Lee pot problem

[George]

My bottom-pour Lee lead melter is completely stopped up. Anyone have a cure for that?

Spence

 

[NEW222]

I am assuming that you have lead in it? Mine is sometimes a problem child as well. And what I do is the following. I get it up to temperature and not necessarily full, but have some melted lead in the pot. I then take a 1/16" piece of wire and bend 1 inch at the end up (roughly 8-10" rod with the end 1" bent upwards past 90 degrees). I then put on a leather glove, hold the rod with it. And with the other hand I am lifting up the handle while inserting the rod you just made into the hole. This process works for me. Just thought to mention that the rod made should look like a number 7 so when you are trying to insert it, your hand is higher than the spout so if it unclogs, the lead does not run down the rod to your hand (this was once tried...) I hope this may help.

 

[George]

Thanks. The pot was obviously not flowing as much as usual or as needed when I started the last casting session. I've probed the spout as you describe a few times in the past with good results, and I did so this time. Many times, in fact., but it never really did seem to help. As the session wore on the stream became thinner and finally got so only drops were coming out, then stopped completely. I've probed it many times, moved the release lever up and down repeatedly, twisted the rod with a screwdriver, etc., etc., to no avail.

There is lead in the pot, and it is heating normally.

Spence

 

[jdw276]

I use a bent paper clip. Put my corn bread mold under the spot, heat the lead, open the spout and work the paper clip till flows the way you want it to. Mine gets clogged with dirt...good luck.

 

[nhmoose]

Still won't hit it with the propane torch for a minute or so

 

[George]

Tried that, no luck. I have it empty and disassembled, now, can't seem to get a probe through the spout from either direction.

Can I run a small drill straight through the spout and channel without ruining it?

Spence

 

[coloradoclyde]

use a very small drill.....it's already Fubar...


You could also try a drop of muriatic acid...
Often they become plugged with rust from the steel pot and that doesn't melt.

 

[NEW222]

Wow. You really have problems then. That is very wierd in my opinion.

 

[coloradoclyde]

Wow. You really have problems then. That is very wierd in my opinion.

It's a fairly common problem.....It will most likely happen to you too eventually..

 

[coloradoclyde]

use a very small drill.....it's already Fubar...


You could also try a drop of muriatic acid...
Often they become plugged with rust from the steel pot and that doesn't melt.

Don't forget to rinse and neutralize the acid....

 

[Tinker2]

Tried that, no luck. I have it empty and disassembled, now, can't seem to get a probe through the spout from either direction.

Can I run a small drill straight through the spout and channel without ruining it?

Spence

After not using mine for a long time I had the same problem and tried the same things.

I used a piece of drill rod with the end shaped like a cold chisel turned the pot on and
dropped in a chunk of wax. It did open it up quick, had liquid fire coming out.

Work for me, good luck.


William Alexander

 

[Stumpkiller]

Spence,

Small paperclip bent to an "L" and held in pliers would be my line of attack as well.

If you get it clean then next time leave it half full of lead when you turn it off. It hardens and makes a great sealant of the mechanism until the next time. Crud floats, so if you keep lead in it the crud never gets down to the spout.

Just make sure that when you next use it you put a pan or ingot mold under the spout until it's warmed up. Mine once somehow reheated and lifted the stopper and I had a small stream running onto my bench to make a lead stalagmite before I noticed!

 

[George]

Thanks to everyone for the advice. I tried them all, none worked, I've decided the pot is kaput. There is something metallic in the spout, too hard to be drilled out.

Back to baseline. I'll use it just to melt lead, dip and mold with a small ladle I have. I don't shoot enough to really need a high-production pot, these days. That one served me well for more than 25 years, I ain't complaining.

Spence

 

[coloradoclyde]

Thanks to everyone for the advice. I tried them all, none worked, I've decided the pot is kaput. There is something metallic in the spout, too hard to be drilled out.

Did the end of your stopper rod break off in the hole?

 

[George]

No, it's intact, and I can see the valve seat, which looks OK.

Spence

 

[Rifleman1776]

Tried that, no luck. I have it empty and disassembled, now, can't seem to get a probe through the spout from either direction.

Can I run a small drill straight through the spout and channel without ruining it?

Spence

Fuggitit. :shake:
The Lee bottom pour is a pitiful design and even if you 'fix' it is sure to clog up again.
I stopped using the bottom pour feature on mine years ago and now only dip. Works almost as fast as bottom pour and, I believe, gives me more control.
If you really want bottom pour pay the BIG BUCKS :shocked2: and get a Lyman.

 

[George]

I've heard a lot of people complain about their bottom pour pots over the years, but mine was never a problem, and it threw good balls.

I don't mind having to dip and pour, I think it probably makes better balls because of the high speed of filling the mold, especially for larger balls.

I do have a question about it...what kind of ladle is best? I see many different designs offered for sale, which to choose. Or, can I do just as well with some kind of make do, say a table spoon bent to shape?

Spence

 

[nhmoose]

http://www.titanreloading.com/service-parts/mold-and-melter-parts

Spence you have it apart go here for replacement parts.

 

[Kansas Jake]

Spence, I have a Lyman ladle. The small one with a short tube like spout. I really like it. I have also used a table spoon in the past and at one point when I moved and couldn't find my Lyman, I used a small steel gravy ladle and bent a small notch in the lip with a pliers. It worked well enough.

 

[mooman76]

Allot of people don't like it but I've been using the Lee ladle for years. I tweaked it a little though. I bent it so it's level going into and out of the pot and I filed the spout to smooth it so the lead pours more direct.