Lee Production Pot problem

[7even6ix2wo]

I was attempting to cast some 00 buck a bit ago. And the lead spout on my Production Pot is quite plugged up. It does not pour smoothly at all, so I get terrible looking 00. Anybody have any suggestions on how to unplug it? I used to just poke a wire up there and it would usually clear up the problem temporarily. Now when I do it, it doesn't help too much. Seems to be pretty thoroughly clogged.

 

[45-70 Ranger]

I had similar problems with a 30 year old unit. It finally got to the point that the spout was so messed up, I pulled the plunger system. Plugged the spout from the inside. And made it into a 10# dipping pot. I had tried to clear the spout with everything I could, but it was simply beyond repair. I believe that the spout is fixed and cannot be removed and replaced with another. I may be wrong on his, but I could find no way to remove it, thus I just plugged it up and us the pot for dipping now. Good news is that a replacement pot is not that much and will likely get me another one.

Hope someone else has beter news for you on this. Good luck in clearing the problem.


Wade

 

[Maximumbob54]

You have filth build up around the needle. You need to work on using clean lead or cleaning in a non bottom pour pot first. The only way I have found to clean the pot is to drain it and start scrubbing. If it isn't too bad, you can take a small brad nail and hold it with a needle nose and roto rooter out the nozzle some. I put my ingot mold under it while I'm doing this. That will help you to drain the pot all the way. Wait until you see the crud at the bottom.

 

[Varmiter]

I solved this problem years ago.

Order a new needle for your pot. Take your old needle and carefully grind the tip (the entire profile) just short of half way through. When done, your tip should look normal from one side and a flat profile on the other.

Take the correct sized drill bit, and by hand, clean the spout from the bottom. You may have to use a smaller bit to start with and work up depending on how much crud you have. Once that is done, install you old needle and once done, rotate it in the spout. The entire profile is now acting like a scraper and will remove the crud from the entire profile. I usually rinse with water to flush everything out.

Now the entire profile of the spout should be clean enough for your new needle to work properly.

Good luck,

Chris

 

[popper]

Just got one of these and have question - do you drain the pot when done or just leave the lead in it? From what I've read, I need to lap the valve before I first use it. Any tips appreciated.

 

[grubbylabs]

That sounds like some excellent advise for when it is my turn to have this problem.

My pot is only a year or two old and I only put clean ingots in it, I suspect that at some point I will have some issues.

 

[Varmiter]

If the casting session went well, I generally leave some lead in the pot. On the heat up, some lead in the bottom seems to speed up the melting process.

However, if the spout is leaking badly, I empty the pot so I can clean the needle and spout as I just described once it’s cooled down.

You MAY need to lap in a new needle, but I have never had to do that.

Chris

 

[grubbylabs]

So far my only leaking problem was my fault. So I always leave my pot full.

 

[popper]

I assume one needs to put a good sized 'catch pan' under the pot when you start it up.

 

[USSR]

Simply take a paper clip and bend it so that a short end of it points up and the remainder of it is out so that it is not under the spout. Then just work it around in the spout occasionally.

Don

 

[243winxb]

Use maximum heat. Clean alloy only. When done casting for the day, drain pot, clean. Remove the plunger/stopper & clean with steel wool. If this doesnt help, drill out the spout to the next larger hole size. Alloys with high percentage of copper will plug the hole.

 

[GP100man]

Yep ,time to drain & clean.

Ya can try the paper clip trick but in the end it`ll have to be drained & cleaned .

I do this at regular intervals(10pot fulls) so my session is`nt interupted !

My Lyman has yet to show signs of cloggin.

 

[7even6ix2wo]

Ya, this is a pot my buddies and I went in on for a first run at casting, it's just been sitting around for awhile now and now that I got this 00 mold I decided to fire it up, but long story short, when we started we did use some dirty lead. Looks like my project tomorrow is to drain and clean it.