Reusing an older Lee pot

[mark poulson]

My friend gave me an older Lee pot and some lead.  It is a "Production Pot IV", and the lead is an assortment of heavy lead sinkers.

How can I fire it up and begin using it?  The last time I poured lead it was in the '70s, and I was casting pyramid surf sinkers in sand molds, so I am basically a newbie, starting from scratch.

Any help will be appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

[Fishermanbt]

Bottom pour I’m guessing with temp knob on top?  If it were me I’d put the pot on a surface outside of the living quarters, get a cheap small muffin pan from the store, heat the pot up on 6-7 assuming there is lead in it. DO NOT get any water in the lead!!! Once hot drain lead into muffin pan holes. Wear leather gloves trust me! Unplug let it cool. 
With or without lead, take screws loose that hold the plunger and remove plunger. Scrub inside pot and plunger with wire brush and steel wool to remove rust and scale. Make sure the divot in the pot where the plunger seats is good and clean. I’ve had to scrape around in that with a flat screw driver before.  Just go easy. Refill the pot with lead and heat it up. Never run the pot on empty. I usually try to keep mine half full to minimize rust. Be forewarned, it’s a Lee pot it’s gonna drip some even perfectly cleaned. 
I should tell you here to use pure soft clean lead to refill. I would be a hypocrite if I did. Hard dirty lead like wheel weights are a booger to pour but doable. I just flux mine good in a junk cooking pot on a camp stove outside with a small chunk of wax to get the junk to come up to the top and skim off. Caution this will briefly cause a lot of toxic smoke and a small fire in the pot but it will burn off. Soft lead pours much better. The lead sinkers should do just fine. It’s whatever you have access to that has worked for me. As far as temp I pour most of my 1/4 oz jigs on the #4 setting. Some molds like it a little hotter 5-6. Again, this is just my take on it. 

Edited July 12, 2022 by Fishermanbt

[Apdriver]

Good advise on the pot, I’d say. Without knowing the source and history of the lead weights, you might want to melt and flux your lead before putting it your pot. Gulf paraffin wax from your grocery store is a good flux that is readily available. Done correctly, it will smoke, possibly catch fire so do it outside and stay upwind. Wear boots, gloves, long sleeves, don’t drink and keep kids, pets, over enthusiastic girlfriends, etc. away. Stir it while the flux melts and catches fire. Long handled stainless steel or if you have some good hickory from your carpenter days that will do too. It will burn some but that’s OK it’s a good flux too. After all the flux has burned away, skim the dross (the impurities) that rise to the top off with a long handled stainless spoon. If your spoon melts, it’s not stainless. Don’t ask me how I know. Explore some different opinions and sources for your lead. Might do a search here as we have discussed it many times. Read the safety dos and don’ts pinned at the top. Above all, enjoy. 

[mark poulson]

Thanks guys.  I did read the safety dos and don'ts, and some of the flux recommendations.

It looks like I'll need a lot more than just the pot and the lead to pour safely and successfully.  It's way different than pouring surf sinker from plumber's lead in sand molds.

I'm starting to think the whole "get into another hobby" thing.

[Jig Man]

Mark Smalljaw has warned about modern wheel weights containing zinc and can ruin a pot.  

[william cohen]

Iv'e been pouring lead off and on for the last 20 years. Been thru that whole process. In my opinion the fastest and the most efficient way is with a Coleman Stove a very sturdy pot purchased at the thrift shop. Load up on different size ladles, spoons. Most important things to remember very good pair cooking mitts, full face mask, a ventilated area.

Did most of my fishing surf casting. Made my own lures and all my  casting weights nothing fancy.