Lee Production Pot Question

[Metal Head]

Does anybody here use the Lee Production Pot that Lure Craft sells? It seems like a good product, but I wanted to see what other peoples experiences are with it. How long does it take to heat the plastic? Does it burn plastic easily Is it easy to clean? I have only ever used the microwave for pouring baits and it has become too much of a hassle because I can only do small amounts at a time.

Thanks for any help.

[BBK]

It is a pain in the ass and does not hold much more than you could do in the micro. If you want to do more plastic and increase your production 10X, get a presto pot from bearsbaits.

[Metal Head]

Thanks for the honest feedback; that's what I was afraid of too.

[BBK]

I'm serious about the presto pot from bearsbaits, it is the best thing since sliced bread. It is a tad on the expensive side, but if you are doing 2 cups+ batches it will really help. If you have any questions about it, post it here or over on bears forum.

[Frank]

I did have one of those pots at one time. Here is what I found. It does not hold much plastic about two cups for a safe level. The temp level is very up and down. I had a temp probe in it and when it got to 350 the heat would not turn on till it was down to like 310 and go up to 370. So does it burn plastic yes it will scorch it.The pour spout is small and with the temps up and down like that it will pour fast one time then slow the next. The presto pot is good but the whole set up is a bit more than the unit you are looking at. If you are using a micro and pyrex cups maybe try getting a griddle to keep the cups hot in between pours. I use this and never reheat the cup again. I do it like this set the griddle to 400 deg., heat up the plastic in the micro, set the cup on the griddle, shoot pour or do what ever you are doing and put it back on the griddle. Demold and take the sprues and scraps in a second cup. Remelt the second cup in the micro and pour it back into the first cup and pour again. Even if you get a presto pot you will need to reheat the sprues and scraps in the micro and pour it in the presto to keep from getting plastic buggers and plugging up things. Un less you have so many molds you dont have to stop pouring till you run out. With all the methods I still have to stir just to keep the temp even and the flake or salt suspended. Just my way. Frank

[Metal Head]

I did have one of those pots at one time. Here is what I found. It does not hold much plastic about two cups for a safe level. The temp level is very up and down. I had a temp probe in it and when it got to 350 the heat would not turn on till it was down to like 310 and go up to 370. So does it burn plastic yes it will scorch it.The pour spout is small and with the temps up and down like that it will pour fast one time then slow the next. The presto pot is good but the whole set up is a bit more than the unit you are looking at. If you are using a micro and pyrex cups maybe try getting a griddle to keep the cups hot in between pours. I use this and never reheat the cup again. I do it like this set the griddle to 400 deg., heat up the plastic in the micro, set the cup on the griddle, shoot pour or do what ever you are doing and put it back on the griddle. Demold and take the sprues and scraps in a second cup. Remelt the second cup in the micro and pour it back into the first cup and pour again. Even if you get a presto pot you will need to reheat the sprues and scraps in the micro and pour it in the presto to keep from getting plastic buggers and plugging up things. Un less you have so many molds you dont have to stop pouring till you run out. With all the methods I still have to stir just to keep the temp even and the flake or salt suspended. Just my way. Frank

Thanks for your always detailed replies Frank. I had a personal conversation with one of the Pyrex managers and he specifically mentioned that Pyrex, or really any similar material, should never be placed on a griddle or hot plate regardless of the temperatures or time because it can cause instantaneous explosions or eventual cracks which can cause for issues down the road. I don't know if there is any real merit to what he said or not, but his input has made me very reluctant to even risk it. How long have you been doing this for?

I am still leaning more towards the Presto Pot after finding some further information on it. Nobody seems to have issues with them at all....

[Frank]

I ve been doing this for close to a year and have had one cup crack. I was my fault because I was cooling heads that I dipped in plastic in water. A drop of water from my hand hit the side of the cup and it cracked it. It was more like it all cracked in big pieces. They also have pyrex for lab use which I use for the sprues and scraps for reheat. Maybe ask if those are better but they are thinner. If you have an issue with using pyrex then by all means go to the presto pot. There are alot of people that use them out there. I have one but dont use it, just my way. How much plastic do you pour at a time? Frank

[Vodkaman]

It is all about temperature difference. If the griddle is roughly the same temperature as the pyrex, then no problem. If you put the hot pyrex onto a cold metallic surface it may crack.

