Anybody out there plugged their lead pot permanantly? I want this one plugged as I will never use the bottom pour function again. Tired of the leaking. If you have any ideas... I am all ears..
Anybody out there plugged their lead pot permanantly? I want this one plugged as I will never use the bottom pour function again. Tired of the leaking. If you have any ideas... I am all ears..
Hmmm... wish I had that option....
Not sure on hole size but an approriate sized tap and screw would plug it up also. If hole is big enough a round head bolt thru with nut and washer on outside would work.
The nozzle is a replaceable piece, held on by a nut underneath. If you dismantle it to get access to the nut you could remove the nozzle completely and replace it with a suitable nut/washer/bolt combo.
Yep, couldn't stand the constant drip, drip, drip either. IIRC, I used a 6x32 tap and just tapped the spout and screwed a 6x32 SS machine screw (from outside to inside) into it. Get a screw that is quality, so if you do decide to remove it, it will come out with minimal effort. I ladle pour all of my boolit molds, and never achieved even reasonable results with a bottom pour spout.
USMC 1980-1985
Short of welding it, I don't see anything but a steel screw succesfully plugging it. JB weld burns up at about 525 degrees.
I put a small self taping hex head screw it. Done. That fast. No more drip-o-roma!
Chill Wills
Roto Metals sells a putty for plugging leaks that may work contact them and see what they recomend.
Drive a short piece of copper wire into the hole. plugs the hole and can be removed if you change your mind.
More than one way to skin a rabbit. Just ask. Plugging with a plain piece of wire didn't occur to me either.
My first Lee lead furnace dripped constantly. My plan was to put a self tapping sheet metal screw into it, but first I needed to bore out the spout large enough to get the screw to start. The drill bit snapped off plugging the hole and that little pot hasn't dripped once ever since.
Ended up getting a Lyman Mag20 which is about a million times better. I still use the Lee though for making scrap lead into ingots.
"I don't want men who miss." -Capt. Leander H. McNelly
I used a dremel tool and ground a #10 solid copper wire to a point and inserted into the bottom of the pour spout and tapped with a hammer until lodged and then bent it over 90 degrees and cut it off short. Will test it after lunch for leaks. I think this should work. Plus by removing all of the plumbing for the open and pour gizmo I have more room for top ladling. Maybe I can get back to bidness now.
The tapped hole (after removal of the screw), will make the metal swirl when it comes out! I ended up restoring the bottom pour capability and selling the pot. It was too deep to ladle pour out of for any extended casting session - you need a wider mouth and more shallow pot to dip from, IMHO. I just used the 5 lb. pots now.
USMC 1980-1985
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 |