brendandrage Posted November 17, 2009 Report Share Posted November 17, 2009 Hi all, Just received my new lee melting pot, and its great except for when you turn it back on with cold lead in the pot, it seems to leak everywhere. I read the instructions and it says to turn the screw but you cant while the lead is still melting can anyone help me out here? I have the burnt fingers that prove it leaks... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cadman Posted November 17, 2009 Report Share Posted November 17, 2009 (edited) Hi all, Just received my new lee melting pot, and its great except for when you turn it back on with cold lead in the pot, it seems to leak everywhere. I read the instructions and it says to turn the screw but you cant while the lead is still melting can anyone help me out here? I have the burnt fingers that prove it leaks... Brendan, If you are starting a new day with a cold pot and waiting for the lead to warm up and get hot then yes all three of my pots leak. First of all you have to be there and watch when the flow starts to do this, so you can catch it in time. #1. Always have a small can or two nearby to catch any lead that drips or starts to pour out. #2 When the lead starts to heat up it heats up from the bottom up, so your plunger will be tight in the lead at the top and looser at the bottom. As soon as you start to see the lead start dripping and then pouring out (before it is completely melted), take a hammer hand or a piece of small pipe and keep tapping the plunger rapidly on the top to stop the flow. You will have to hit it on the hard side, but don't whack it to the point of breaking anything. You will see the lead will stop flowing. Then just wait for the rest of the lead to melt. I hope this answers your question Edited November 17, 2009 by cadman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brendandrage Posted November 17, 2009 Author Report Share Posted November 17, 2009 Hi all, Just received my new lee melting pot, and its great except for when you turn it back on with cold lead in the pot, it seems to leak everywhere. I read the instructions and it says to turn the screw but you cant while the lead is still melting can anyone help me out here? I have the burnt fingers that prove it leaks... Thanks Cadman, my fingers will know for next time Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cadman Posted November 17, 2009 Report Share Posted November 17, 2009 Thanks Cadman, my fingers will know for next time Hope you didn't get burned too badly. I always wear safety glasses, face shield and long sleeves. I also try to wear gloves, but sometimes they are a pain to deal with. Since I'm right handed I wear a leather glove on my left hand (the one that holds the mold), and latex or a nitrile glove on my right. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fatman Posted November 17, 2009 Report Share Posted November 17, 2009 I clean mine out after every use. Sometimes I'm using pure sometimes wheelweights and I don't want them mixed. DUDE ALWAYS WEAR GLOVES!!!! better to burn some leather than your skin. Hope it isn't bad!!!!!!! Fatman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brendandrage Posted November 17, 2009 Author Report Share Posted November 17, 2009 I clean mine out after every use. Sometimes I'm using pure sometimes wheelweights and I don't want them mixed. DUDE ALWAYS WEAR GLOVES!!!! better to burn some leather than your skin. Hope it isn't bad!!!!!!! Fatman Thanks for the concern guys, I normally wear gloves while pouring but while it was heating up I was organizing myself and turned around to see lead dripping/flowing everywhere so I grabbed a tray to stick under the pot but the tray got hot very fast and I couldn't sit it down cause the mess the lead had already made! So no not to bad just a blister on the finger and a bit of damaged pride. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
griffo Posted November 20, 2009 Report Share Posted November 20, 2009 brendandrage and cadman BEFORE you go bashing your plunger to stop the flow , #1. Always have a small can or two nearby to catch any lead that drips or starts to pour out. #2 When the lead starts to heat up it heats up from the bottom up, so your plunger will be tight in the lead at the top and looser at the bottom. #3 Take a GAS FLAME from a gas torch and proceed to heat the plunger and surrounding lead -( this method free's the plunger rapidly and also speed's up your melt down time ) #4 As soon as you start to see the lead start dripping and then pouring out try to use a screw driver to stop the drip/flow (before it is completely melted) #5 take a hammer hand or a piece of small pipe and keep tapping the plunger rapidly on the top to stop the flow ( last resort ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GCD Posted November 22, 2009 Report Share Posted November 22, 2009 I have the same thing happen with my Lee 10# furnace. I put an empty tuna fish can under mine at startup and watch it closely for the drips to start. When it starts to drip I use a screwdriver in the slot on the plunger and wiggle it left and right and can get it stopped before a 1/2 oz. drips into the can. The instructions for the Lee melter advises against striking the plunger! Always remember to secure your furnace to your working surface!!! I have drilled 2 holes in the base of my melter and secure it to my table top with 2 screws before startup. this way I can apply the pressure need to manipulate the plunger when the dripping starts. 10 lbs. of spilled 600+*F lead would not be good!