None heat conducting surfaces are preferred.

Dave

[JHodgie]

Thanks for your always detailed replies Frank. I had a personal conversation with one of the Pyrex managers and he specifically mentioned that Pyrex, or really any similar material, should never be placed on a griddle or hot plate regardless of the temperatures or time because it can cause instantaneous explosions or eventual cracks which can cause for issues down the road. I don't know if there is any real merit to what he said or not, but his input has made me very reluctant to even risk it. How long have you been doing this for?

I am still leaning more towards the Presto Pot after finding some further information on it. Nobody seems to have issues with them at all....

my wife has a set of pyrex baking dishes. those get put on the metal grills in the oven. it has to be like other people said drastic temp changes.

Edited August 29, 2010 by JHodgie

[carolinamike]

Metalhead, I used the Lee plastic pots for 6 or 7 years. I had 4 big ones and 2 small ones. I rarely used the small ones. The big ones usually take about an hour to heat up without burning the plastic, and halfway through you'll have to adjust the heat down a little bit. 3/4 of the way down, you've got to adjust the heat down a whole lot. We didn't have Presto pots then, it was just Fry Daddy's and Fry Baby's. One does not heat the same as the other, and you really have to use them and get to know them as an individual. The big ones only hold about 20 oz of plastic, and usually if you have 30-40 cavities, or 15-20 molds, it would take about an hour to pour it out. So once I got one hot, I could start the other one and be ready to go all the way down the line. I did production like this for years. I don't have any experience with Presto pots, but you do have an advantage of putting a stirrer on one of those. That's another thing about a Lee pot, you have to stir all the time. If I was going to go that route now, I'd definitely go with the Presto pot, with the stirrer.

[JSC]

I had 2 of the small Lee pots ... cooked the plastisol in micro wave and poured into the pots for pouring into mold ... once you get the temp .. stiring thing down right you can really do some great pouring in an open mold ... you get a good small stream and with 2 pots going you can do some good multi color work .....

I went to the Presto Pot (2) they solve a lot of problems but is hard to get the stream right for real fine detail as I could with the Lee.

2 cents worth

JSC

Edited August 30, 2010 by JSC

[smallmouthaholic]

It is all about temperature difference. If the griddle is roughly the same temperature as the pyrex, then no problem. If you put the hot pyrex onto a cold metallic surface it may crack.

None heat conducting surfaces are preferred.

Dave

I had a full(16oz.)Pyrex cup explode on me 1 year ago. I removed it from the microwave and was stirring the plastisol mix @ waist height and observed the glass starting to spiderweb. Then BOOM!!! like a rifle shot it exploded all over the shop and my long pants and shoes.

A very dangerous hand grenade w/ glass shrapnel for sure when one decides to detonate..

Some on-line research has indicated we need to be using glass measuring cups made from borosilicate.American Pyrex cups are made from cheap lime soda glass.

http://www.containerstore.com/shop/kitchen/foodPrep/measuring?utm_medium=feed&117021=&productId=10000652&utm_source=shoppin

You can google Exploding Pyrex Cups and read some alarming stories.

Edited August 30, 2010 by smallmouthaholic

[mark poulson]

I think Pyrex cups probably suffer from "metal fatigue" after a while. All that heating and cooling, expansion and contraction, probably stresses the glass too much eventually.

After my Wife had a Pyrex pan of potatoes au graten fall apart in her hands when she was taking it out of the over, I got worried and started asking other people if it had happened to them. It didn't exactly explode. It just turned into a thousand small pieces, and fell onto the top of the stove, leaving her holding little bits of glass in her oven mits.

This was long before the internet, so I couldn't google it.

Both my Mother and my Mother-in-law told me that Pyrex dishes break eventually.

Who was I to argue with them?

[Vodkaman]

A very dangerous hand grenade w/ glass shrapnel for sure when one decides to detonate..

