ICH, yes I knew that.
Been there, seen the splatter!
Most of the time, I start with a cold pot, add all the ingots I plan to melt and then apply heat. If I need to add more lead later, I warm it first to make sure it is dry before slipping it into the melt. I still ladle cast from an open top dutch oven style pot.
Here is what my rig looks like.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c_NXLpvR154