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GKosich Posted November 24, 2009 Report Share Posted November 24, 2009 I have a problem with my pot and maybe it falls along the same lines as this thread.... I too have a Lee pot that is leaking. While the lead was leaking and heating up I tightened the "tension" screw (I think it is) until it stopped leaking. At that point I continued to heat the lead until it was all uniformly hot and ready to pour. My problem now is that the screw can't be loosened. I have tried while the pot is hot and cold. Is there something i am missing or need to do to fix this problem? I am very new to this and appreciate all help and advice. Also, if I need to, how is the best way to get melted lead out of the pot if the spout doesn't work? (hopefully won't need) Thanks in advance Greg Kosich Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GCD Posted November 25, 2009 Report Share Posted November 25, 2009 My problem now is that the screw can't be loosened. I have tried while the pot is hot and cold. Is there something i am missing or need to do to fix this problem? I am very new to this and appreciate all help and advice. Also, if I need to, how is the best way to get melted lead out of the pot if the spout doesn't work? (hopefully won't need) Thanks in advance Greg Kosich Have you tried spraying the screw with penetrating oil and letting it set for a couple days, then heat the pot up and try to remove it? ... as far as getting all of the lead out of the pot with a spout that doesn't work, cut the tops out of a bunch of aluminum soda cans and clean and dry them thoroughly... then, using a pair of welding gloves to lift the pot very carefully pour 1 1/2 -2 inches of hot lead into each can until you empty the pot. After the lead has cooled you can cut/tear the aluminum can away from the lead and have a nice round pug that will fit back into your pot when you get it fixed! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GKosich Posted November 29, 2009 Report Share Posted November 29, 2009 Have you tried spraying the screw with penetrating oil and letting it set for a couple days, then heat the pot up and try to remove it? ... as far as getting all of the lead out of the pot with a spout that doesn't work, cut the tops out of a bunch of aluminum soda cans and clean and dry them thoroughly... then, using a pair of welding gloves to lift the pot very carefully pour 1 1/2 -2 inches of hot lead into each can until you empty the pot. After the lead has cooled you can cut/tear the aluminum can away from the lead and have a nice round pug that will fit back into your pot when you get it fixed! Thanks for the advice. I will give it all a try. Greg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fishfinder Posted December 17, 2009 Report Share Posted December 17, 2009 Thanks for the advice. I will give it all a try. Greg brendandrage Here is what works for my lee 10# pot, (1.) when I am done pouring lead I only leave about 1 or 1 1/2 " of lead in the pot, that way when I start my pot up again I don't have to melt alot of lead , it heats up faster and and only a few drops may come out, I put the pot on max temp and add lead ingots, when the ingots are melted I back the temp to about 7 1/2. (2.) If I should get any kind of flow or the lead is not pouring in a straight line, I got a piece of wire I bent in a l shape and stick it up the hole at the bottom and move it up and down while I raise the handle, this usually will straighten out the stream of the lead and clear the hole of any debris. (3.) I have an aluminum cookie tray that set my pot on, so if their is any spills and cookie tray will catch it, the lead does not stick to this, you can buy those fairly cheap at wal-mart. (4.) I never use tire waits because they have other indegrents to make them harder, I use only soft lead from lead pipe, as a result of these four things I've added my pours are good with hardly any spills. Hope this helps you with your problem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kyratchethead Posted February 9, 2010 Report Share Posted February 9, 2010 I agree with what's been said above - I use a Lee Pot but have heard others who use other brands make the same comment that they all leak a little when warming up with cold lead in the pot. I always put an old square cake pan under my pot's spout to catch any drips that occur when it's warming up or when I'm casting as well. Any drips/spills can be tossed back into the pot to be remelted, and it's better to be safe than sorry! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
softworm Posted February 10, 2010 Report Share Posted February 10, 2010 I agree with what's been said above - I use a Lee Pot but have heard others who use other brands make the same comment that they all leak a little when warming up with cold lead in the pot. I always put an old square cake pan under my pot's spout to catch any drips that occur when it's warming up or when I'm casting as well. Any drips/spills can be tossed back into the pot to be remelted, and it's better to be safe than sorry! Thats the same thing I use a 9x13 baking dish. It can sure save some messes. The other day I got the plunger out of line somehow lead was pouring out of the pot if I hadn't had the baking dish it would've been a very bad mess. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crawdaddy Posted February 10, 2010 Report Share Posted February 10, 2010 I no longer use my Lee production pot. I now use a small pan and a hot plate for melting lead and pour with a ladle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