I agree, this is scary stuff. The best we can do is avoid the obvious and keep clear of cold surfaces and insulate from metal surfaces. This advice is obviously not going to eliminate all problems, but should eliminate some problems.

Dave

[smallmouthaholic]

I agree, this is scary stuff. The best we can do is avoid the obvious and keep clear of cold surfaces and insulate from metal surfaces. This advice is obviously not going to eliminate all problems, but should eliminate some problems.

Dave

A borosilicate ,16oz. measuring cup from the container store is $15.00

http://www.containerstore.com/shop/kitchen/foodPrep/measuring?utm_medium=feed&117021=&productId=10000652&utm_source=shoppin

Edited August 30, 2010 by smallmouthaholic

[smallmouthaholic]

I have four of these borosilicate measuring cups in the shop that see heavy duty use.I'm not taking any chances after the 1st episode. I'm fortunate the explosion didn't happen @ eye level.

Edited August 30, 2010 by smallmouthaholic

[Frank]

Thanks for that Smallie look like a great tip. Frank

[Metal Head]

Thanks for the input and feedback guys. JSC, your 2 cents were appreciated!

[Fish Candy Bait Company]

So if you were only heating 8 oz or so of plastic at a time would these work good? I think the problem is keeping the colors at temp when doing 2 color pours using a microwave. You have to reheat after you demold back up to temp and that takes time, with the possibility of scorching the plastic in the process. The Lee pot would be more stable to set your injectors into without turning over.

The other option to the Pyrex and hot plate is the pans that LC has. They claim their hot plate will hold three of them at a time but I would be interested in only 2 on it. If you can get it dialed in and just turn it on for X minutes and the plastic should be close to temp then this might be the way to go. For about the same price as a Lee Pot you could get two hot plates and five pans and alternate having a heated or reheating color on standby while using the other one. I use a cup in each hand pouring into a two piece mold so it would be the same thing using two pans. Otherwise I would drain some out of each Lee pot into the cups, pour and return to the Lee pot to reheat.

[Dictator Of Painters]

I was looking at LCs hot plates as well. I agree with you beer, I think I would rather 2 hot plates than a lee pot.

[BBK]

Hot plates work fine, but those little pans LC has will not work for injecting. They hold 1.5 - 2 oz of plastic and are not stable at all IMO. Best option for injecting is to get two presto pots. You can get a presto pot from walmart for $20 with no valve. (less than a hotplate costs). You do not need the valve for injecting.

[Metal Head]

Hot plates work fine, but those little pans LC has will not work for injecting. They hold 1.5 - 2 oz of plastic and are not stable at all IMO. Best option for injecting is to get two presto pots. You can get a presto pot from walmart for $20 with no valve. (less than a hotplate costs). You do not need the valve for injecting.

You can get Presto Pots at Wal Mart? This is news to me!

[smallmouthaholic]

You'll need a stirrer w/a motor or you'll burn the plastic along w/ a color change. Buy the complete set-up from Bears Baits complete w/ drain valve,4 paddle stirrer w/ motor.

[Fish Candy Bait Company]

Actually those pans holding a few oz of plastic will be just right for what I want to do. For me the presto pots hold too much for what I want to do and the complete package is pricey. I keep the injectors warm in the toaster oven when I do injections and don't rest them in the hot plastic anyways. I only have a couple of injection molds due to their design and higher cost, I would rather do a pour with a cup in each hand. The Lee pot would be good to rest your injectors in between batches but they seem to have some drawbacks. If they would design a pot with multiple heating elements and better temperature control I would go for the Lee. Below is an example of my pyrex in each hand 2 color pour. It is just a time killer to keep reheating in the microwave between batches. It would go a lot quicker if I can have the plastic right there to pour after demolding. I think I am going to give the hot plate a try.

[BBK]

You can get Presto Pots at Wal Mart? This is news to me!

Yup, they run on sale for $19.99 all the time.

You'll need a stirrer w/a motor or you'll burn the plastic along w/ a color change. Buy the complete set-up from Bears Baits complete w/ drain valve,4 paddle stirrer w/ motor.

No you dont, I know dozens of people (including me) who use them without the stirrer and do fine. The motor is nice, but its not needed.