New Lyman furnace

[340six]

I used the new Mag 20 last night and was my first attempt with a bottom pour.
Wow it was so easy and less bad on my back over the dipper pot i have used in the last 12 months or so
Only thing was the spout was frozen at anything under #8 on the dial. so had to go 9-9.5 get it going then back off to 7.5 to cast.
Is this the norm?
No drips just my stupidity of holding it down past the last cavity was filled and that went in the ingot mold i placed under it.
I really had the hang of ladle casting and would get in a pattern doing great and then would run out of lead with the 8 pound one. halfway down i would have to add lead and slow down.
I thought a new style would be a learning curve. But adjusted quickly to bottom pour with the mold guide

[mold maker]

I started out back in the 60s with a used SEACO bottom pour pot, and when the thermostat burned up, I also got a Lyman 20 lb pot.
Yep the pour spout froze up at pouring temps, and had to be over heated and then backed off after a rhythm was established.
I still do it that way.
Getting used to a bottom pour after ladle casting is easier than the other way around. I have all different sizes, and styles of ladles, and really tried, but haven't found any advantage to them.
It might also have something to do, with teaching an old dog a new trick.

[jsizemore]

I keep my pot at my usual temp setting, When I start the spout is frozen so I use a butane grill lighter on it. Once I'm rolling, no problems with freeze up.

[bhn22]

You really need a casting thermometer. The numbers on the dial are reference points only, and no two are guaranteed to be set alike. If you remove the dial, the adjusting screw is inside the thermostat knob stem.

[Mike W1]

Just a guess on my part but having just a Lee 10 lb unit I have found that I have my best luck only emptying the pot to a certain level before filling it back up and that pretty well eliminate spout freeze. In my case I have a pot mounted above that I use to feed the bottom pot. It has the added benefit, at least on the Lee, of keeping the "feel" consistent while pouring into the mould.