Advice requested

[LRRifleman]

Greetings!

Today was the first day that I broke out my casting equipment in just shy of 20 years. Between a surplus of cast bullets, an accident that left me disabled, and parental obligations, casting just hadn't been in the cards.

My casting session was preceded by a thorough cleaning of my Lee smelting pot, with a significant amount of time dedicated to the pouring spout. Apparently, not enough time was dedicated to the pouring spout.

After about 5 or 6 pounds of lead, the liquid lead flow sputtered, and the lead seemed to clot. It got rather discouraging, since I was rejecting more bullets from the gang molds (an 8 cavity MP mold) than I felt were acceptable. I was getting better results with a 40 caliber 2 cavity Lee mold than I was with an 8 cavity 9mm MP mold.

I had cleaned up the inside of the pot and pour spout with my dremel tool and both a wire brush attachment and what I'd describe as a dentist's drill bit.

I was constantly fluxing and stirring my molten lead, and the pot was set at it's highest setting. However, the lead stream was weak and intermittent, but slow enough that it allowed the molds to cool.

What do the regular casters suggest that I do to remedy my lead pot?

As always, thanks in advance for your help!

[imashooter2]

Number one, you need a thermometer to know what the Lee thermostat actually heats the pot to. The thermostats do go bad, however they can be reworked or replaced.

Number 2, get a stiff wire to run up the spout from the outside. I use a bent paperclip lashed to a wooden dowel, others use a wire or thin nail held in pliers. Set an ingot mold under the pot, open the valve, run the wire in, shake it about, remove the wire while holding the valve open and let the valve run into the mold for a few seconds before closing it.

[Winger Ed.]

Happens to me all the time.
I don't have a thermometer, but I run the RCBS Pro-Melt rather hot.

Sometimes I'll not get any flow at all when I first turn the pot on and is set for a long time.
I'll stir & flux, but no flow. Putting a propane torch on the nozzle for a few seconds fixes it.

Other times I'll be rocking along and the flow drops to a dribble.
I keep a straightened out paper clip handy, and wiggle it in & around the inside of the nozzle
with the handle all the way up. That always clears whatever little bit of something that was stopping it up.

In a hour, I may have to do that 2-3 times.

[imashooter2]

Discussion on reworking the thermostat begins here at post #29.

https://castboolits.gunloads.com/sho...Production+pot

[oldhenry]

The 2nd. paragraph of your used the word "smelting" on conjunction with the use of your Lee bottom pour pot. I'd suggest that all smelting be done other that in your Lee pot & flux often. Sometimes draining the pot & a good clean-up is the best solution.

I don't place much confidence in the thermostat on my RCBS Pro Melt. Long ago I increased increments on the thermostat until I got a good flow & good fill-out. I marked that spot & operate close to that spot.

[GregLaROCHE]

A paper clip works all the time for me. I think they should include some with each Lee bottom pour pot.

[jsizemore]

Give it some quick heat with a propane torch on the nozzle when it slows. If it flows good after heating, you may need to turn your pot heat up. Or PID it.

[Old Caster]

It is possible that your lead supply has a bit of zinc in it and it can cause clogging of the spout. If you constantly get a sort of foaming on the surface, this is probably what it is. When picking up lead at a range, this is what we are faced with because many put all wheel weights in a pot and don't pay any attention to what they have.

[Land Owner]

Listen to post #7 and heat that spout externally. Couple more thoughts follow:

Find a hot plate. A tossed Mr. Coffee or equivalent will do. Cut off the plastic reservoir down to the top of the heating element. Pre-heat your mold.

If pre-heat alone is still too cold, dip the edges of your mold into the melt with the spru plate dipped last. You want the mold HOT in order to reduce and eliminate rejects.

[gnappi]

In some 40+ years of casting, I never used a thermometer. Bullet wrinkles after heating the mold? Crank it up. Bullets frosted? Turn it down.

[imashooter2]

I had a Lee pot that the thermostat went bad on. Turning it up gave no relief. Without a thermometer, I would have had a hard time trouble shooting it.

OP stated his pot was at the highest setting and couldn’t keep up.

[gnappi]

I had a Lee pot that the thermostat went bad on. Turning it up gave no relief. Without a thermometer, I would have had a hard time trouble shooting it.

OP stated his pot was at the highest setting and couldn’t keep up.

Where would a thermometer help there? I don't see it. Too cold on max? New pot or thermostat, it's not meant to be rocket science... Unless I missed that part of the instruction manuals

[imashooter2]

Where would a thermometer help there? I don't see it. Too cold on max? New pot or thermostat, it's not meant to be rocket science... Unless I missed that part of the instruction manuals

Well, straight off it would allow the OP to confirm whether his problem was temperature or the nozzle. Just buying a new pot is an option, but not my preference. You don’t want a thermometer, don’t buy one. But they have utility in trouble shooting and help with consistency.

[oley55]

Discussion on reworking the thermostat begins here at post #29.

https://castboolits.gunloads.com/sho...Production+pot

Lee gives away free replacement parts (including thermostats), but the shipping can be a bit stiff. Best to order replacement parts for various Lee things to absorb the shipping costs. I have spare thermostats, pots, nozzles n rods, universal decapping rods and etc all ordered while I was ordering/buying something else. If you order two of something you will get charged for the second, third and so on.

When you click buy you will see an item in the cart, but cost will be $0.00.

https://leeprecision.com/parts/