Lee bottom pour...drip...drip...drip

Swampman1 · January 14, 2014, 06:57 PM

OK I know it's a common problem, but how do I stop it?

Swampman1 · January 14, 2014, 07:42 PM

OK I just read where I should try turning the valve screw back and forth a few times. I'll try it tomorrow.

Beagle333 · January 14, 2014, 07:50 PM

Yes, turn it back and forth a few times, and put some weight on the handle. Some folks screw the end off and add washers, but HomeDepot sells a nifty little set of vice grips for 2 bucks that'll hang there just perfectly and add the right amount of weight.

(GP100man gets credit for the vice grip idea. I got it from him.)

Goatwhiskers · January 14, 2014, 08:21 PM

Mine's a 10lb pot, same problem. Tried the recommended methods, no luck. Finally parted with most of 20 bucks and replaced the liner and valve rod, so far, so good, no leaks. GW

Mike / Tx · January 14, 2014, 08:27 PM

I cleaned everything out really good, then went after mine with some Clover valve lapping compound.

After I was done I had close to a 3/16" seating area compared to the 1/16 I started out with. I could probably get more out of it if I wanted to spend another hour or more twirling and wiping out the excess goop.

Now about the only time it drips is after half a dozen or more sessions when I don't empty the pot. After I DO empty it and give it a halfway decent scrubbing out to remove all of the accumulated junk that sticks to the sides and bottom it works like a charm again.

saleen322 · January 14, 2014, 09:50 PM

I have used one for decades. It does drip sometimes so I just have an old screwdriver laying there for just that purpose. It starts to drip, just give it 1/2 a turn or so and the leak stops. No problem.

Swampman1 · January 14, 2014, 09:50 PM

Quote:

Now about the only time it drips is after half a dozen or more sessions when I don't empty the pot

Do you think this might have anything to do with not emptying the pot? Because I leave about 1/8" at the bottom when done.

snuffy · January 15, 2014, 12:01 AM

Quote:

Lee bottom pour...drip...drip...drip
OK I know it's a common problem, but how do I stop it?

Which one? 10# or 20#?? Two different pots, two answers. My original was WAS a ten pound production pot. Gave it away. My second one is a lee pro 20, my third one is also a lee pro 20# pot. Neither leaks or drips.

The key is to put clean lead in it smelted and well fluxed in a dutch oven over a turkey fryer. The second key is to never drop reject boolits OR sprues back in as you cast. They carry trash with them when they sink to the bottom of the melt. Third tip is to use sawdust to flux with and a paint stirring stick to mix with the melt. Then leave the sawdust on the surface of the melt to create a barrier to the atmosphere.

Rifleman1776 · January 15, 2014, 09:38 AM

Don't turn your back. Better to buy a Lyman.
Check out this thread:
http://thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=526710

salvadore · January 15, 2014, 10:23 AM

I gave up on bottom pours years ago. My 10lb Lee has a screw in bottom hole and is used to melt stick on WW outside. Will probably do the same with the 20lb Lee. My go to pot is a 20lb Lyman dipper.

Axelwik · January 15, 2014, 01:20 PM

They all drip. So what... I simply place something below to catch it. Once it accumulates enough it goes back into the pot.

I'm not sure why people have such a big problem with this. What counts to me is whether it produces good quality bullets, and it does.

Swampman1 · January 15, 2014, 03:35 PM

Quote:

I'm not sure why people have such a big problem with this. What counts to me is whether it produces good quality bullets, and it does.

I agree that it does. But what if it made quality bullets and didn't drip?

JohnMoses · January 15, 2014, 06:49 PM

On the 20 pounder .. I just lift the lever and smack it with my sprue mallet. It squirts a little, but you're wearing your leather apron right? If there's a chunk 'o something blocking the spout this works well. It always makes me feel better.

Daffy · January 15, 2014, 07:08 PM

What Snuffy said.

+ I always leave some in the pot, helps keep it clean.

chris in va · January 15, 2014, 10:18 PM

I emptied my 10# recently and discovered the spout was encrusted with heavy rust. A bit of work with Chore Boy wrapped around a 22 bronze brush cleaned most of it out, but I still have to turn the pin to cut down on drips.

snuffy · January 17, 2014, 06:47 PM

Well,,,--- we still don't know which lee pot the O.P. is talking about--// BUT here's my solution to an occasional drip from my pro-20. I took a 1" drill, cut a hole in a 1.5" hardwood dowel. Filled it with lead. Then a hole drilled into the lead undersized of the stud on the valve handle, then simply screwed it on in place of the wood handle.

