Help with clogged Lee Production Pot

[Snydly]

After I lift the handle to pour lead ,, as I return the handle to its resting place I give it a slight bump to make sure it is all the way down. Doesn't completely stop the drips but it slows it to about one drip every 2-3 minutes. I can live with that.

 

[deerstalkert]

drain your pot. when cool remove the rod and bail. chuck the rod in a drill and polish the tapered end with crocus paper till it shines.
take a 22cal bronze brush and spin it in the pour spout cavity. make sure to get the packed fumunda out . 99% of the time you will see a hole all the way through but the fumunda packs into the tapered portion and won't let the tip of the rod seat.
if using reclaimed lead with any smut on them the dirt settled into the pour channel and slowly packs.
i clean mine before every session. i hate those little stalagmites that a dripping pot makes.
the wife thinks they are cute and dresses them up for christmas tree ornaments. lose too much shooting lead that way!!!!!!!

 

[mushka]

I've found over time that frequent fluxing reduces the problem for me.

 

[Flintlock]

I ignore the tine drip and use a dipper instead, greatly prefer it this way.

 

[flntlokr]

I have been using a Lee production pot for +20 years. It sometimes drips a bit. When it doesn't clear by twisting the rod, I runa 1/16" dirll bit up the hole and give it a good wipe. I have an old disc brake piston below the spout that catches the drips and supports the mold while I pour. I usually leave a small amount of lead in the pot when I finish pouring so that any 'crust' or oxide from the surface or sides of the pot doesn't get into the spout and cause sealing problems next time.

 

[R Ellis]

I use a small paper clip that is straight except for a hook on one end to stick in the bottom hole it is longer than a finish nail and works for me

 

[Rifleman1776]

Gave up with the clogging and dripping. Now I dip. Works for me.

 

[ohio ramrod]

I have found that letting the level in your pot get below 1/2 full tends to increase pluging/dripping. I keep my pot always at leat 1/2 full and have no problems. I also wait about 1/2 minute after adding lead to start pouring so that any slag has a chance to rise to the top. I also put a weight on the handle l so that it remains fully closed while cooling after casting.

 

[R Ellis]

I have found that letting the level in your pot get below 1/2 full tends to increase pluging/dripping. I keep my pot always at leat 1/2 full and have no problems. I also wait about 1/2 minute after adding lead to start pouring so that any slag has a chance to rise to the top. I also put a weight on the handle l so that it remains fully closed while cooling after casting.

The handle weight is a good idea I will try it but don't have much trouble now

 

[J. Paul]

I use 4 Lee pots, have cast with one of them for 40+ years. Many thousands of bullets of every size and description. Bottom pour and dipper. They can leak occasionally. In the instructions they recommend turning the rod with a screw driver stop a drip, it works.

Spout freeze is also a problem that seems to disappear with use. One thing that helps me is to not touch the spout to the mold, leave a little space. It lets the lead flow freely and tends to keep the spout free. A clean (well fluxed) melt helps. Really don't have much trouble with freeze. I have used a small propane torch to heat the spout a little more a few times. Again, clean lead, proper temp and it should work.

I have my pot et up in a baking pan. The ones with about a 1/2 in edge. It makes it much safer if a leak develops and will hold the entire contents of the pot. Left it unattended while it heated one day, it works.

I know other pots are better, but I have less than the cost of one in the 4 I have. Guess I am just cheap.

Don

My experiences are close to the same. 1 pot I bought in 1980 is my main for lead, a second one I bought for wheel weights and the 3rd was too good of a price at an auction.

 

[Reno]

You know I’ve not had these problems with any of the Lee pots I’ve had or have. During heat up if it does not flow I use a long but flat screwdriver and get to the spout area, yes there is molten lead in the pot, kind of scrape the spout on the inside and it starts and no problems from there on. This is during heat up. And this is only an occasional issue. Then I also adjust the rate of flow depending on the heat and type mix that is in the pot. I do use flux often and dip out what floats up.
but I also have one pot that is dedicated to pure lead only.

 

[maillemaker]

Every 6 months or so I re-drill out the nozzle.

Dripping is inevitable with the pot. I keep a little metal tray under the spout and let it build up a little stalagmite and then turn the tray towards me to keep the stalagmite between me and the impact zone of the drops. This shields me from splatter.

I only ladle-pour when casting hollow-based bullets. I find any other way produces internal voids in the bullet. I don't like ladle-pouring as it churns the surface of the melt and produces a ton of dross.

 

[morehops52]

Finally got to the pot today. I cleaned the rod tip and bevel. Scraped some obvious scum out and re drilled the spout hole. I'll add a little more weight to the handle when I cast again. Appreciate the help and suggestions.

 

[Joemolf]

My first casting run was last week and went really well. I cast up several hundred maxis and they came out great with a low reject rate. The Lee pot ran well most of the time with the usual (from my reading here) drips and occasional minor clog. I'm using 99.9% pure lead and I get the nice color sheen on the top. I flux with wax and skim when needed.
I left about an inch of lead in the pot last time. This week things did not go well. I kept getting drips and clogs constantly. Eventually I dumped the pot to clean the rod tip and check out the pot. I gave the rod a light sanding at the tip and could see a hole at the spout. I even turned the heat up to get 800+ degrees. It didn't last long until the spout just dripped slowly and then closed over for good. My guess is that I added some old Great Plains bullets that were laying around to the pot. While i tried to brush off most of the old dried lube but there was always some left. I only added about 5-7 per pot of lead 99% but maybe there was enough crud to clog it up. I thought it would flux out and get skimmed off. My other thought is that I wasn't initially running hot enough although I used the same setting as last week.
Anyway my thoughts are 1. Turn the pot upside down and heat the out side of the spout with a propane torch and try to melt and burn out the clog.
2. drill out the spout with 1/16' drill bit. 3. open to suggestions.
I really like the speed that I can cast when it runs good and prefer not to ladle cast if I can avoid it.

