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Thread: Adios, Lee-dripper!

  1. #21
    Boolit Master
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    I do the same and seldom will it drip. Good idea to remove the rod after a 2 potfulls and clean/polish the tip with steel wool.


    Quote Originally Posted by bowfin View Post
    When my Lee pot starts to drip, I clean it.

    Problem solved.

  2. #22
    Boolit Master

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    Quote Originally Posted by Wally View Post
    I do the same and seldom will it drip. Good idea to remove the rod after a 2 potfulls and clean/polish the tip with steel wool.
    sounds like a good tip. When I got my 4/20 new I seated the stem with some valve seating compound it didn't drip at all and I wondered why folks were having problems, but of late I have been experiencing a wee bit of dripping. I'll hit it with some 0000 steel wool next time.
    “Some people spend an entire lifetime wondering if they made a difference in the world. But, the Marines don't have that problem.” Ronald Reagan


  3. #23
    Boolit Buddy Brokenbear's Avatar
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    Would you like my mailing address for that krappy old Lee you want out of you sight!
    Congratulations by the way

    Bear

  4. #24
    Boolit Master
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    I cast up 300, 500, & 100 bullets with my Lee Production pot in 3 sessions this past week. The lead was coated thinly with fine sand. I stirred & fluxed it then skimmed off the slag....never had any drips becuase after each session I carefully cleaned the valve stem with steel wool, If you have one that leaks, that is all you need do...preventative maintenance.


    Quote Originally Posted by oley55 View Post
    sounds like a good tip. When I got my 4/20 new I seated the stem with some valve seating compound it didn't drip at all and I wondered why folks were having problems, but of late I have been experiencing a wee bit of dripping. I'll hit it with some 0000 steel wool next time.

  5. #25
    Boolit Man mmb617's Avatar
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    Guys I'm new to casting doing round balls using the Lee bottom pour but I'm having a problem getting it to flow. I take a paper clip and wiggle it around in the spout and I might get one or two balls before it clogs again. The manual says the lead isn't hot enough but even with it set on the highest setting for an hour the problem still persists. A drip I can live with, this is much worse. Any help will be appreciated.

    I pulled the rod that controls flow out and will examine it's relationship with the seat once everything cools enough.

    I thought the bottom pour pot would be easier than ladling but now I'm wondering if I should go that route instead.

  6. #26
    Boolit Master

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    Quote Originally Posted by mmb617 View Post
    Guys I'm new to casting doing round balls using the Lee bottom pour but I'm having a problem getting it to flow. I take a paper clip and wiggle it around in the spout and I might get one or two balls before it clogs again. The manual says the lead isn't hot enough but even with it set on the highest setting for an hour the problem still persists. A drip I can live with, this is much worse. Any help will be appreciated.

    I pulled the rod that controls flow out and will examine it's relationship with the seat once everything cools enough.

    I thought the bottom pour pot would be easier than ladling but now I'm wondering if I should go that route instead.
    If you have a fan blowing on you it will also cool that nozzle.
    Are you getting a full throw/motion when you lift the knob? Is the rod adjusted so the knob assembly has some room to move?
    Have you run some lead through it once it flows a little, i.e. run a ladle or ingot full through it to make sure there isn't some trash in there. this will also get the nozzle nice n hot.
    Take a propane torch to the nozzle for 20 seconds to melt any cool lead in there.
    “Some people spend an entire lifetime wondering if they made a difference in the world. But, the Marines don't have that problem.” Ronald Reagan


  7. #27
    Boolit Man mmb617's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by oley55 View Post
    If you have a fan blowing on you it will also cool that nozzle.
    Are you getting a full throw/motion when you lift the knob? Is the rod adjusted so the knob assembly has some room to move?
    Have you run some lead through it once it flows a little, i.e. run a ladle or ingot full through it to make sure there isn't some trash in there. this will also get the nozzle nice n hot.
    Take a propane torch to the nozzle for 20 seconds to melt any cool lead in there.
    Thanks for taking time to reply. I don't have a fan blowing near the pot.

