Lee Pro 4-20

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  • Last Post 21 November 2008
CB posted this 21 October 2008

I just ordered one of these today because I seem to be accumulating some gang moulds and don't have a bottom pour pot. As a matter of fact I've never bottom poured at all. Are they any good? Anything need to be done to improve them?

Pat

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CB posted this 21 October 2008

Pat,

 

I have used a 10 pounder for over 20 years and a 20 pounder for a year now, I would not go back to laddle casting.

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Jerry

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LeadHead posted this 22 October 2008

pat i. wrote: I just ordered one of these today because I seem to be accumulating some gang moulds and don't have a bottom pour pot. As a matter of fact I've never bottom poured at all..........

PatWELCOME to the “Dark Side” of bullet casting...........   :)I understand there are a lot of SCOOPERS (laddle casters) on this board.  But when you move to gang molds (4+ cavities), you NEED a good bottom-pouring casting pot.  .

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RicinYakima posted this 22 October 2008

Pat,

  1. Cast with a drip pan under the spout, as they tend to drip.

  2. Use a thermometer to set casting temperature, as the pot's is sensitive to ambient temperature variations.

  3. Cast all the left over lead from the session into ingots and don't leave the lead in the pot for storage.

  4. Clean the pot after casting, I use a small wire brush on a drill motor, especially around the spout. The crucible is high quality stainless and cleans easily and lesses dirt from holding the shutoff up and lessens dripping.

I have had a 10# for over 30 years that I have converted to dipping and never had a single problem with it, other than dripping. The lead pots are Lee's highest quality product.

Ric

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CB posted this 22 October 2008

I've read in a couple of other places that the pots tend to drip and can't understand why there's not a way to fix it. Some guys say it drips a lot and others say not too bad. There's even suggestions of clamping a set of cheap vice grips on the rod to add weight.  I guess I'll just have to wait til it gets here to see what's up.

 

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CB posted this 22 October 2008

Maybe we should ask the very wise sage, Michael at Ranch Dog Molds, he generally has a cure for about everything with Lee stuff.

http://www.ranchdogmolds.com/>http://www.ranchdogmolds.com/

or ask the question on his company's forum:

http://ranchdogmolds.com/index.php>http://ranchdogmolds.com/index.php

 

Jerry

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RicinYakima posted this 22 October 2008

Pat,

The stoppage rod is part of the problem. It is a straight cut smaller than the orifice. The end of the cut is about 90 degrees. Any dirt or imperfections allows the rod to be lifted off the orifice plate. This is welded into the bottom of the crucible. I've tried mating them and hand lapping, but it didn't work for me. Other pots have a tapering wedge shape that tends to push dirt out the orifice.

It isn't that big of deal, just messy and not the way it is suppose to be. I just dropped the drippings back into the pot when adding sprue cuttings.

Ric

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CB posted this 22 October 2008

Cure for the drip problem

http://ranchdogmolds.com/viewtopic.php?t=34>http://ranchdogmolds.com/viewtopic.php?t=34

Jerry

 

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CB posted this 24 October 2008

 I received the pot today and have to say it's not bad for the money. The rod is a little weird and looks like someone used a file to put a taper on the bottom where it fits in the valve, at least I can tell you it wasn't cut with a lathe. Heated up fast and didn't drip from the start so at least that's good. The rod itself is a little on the light side and that might contribute to the dripping problem also. If it does start to leak it doesn't look like it would be that hard to fix. All in all not a bad deal for 65 bucks.

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CB posted this 09 November 2008

Pat

I like the handle on the 4-20. I have a 10# model and yes it drips. Your 4-20 handle looks like a better set-up than the 10# handle. Since you have never used a bottom pour when you pour ingots take it slow in the begining till you get a feel for what you are doing. You can get a bad splatter in the ingot mold if you run too fast. Should last your lifetime.

Stephen Perry

Angeles BR:fire

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454PB posted this 09 November 2008

I keep a dental pick handy while casting. Every hundred pours, I insert the pick up into the spout, then open the valve and run it in and out a few times. A small amount of lead will land on the aluminum base and can be returned to the pot. The trick is to keep that crud from building inside the spout.

 

Every 200 pounds or so, I remove the lift linkage and free the metering rod. Attach a small cordless drill to the top of the rod, get it spinning, and press down lightly. This laps the rod into the valve seat and saves having to completely disassemble it for cleaning.

 

Every 500 pounds or so, I remove the valve assembly, clean it, clean the pot interior, and clean the contacts on the thermostat with emery cloth or a point file.

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Ranch Dog posted this 10 November 2008

miestro_jerry wrote: Cure for the drip problem

http://ranchdogmolds.com/viewtopic.php?t=34>http://ranchdogmolds.com/viewtopic.php?t=34

Jerry

 

Jerry,

That is one of the topics that I trashed when I chewed up my forum. I will add it to my list of stuff to rebuilt. Basically, my topic involves lapping the valve and valve rod. It will cure a dripping pot pronto.

For the fellow that has the new pot...

Take it apart and apply Permatex Anti Seize #133 to the tip of the valve rod were it sets into the valve (this is in the Lee instructions that come with the pot ). That is the first step.

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Nuther Mug posted this 10 November 2008

Jiggling/twisting  the rod stops the drip.. To make it easier I put a wooden knob ( dowel ) on it . The pot sits on an aluminum cooky sheet .

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vmwilson posted this 20 November 2008

((Jiggling/twisting  the rod stops the drip.. To make it easier I put a wooden knob ( dowel ) on it . The pot sits on an aluminum cooky sheet .))

Don't know why I never thought of a knob, sure a lot easier than a stubby screwdriver.  Course it about drove me nuts making a couple with my limited imagination and/or tools, but both my 10 pounders now have knobs and all it usually ever took me was a twist or two.  Thanks for the idea!

 

 

Mike

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JetMech posted this 21 November 2008

I welded a short piece of 1/4 X 20 allthread on the end and screwed and old lathe handle on it. Works great.

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vmwilson posted this 21 November 2008

Another reason I should have learned how to weld!

Mike

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