1st attempt with presto pot a bust

[jimcline]

Hey guys, I need help! I finally got my presto pot together and tried to pour some baits today. Everything went great for the most part but the valve just won't pour. I ran a rod through it to clean it out and that didn't work. I turned the heat up slightly and that did give a momentary trickle, I mean 1 or 2 drops of plastic is all I got. This was going on before I put my glitter in too. The only thing I can think of is that I don't have the stirrer in the world. I'm using a hand blender that I strapped to a piece of aluminum laying across the top of the pot. I'm only using 1 beater in it because I got more movement of the plastic that way. I think maybe it's not close enough to the bottom or the sides. So what should I do? Turn the heat all the way up to 400? Get a better stirrer is one obvious solution, but would it help me get this thing to pour? My valve set-up is like this-3/8 ball valve (brass). The adapter is a chrome fitting that I screwed into the bottom of the pot. The part that screws into the pot is smaller than the part that screws into the valve. The nozzle is a brass 3/8 to 1/4 in. air hose fitting. Any help greatly appreciated, JIM

[Basseducer]

Jim,

I use a 1/2" ball valve with the shortest connector available to get the valve as close to the pot (and the heat) as possible. Then on the out side I use 1/2" to 3/8" or 1/2" to 1/4" depending on how much flow I want. When it's cold like now I have to use a micro torch to heat the valve body until the plastic starts to flow. After that the hot plastic keeps it open. Be careful if you do this as the valve has a nylon washer inside and you can melt it with the torch. Hope this helps.

[bear21211]

Jim I would start by using a 3/8" x 3/8" Brass bushing in the pot. I have found the 1/4" x 3/8" gives me problems stopping up a lot more than 3/8 x 3/8" does. I would not have anything but brass fittings on the pot also. Honestly the paddle set up is not going to effect how the valve flows by a whole lot.Another thing how far from the heating element did you drill the pot for the bushing? If you could send a pic that would be a big help.Using the 3/8 x 1/4 air fitting I would cut to about 1/4" from the Hex part of the fitting . Make that as short as possible. I normally run the full 3/8" nipple on mine and I dont have very many problems stopping up.

Let me know if I can help you in any way.

Hey guys, I need help! I finally got my presto pot together and tried to pour some baits today. Everything went great for the most part but the valve just won't pour. I ran a rod through it to clean it out and that didn't work. I turned the heat up slightly and that did give a momentary trickle, I mean 1 or 2 drops of plastic is all I got. This was going on before I put my glitter in too. The only thing I can think of is that I don't have the stirrer in the world. I'm using a hand blender that I strapped to a piece of aluminum laying across the top of the pot. I'm only using 1 beater in it because I got more movement of the plastic that way. I think maybe it's not close enough to the bottom or the sides. So what should I do? Turn the heat all the way up to 400? Get a better stirrer is one obvious solution, but would it help me get this thing to pour? My valve set-up is like this-3/8 ball valve (brass). The adapter is a chrome fitting that I screwed into the bottom of the pot. The part that screws into the pot is smaller than the part that screws into the valve. The nozzle is a brass 3/8 to 1/4 in. air hose fitting. Any help greatly appreciated, JIM

[jimcline]

Thanks for the replys guys. I think I'm going to open up the hole and put a full 3/8 nipple in the pot. And I'll keep a heat gun on hand to heat the valve with. I drilled the hole within 1/4 in of the element, on the outside of it. Maybe this is the problem. Now I'm just hoping all that plastic won't go to waste. I assume it remelt okay. Thanks again, JIM

[bear21211]

Your Plastic will remelt just fine Jim. I think if you open the hole and use the 3/8 x 3/8 bushing you will be fine. I would also pick up the 3/8" nipple in Brass also . I think you will find it works Great for pouring most molds.

Good Luck

[JSC]

A lot of good advice ... I keep the Heat Gun handy ... have been planing on rigging a heat strip but have not gotten around to it. That was a suggestion from Carolina Mike ... the strip would wrap around the valve. I can have a good pour but if I wait to long between molds it will cool and not be as thin a pour until you get the spot of cooled out ...

Good Luck

JSC

[jimcline]

Your Plastic will remelt just fine Jim. I think if you open the hole and use the 3/8 x 3/8 bushing you will be fine. I would also pick up the 3/8" nipple in Brass also . I think you will find it works Great for pouring most molds.

Good Luck

Thanks Bear, I'll take your advice and work on it. It's funny but I already bought a 3/8 brass nipple to do this anyway. Are you screwing the nipple directly into the pot or a bushing?.

Here's another idea I was pondering. I thought about taking a short piece of 1/2 in soft copper and flaring it and then running it through the bottom of the pot and then J B Welding the flared end into the pot on the inside. then on the outside on the bottom solder an adapter fitting onto the short piece directly under the pot so that the fitting butts directly up to the metal on the bottom of the pot. The other end would screw directly to the valve. This would put the valve closer to the heat and may cut down on plugging. Let me know what you think. JIM

[bear21211]

I use a 3/8 x 3/8 bushing then screw the valve on to the bushing.

I think if you use the 3/8" you will find all the other is not necessary.

I can walk away from my pot for 8 to 10 minutes and come back and hit valve and go back to pouring.