Right wrong or indifferent I opened my drip hole up using a #50 drill. I got the pot hot and using a 40 cal bronze brush got the alignment bushing nice and clean. It works fine and the pot holds water. The speed of the pour is a bit faster but no problem. I think a number 50 is a few thousand larger than 1/16 and I used a 6 inch going in from the top to avoid a burr

 

[Whughett]

My first pot. , used from a gun show, 25 years or so ago dripped. I had the tip welded shut and went to a ladle. My second a small Lee, bought used at a LGS, ditto. A brand new Lee purchased on sale last summer drips also. I just let the column reach the spout and it stops. Haven’t used bottom pour since the first Lyman.
All three pots work. I just stick to the first one the Lyman now.

 

[The Appalachian]

I'm in the "hate the bottom pour" camp, and for all the same reasons. Plugged my Lee pot with small screw many many moons ago and dug out the ladle. Zero issues.

 

[shaman]

I've been pouring with a Lee Production pot since about 2005. Yeah, I get drips occasionally.

1) there's a screw on top of the handle assembly. That needs to be adjusted properly.
2) Use only clean alloy in your pot. Never use it for smelting. I have a hot plate and an old metal pot that I use for smelting. From there, I pour ingots and it is only clean ingots that go into my production pot.
3) Flux is your friend. It's amazing how flux gets the crud to lift off surfaces and gets it to float to the top. I'll have a drip problem, and I'll just re-flux and it's magic.
4) The type of flux you're using is important. I use paraffin for a final flux to get things ready to pour, but I use (of all things) dried oak leaves for getting the bottom spigot ready for pouring. Some folks use sawdust. I just have plenty of oak trees in the yard. Swishing crumbled leaves into the pour usually does the trick for me.
5) Temperature. If I'm doing soft lead, I run it up all the way until things melt and then knock it back to about 8 to pour. Too cold and it won't flow right. Too hot, and I'll get drips.

I usually don't leave anything in the pot when I'm done. I drain the pot into a ingot mold and then unplug the unit and overturn it onto a flat roc and give it a good rap. Whatever comes out at the end is laden with dross. I save it and recycle that into my next smelt, but it never goes back into the production pot as-is.

 

[smoothshooter]

My first casting run was last week and went really well. I cast up several hundred maxis and they came out great with a low reject rate. The Lee pot ran well most of the time with the usual (from my reading here) drips and occasional minor clog. I'm using 99.9% pure lead and I get the nice color sheen on the top. I flux with wax and skim when needed.
I left about an inch of lead in the pot last time. This week things did not go well. I kept getting drips and clogs constantly. Eventually I dumped the pot to clean the rod tip and check out the pot. I gave the rod a light sanding at the tip and could see a hole at the spout. I even turned the heat up to get 800+ degrees. It didn't last long until the spout just dripped slowly and then closed over for good. My guess is that I added some old Great Plains bullets that were laying around to the pot. While i tried to brush off most of the old dried lube but there was always some left. I only added about 5-7 per pot of lead 99% but maybe there was enough crud to clog it up. I thought it would flux out and get skimmed off. My other thought is that I wasn't initially running hot enough although I used the same setting as last week.
Anyway my thoughts are 1. Turn the pot upside down and heat the out side of the spout with a propane torch and try to melt and burn out the clog.
2. drill out the spout with 1/16' drill bit. 3. open to suggestions.
I really like the speed that I can cast when it runs good and prefer not to ladle cast if I can avoid it.

Inserting a large paper clip that has one of the ends straightened out to about a 90 degree angle clears most if my clogs when inserted in from the bottom while the lead is at casting temperature.
Drilling out the hole some is always a good idea too.

 

[1BadDart]

I've been pouring with a Lee Production pot since about 2005. Yeah, I get drips occasionally.

1) there's a screw on top of the handle assembly. That needs to be adjusted properly.
2) Use only clean alloy in your pot. Never use it for smelting. I have a hot plate and an old metal pot that I use for smelting. From there, I pour ingots and it is only clean ingots that go into my production pot.
3) Flux is your friend. It's amazing how flux gets the crud to lift off surfaces and gets it to float to the top. I'll have a drip problem, and I'll just re-flux and it's magic.
4) The type of flux you're using is important. I use paraffin for a final flux to get things ready to pour, but I use (of all things) dried oak leaves for getting the bottom spigot ready for pouring. Some folks use sawdust. I just have plenty of oak trees in the yard. Swishing crumbled leaves into the pour usually does the trick for me.
5) Temperature. If I'm doing soft lead, I run it up all the way until things melt and then knock it back to about 8 to pour. Too cold and it won't flow right. Too hot, and I'll get drips.

I usually don't leave anything in the pot when I'm done. I drain the pot into a ingot mold and then unplug the unit and overturn it onto a flat roc and give it a good rap. Whatever comes out at the end is laden with dross. I save it and recycle that into my next smelt, but it never goes back into the production pot as-is.

Where? The rod on mine has a slot, but it doesn't adjust anything.

 

[shaman]

As I was finding this pic, I realized they've changed the design.

My suggestion is call Lee's support number. Ask them how to deal with drips. I've called them several times in the past and always had good results. A bottom pour pot is kind of a no-brainer for me. I don't know why so many folks have trouble.