Lee bottom pour...drip...drip...drip

Yes, turn it back and forth a few times, and put some weight on the handle. Some folks screw the end off and add washers, but HomeDepot sells a nifty little set of vice grips for 2 bucks that'll hang there just perfectly and add the right amount of weight.

(GP100man gets credit for the vice grip idea. I got it from him.):)
 
Mine's a 10lb pot, same problem. Tried the recommended methods, no luck. Finally parted with most of 20 bucks and replaced the liner and valve rod, so far, so good, no leaks. GW
 
I cleaned everything out really good, then went after mine with some Clover valve lapping compound.

After I was done I had close to a 3/16" seating area compared to the 1/16 I started out with. I could probably get more out of it if I wanted to spend another hour or more twirling and wiping out the excess goop.

Now about the only time it drips is after half a dozen or more sessions when I don't empty the pot. After I DO empty it and give it a halfway decent scrubbing out to remove all of the accumulated junk that sticks to the sides and bottom it works like a charm again.
 
I have used one for decades. It does drip sometimes so I just have an old screwdriver laying there for just that purpose. It starts to drip, just give it 1/2 a turn or so and the leak stops. No problem.
 
Now about the only time it drips is after half a dozen or more sessions when I don't empty the pot
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Do you think this might have anything to do with not emptying the pot? Because I leave about 1/8" at the bottom when done.
 
Lee bottom pour...drip...drip...drip
OK I know it's a common problem, but how do I stop it?
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Which one? 10# or 20#?? Two different pots, two answers. My original was WAS a ten pound production pot. Gave it away. My second one is a lee pro 20, my third one is also a lee pro 20# pot. Neither leaks or drips.

The key is to put clean lead in it smelted and well fluxed in a dutch oven over a turkey fryer. The second key is to never drop reject boolits OR sprues back in as you cast. They carry trash with them when they sink to the bottom of the melt. Third tip is to use sawdust to flux with and a paint stirring stick to mix with the melt. Then leave the sawdust on the surface of the melt to create a barrier to the atmosphere.
 
I gave up on bottom pours years ago. My 10lb Lee has a screw in bottom hole and is used to melt stick on WW outside. Will probably do the same with the 20lb Lee. My go to pot is a 20lb Lyman dipper.
 
They all drip. So what... I simply place something below to catch it. Once it accumulates enough it goes back into the pot.

I'm not sure why people have such a big problem with this. What counts to me is whether it produces good quality bullets, and it does.
 
I'm not sure why people have such a big problem with this. What counts to me is whether it produces good quality bullets, and it does.
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I agree that it does. But what if it made quality bullets and didn't drip?
 
On the 20 pounder .. I just lift the lever and smack it with my sprue mallet. It squirts a little, but you're wearing your leather apron right? If there's a chunk 'o something blocking the spout this works well. It always makes me feel better.
 
I emptied my 10# recently and discovered the spout was encrusted with heavy rust. A bit of work with Chore Boy wrapped around a 22 bronze brush cleaned most of it out, but I still have to turn the pin to cut down on drips.
 
Well,,,--- we still don't know which lee pot the O.P. is talking about--// BUT here's my solution to an occasional drip from my pro-20. I took a 1" drill, cut a hole in a 1.5" hardwood dowel. Filled it with lead. Then a hole drilled into the lead undersized of the stud on the valve handle, then simply screwed it on in place of the wood handle.

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I'm not sure how much it weighs, over the upper capacity limit of my 750 grain RCBS digital scale. It worked, is all I wanted.
 
Sorry guys, I failed to point out that it's the 4-20 pro. Yesterday I did some pouring, and sure enough it started dripping. I drained the pot completely, and added a few ingots. This time the drip wasn't quite as bad. Put a screwdriver to it, going back and forth a few times and all dripping stopped for the remainder of the session. We'll see if it holds up.
 
just lift the lever and smack it with my sprue mallet. It always makes me feel better.
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Sounds like you like to smack things with that hammer....:eek: (duckin and runnin)

Yea I fired mine up today and it dripped a little as well. First time in a while though. I left about an inch or so in it for now. Maybe next time I fire it up I'll drain it down and polish the seat and stem up again. Probably time I haven't messed with it since about this time last year.
 
I don't leave lead in mine to cool. I've always emptied the "pot" when done casting. Then for maintenance sake. I always drop a little piece of old hard patch lube/wax down by its drain orifice and valve while its still a little hot. Helps to keep the area freed up and void of lead & dirt. >I think.<
Then again I don't have a Lee Pot either. I believe the directions that came with my smelting furnace said to empty it after each use. Just an old Mag 20 I manage to get by with in my casting secession's.
 
If you don't leave some lead in the pot, it takes a lot longer to melt lead for your next casting session. Reason? Contact with the heated pot is what melts the lead. If you put ingots into the empty pot, they are not contacting the inside of the pot in very many places. An inch of lead in the bottom will melt faster but if the pot is left ½ full, it'll melt even faster,,(because the heating element is positioned just below half way down).

I empty mine about once a year, or after ten casting sessions. I have 2 of them so it's not all that often. There's a good collection of crud really nailed onto the sides and bottom of the pot. I take it outside in a good wind so I don't breath those dangerous lead oxides. I take the valve and lever off to be able to get at everything. I use a big wire wheel and wire cup brush in a high speed ¼ inch drill motor.
 
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