    The rod assembly doesn't move the rod very much but I take it the molten lead doesn't need much of an opening as evidenced by how small the hole is at the top of the mold. I thought that might be the problem but when I pulled the rod out completely while the pot still had molten lead in it the lead flowed out for a couple seconds then tapered off and stopped with the rod completely out.

    I'm planning on using my propane torch tomorrow to get the rest of the lead out of the pot so I can examine the nozzle and seat and see how the fit is between the seat and rod. Hopefully I'll find some trash in there that my paper clip wasn't clearing out. That's pretty much the only thing I can think of that would cause my problem.

  8. #28
    Boolit Master Sasquatch-1's Avatar
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    Is this a new pot and is it the 10 or 20 pounder?

    If you are letting the lead heat up thoroughly, which it sounds like you are, you may have a connection problem in the pot or a bad rheostat. Get a high temp thermometer and see how hot your lead is getting. I would say this should be a submersible style not an infrared. Check it at the bottom and the top of the pot.
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  9. #29
    Boolit Man mmb617's Avatar
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    It was new a couple weeks ago and is a 10 pounder. It worked for the first couple hundred balls I did in two sessions but ran into the no flow problem yesterday.

    The lead in the pot seems to be well melted and the heat coil is around the bottom of the pot so I'd think it would be hot enough at the spout, but I don't have a thermometer capable of checking it.

    I'll play with it some more today and let you know what I find out.

  10. #30
    Boolit Master FISH4BUGS's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by bowfin View Post
    When my Lee pot starts to drip, I clean it.
    Problem solved.
    My 30+ year old 20 lb Lee has worked wonderfully all that time.
    When it drips, a screwdriver turn or two in the depth adjustment screw back and forth stops it.
    It just becomes part of the casting sequence.
    Collector and shooter of guns and other items that require a tax stamp, Lead and brass scrounger. Never too much brass, lead or components in inventory! Always looking to win beauty contests with my reloads.

  11. #31
    Boolit Master FISH4BUGS's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by mmb617 View Post
    It was new a couple weeks ago and is a 10 pounder. It worked for the first couple hundred balls I did in two sessions but ran into the no flow problem yesterday.

    The lead in the pot seems to be well melted and the heat coil is around the bottom of the pot so I'd think it would be hot enough at the spout, but I don't have a thermometer capable of checking it.

    I'll play with it some more today and let you know what I find out.
    Take a propane torch and heat the spout. That will free it up.
    Collector and shooter of guns and other items that require a tax stamp, Lead and brass scrounger. Never too much brass, lead or components in inventory! Always looking to win beauty contests with my reloads.

  12. #32
    Boolit Bub
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    Stove Cast Iron Pot and Ladle have used for years

  13. #33
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    Put a screw in my lee 20 [17 actual] lb'er years ago. A rowell ladle works better for me than bottom pour did.
    [The Montana Gianni] Front sight and squeeze

  14. #34
    Boolit Bub
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    Bought the RCBS pro melt 2 from Optic Planet Memorial Weekend got extra 11% off got mind for under $285 thought that was a great deal!


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  15. #35
    Boolit Bub
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    Novice here.
    Clean it as in: Take the whole thing apart?
    I scored a 20+ year old pot cheap (4-20) but it always drips or won't pour steady ect.
    The pour spout has screw threads on it but really doesn't do anything??????

  16. #36
    Boolit Master Sasquatch-1's Avatar
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    First remove the piece that goes to the spout. Make sure it is clean then make sure the spout is clear. A small drill bit the size of the hole should work. If full of lead you may have to use a propane torch to melt it out. Try and remove as much scale as possible from the inside of the pot. This should help, but most Lee pots are destined to drip.

    I keep a paper clip handy to run up the spout every so often while casting. Also keep a screwdriver handy to twist the rod that goes into the spout occasionally.
    A vote for anyone other then the conservative candidates is a vote for the liberal candidates.

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Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check