Care of Lee Pro 4-20 Melter

[VOLKSRVA]

My lead pot isn’t even a year old and has started accumulating a good coat of surface rust around the rim of the pot. I know the metal isn’t that thick, and I don’t have the luxury to bring it inside from out of the shed as I don’t want it around the kids. Is there any problems with wiping it down with oil/ grease or something similar after use? Hoping that I can protect it without creating a smoke stack the next time it sees use.

Thanks!
-VOLKSRVA.

[Iron369]

It’s just surface rust. It’ll be fine

[Hossfly]

I cast inside room in barn so don’t see any rust, you might let it cool some and maybe rub some fluxing wax or bees wax to try to stop rusting.

[Iron369]

I cast in my garage and my pot got a little rusty after the first time using it. https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20210127/e48637fbe0638bbdf6408a8419c12a35.jpg

[VOLKSRVA]

Glad to see I am not the only one that has some rust in the pot! I have worked on many old vehicles, and I know even the smallest amount of rust in the right places can spell disaster. Doesn’t seem to take long either. Rust is like a cancer in my beliefs.

[GregLaROCHE]

I don’t worry much about it on my same pot. However, if you want to wipe it down with oil or hit it with something in a spray can, it should not be a problem. It will certainly smoke when you first turn it on, but since you say it’s outside, that shouldn’t be a problem.

[Winger Ed.]

Hit it with some spray can oil.

It'll be fine.

[FLINTNFIRE]

I rub a block of beeswax around the rim while casting or you can do it at the end of session , smells better then some of the old lead ingots that mice had used for a toilet where they were stored years ago .

[VOLKSRVA]

Just put some beeswax on order and it should be here any day now. Was planning to use some to make some bullet lube anyhow. I never thought of using it before I did a little research on all of the redeeming qualities for us casters!

Thanks everyone!
-VOLKSRVA.

[StuBach]

Just put some beeswax on order and it should be here any day now. Was planning to use some to make some bullet lube anyhow. I never thought of using it before I did a little research on all of the redeeming qualities for us casters!

Thanks everyone!
-VOLKSRVA.

I’ve had pretty solid luck with home made Felix lube if your looking for a decent recipe to try. I did add a little carnuba car wax to mine and it works awesome. It’s a bit on the softer side so doesn’t need heat to apply but hard enough to stay in grooves. Smells good too thanks to the ivory soap.

[VOLKSRVA]

I’ve had pretty solid luck with home made Felix lube if your looking for a decent recipe to try. I did add a little carnuba car wax to mine and it works awesome. It’s a bit on the softer side so doesn’t need heat to apply but hard enough to stay in grooves. Smells good too thanks to the ivory soap.

Glad to hear good results! How are you applying it, and what velocities are you shooting at? That is one of the recipes on my list to make. I am planning on trying Recluse 45/45/10 as well as Ben’s red. I don’t have a lube sizer, have been using the lee alox so far. And I just made my first attempt of pan lubing yesterday, didn’t turn out as great as I hoped for haha. Powder coating will for sure be my in my cards as soon as I find a 312-155 or 312-160.

[StuBach]

Glad to hear good results! How are you applying it, and what velocities are you shooting at? That is one of the recipes on my list to make. I am planning on trying Recluse 45/45/10 as well as Ben’s red. I don’t have a lube sizer, have been using the lee alox so far. And I just made my first attempt of pan lubing yesterday, didn’t turn out as great as I hoped for haha. Powder coating will for sure be my in my cards as soon as I find a 312-155 or 312-160.

I mostly cast for standard and light load handguns. Been using in standard velocity 45acp and 38spcl mostly in the subsonic speeds.

I am using a Star sizer but previously used a Lyman 4500 and before that a Lyman 45. Found the Felix lube worked much better, was easier to clean, and smelled better than the Lyman black tar that came with the 45.

I will say, most of my loading is powder coat though. I’ve found the extra time is worth it to me to ensure I don’t have leading issues but also avoid the pitfalls of lube running or bullets sticking together. The felix I made came out decently hard but still pliable enough to not need heat but I have a heater on order to see how much easier that will make it.

[GregLaROCHE]

Just put some beeswax on order and it should be here any day now. Was planning to use some to make some bullet lube anyhow. I never thought of using it before I did a little research on all of the redeeming qualities for us casters!

Thanks everyone!
-VOLKSRVA.

Let the pot cool down some before applying it or else most of it will just evaporate away. You want a temperature just warm enough to melt the wax.

[FLINTNFIRE]

I put my beeswax on at temperature while adding alloy or during casting , it smokes some as it runs down into the melt .

Beeswax just good stuff to have around , used it for bow strings as a kid , bullet casting and used to buy it for daughter to make candles , still have beeswax and bottles of alox and other lube stashed away for if I ever need it .

[onelight]

It may depend on where you live and where your pot is stored as to how much rust you get.
Where I live I have only done maintenance on my pots (a 10 and 20lb both 30+ years old) when the spouts need cleaned or they are accumulating scale in the pot . So far so good :)