I'm not sure how much it weighs, over the upper capacity limit of my 750 grain RCBS digital scale. It worked, is all I wanted.

Swampman1 · January 18, 2014, 09:40 AM

Sorry guys, I failed to point out that it's the 4-20 pro. Yesterday I did some pouring, and sure enough it started dripping. I drained the pot completely, and added a few ingots. This time the drip wasn't quite as bad. Put a screwdriver to it, going back and forth a few times and all dripping stopped for the remainder of the session. We'll see if it holds up.

Mike / Tx · January 19, 2014, 01:31 PM

Quote:

just lift the lever and smack it with my sprue mallet. It always makes me feel better.

Sounds like you like to smack things with that hammer....

(duckin and runnin)

Yea I fired mine up today and it dripped a little as well. First time in a while though. I left about an inch or so in it for now. Maybe next time I fire it up I'll drain it down and polish the seat and stem up again. Probably time I haven't messed with it since about this time last year.

Sure Shot Mc Gee · January 19, 2014, 11:32 PM

I don't leave lead in mine to cool. I've always emptied the "pot" when done casting. Then for maintenance sake. I always drop a little piece of old hard patch lube/wax down by its drain orifice and valve while its still a little hot. Helps to keep the area freed up and void of lead & dirt. >I think.<
Then again I don't have a Lee Pot either. I believe the directions that came with my smelting furnace said to empty it after each use. Just an old Mag 20 I manage to get by with in my casting secession's.

snuffy · January 20, 2014, 12:10 PM

If you don't leave some lead in the pot, it takes a lot longer to melt lead for your next casting session. Reason? Contact with the heated pot is what melts the lead. If you put ingots into the empty pot, they are not contacting the inside of the pot in very many places. An inch of lead in the bottom will melt faster but if the pot is left ½ full, it'll melt even faster,,(because the heating element is positioned just below half way down).

I empty mine about once a year, or after ten casting sessions. I have 2 of them so it's not all that often. There's a good collection of crud really nailed onto the sides and bottom of the pot. I take it outside in a good wind so I don't breath those dangerous lead oxides. I take the valve and lever off to be able to get at everything. I use a big wire wheel and wire cup brush in a high speed ¼ inch drill motor.

Mike / Tx · January 20, 2014, 06:22 PM

Quote:

I take the valve and lever off to be able to get at everything. I use a big wire wheel and wire cup brush in a high speed ¼ inch drill motor.

Yep about the same as I doe at least once a year. In between I use a wooden handled SS brush, like a tooth brush, to scrub things down when they look a bit undesirable.

When I put it all back together I throw a dab of the Clover lapping compound under the seat and polish it back up again. It usually stays free of drips for a really long time and when it does start to on occasion I do the above all over again.

Sure Shot Mc Gee · January 20, 2014, 08:59 PM

A few that have stated they leave lead in their pots to cool. Past experiences I've learned from has taught me no matter how old I was I still had those senior moments trying to remember just what lead recipe I was last working with when I did the same a couple times in the past. As I do cast with different lead recipes. My session's could be pure Linotype or perhaps W/weight material than again it may be just soft lead I'm pouring. I'm not a dedicated pistol shooter or rifle shooter. So my lead bullets/balls vari in materials. I guess it boils down too. _"You leave lead to cool in your casting furnace. Or you don't. Either way is just personal preference."

Rifleman1776 · January 21, 2014, 09:46 AM

Quote:

They all drip.

My Lyman didn't drip.
Sadly, it rusted apart while in a "dry" storage unit.

Mike / Tx · January 21, 2014, 09:38 PM

Sure Shot, I totally am getting the meaning of those senior moments, and I have a ways to go before I actually can be considered a senior...

As for mine, I store my ingots in plastic flip top storage boxes. They will hold about 50# worth of corn cob ingots. When I am pouring it is just about like when I am loading, I have the box of alloy I use sitting there beside the pot. If I leave any in it, when I come back the box is usually still sitting there.

All it takes is a heat up and dump if I want to change, and I pour what ever is still in the pot into one of the 4 cavity Castboolit ingot molds. When cool they go back in the proper box. The other plan is to simply grab up the last mold I was using or sometimes even the one I and planning on using at the time and just pour up a mess of bullets with it. Either way I can still use them or put them back in the box for later.

totalloser · February 7, 2014, 02:30 PM

I just tap the rod with my wood mixing stick when mine starts to drip.

