I have broken the number 1 rule with using lee pots....

[rmatchell]

I just spent the last 40 mins cleaning up 15 pounds of 50/50 lino/coww. I walked away from the pot long enough to check on something in the house and came back to a rather large pile of alloy. At least I know I am not the first or last to do it.

[ultramag]

I'm still pretty new to casting and use a Lee Pro 4-20 pot and would like to ask a question. I've read of this happening and have to admit I'm guilty of leaving the pot on and running in the house to grab something a time or two. I've always wondered when this happens if it is typically on initial fire up of the pot and something sticks or freezes from sitting a while or if it happens after an hour or two of casting. Would you mind to elaborate a little on how this event transpired so I can learn a little here as well?

I get that it isn't a good idea to leave molten pots of lead sitting around unattended but a guy has to hit the head, line out his two sons playing in the yard, forgets something he needs in the basement on the reloading bench etc.... Just always been curious how likely this is to happen after the pot is up to temp vs. on start-up if that makes sense.

[303Guy]

Just turn the valve pin with a screwdriver and check that it's not dripping before you go. And try not to be away for two long. I've never had a major pile-up but drips yes. So watch it for a few minutes before going anyway. No guaranties!

[PS Paul]

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=44691 Tons of great info in this sticky. MANY of us have this pot, and ALL of us who use it have come up with solutions (some good and some not so good) to make these things work. I love mine, BUT I too have made some modifications to make it work just swell. Thankfully enough, I have known several who have gone before me and LEARNED fro their mistakes. Never shall I walk away from you, Oh venerable Lee 4-20!! Or any pot, for that matter.

There are other threads on the subject and a REALLY good post from a senior member here who used threaded 3/8" rod and placed a weight on top of the valve pin to prevent the dreaded drip. I will look for it later unless someone else beats me to it.....

These valve pins "float" in molten alloy and adding weight WILL solve a lot of the issues we face.

Ain't it fun? har har!!

[Doby45]

You know that wooden knob on the side that is used to lift the pin. Unscrew the wooden knob and put a few washers on the threaded rod that the knob screws on and then put the wooden knob back on. Has been working wonders for mine the past 3-4 years. No drippies....

[rmatchell]

mine only drips at first, once it gets up to temp it will start dripping. Easy to fix if I am there. Most of the time its just a slow drip, but I am finding that with lino it runs like water.

[destrux]

You know that wooden knob on the side that is used to lift the pin. Unscrew the wooden knob and put a few washers on the threaded rod that the knob screws on and then put the wooden knob back on. Has been working wonders for mine the past 3-4 years. No drippies....

Mine has a big heavy solid steel knob. Must be an update? My pot is only about 3 years old.

Mine still drips though, I always figured it was because i used it for smelting wheel weights and casting and I get some dirt in the valve.

It never "ran away" on me though. I keep a soup can under it just to be safe though to catch the drips during warmup.

[Shiloh]

I just spent the last 40 mins cleaning up 15 pounds of 50/50 lino/coww. I walked away from the pot long enough to check on something in the house and came back to a rather large pile of alloy. At least I know I am not the first or last to do it.

Nope.
I weighted my handle.

Shiloh

[303Guy]

Mine is not even a year old and it has a heavy steel nob on it. It drips due to dirt in the valve and I couldn't disassemble it to clean. I'll have to cut the valve adjuster screw to dissassemble. But for now it doesn't drip much.

[detox]

Due to my ignorance, I once walked away from my Lee 20 bottom pour pot. When i returned there was a big sheet of lead solidified on my picnic table and concrete floor. I had to peel and roll lead to put back into pot. Afterwards I converted this pot to a ladle pour only. I now use RCBS Pro Melt for bottom pouring.

[Catshooter]

A few years back a member here plugged his two pots in and then walked back into his house.

When next he looked out the window at his reloading/casting/man cave it was fully engulfed in flames and it burnt to the ground. The only thing saved was the eight or nine hundred pounds of lead that ran out the door to solidify on the ground.

When he posted this story here it made me think. So I looked my set up over. Now, when I plug in my Lee ten pounder I have a ten pound Lyman cast iron pot under the spout.

The Lee is screwed to a cookie sheet that would easily contain the melt.

I also make sure that there is no way the melt could make it's way to any powder or primers. Molten lead is above the flash point of smokeless powder.


Cat

[Gtek]

I found a large enough stainless sheet pan 12"x18"- perfect. Gtek