Melting pots

[jtmattison]

Just curious about what types of melting pots folks use.
I was using a pot on my Coleman stove to melt lead.
A very good (and generous) friend of mine gave me a brand new Lee production pot IV and it's awesome.

Huntin

 

[Stumpkiller]

I have an ancient cast-iron pot that I believe is a plumber's pot for melting pipe sealing lead. It's about 5" round and 4" deep with a round bottom and no "feet" or pour lip. Not the handiest of designs but it works. I use this on the trusty Coleman for the first melt to clean up nasty lead and pour ingots. Then, I have an electric Lee bottom-pour pot for casting balls. Using only "pre-refined" lead in the electric pot keeps it relatively clean and flowing smooth.

 

[bulletman]

good ole coleman stove here and the pot is about 12 inches wide and 5 inches deep, holds more than I care to cast at a time. Usually I can cast a good months worth of balls and bullets for my Military guns, usually shoot every other day or so, sometimes every day.all hand made rounds.

 

[RussB]

I have an ancient cast-iron pot that I believe is a plumber's pot for melting pipe sealing lead. It's about 5" round and 4" deep with a round bottom and no "feet" or pour lip. Not the handiest of designs but it works. I use this on the trusty Coleman for the first melt to clean up nasty lead and pour ingots. Then, I have an electric Lee bottom-pour pot for casting balls. Using only "pre-refined" lead in the electric pot keeps it relatively clean and flowing smooth.

Stumpkiller...as far as "keeping it clean and flowing smooth", I could use some of that.
I have a couple of Lee Pots, both bottom pours, and both a pain for keeping clean and flowing smoothly. Due to this, I have gone to the stove, iron pot, and dipping. I'm not telling you this method is better, just less frustrating.
Also, for years I was using Marvelux flux from Brownells when I discovered this was "most likely" the cause of my problems as it creates "Cling-ons"...Sounds like Star Wars :crackup:
Anyway, "cling-ons" can best be described as dross / impurities that sticks to the pot and is not dipped off or mixed when fluxing and stiring.
I was told to use, of all things...kitty litter...for fluxing, which I tried, I was very pleased with the results in the electric pots. I don't have any of these problems when using my "pot on the stove" method...go figure!
I'm going to try to show you two pots here, the one on the left is a small 10# pot that kitty litter was never used in, only Marvelux.
The other, on the right, is a 20# pot and "kitty litter" is all that I've used for fluxing.
BTW, The pot on the left cleans up real nice, it's just a pain to go through every time you use it.

 

[Stumpkiller]

WOW! Mine looked like that one on the right, but then I plugged it in.

I always leave a few pounds of lead in the bottom so the air never gets to the components to rust them and the lighter crud never settles to the spout. Lee recommends that, and it's worked for me. (Just make sure you stay and monitor the warm up. It's hard to get three pounds of lead off a mold & handles that were under the spout when the lead was melting, but not enough to allow the handle weight to close the spout Or so I've heard . . . twice.)

 

[RussB]

WOW! Mine looked like that one on the right, but then I plugged it in.

I always leave a few pounds of lead in the bottom so the air never gets to the components to rust them and the lighter crud never settles to the spout. Lee recommends that, and it's worked for me. (Just make sure you stay and monitor the warm up. It's hard to get three pounds of lead off a mold & handles that were under the spout when the lead was melting, but not enough to allow the handle weight to close the spout Or so I've heard . . . twice.)

I've heard pro's & con's on this practice of leaving lead in the pot and consequently I'm no longer sure of this. Sometimes I do, sometimes I don't.
I've "heard" you can get moisture under the lead from temperature changes....That won't show up until it's stired, thus creating a pot explosion?????.
Now that scares me! Albeit I can't figure out how in the world that could happen, as the growing heat would surely evaporate anything there. Other (old tyme casters) swear this can happen....I dunnno! Perhaps it's just another of those old wives tales about things not well understood.
Also, as you mention, "the drip". Ain't nothing that can drip quite as well as a lead pot when the handle is not completely closed...five pound of lead can act like a hundred pounds when you are trying to catch it, and stop the drip at the same time.
I have decided that little screw slot on the rod should be named " the appeaser". That seems to be it's only purpose, to "appease" the caster.
I enjoy casting. Plain and simple. I have been casting for better than 40 years, and I cast for everything I shoot, except for one .243 Win.
All my muzzleloaders, I cast for. All my handguns, I cast for. And, all my other rifles except for that one. Casting seems to add a certain flavor to shootin that is just not there without it.
Russ