Lee production pot bottom pour!

  • 5.4K Views
  • Last Post 21 February 2012
1kshooter posted this 23 May 2011

Hello to all I was just wondering if anyone had any tips on how to best clean out the lee pots...mine has some crud in the nozzel and it pours real slowly I tried emptying it out and adding pure solder to try a super clean run ....should I be running a small drill bit through it?

thanks very much for your time and help Jonathan

Attached Files

Order By: Standard | Newest | Votes
6pt-sika posted this 23 May 2011

When I'm runnign if it doesn't pour in a steady and straight fashoin I take a large bent paper clip and run it up into the canal from beneath while it's got hot lead in it . Of course I hold the paper clip with visegrips or pliers .

 

I use both a Lee 10-4 and a Lee 20-4 .

Attached Files

billwnr posted this 23 May 2011

6pt-sika wrote: When I'm runnign if it doesn't pour in a steady and straight fashoin I take a large bent paper clip and run it up into the canal from beneath while it's got hot lead in it . Of course I hold the paper clip with visegrips or pliers .

 

I use both a Lee 10-4 and a Lee 20-4 .

My method is similar. I used a small allen wrench and a pair of visegrips.

Bill

Attached Files

RicinYakima posted this 23 May 2011

Empty the pot. When it is cold, clean with hot soapy water, rinse, plug in and turn on to dry. Almost all of the stuff left that sticks to the sides is water soluble. It just washes away with a little help from a brush. However, the water is toxic so you may wish to consider solidifying that and the rinse with plaster of paris or cement before you throw it in the dumpster.

Attached Files

1kshooter posted this 23 May 2011

thanks so much for the ideas i think i have some issues going on with my lead...worked great last year but I have had it out in the garage over the winter (unheated)and it seams i am having a hard time remelting the ingots....they are seperating and I am getting some weird lumpy silver stuff in the pot and also almost layers that don't want to melt??? i will try to get pic's up here to show what I am talking about! Thanks again folks!

Attached Files

1kshooter posted this 23 May 2011

Attached Files

1kshooter posted this 23 May 2011

here is the silver stuff that I have to remove...not dross

Attached Files

1kshooter posted this 23 May 2011

Attached Files

1kshooter posted this 23 May 2011

I am kind of thinking that I am going to have to remelt the whole works and flux it again? ...not sure at all why thiss stuff worked so well last year and not this year?!?!?!

Attached Files

Brodie posted this 23 May 2011

Could you have gotten a tiny bit of zinc in the pot?  Even a zinc plated screw could be enough to curdle your lead. 

I had this happen to me years ago and I drained the pot, cleaned it with a rotary wire brush, ran a small drill bit through the drain, and after all that it performed great.

B.E.Brickey

Attached Files

1kshooter posted this 23 May 2011

I would guess that it is possable that there might be a zinc contamination....could have been in the solder that I used (lead free)for a little bit of tin!

Attached Files

1kshooter posted this 25 May 2011

Old Coot wrote: Could you have gotten a tiny bit of zinc in the pot?  Even a zinc plated screw could be enough to curdle your lead. 

I had this happen to me years ago and I drained the pot, cleaned it with a rotary wire brush, ran a small drill bit through the drain, and after all that it performed great.

:dude:ummmm are screw drivers zink coated?....and could a quick dip in the pot with one contaminate it?

ps. the papper clip trick worked wonders thanks folks...i love this site!:D

Attached Files

Brodie posted this 25 May 2011

I don't know about the screw driver.  I think most are chrome plated or just steel.

B.E.Brickey

Attached Files

1kshooter posted this 26 May 2011

I will get it empty and clean it out...it has turned into a Lee drip-o-matic lol so I am going to try the drill bit trick as well!

Attached Files

JetMech posted this 26 May 2011

1kshooter wrote: I would guess that it is possable that there might be a zinc contamination....could have been in the solder that I used (lead free)for a little bit of tin! Some lead-free solders do have zinc in them. It pays to check the composition before buying.

I have a Lee 10# drip-o-matic myself. Contaminants were a problem when it was the only way I had to melt wheel weights. Now I just use clean metal and the problem is greatly reduced, but still happens ocassionally. The easiest way I've found to clear the spout is to put my dross can under it and just pop the handle up, letting it fall back in place, several times rapidly and the spout clears after a couple pops and you're back in business with a full stream. It only takes a couple seconds and has worked ever time (so far).

Attached Files

1kshooter posted this 26 May 2011

Thanks Dollar Bill, I have been using some of the free solder that was given to me and funny thing I just ran out of the first spool and grabbed the second!!!! thats probley it! Thanks again!

Attached Files

1kshooter posted this 26 May 2011

I have emptied the pot and I am going to try to give it a good cleaning ...any thoughts on this? i was thinking Hot soapy water and a bronze brush?? any beter ideas?? again Thanks folks!

Attached Files

Brodie posted this 27 May 2011

1kshooter. it sounds good to me. I ran into the same thing on another thread and the advice was to turn the pot on and let it boil with the soapy water, but I think that the bronze brush is a better idea.

Brodie

B.E.Brickey

Attached Files

1kshooter posted this 27 May 2011

Thanks Brodie, I think I got it all out..it is still dripping a bit but not to bad ..i wanted to get it cleared up for tomorrow as i have the chance to get my friend into casting!...we both shoot a lot of sabot slugs to practice for deer and I have switched over to cast Lyman 525gr sabots and I am happy with the way they shoot so far, so is he as he now wants to start casting to reap some of the savings as well lol

Attached Files

Savage99 posted this 03 July 2011

My Lyman mag 20 does the same thing after awhile. I completely drain it. Then let it cool down. I use an allen wrench about the size of the hole and with gloves, heat up the grude that has accumulated in the hole. It came out as a chunk, then everything is fine. Also clean the plunger while you have it apart.

Attached Files

salvadore posted this 03 July 2011

I got tired of having to mess with my 10lb lee bottom pour, who knows how it's gonna do this time?, and disassembled the actuator and used a metal screw to plug the hole and am much happier with it. Am planning on doing it with the 20lb pot also, I have nothing but trouble with them. Bought the Lyman 20lb dip pot and use it the most. Do the RCBS and Lyman bottom pours work better?

Attached Files

Show More Posts
Close