) I’ll add a couple of ingots in after I unplug it and throw washed dug up bullets/ balls in there too.

[jsizemore]

It makes no sense to heat the same full pot of lead twice to cast with it once.

[Bazoo]

I do a little of everything. Most of the time I refill it when done, especially if I'm using wheel weights by the pot full instead of smelting. When I have ingots I keep the pot a out 3/4 full. Kinda pends on my notion what I do. Magnum melter doesn't seem to notice if I smelt in it or not.

[Bad Ass Wallace]

My pots (3) each hold about 80lbs of alloy. There are seperate pots for hard rifle 92:4:4, BPCR 96:3:1, and pistol 94:4:2 and ingots of alloy ready to feed each. I cast about 10lbs then return the sprews to the pot and top up the pot to full. At the end of casting I top up again and flux ready for next time.

https://i.imgur.com/W6rXrgD.jpg

[Froogal]

Well, I feel like the odd man out... I use a little Lyman dipper pot and when finished I typically dump any leftovers into the ingot mold. I have always just assumed it’s better not to store it full especially since I’ll forget what alloy is in it. I change alloys pretty well every time I cast so I figured it’s better to start fresh. Maybe I’ll have to try leaving it full and see if I notice a difference.

No. You're not the odd man out. I usually do just one casting session per year. THAT session covers several weeks, but when I'm done I want the pot to be more or less empty so I can store it away, and leave the work bench open for other projects. An empty pot is a lot easier to set up on the top shelf than a full pot.

[robg]

leave about an inch of lead in my 10lb pot .left it full once ,when i started it up the lead at the bottom expands and pushes the cooler lead up and opens the valve .learnt the hard way with a bench covered in lead.i also have my pot sat inside a steel oven tray now to catch splashes drips etc.

[Mk42gunner]

I normally fill the pot when I'm done with that session.

My Promelt stays filled with wheelweight alloy, the 10 pound Lee with pure. The 4-20 that the Promelt replaced with what ever will melt to make snagging sinkers.

I just bought a Lee Magnum Melter that currently has WW in it, when I start playing with softer mixes I may have a different answer.

Sad thing is I'm about out of my current batch of WW, I'll need to find some more soon.

Robert

[gbrown]

I have different pots for different alloys. I am a ladle pour guy. Got one for pure, one for hard, and one for ww. I just let the remnants cool for the next session. Battling health issues, can't wait to get over my present state and get back to casting. Got a couple of new molds to play with. All my alloys are smelted into different shapes--corn bread sticks for ww, muffin for pure, and small Lyman for hard (rifle).

[500Smith]

I like to have about 80% full in my Pro-melt. Just a little room for scrap.

[AndyC]

Seems there are benefits either way we do it - interesting to see some of the reasons.

I just leave mine where it is, other than adding the sprues back in.

[David2011]

I’m in the “run it low” camp, just in case I want to cast a different alloy.

[kevin c]

I empty mine.

I thought I'd be switching alloys frequently, but it turns out I only cast a lot of one boolit for one gun in one application. So, no need for me to drain the pot to put in a different alloy. But I do because I don't leave my casting equipment permanently set up. Draining the pot means being able to move it without an extra 20 odd pounds, and moving it sooner, as it cools much faster (I could freeze the lead quickly by adding a lot of ingots of the same alloy, but it'd still be hot for a long time).

Robg's observation about valve opening on reheating is an interesting cautionary tale. I wonder if it depends on heating coil location relative to the height of the lead plug in the pot.

[Land Owner]

I leave mine ~80% full and put back miscellaneous "lost" sprus, rejects, and road kill WW's for the next session.

Also, for those with "slow to heat" pots (my Pro Melt takes about 35 mins. when full to heat from ambient), add candle wax or crayons as flux and set it on fire! Or, add heat to the top of the melt with a butane or propane torch. Whichever way, add heat from the top down to shorten the melt time of the whole.

[Petander]

I keep my original Pro Melt at least halfway full. At all times. I often leave it half after casting so I can tweak the next day alloy.

I bought it well used 20 years ago... can't find those any more...

One reason I think,preventing overheat it may last longer,the other is pour pressure gets lower.

[dverna]

I leave the Lyman furnace about 50-80% full
I leave the Master Caster about 25% full. Not good to leave this one full.

[Winger Ed.]

I think,preventing overheat it may last longer,.

That's my reasoning.
As for paying 4-5 cents or whatever for electricity to heat the almost full pot a second time--
If that saves me a few hundred dollars by not having to replace it, I figure it's a bargain, and I'm OK with it.

[GARD72977]

I leave the Lyman furnace about 50-80% full
I leave the Master Caster about 25% full. Not good to leave this one full.

Why does it matter if you leave a master caster full?

[Sam Sackett]

I always add at least enough new alloy to get the level above the heating element. I think it's easier on the unit and it heats up faster the next time.

Sam Sackett

[Mal Paso]

I leave my pots full melting the ingots enough to get good contact with the sides but still see ingot shapes on top . With the Pro Melt 2 I'm using the ingots to bring down the temperature of the melt and shorten cooling time.

[Hossfly]

I start adding ingots when notice flow starts to slow. When thru casting will fill completely and start with full pot so will have time to get molds up to temp on next session.

[alamogunr]

I'm with those that don't go much below half full, but for a different reason. I'm ready for a short rest by then, so I dump the sprues back in the pot, add enough ingots and maybe solder to bring the level back up. When I quit, I just leave it about half full. Obviously, I'm not obsessing over alloy. Most of my casting is for handguns and that just for plinking or practice.

[Dusty Bannister]

I prefer the half full/half empty feature when I am done casting. Having a full pot of Lino heating from cold to casting can lift the shut off rod due to expansion of the lino. It can be quite interesting. The pot is draining because the bottom half near the heating element is fluid, the "cap" is solid. If the pot does not begin to release the molten alloy from the valve, it will likely erupt when the cap finally weakens. I just do not need that kind of excitement. If not using lino, there is still some expansion taking place. Everyone can make their own informed choice.