January 14, 2014, 06:57 PM	#1
Swampman1 Senior Member Join Date: February 17, 2013 Location: South Louisiana Posts: 432	Lee bottom pour...drip...drip...drip OK I know it's a common problem, but how do I stop it?

January 14, 2014, 07:50 PM	#3
Beagle333 Senior Member Join Date: January 7, 2012 Location: Auburn, AL. Posts: 2,332	Yes, turn it back and forth a few times, and put some weight on the handle. Some folks screw the end off and add washers, but HomeDepot sells a nifty little set of vice grips for 2 bucks that'll hang there just perfectly and add the right amount of weight. (GP100man gets credit for the vice grip idea. I got it from him.) __________________ . . . Have a Colt and a smile.

January 14, 2014, 08:27 PM	#5
Mike / Tx Senior Member Join Date: April 8, 2000 Posts: 2,101	I cleaned everything out really good, then went after mine with some Clover valve lapping compound. After I was done I had close to a 3/16" seating area compared to the 1/16 I started out with. I could probably get more out of it if I wanted to spend another hour or more twirling and wiping out the excess goop. Now about the only time it drips is after half a dozen or more sessions when I don't empty the pot. After I DO empty it and give it a halfway decent scrubbing out to remove all of the accumulated junk that sticks to the sides and bottom it works like a charm again. __________________ LAter, Mike / TX

January 17, 2014, 06:47 PM	#16
snuffy Senior Member Join Date: May 20, 2001 Location: Oshkosh wi. Posts: 3,055	Well,,,--- we still don't know which lee pot the O.P. is talking about--// BUT here's my solution to an occasional drip from my pro-20. I took a 1" drill, cut a hole in a 1.5" hardwood dowel. Filled it with lead. Then a hole drilled into the lead undersized of the stud on the valve handle, then simply screwed it on in place of the wood handle. I'm not sure how much it weighs, over the upper capacity limit of my 750 grain RCBS digital scale. It worked, is all I wanted. __________________ The more people I meet, the more I love my dog They're going to get their butts kicked over there this election. How come people can't spell and use words correctly?

January 20, 2014, 12:10 PM	#20
snuffy Senior Member Join Date: May 20, 2001 Location: Oshkosh wi. Posts: 3,055	If you don't leave some lead in the pot, it takes a lot longer to melt lead for your next casting session. Reason? Contact with the heated pot is what melts the lead. If you put ingots into the empty pot, they are not contacting the inside of the pot in very many places. An inch of lead in the bottom will melt faster but if the pot is left ½ full, it'll melt even faster,,(because the heating element is positioned just below half way down). I empty mine about once a year, or after ten casting sessions. I have 2 of them so it's not all that often. There's a good collection of crud really nailed onto the sides and bottom of the pot. I take it outside in a good wind so I don't breath those dangerous lead oxides. I take the valve and lever off to be able to get at everything. I use a big wire wheel and wire cup brush in a high speed ¼ inch drill motor. __________________ The more people I meet, the more I love my dog They're going to get their butts kicked over there this election. How come people can't spell and use words correctly?

January 14, 2014, 07:42 PM	#2
Swampman1 Senior Member Join Date: February 17, 2013 Location: South Louisiana Posts: 432	OK I just read where I should try turning the valve screw back and forth a few times. I'll try it tomorrow.

January 14, 2014, 08:21 PM	#4
Goatwhiskers Senior Member Join Date: April 8, 2009 Location: Batchelor, La. Posts: 579	Mine's a 10lb pot, same problem. Tried the recommended methods, no luck. Finally parted with most of 20 bucks and replaced the liner and valve rod, so far, so good, no leaks. GW

January 14, 2014, 09:50 PM	#6
saleen322 Senior Member Join Date: March 8, 2010 Posts: 778	I have used one for decades. It does drip sometimes so I just have an old screwdriver laying there for just that purpose. It starts to drip, just give it 1/2 a turn or so and the leak stops. No problem.

January 15, 2014, 09:38 AM	#9
Rifleman1776 Senior Member Join Date: April 25, 2010 Location: Arkansas Posts: 3,309	Don't turn your back. Better to buy a Lyman. Check out this thread: http://thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=526710

January 15, 2014, 10:23 AM	#10
salvadore Junior member Join Date: January 1, 2007 Location: Idaho Posts: 2,282	I gave up on bottom pours years ago. My 10lb Lee has a screw in bottom hole and is used to melt stick on WW outside. Will probably do the same with the 20lb Lee. My go to pot is a 20lb Lyman dipper.

January 15, 2014, 01:20 PM	#11
Axelwik Senior Member Join Date: March 12, 2012 Location: Land of Enchantment Posts: 436	They all drip. So what... I simply place something below to catch it. Once it accumulates enough it goes back into the pot. I'm not sure why people have such a big problem with this. What counts to me is whether it produces good quality bullets, and it does.

January 15, 2014, 06:49 PM	#13
JohnMoses Senior Member Join Date: April 11, 2008 Posts: 197	On the 20 pounder .. I just lift the lever and smack it with my sprue mallet. It squirts a little, but you're wearing your leather apron right? If there's a chunk 'o something blocking the spout this works well. It always makes me feel better.

January 15, 2014, 07:08 PM	#14
Daffy Member Join Date: December 24, 2012 Posts: 63	What Snuffy said. + I always leave some in the pot, helps keep it clean.

January 15, 2014, 10:18 PM	#15
chris in va Senior Member Join Date: December 26, 2004 Location: Louisville KY Posts: 13,806	I emptied my 10# recently and discovered the spout was encrusted with heavy rust. A bit of work with Chore Boy wrapped around a 22 bronze brush cleaned most of it out, but I still have to turn the pin to cut down on drips.

January 18, 2014, 09:40 AM	#17
Swampman1 Senior Member Join Date: February 17, 2013 Location: South Louisiana Posts: 432	Sorry guys, I failed to point out that it's the 4-20 pro. Yesterday I did some pouring, and sure enough it started dripping. I drained the pot completely, and added a few ingots. This time the drip wasn't quite as bad. Put a screwdriver to it, going back and forth a few times and all dripping stopped for the remainder of the session. We'll see if it holds up.

January 19, 2014, 11:32 PM	#19
Sure Shot Mc Gee Senior Member Join Date: January 2, 2012 Location: Minnesota Posts: 3,876	I don't leave lead in mine to cool. I've always emptied the "pot" when done casting. Then for maintenance sake. I always drop a little piece of old hard patch lube/wax down by its drain orifice and valve while its still a little hot. Helps to keep the area freed up and void of lead & dirt. >I think.< Then again I don't have a Lee Pot either. I believe the directions that came with my smelting furnace said to empty it after each use. Just an old Mag 20 I manage to get by with in my casting secession's.

January 20, 2014, 08:59 PM	#22
Sure Shot Mc Gee Senior Member Join Date: January 2, 2012 Location: Minnesota Posts: 3,876	A few that have stated they leave lead in their pots to cool. Past experiences I've learned from has taught me no matter how old I was I still had those senior moments trying to remember just what lead recipe I was last working with when I did the same a couple times in the past. As I do cast with different lead recipes. My session's could be pure Linotype or perhaps W/weight material than again it may be just soft lead I'm pouring. I'm not a dedicated pistol shooter or rifle shooter. So my lead bullets/balls vari in materials. I guess it boils down too. _"You leave lead to cool in your casting furnace. Or you don't. Either way is just personal preference."

January 21, 2014, 09:38 PM	#24
Mike / Tx Senior Member Join Date: April 8, 2000 Posts: 2,101	Sure Shot, I totally am getting the meaning of those senior moments, and I have a ways to go before I actually can be considered a senior... As for mine, I store my ingots in plastic flip top storage boxes. They will hold about 50# worth of corn cob ingots. When I am pouring it is just about like when I am loading, I have the box of alloy I use sitting there beside the pot. If I leave any in it, when I come back the box is usually still sitting there. All it takes is a heat up and dump if I want to change, and I pour what ever is still in the pot into one of the 4 cavity Castboolit ingot molds. When cool they go back in the proper box. The other plan is to simply grab up the last mold I was using or sometimes even the one I and planning on using at the time and just pour up a mess of bullets with it. Either way I can still use them or put them back in the box for later. __________________ LAter, Mike / TX

February 7, 2014, 02:30 PM	#25
totalloser Senior Member Join Date: October 19, 2007 Location: Fort Bragg, CA Posts: 679	I just tap the rod with my wood mixing stick when mine starts to drip. __________________ You only truly believe in freedom if you believe in the freedom of those you disagree.